Created by Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham.
Adolescence (2025) was released on March 13, 2025.
Distributed by Netflix.
Series Review
Adolescence (2025) is a powerful four-part British drama that feels very real and emotional.
The story begins with 13-year-old Jamie being arrested for the shocking murder of a classmate.
From there, the show follows how his family, school, and community are shaken by the event.
What makes it unique is that every episode is filmed in one long continuous shot, which pulls viewers into the tension and makes it hard to look away.
Owen Cooper gives a striking performance as Jamie, while Stephen Graham brings deep emotion as his father.
The series explores big issues like social media, toxic masculinity, loneliness, and how young people are judged by adults.
Some people may find the pacing slow, but the honesty and raw emotion make it unforgettable.
Adolescence is not an easy watch, but it is brave, thought-provoking, and worth seeing for anyone who wants meaningful and gripping TV.
Ratings
• IMDb: 8.1/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
• Google Audience Score: 84% liked this TV show.
Adolescence (2025) Actors
Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller
DOB: December 5, 2009.
Bio: British actor who made his breakout with Adolescence, delivering a performance that stunned critics and audiences alike.
With no prior high-profile credits, Cooper’s portrayal established him as one of the most compelling young talents of his generation.
His work in the series earned him historic recognition, he became the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy in the limited series category, marking a career-defining debut.
Role: Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy arrested for the murder of a classmate.
The story unfolds through the eyes of his family, school, and community, exploring the disturbing ambiguity of a child who is at once fragile, vulnerable, and deeply unknowable.
Episodes: 3
What to Expect: A chillingly controlled performance that balances fragility, confusion and the eerie normality of a child thrust into a nightmare.
Favorite Things: Still early in his career, Cooper maintains a low public profile.
Notable Works: Adolescence (breakout role).
Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller
DOB: August 3, 1973.
Bio: Stephen Graham is a highly acclaimed British actor from Kirkby, celebrated for his emotionally fearless and deeply authentic performances.
Trained at the Rose Bruford College of Theatre & Performance, he has become one of the UK’s most respected actors, known for bringing raw vulnerability and intensity to every role.
Graham rose to prominence in Shane Meadows’ This Is England and expanded his global profile with Boardwalk Empire.
Role: Eddie Miller is Jamie’s father, a man torn between protecting his son and grappling with a devastating accusation that threatens to destroy his family.
Eddie serves as the show’s anguished moral center, embodying the pain, confusion, and responsibility of parenthood under extreme pressure.
Episodes: 3
What to Expect: An intense, layered performance that alternates between anger, shame, and desperate love.
Favorite Things: Graham often speaks in interviews about family, community, and mental-health advocacy; he returns regularly to theatre and socially conscious projects.
Notable Works: This Is England, Boardwalk Empire, The Virtues, Boiling Point.
Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston
DOB: July 16, 1992.
Bio: English actress acclaimed for her nuanced and emotionally layered performances.
A graduate of both the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Guildford School of Acting, she rose to international prominence for her portrayal of Princess Anne in The Crown (Seasons 3–4).
Rolel: Briony Ariston, a figure whose storyline bridges the Miller family’s ordeal with the broader school and investigative narrative.
Her role provides insight into how adults, even well-meaning ones, misinterpret or fail to grasp the inner lives of young people.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Quiet, searching scenes that probe how adults misread or fail young people, Doherty brings empathy to fraught encounters.
Favorite Things: Doherty has expressed her love for theatre and stage work, often emphasizing the importance of roles that carry emotional weight and complexity.
Notable Works: The Crown, Chloe, Reawakening.
Ashley Walters as DI Luke Bascombe
DOB: June 30, 1982.
Bio: British actor, rapper, and producer, widely recognized both under his own name and his stage name Asher D.
Born in Peckham, London, he first gained prominence in the UK garage group So Solid Crew before transitioning into a highly successful acting career.
Role: DI Luke Bascombe, the lead detective investigating Jamie’s arrest in Adolescence.
