[Review] Adolescence | Netflix Series

Adolescence (Netflix) is a limited crime drama series released in March 2025. Created and written by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham, and directed by Philip Barantini, the show follows a family that has to deal with the chaos that follows after their adolescent son is arrested under suspicion of murder.

Starring Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty, Stephen Graham, Ashley Walters, and more, the series is only 4 episodes long, with each episode filmed as a single shot. Not edited to look like, but filmed as a single take.

But, does the one-take treatment serve the story well in any way?

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Adolescence Synopsis:

A family’s world turns upside down when 13-year-old Jamie Miller is arrested for murdering a schoolmate. The charges against their son force them to confront every parent’s worst nightmare.

Adolescence Review:

My wife insisted I watch Adolescence because she loved the first ten minutes, and refused to continue without me. I was skeptical at first, because you know the recent track record of these OTT platforms. However, I’ll admit that I was wrong. Ten minutes in, and I was sitting at the edge of my seat, both because of the unfolding drama, as well as trying to find the hidden cuts.

You see, I had no idea what the show was about. I read everything about the show after I finished watching the last episode. Which I think served really well for me being able to enjoy this show without any expectations or prior notions.

Owen Cooper as Jamie and Stephen Graham as Eddie (Jamie’s father)

Adolescence isn’t your ordinary crime drama. It’s a brutal check on reality that begs viewers to reflect upon the world we’re living in. The show reminded me of one of my all time favourite quotes by Steven Erikson —

“Children are dying.”
Lull nodded. “That’s a succinct summary of humankind, I’d say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words.”

Adolescence explores the other side of that coin, where children might be dying, but the striking hand also belongs to someone not yet grown up. Few films and series have dared to explore such a bold idea, and for Netflix to greenlight this show is a huge win. It’s a tough watch at times. There are scenes that get way too real.

And that’s why… Adolescence is a compelling, brutal, and bloody good series.

Uncomfortable, provocative, necessary

Everyone talks of the evils of social media and its exposure to youngsters. But how many are ready to talk the specifics?

Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay

Episode 1 in my opinion was the most brutal of the four. Right from the opening frame, to the last one (remember, it’s all just one long continuous shot), the episode is chockful of tension and emotional turbulence. Even when it gives you a moment of peace, the looming worry of Jamie’s arrest forbids you from relaxing. The one-shot treatment hammers in the limitations of a single perspective, slowly letting the case build in pieces. It’s only in the final segment of the episode that viewers finally learn the crime for which Jamie is arrested under suspicion. The slow-burning maelstrom of turmoil not only keeps you hooked but casts a brutal mirror to society, where a 13-year-old could be accused of murder and be arrested like an adult. Whether he’s guilty or not, the incident is uncomfortable and compelling.

This isn’t a regular happy-go-lucky world upturned by a crime. This is a brutal world that—in its systemic failure and societal negligence—has enabled a heinous crime. Every single episode reminds you of that reality.

Does the one-shot treatment get boring?

Honestly… in some parts.

I particularly didn’t like the second episode. While it did show many pertinent problems that adolescents are dealing with, the one-shot gimmick didn’t work half as well as it did in episode 1. The emotional ups-and-downs didn’t feel as powerful, and the ending with Ryan’s revealing that the knife used to kill Katie belonged to him didn’t really add anything too meaningful to the overall experience. If you ask me, the makers should have skipped episode 2, and made this a 3-episode series focused on Jamie and his family. That would have honestly made for a more compelling watch.

Building off that, the one-shot treatment also didn’t work very well for episode 3. The episode did pick up and remained at high tension after a particular point, but a lot of it—mainly the first half—felt boring and a drag. Episode 4 was another powerhouse entry, dealing with the repercussions of Jamie’s actions from the perspective of his family. However, the last segment felt a little too generic. The one-shot treatment served it well, except for that last bit.

Adolescence explores some very hard-hitting truths about growing up in the modern world, and how media can easily taint an impressionable mind. My only criticism for the makers is that they should have explored different treatments per episode, instead of sticking to the one-shot gimmick. Would’ve made the show more compelling than it already is.

Adolescence Ending Explained

Over the course of some 20 months, Jamie has been arrested and sent to a ‘training facility’, which I believe is another term for a juvenile rehabilitation centre. The final episode takes place on Eddie’s birthday. Despite almost 2 years having passed, people still take out their frustration on Eddie (Jamie’s father) and the family. However, as the episode ends, Jamie calls his father to wish him, and to tell him that he’s going to change his plea to ‘guilty’.

Once the call ends, the family enters their home, where they decide to cancel their plans and just stay in. They’ve had a hard day, and it wouldn’t be worth going out only to find trouble again. The parents end up having an argument which slowly morphs into an emotionally charged scene where both lay bare their vulnerabilities and insecurities. After all, their son killed someone. Did they go wrong somewhere? Was it their parenting? Was it their negligence? Honestly, it’s too late for anything concrete. Irrespective of the reason, the parents have to live with the reality. All they can admit to themselves is that they did the best they could, and that it wasn’t enough.

Is Adolescence Worth Watching?

Erin Doherty and Owen Cooper

Yes.

Despite all my complaints in the previous section, I cannot deny the technical excellence. Every single actor, from Owen Cooper to Stephen Graham, does justice to their bizarrely unsettling situation. The performances are powerful, and they will leave you teary-eyed. The subject matter doesn’t hold back, so if you’re easily triggered, I’d stay away. But, if you can stomach the sickening brutality of this show’s premise, you will really love Adolescence.

In Conclusion:

Adolescence is one of the best shows Netflix has produced. Last year we got Baby Reindeer, and this year I believe it’s Adolescence. A compelling crime drama that does not shy away from exploring the more unsettling truths of human society, Adolescence is an uncomfortable, albeit necessary watch. Who knows, maybe understanding this difficult subject might provoke parents to be more mindful of their children’s mental health and world-view.

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