Adolescence is the TV show of the year – here’s why the Netflix crime drama had me gripped from start to finish

This weekend was one of the first days of sunshine I'd experienced in 2025 so far – after all, living in Scotland doesn't lead to many days of sun in the winter and spring takes a long while to come.

So for me to pass up on Edinburgh's first day of sunshine in maybe five months, there had to be a good reason, and that reason was Netflix's brand new drama Adolescence, which was one of seven new movies and shows released this past weekend.

Staying inside and binge-watching four hours of deeply emotional and harrowing television instead of sitting in the sunshine is the best compliment I can give for a TV show or movie, and while it might sound like I'm exaggerating, anyone who's experienced a Scottish winter will know exactly what I mean.

You see, I'm a huge fan of the 2021 movie, Boiling Point, directed by Philip Barantini, and starring Stephen Graham. It's a one-shot anxiety-inducing kitchen drama that showcases the stress of hospitality throughout one eventful evening based on a short film of the same name.

The pair collaborated again in 2023 with a four-part mini-series titled, you guessed it, Boiling Point, which is set after the events of the movie. Adolescence is the pair's fourth collaboration (fifth if you include both as actors in Band of Brothers), and the new Netflix drama might be the best use of the one-shot production yet.

Adolescence is one of the best shows of 2025

Adolescence is a four-part limited series with each episode filmed as one single shot. It's an incredibly impressive filming technique that highlights the outstanding acting from the ensemble cast as well as inducing anxiety due to the sheer pace of the show.

Following a 13-year-old who is accused of murder, Adolescence highlights the impact of crime on a whole family and the wider community, with its frantic pace meaning you don't have a second to take a breath or check your phone.

With only four episodes you could realistically watch Adolescence in one evening, and that's an amazing selling point for one of the best pieces of television you'll see all year. I'm a huge fan of limited series that don't overstay their welcome and I think due to its originality, Adolescence has a significant chance of picking up awards at the Emmys in November

Graham and Barantini have already showcased they have the secret sauce to one-shot success, and with Netflix’s wild one-take mystery thriller Adolescence I'm completely sold on the format.

I don't want to say much more because spoiling any of the story of one of the best Netflix shows would ruin the experience. Just know episode 3 is one of the best TV episodes I've ever seen, up there with Breaking Bad's fly episode, and Succession's funeral.

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