Adolescence – unarguably one of the best series of the year

“What have you done? Why?”

Adolescence, an original Netflix series, that aired on May 13th, has become a global phenomenon in less than six months of its release. The story centers around a 14 year-old  Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is charged with the murder of his classmate. In the series we get a great look into what it’s like to live in uncertainty after having committed a heinous crime, not knowing what will happen. It also has been able to present the struggles of a suspected criminal’s family members in an exceptional and raw way. 

My personal dive into Adolescence

I first heard about the series while watching 2025 Emmy Awards, and it caught my attention. What is this series, that has only four episodes, but won eight Emmys?

When I began watching it, I had never been glued to my sofa like that before. I binge-watched it in two evenings. And after watching it, I read every article and review, watched every single interview I could get my hands on, researched the entire filmography of all the actors, and considered creating a fan page. 

I can certainly say that everything in it amazed me — from the extraordinary camerawork to the positioning and relocating of all the extras. 

Preparing to film and the casting process 

The idea of the series was born in 2021, and even though it isn’t based on a real event, it draws its inspiration from real life incidents. Stephen Graham, the co-writer of Adolescence and one of the show’s lead actors, has said that he has read multiple stories of young boys stabbing girls in the UK. The execution of Adolescence definitely wasn’t just a walk in the park, because every single episode in Adolescence is shot in one continuous take. Not to forget the fact that every episode was shot at least 10 times and rehearsed for over two weeks. 

The casting process of Adolescence was extensive and it involved a combination of open casting calls, community outreach, reaching out to local schools, youth groups and sports clubs. Casting Director Shaheen Baig and her team aimed to find new faces and fresh talent. Cooper, who was chosen to play Jamie at only 14 years old, was selected from a pool of over 500 other audition tapes. Those who auditioned for larger roles, but didn’t end up getting them, got smaller parts as supporting characters and extras in the show.  

What Adolescence leaves us with?

After finishing the show, I felt like I had just been ripped apart, but also glued right back together. It really is an extraordinary show that includes topics that aren’t talked about enough, shows us what realistic family life is, and not the sugarcoated picture we usually get in movies. In my opinion, the show deserved every single Emmy it got, and I have recommended it to everyone, from my friends, even to my teachers. So if you are looking for a show that moves you emotionally, and actually gets you to reflect on relevant real-life issues, but you also want to enjoy professional acting, then Adolescence is definitely worth a watch.

– 007