Netflix‘s new word-of-mouth darling Adolescence is shooting to number one, achieving a #1 debut with very little promotion and no big names. So, what makes it special? An immaculate 100% critics’ score and an absolutely radical idea: the entire four-episode series consists of each show being shot fully in one extended, uninterrupted take.
This four-part crime drama tells the story of a teenager who is accused of killing a classmate. The setup sounds familiar, but the execution is anything but. Each episode takes place in a different chapter of the timeline starting with the teen’s stunning arrest and ending months later told in real-time without a cut. The immersive, one-take style creates an almost intolerable tension, drawing viewers in directly into the emotional and psychological center of each moment.
Director Philip Barantini, known for his one-shot movie Boiling Point, brings his unique touch to the television screen and is reunited with actor and co-creator Stephen Graham, playing the teenager’s father. Here, the technical feat is mind-boggling. From the SWAT raids to furious police interrogations and explosive dialogue-laden conversations, all are choreographed with unwavering precision on varied and dynamic settings.
One highlight episode is an uninterrupted, full-length interrogation scene, acted out by only two actors with no breaks. The dialogue is intense, the acting raw and unvarnished, and the emotional toll enormous. How the cast and crew were able to get away with such carefully choreographed, hour-long scenes is a mystery but the payoff is stunning.
Stephen Graham gives another powerhouse performance, but the young lead actor, playing the accused teenager, is also compelling, and particularly considering the emotional depth and complexity demanded in each scene.
Adolescence is not merely a technical achievement it’s a very human story presented in a revolutionary new manner. By eschewing conventional editing, it makes the audience sit with the characters, to experience their tension, their fear, and their pain, unbroken. It’s hands-down one of the most ambitious and powerful series Netflix has produced in a while a must-see for crime drama enthusiasts and creative storytellers alike.
