Adolescence Review: The Show Every Parent Needs to Watch – The Netflix Series That’ll Make You Throw Away Your Parenting Manual.
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Review
Released on Netflix in March 2025, this British mini-series (directed by Boiling Point’s Philip Barantini) follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller – a quiet, artsy kid accused of murdering his classmate. But forget crime tropes. This isn’t about the murder. It’s about the 1,000 tiny cuts that led there: the hypocrisy kids spot in their parents’ WhatsApp chats, the rage simmering under “perfect family” selfies, and how “good parenting” often means modeling everything you swear you hate.
Filmed in one continuous, suffocating take (no cuts, no breaks), Adolescence traps you in Jamie’s world. Adolescence is not just a mini-series—it’s an emotional experience, a mirror, and a cautionary tale. In just four episodes, it manages to raise questions that will stay with you long after the screen goes black.
Let’s be honest—most crime dramas are about the what. The blood, the clues, the big twist. But Netflix’s Adolescence? It’s about the why. And not the “why” of a single knife stab or a hidden affair. It’s about the tiny, everyday whys that pile up in a kid’s brain until something snaps. The kind of whys that don’t make headlines but should. Like: Why does Dad laugh when Mom cries? Why do grown-ups lie so easily? Why am I supposed to be “good” when everyone else gets to be angry?
Our team binge-watched this four-part British series in one night, and none of us slept well afterward. Not because it’s gory (it’s not) or full of jump scares (zero ghosts here), but because it crawls under your skin and forces you to ask: What if the real monster isn’t the kid holding the knife, but the world that handed it to him?
The Story That’ll Make You Side-Eye Your Parenting Playbook
The setup sounds simple: 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper, in a performance so raw it hurts) is accused of murdering his classmate, Katie. But this isn’t a whodunit. You know Jamie did it by the end of Episode 1. The chilling question is how a shy, straight-A kid becomes capable of violence—and the answer isn’t in some shadowy backstory. It’s in the offhand comments, the eye rolls, the way his parents (Stephen Graham and Jodie Whittaker, both flawless) perform their idea of “good parenting” while their own cracks seep into everything.
Jamie’s dad, Mark, is that guy we all know—the one who’ll rant about “snowflakes” but throws a tantrum when the Wi-Fi’s slow. His mom, Sarah, is the “nice” parent, except she’s so busy keeping the peace she never actually sees her son. Together, they’re a masterclass in hypocrisy: preaching kindness while mocking neighbors, demanding honesty while lying to each other, and insisting Jamie “talk to us!” while scrolling through their phones. Sound familiar? Yeah. That’s the point.
The Scariest Scene? Probably Your Living Room
What wrecked us isn’t the murder—it’s the quiet moments director Philip Barantini (of Boiling Point fame) forces you to sit with. Like Jamie silently watching his dad scream at a delivery driver. Or his mom shrugging, “That’s just how Dad is,” like that excuses it. The camera lingers on Jamie’s face in these scenes, and you can practically see the gears turning: If Dad’s allowed to be cruel, why can’t I? If Mom won’t stop him, why should I tell the truth?
Here’s the kicker: Jamie isn’t a “bad kid.” He’s a sponge. He absorbs every contradiction, every broken promise, every time the adults in his life choose comfort over courage. And slowly, he splits into two people: the “good boy” his parents want (the one who smiles politely, gets top grades) and the “bad boy” they’ve shown him how to be (the one who’s furious, lost, desperate to feel something). The tragedy isn’t that he kills Katie—it’s that he’s been dying for years, piece by piece, in a house full of people who love him but don’t know him.
Why Parents Will Sob Into Their Tea
For audiences, this series is a sucker punch. We pride ourselves on “family values,” but Adolescence holds up a mirror to our own blind spots. That scene where Jamie’s dad brags about his grades at a dinner party while mocking his art hobby? Yikes. How many of us have seen versions of that at family gatherings? The pressure to be perfect, the dismissal of “soft” emotions, the way we prioritize reputation over connection—it’s all here, stripped of Bollywood glamour.
And let’s talk about screens. One of the show’s smartest choices is how it portrays technology not as some evil force, but as a symptom. Jamie’s parents aren’t neglectful—they’re just… distracted. Too busy posting #FamilyTime selfies to notice their son’s Instagram feed filling with violent memes. Too tired from work to ask why he’s glued to his laptop. It’s a wake-up call: in a world where kids learn more from TikTok than dinner-table talks, not paying attention is a kind of violence.
The Takeaway? Stop “Parenting” and Start Seeing
Here’s what we kept arguing about after the credits rolled: Is Jamie responsible for his actions? Of course. But Adolescence isn’t asking us to forgive him—it’s asking us to understand him. To see how the seeds of violence are planted long before they bloom. And to realize that “good parents” aren’t the ones with the best rules, but the ones brave enough to confront their own flaws.
The series ends without neat answers, because real life doesn’t have them. But it leaves you with a question that’ll haunt your group chat for weeks: What’s my kid absorbing from me when I’m not “performing”? When I’m tired, stressed, scrolling?
Final Verdict: Unfollow Your Comfort Zone
Adolescence isn’t “entertaining.” It’s uncomfortable, messy, and brutally honest. The one-take filming style (no cuts, no edits) makes you feel trapped in Jamie’s world, and the performances are so real you’ll forget it’s fiction. But here’s why you need to watch it: because it’s the rare show that doesn’t just tell a story—it starts a conversation. The kind that could change how you parent, how you love, and how you show up for the kids in your life.
Rating: 4.3/5 – Not because it’s perfect, but because it’s important. Watch it with your family. Then turn off the TV and talk. Really talk.
Thank You Note
Thank you for reading our in-depth review of Adolescence. We hope it offered insight into not just the series, but also its larger message about parenting and childhood. Keep following us for more honest and heartfelt reviews.
For more comparisons, insights and review visit our blog regularly. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment or contact us directly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Adolescence about?
What is the IMDb rating of Adolescence?
What is our team’s rating for Adolescence?
On which platform is Adolescence available for streaming?
Who are the main actors in Adolescence and what roles do they play?
Stephen Graham as Adam Miller – Jamie’s father, whose temper and emotional distance impact Jamie’s worldview.
Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller – Jamie’s emotionally torn mother.
Ashley Walters, Faye Marsay, Erin Doherty and others round out the supporting cast with equally powerful performances.
The acting is natural, emotionally intense, and a major strength of the series.
Is Adolescence suitable for family viewing?
Is Adolescence a fast-paced crime thriller?
Note for Readers
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Disclaimer
This review is based on our team’s personal viewing experience of Adolescence on Netflix. All opinions shared here are our own. We do not hold any official association with Netflix or the creators of the series. Viewer discretion is advised due to the show’s mature themes.
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