As both an officer of the law and a father figure within the community, his character embodies the tension between institutional duty and the personal cost of policing vulnerable young lives.
Episodes: 2
What to Expect: A measured, morally engaged turn, a cop who listens and wrestles with the human fallout of a criminal case involving a child.
Favorite Things: Walters has often spoken about his commitment to stories that authentically portray urban Britain.
Notable Works: Top Boy, A Thousand Blows, Bullet Boy.
Faye Marsay as DS Misha Frank
DOB: December 30, 1986.
Bio: British actress celebrated for her versatility across stage, film, and television.
Born in Middlesbrough, England, she trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before breaking into high-profile TV projects.
She became widely known for her role as the Waif in Game of Thrones.
Role: DS Misha Frank, a detective sergeant working alongside DI Luke Bascombe.
Her character balances procedural rigor with emotional intelligence, offering a humane counterpoint within the investigation.
Episodes: 2
What to Expect: Tough, incisive scenes that reveal the friction between police process and community damage.
Favorite Things: Marsay has often spoken about her theatre background and her drive to take roles that challenge her range.
Notable Works: Game of Thrones, The White Queen, Andor.
Mark Stanley as Paul Barlow
DOB: April 29, 1988.
Bio: English actor from Leeds with a reputation for grounded, quietly powerful performances.
A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he first gained international attention as Grenn in Game of Thrones.
Since then, he has steadily built a career in British television and independent film, often excelling in character-driven dramas.
Role: Paul Barlow, a member of the local community whose perspective becomes key in showing how rumors, suspicion, and trauma ripple outward from Jamie’s arrest.
His presence grounds the story in the lives of ordinary townspeople, adding texture and authenticity to the series.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Subtle, humanistic beats that depict ordinary people caught in extraordinary suspicion.
Favorite Things: Stanley often speaks about his love of ensemble storytelling and the importance of character-driven work.
Notable Works: Game of Thrones, Dark River, Happy Valley, Sanditon.
Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller
DOB: 1977.
Bio: Liverpool-born actress with a career spanning over three decades in British television and film.
She made her breakthrough at age 16 in the award-winning miniseries The Leaving of Liverpool (1992), which established her as a talent to watch.
Role: Manda Miller, Jamie’s mother.
Devastated by her son’s arrest and bewildered by the horror of the accusation, she fights desperately to hold her family together as suspicion, grief, and shame tear at their lives.
Episodes: 2
What to Expect: A heartbreaking, textured performance that captures a mother’s painful dilemma.
Favorite Things: Tremarco values roles rooted in real communities and has a background in long-running British TV dramas.
Notable Works: The Leaving of Liverpool, Waterloo Road, The Responder.
Amélie Pease as Lisa Miller
DOB: N/A.
Bio: Young British actress at the start of her professional career.
With Adolescence as one of her first major screen roles, she has drawn attention for her natural presence and ability to capture the emotional weight of complex family situations.
Role: Lisa Miller, Jamie’s sister.
Forced to confront fear, confusion, and the breakdown of her family, Lisa’s journey illustrates how a sibling struggles to make sense of events that turn her life upside down.
Episodes: 2
What to Expect: Honest, sensitive work that shows how a sibling’s life is altered by accusations and public scrutiny.
Favorite Things: With a limited public profile, Pease is focused on developing her craft and building her early acting career.
Notable Works: Adolescence (breakout TV credit).
Hannah Walters as Mrs Bailey
DOB: January 19, 1974.
Bio: English actress and producer with a career spanning television, film, and stage.
A graduate of Rose Bruford College, she is known for her grounded, authentic portrayals and her work behind the camera as a producer.
Walters has frequently collaborated with her husband, actor Stephen Graham, on acclaimed projects
Role: Mrs Bailey, a local figure whose presence reflects how neighbors and the wider community react to Jamie Miller’s arrest.
Through her quiet but telling moments, she embodies the moral climate of the town and shows how judgment, fear, and gossip ripple outward from a central tragedy.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Nuanced support work that grounds scenes of domestic unease and neighborly judgement.
