Adolescence

When a 13-year-old is arrested after a classmate is found dead, the series follows how that single accusation reshapes a whole community. The accused, his parents, the school therapist and the detective on the case each present conflicting memories and motives, so certainty keeps slipping away. Scenes shift between police interviews, therapy sessions and family arguments to show how bias, fear and rumor shape testimony and public opinion. Conversations with adults and classmates reveal rival loyalties and the fragile status of adolescence, where small acts can have sudden consequences.

Created by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, Adolescence premiered in 2025 as a limited television drama. The production favors tight, character-driven scenes and a spare visual approach, keeping the focus on dialogue and performance rather than spectacle.

Audiences rated the show 7.833 out of 10 from 1,320 votes, signaling generally positive response. Critics praised layered acting, precise writing and the series' refusal to hand viewers a neat moral answer. Major themes include truth and memory, the strain suspicion places on family life, how therapeutic relationships intersect with legal processes and the unique pressures teenagers face when a community turns its attention on them.

Adolescence sparked discussion beyond typical TV coverage, prompting podcasts and op-ed pieces about juvenile justice, therapy confidentiality and social media's role in school scandals. It became a touchpoint in debates about how cases involving young people should be reported and handled, with educators and clinicians citing it in public conversations.

As of its initial run the series had not amassed major awards, though it attracted steady critical attention. Reviewers singled out individual performances and writing in seasonal roundups, and some industry commentary suggested the show could gain recognition in acting and writing categories if momentum continued.