When you walk into work on a Monday morning and pass coworkers, hearing their thoughts and debates on the latest series they binged over the weekend, it is a clear sign of success for the show creators. Netflix’s original limited series Adolescence (2025) is the newest show that’s caught everyone’s attention, with British ratings body Barb reporting 6.45 million watched during its first week. This marks the first time a show available on a streaming platform topped such a chart in the UK. With so much popularity and word of mouth, is the show having the intended impact from its creators?
Adolescence tackles the negative consequences of growing up with unfiltered access to social media via the Miller family, resonating strongly with the Gen Z experience. When the police ambush the Millers’ home, all eyes turn to Jamie (Owen Cooper), who quickly realizes that he is the cause of the raid; he is arrested for murder. Each of the four episodes focuses on different stages and perspectives of this alleged crime, making each episode feel self-contained whilst maintaining the progression of the overarching narrative.
The smooth, dynamic cinematography stands out in the opening episode since everything is filmed as one continuous shot (a “oner“). From the moment we begin — with police officers DI Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and DS Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) entering their vehicle on their way to the raid — to the police station processing and interrogation, the oner helps firmly ground the narrative whilst maintaining an engaging pace. Director Phillip Barantini is no stranger to this technique, with his feature film Boiling Point (2021) also incorporating this method. It is as if he is establishing an auteur touch to his filmography as this effect was used and successfully achieved in subsequent episodes.
The viewer, introduced to these characters in their most heightened and vulnerable state, receives a visceral shock when thrown into the episode. The structural choice conveys how this “normal” family’s life is completely turned upside down, reinforcing the possibility of it happening in our own lives. When the initial shock wears off, there is a gradual build in tension as to whether Jamie is guilty of murdering his classmate Katie (Emilia Holliday), almost as if it takes inspiration from the way true crime documentaries create mystery narratives.
This all serves as a masterclass of effective pacing from writers Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham that continues into the second episode set in Jamie and Katie’s school. While it is the lowest-rated episode of the show on IMDb (if you call 8.1 low), it explores often-overlooked details that the audience needs to hear. Graham (who, as well as being a writer, plays Eddie Miller) has spoken in interviews about the inspiration of this show coming from seeing similar stories involving violence amongst young boys and girls in the UK. What’s compelling is that the show tries to understand why.
The “why” comes across in the screenplay when DI Bascombe and DS Frank visit the school, as it is evident that there is a distrust and disconnect between them and the students. As adults, whether parents or not, there is a general lack of interest in learning from younger generations and making a conscious effort to understand their troubles. I was drawn to the show’s attempt to highlight these themes and try to spark conversations on them, hopefully moving towards more productive outcomes.
Another way these themes are addressed is through the psychiatric evaluation conducted by Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty) on Jamie in the third episode. For a breakout role at only fourteen years old during filming, Cooper gives a nuanced and layered performance as Jamie. He is aware of the conflict his character faces, as he must maintain the façade of complete innocence by saying what he thinks he must say whilst trying to comply with Briony’s intricate questions that coax the truth out of him. This is such a complex turmoil to convey authentically, even as a long-tenured actor — let alone as a first role. His performance elevates the character to a gripping portrayal guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
The show intends to act as a wake-up call for adults to understand that, due to social media, children are growing up faster than expected and are much more intelligent than they believe them to be. A snippet of dialogue between parents Eddie and Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco) in the final episode underpins this sentiment. When discussing their eldest daughter Lisa (Amelie Pease), Manda playfully asks Eddie, “How did we make her, eh?” to which he responds soberingly, “The same way we made him,” reinforcing the idea that you could raise two children in exactly the same way but external forces (such as social media) can create deviations.
Graham has said that this series was never intended to give answers but rather pose questions and raise awareness of issues facing young people today. However, this has not stopped people from trying to find ways to see this show as a solution. The prime minister of the UK has backed Netflix’s decision to make Adolescence freely available to watch in secondary schools across the country. Considering that this is a show written by adults, it’s more counterintuitive to force young people to watch a show that is meant to show the rest of the world their “problems”.
Surely, children are already aware of the culture they consume on social media and how it impacts them daily. Encouraging children to watch a show that only highlights the distrust between generations offers no solution. I argue that a more effective angle to take here would be to educate adults on how they can better understand the pressures facing young people. In reality, Adolescence is made to shock adults, not to reiterate the feelings of children and teens.
Regardless of what actions have been taken, Adolescence is an attempt to facilitate and start the hard conversations surrounding pressures young people face online. At the very least, the show is bringing light to a conversation and a systemic issue that more people than ever before have been made privy to.
Review Courtesy of Nandita Joshi
Feature Image Credit to Netflix via Today.com