I was intrigued when I learned Netflix was getting a new crime drama called “Adolescence” in March. But when I discovered it would star Stephen Graham and reunite the British actor with “Boiling Point” director Philip Barantini, the show instantly became one of my most anticipated new Netflix series of 2025.
I’m trying to regulate my hype, but based on what we know, “Adolescence” could be very special.
A crime drama hailing from the U.K., “Adolescence” follows an ordinary family whose lives are upended when 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper) is arrested and accused of murdering a fellow teen. That’s a narrative ripe for dramatic moments, and a deep exploration of how the unthinkable impacts a family. The upcoming series is set to debut on Netflix on Thursday, March 13, 2025.
A stellar cast
As noted, the show is directed by Philip Barantini (who is also set to helm “Enola Holmes” 3 for the streaming service) and will star Graham as Eddie Miller, Jamie’s father.
Joining Graham will be Ashley Walters as Detective Inspector Bascombe and Erin Doherty as a criminal psychologist assigned to Jamie’s case. Additional cast members include Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley, Jo Hartley, Amélie Pease and Claudius Peters.
Stephen Graham’s fingerprints will be all over the series as the acclaimed actor is also credited as a creator. He co-wrote the series alongside Jack Thorne (who wrote the recent TV adaptation of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” and also the terrible Harry Potter stage play).
Here’s why I’m so excited for “Adolescence” on Netflix
“Adolescence’s” core premise was enough to draw my interest and secure its place in my Netflix watchlist. However, when I discovered that the series takes place in real-time and that each episode is presented in a single continuous shot (per What’s on Netflix), that’s when my hype levels went into overdrive.
As noted, the show will reunion Graham and Barantini who worked together on “Boiling Point,” a 2021 dramatic thriller supplemented by a four-part TV series of the same name (which is currently streaming on Netflix U.S.). Set in the high-pressure world of fine dining, “Boiling Point” sees Graham play a troubled head chief attempting to keep his ragtag group of staff in order and fend off numerous personal demons.
The movie is presented as a single continuous take, and this framing device adds so much dramatic tension to the already potent mixture. I’m thrilled that Barantini is returning to this style for “Adolescence”, and the show taking place in real-time could further add to the sense of narrative momentum. If “Boiling Point” is any indication, Barantini knows how to craft a drama.
But as much as the “Boiling Point” movie impressed me, the subsequent TV show blew me away and was my favorite new series of 2023. It took (almost) everything great about the film and refined it (though the on-shot style was dropped).
The TV continuation focused on a secondary character from the movie, Vinettee Robinson’s Carly, and delivered some of the best writing and most emotionally intense scenes I’ve ever seen on TV. “Boiling Point” literally drained me emotionally several times, and I mean that as a true compliment.
“Boiling Point” was a Michelin star masterpiece across both film and television. If Graham and Barantini can recapture even half the drama, tension, emotion, kinetic energy and excitement that flows out of their previous projects, then “Adolescence” is going to be not just among the best Netflix shows of 2025, but utterly essential television I’ll likely be recommending all year long.
Of course, there’s a lot of “ifs” above. I’m a big advocate for never getting too hyped about an upcoming movie or show, and keeping your expectations in check. So, while I feel pretty confident that “Adolescence” is going to be, at the very least, worth watching, I’ll be reserving my final judgment until it premiers next month.
Until then I’ll just rewatch “Boiling Point” for the dozenth time.
