Adolescence - Season 1

With unique film techniques, strong actors and poignant themes, Adolescence is a masterpiece. What if your child was arrested on suspicion of murder? It’s every parent’s nightmare that they hope will never come true. Have you failed as a parent? Could you have prevented such a horrific event if you had paid more attention? Netflix’s four-part miniseries Adolescence uses that fear as a starting point.

At the beginning of the first episode, thirteen-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper) is arrested early in the morning. He is suspected of murder, but the answer to the question of who he killed and why the police suspect him does not come immediately. You have to be patient for that. Slowly but surely we get to see more about the act and the motive behind it in the form of a search for evidence, a conversation with a psychologist and the prelude to the trial.

Whenever Stephen Graham collaborates on a series, that is almost always a reason to watch it. He is an excellent actor who you may know from series such as Bodies (2023), Time and A Thousand Blows. Not only does he play one of the leading roles, he is also one of the two script writers. The other writer is Jack Thorne, who also worked on His Dark Materials and the recently released Toxic Town. And when he collaborates on a series, the same reason applies again.

What is special about this series is that each of the four episodes, which last between 50 and 65 minutes, was recorded in a single take. The camera never stops rolling. On the morning that Jamie is lifted from his bed, we also see him sitting in the police car and being taken to the station. This is technically very cleverly done. The minimal use of music also contributes to the realism that you feel. Each space has been brought to life with great attention to detail. Despite the long shots, it never gets boring and the series uses every possible means to hold your attention.

The special film technique is completely at the service of the story.

Each episode uses the special film technique in a different way, and that is also why it never gets boring. When the police search for evidence at the school of the suspect and the victim, the camera follows someone else every few minutes who walks through the corridors and classrooms. In this way, scenes flow into each other. In the third episode, a conversation between Jamie and a child psychologist, this technique is used to create an intense and intimate atmosphere and psychological tension.

This technique is held together by an extremely strong script. Everything has been thought about and nothing is left to chance. The style is completely at the service of the story and not the other way around. Every scene adds something to the story, including the trip to the police station. No clever change of perspective or camera trick feels out of place or superfluous. Furthermore, the four episodes each tell a separate story, but they fit together like puzzle pieces to form a beautiful whole.

The cast is excellent, led by Owen Cooper

What also holds the attention is the excellent cast. You can expect a lot from Stephen Graham and here too he is very strong as Jamie's father, just like the rest of the actors. Ashley Walters and Faye Marsay as two agents and Erin Doherty as a youth psychologist stand out. But the biggest surprise is Owen Cooper as Jamie. This is his first major role, but he does it very well. He has an unmistakable chemistry with all the other actors. He also knows very well how to evoke a mixture of pity and disgust. Especially in the third episode, in which he talks to a psychologist, Cooper shows the versatility of his character very well.

Another thing Adolescence excels at is interpreting current events. We regularly hear news about young offenders and the influence that social media plays in this. As a parent, it is difficult to see what your child is doing and the mind of a child can easily be influenced from a screen. That fear of losing control and being seen as a bad parent is extremely strong in the dialogues between different characters. And the truth is not always easy.

Adolescence is a masterpiece. I rarely give series a 9.5 or higher, but here it is richly deserved. The unique film techniques, the story and the good actors all work in each other's extension and reinforce each other. Despite the fact that you keep watching, this series is very heavy stuff, and certainly not an easy watch. And it shouldn't be easy either.