Netflix Drama "Adolescence" Praised as 'Flawless' Must-See TV
Audiences and reviewers have lavished acclaim on Netflix's compelling drama "Adolescence," with numerous people deeming it a pivotal television series.
The four-episode British series debuted last week and became the most-viewed program globally on the platform during the weekend.
The Times' Tom Peck referred to it as "absolute perfection," a sentiment shared by the Guardian's Lucy Mangan , who stated it was "the nearest approach to television perfection in decades."
Social media reactions varied among fans ranging from US director Paul Feig , who described the first episode as "one of the best hours of television I've ever seen," to Jeremy Clarkson who described it as "masterful."
The story depicts the consequences following the stabbing of a young female teenager, where a 13-year-old male student from her school has been taken into custody accused of committing the crime.
Jamie, the youthful suspect, is portrayed by new actor Owen Cooper, alongside Stephen Graham who plays his father.
The narrative highlights the damaging effects of social media and malevolent influencers on certain young males.
Graham mentioned that he felt motivated to create the show after coming across two distinct accounts of boys murdering girls with knives.
“I simply wondered, what’s happening in our society when such events are turning into routine occurrences?” he shared with The One Show.
I simply couldn’t comprehend it. Therefore, I decided to take a closer look and attempt to shed some light on this specific issue.
Male rage
Author Jack Thorne mentioned they aimed to "gaze into the face of masculine fury."
The main character had been influenced by voices similar to those of Andrew Tate and by others far more perilous than his. Thorne said on Radio 4's Front Row program .
Erin Doherty, portraying a child psychologist, spoke with BBC Radio 4's Today programme This series demonstrates the courage to delve deep into topics and address them head-on, as these subjects remain relevant and continue to surface in current news.
Therefore, all we can really be responsible for is initiating this dialogue, and ideally that’s exactly what happens. This simply gives parents, aunties, uncles, or even just friends, an opportunity to participate in the talk.
Each episode was filmed in a single, uninterrupted take.
Mangan stated in The Guardian that its technical achievements "are paralleled by a series of performances deserving awards and a screenplay that simultaneously manages to be highly realistic and profoundly evocative."
She stated, "Being an adolescent is a profoundly touching, intensely distressing journey."
Peck’s review in the Times started with: "Wow. Simply wow. I feel compelled to write 'wow' another 700 times or so, followed by, 'Do not miss Adolescence on Netflix,' and leave it at that."
The Telegraph’s television reviewer Anita Singh mentioned it was "an emotionally crushing experience," noting, "This drama is so subtly powerful that I will not be able to erase it from my memory for a long time."
Singh stated that the one-shot approach might seem like a trick, yet he acknowledged that the performances were "remarkable."
Graham is considered "the best actor working today," however, "the truly remarkable performance" belongs to Cooper, she stated.
He transitions among fragility, rage, boldness, and dread. His actions in this instance are astounding.
Fantastic performances
Elsewhere, Deadline's Jake Kanter Adolescence stands out as a perfect example of four hours of television drama. Its impact persists well beyond the end credits. Truly remarkable TV.
Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall mentioned it was "one of the finest offerings - and a strong candidate for the top spot - you'll encounter on your television screens this year."
The New York Times' Margaret Lyons He referred to it as "a rich work of social critique," and he singled out the standout episode, which is the third one, calling it "one of the most intriguing television hours I have watched in quite some time."
On BBC Radio 5 Live's Must Watch Hayley Campbell mentioned that the drama does not try to resolve the issues it presents.
Raising the issue, examining it—this is focused on the increase of misandry, particularly among young males, largely due to figures such as Andrew Tate, mentioned here just briefly. However, the discussion isn’t centered around him.
The show primarily focuses on the terrifying lack of influence parents have over their children’s activities on their phones.
Fellow reviewer Scott Bryan commented: "The acting is truly exceptional. This production is without flaws. However, I believe the individual who should be acknowledged the most is 15-year-old Owen Cooper."