Anybody who has seen the 2021 movie “Boiling Point,” and/or its subsequent TV show follow-up of the same name, will understand why “Adolescence” is my most anticipated new Netflix series of 2025. Yes, even more than “Stranger Things" season 5 or “Squid Game” season 3.
“Adolescence” is an upcoming British crime drama that will reunite “Boiling Point” director Philip Barantini with the movie’s star Stephen Graham. It’s already been proven that when you get those two together the results are remarkable, and “Adolescence” looks to be a project that will solidify their partnership as one of the very best in the business.
Am I letting my hype get the better of me here? Perhaps a little, but Netflix just dropped the first trailer for “Adolescence” ahead of its debut on Thursday, March 13, 2025, and it’s got me believing this crime drama could be among the streaming service's best original efforts in a very long time.
Pair the trailer with its seriously compelling plot outline which sees a family torn apart when their young son is accused of murder (Which sounds tragic but gripping) and it's getting seriously hard to downplay my expectations. Don't understand why I'm so excited? Watch the trailer below and you will.
‘Adolescence’ on Netflix — here’s what we know
“Adolescence” is a British crime drama that centers on a family whose lives are thrown into turmoil when 13-year-old son Jamie (Owen Cooper) is arrested and accused of murdering one of his female classmates. Stephen Graham will play the father Eddie Miller, while Ashley Walters is a detective on the case, and Erin Doherty portrays a psychologist assigned to assess Jamie.
As noted, Philip Barantini directs the four-part series. Meanwhile, Stephen Graham won’t just appear in front of the camera either. He’s at the very heart of the drama having co-written it with Jack Thorne, whose previous credits include the TV adaption of Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials.”
So, between the hooky premise, the strong cast and creatives involved, and the fantastic trailer, that’s enough reasons for me to be highly anticipating “Adolescence’s” arrival on Netflix. But there’s one more piece to this puzzle, and it’s the reason the show is ranking at the very top of my watchlist. “Adolescence” is presented in real-time, with each episode a single take.
Barantini used this style in both the “Boiling Point” movie and show, and to say it added to the drama and narrative momentum would be a huge understatement. If Graham and Barantini can replicate even just half of the success of their previous collaboration then “Adolescence” is going to be something that every single Netflix subscriber needs to binge on day one.
Of course, this is all hypothetical for now. I often preach cautious about getting too hyped for a show or movie before watching, so I’m trying to keep my anticipation levels grounded. Nevertheless, with each new morsel of information, and now that we’ve seen some actual footage, I’m increasingly confident that “Adolescence” will live up to my already lofty expectations.
To reiterate, “Adolescence” is set to debut on Netflix in just a matter of weeks on Thursday, March 13. I’ll be reporting back with my final verdict next month, and in the meantime, I’m going to rewatch the trailer a couple dozen more times just to see if there are any hidden secrets to uncover.
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