Filmed in a single continuous shot, Adolescence (2025) on Netflix is a must-watch limited series for everyone around the world, especially teenage boys and parents with teenage children. This show is a true test of society’s media literacy.
The show is labeled as a crime drama as it begins with Detective Inspector (DI) Luke Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and Detective Sergeant (DS) Misha Frank (Faye Marsay) leading a raid inside an unsuspecting family home in a small English town. The raid ends in Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), a 13-year-old boy, being arrested on suspicion of murder of his classmate, Katie Leonard. While this sets the foundation of the show, the story quickly unravels into something much deeper than a typical mystery.
What sets this series apart is its ability to fearlessly explore the prominent modern societal issues we face today. Stephen Graham, who plays Jamie’s dad, Eddie Miller, and also serves as a writer and executive producer, said in an interview that he was inspired to come up with this kind of show by the high rates of knife crime in the United Kingdom. Beyond addressing knife crime, the show also highlights the dangers of social media on teenagers, disconnects within families, gender roles, misogyny, and toxic masculinity, among other issues.
These specific themes aren’t just implied, they are woven into the entirety of the narrative, which challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths.
One of the most exceptional aspects of the series is the performance of Owen Cooper and the fact that this is his acting debut. In the third episode, especially, his performance with the child psychologist, Briony Ariston (Erin Doherty), was bone-chilling. This is a major point in the show where the film crew truly tested the abilities of the audience to open their eyes to the problems around them. The single shot used to film is a great way of increasing tension and making everything feel more realistic.
Despite the bold storytelling techniques, Adolescence has been seen to have mixed reviews. Many dismiss the show as “boring” or “overrated”, with negative posts and 1-star reviews coursing around social media. While the opinions on the pacing and storytelling may be subjective, it is concerning that many could even overlook the explicit themes and messages within the show. Other than this, it is also possible that not everyone is the biggest fan of short-form storytelling, and a four-episode series may not be appealing to everyone else.
At its center, the series isn’t fully about the murder of Jamie’s classmate, Katie Leonard. It is simply a catalyst for a bigger type of conversation about systemic issues that torment our society. I find it difficult to pinpoint a singular problem with this series. If even just a small percentage of our world today can watch it and truly absorb the deeper meanings of it, then these problems might have the potential to be solved in our near future and could inspire actual change. It is a must-watch for those who are willing to reflect and challenge their perspectives.