Favorite Things: Walters values collaborative storytelling and has been outspoken about supporting socially conscious projects.
Notable Works: This Is England, Boiling Point, Time.
Jo Hartley as Mrs Fenumore
DOB: March 12, 1972.
Bio: English actress from Oldham, Greater Manchester, widely respected for her naturalistic and heartfelt performances.
She trained at the Questors Theatre in London before building a career that spans independent films, acclaimed British dramas, and international series.
Role: Mrs Fenumore, a community and school figure whose exchanges with the Miller family and others highlight how rumor and fear spread in the wake of Jamie’s arrest.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Small but telling scenes that reveal how communities fracture under shock.
Favorite Things: Hartley champions regional stories and strong supporting ensemble work.
Notable Works: This Is England, After Life, Bank of Dave.
Fatima Bojang as Jade
DOB: N/A.
Bio: A rising British actor and performer who gained recognition through her breakout role in Adolescence.
As part of a new wave of Gen Z talent, she has drawn notice for her natural screen presence and ability to capture the rhythms of contemporary teenage life.
Role: Jade is a schoolmate whose viewpoint and social context help the series show the pressures and peer dynamics at play around the crime and trial.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Authentic teen energy and candid moments that reveal how children construct meaning in the age of screens and rumours.
Favorite Things: Bojang posts about acting, panel events and youth issues on social media.
Notable Works: Adolescence (breakout TV).
Kaine Davis as Ryan Kowalska
DOB: N/A.
Bio: An emerging young British actor whose screen career began with Adolescence.
He is part of the new generation of performers bringing authenticity to coming-of-age dramas.
Though still early in his career, Davis has drawn attention for his natural delivery and ability to convey the uncertainty and bravado of adolescence without exaggeration.
Role: Ryan Kowalska, a classmate whose presence in the story underscores how gossip, perception, and schoolyard reputations can take on a life of their own.
Episodes: 1
What to Expect: Realistic teen beats and a performance that helps the series avoid caricature in its portrait of young people.
Favorite Things: Limited public profile; focused on building screen credits.
Notable Works: Adolescence (breakout TV credit).
More Actors
• Emilia Holliday as Katie Leonard.
• Lewis Pemberton as Tommy.
• Austin Haynes as Fredo.
• Adam Khan as Tau.
• Charlie McSweeney as Shaun.
• Alfie Ward as Moray.
• Elodie Grace Walker as Georgie.
• Amelia Minto as Billie.
• Douglas Russell as Victor.
• Connor Calland as PC Jenkins
FAQ – Adolescence (2025) TV Series
What is the show about?
The story follows a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller, who is arrested for the murder of a classmate.
It explores the emotional impact on his family, school, community and the investigation, asking “what really happened.”
Is Adolescence based on a true story?
No. Though it was inspired by real concerns about youth violence in the UK, it is not based on a single real-life case. More on EW
Did Jamie do it in Adolescence?
Yes, Jamie did kill Katie. However Adolescence (2025) never clearly confirms if Jamie killed his classmate.
The story leaves it open, focusing more on the impact of suspicion and blame than on giving a definite answer. More on Netflix
Where was Adolescence filmed?
It was shot mostly in Pontefract, West Yorkshire with many scenes at Production Park, and school scenes at Minsthorpe Community College in South Elmsall.
How many episodes are in Adolescence and how long are they?
Adolescence is a 4-episode limited series. Episodes run between 51 to 65 minutes each.
What is the rating for Adolescence?
The show is rated TV-MA. It’s intended for mature audiences because of its themes, emotional intensity, and content.
Conclusion
Adolescence (2025) is a bold and deeply emotional series that shines a harsh light on the struggles of youth and the weight of society’s expectations.
With powerful performances and its unique one-shot style, it delivers an experience that is both gripping and unsettling.
While it may not be comfortable viewing, it is the kind of show that stays with you, sparking important conversations about responsibility, family, and the pressures faced by teenagers today.