--- title: "Adolescence: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/tv/adolescence/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/tv/adolescence" critics_score: 89 critics_reviews: 14 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Adolescence (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 89 from 14 reviews: 14 positive, 0 mixed, 0 negative. All 14 reviews are positive, with praise concentrated on the performances and the single-take filming. Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper receive particular attention for making the distress feel immediate and personal. Most critics find that the continuous shots deepen the tension rather than distract from the drama. The reviews also value the series’ examination of toxic masculinity, teenagers’ online lives and the effects of violence on families, frequently describing it as harrowing and compassionate. The differences concern how fully the writing handles those wider issues. The Independent is the most reserved, finding the opening gripping but later episodes uneven and instructional. The AV Club also sees occasional difficulty with the broader themes, while NME questions the limited attention given to the female victim. Collider, by contrast, praises the treatment of online influences as nuanced rather than preachy. The spread runs from qualified approval to emphatic enthusiasm, with no outright dissent. ## Evening Standard — Vicky Jessop Rating 5/5. 14 March 2025. The critic hails it as possibly the year's most important and vital TV, an electrifying watch that is hard to look away from due to the one-take format and urgent storytelling, singling out outstanding performances especially from Owen Cooper. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/tvfilm/adolescence-netflix-review-stephen-graham-ashley-walters-b1216272.html) ## Radio Times — Abby Robinson Rating 5/5. 13 March 2025. The critic calls the series a powerful and poignant study of toxic masculinity and its deadly impact on young men and boys, driven by the one-shot technique and standout performances, particularly from newcomer Owen Cooper. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/adolescence-netflix-review/) ## The Guardian Rating 5/5. 17 March 2025. The critic praises the series as powerful, issue-led television with staggering performances, especially from Stephen Graham and newcomer Owen Cooper, and technically ambitious single-take direction by Barantini. It singles out the unflinching exploration of online radicalisation and family impact for praise while noting its potential real-world influence. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/mar/17/adolescence-netflix-powerful-tv-could-save-lives) ## The Telegraph — Anita Singh Rating 5/5. 19 March 2025. The critic calls it a quietly devastating drama that will chill the blood of parents, praising its exploration of pressures on boys today including social media and toxic masculinity, along with phenomenal acting especially from Stephen Graham and newcomer Owen Cooper. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2025/03/01/adolescence-review-it-will-chill-the-blood-of-any-parent-of/) ## The Times Rating 5/5. 15 September 2025. The piece describes the series as jaw-dropping and immersive, praising the single-take direction, strong performances from Stephen Graham and others, and its urgent exploration of teenagers' online lives and toxic influences. It singles out the nightmarish quality and social relevance for parents as standout elements. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-radio/article/adolescence-the-tv-drama-that-every-parent-should-watch-z8dvjwv3p) ## Empire — David Opie Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2025. The series is a triumph of creative and technical artistry, with Barantini's one-shot filming elevating the narrative about toxic masculinity and family tragedy. Performances, especially from Graham and newcomer Cooper, are extraordinary. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/tv/reviews/adolescence/) ## Variety — Aramide Tinubu Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2025. The series is a chilling, gutting examination of murder, toxic masculinity and societal failures around misogyny and teen fragility, with raw writing and stunning performances that underscore how we continue to fail younger generations. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/tv/reviews/adolescence-review-netflix-1236334549) ## The AV Club — Brian Tallerico Rating B+. 10 March 2025. This is a devastating and harrowing character study of the ripple effects of violence, anchored by strong performances especially from Stephen Graham. The single unbroken shot per episode intensifies the emotional impact and creates an intimate, non-passive viewing experience, though it sometimes struggles with broader thematic points. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/adolescence-review-netflix-tv-miniseries) ## IndieWire — Ben Travers Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2025. The series subverts traditional crime drama expectations by examining why a 13-year-old boy commits murder rather than who did it, using episode-long single takes. The critic highlights the compassionate handling of societal issues around angry young men and the impressive technical and emotional execution by the cast and crew. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/shows/adolescence-review-netflix-1235102544/) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Daniel Fienberg Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 March 2025. The taut one-shot legal thriller is impressive and intriguing, with the continuous-take technique complementing a resonant contemporary story and exceptional performances rather than overshadowing them. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/adolescence-review-netflix-1236150339) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 18 March 2025. The review calls the opening episode gripping and intense due to its one-take technique and compelling performances, particularly the interrogation scenes, but finds later episodes more uneven and instructional. It highlights the harrowing depiction of the manosphere's influence and knife crime as compelling yet occasionally veering toward misery. [Read the review](https://independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/adolescence-netflix-review-episodes-stephen-graham-b2716952.html) ## Collider — Taylor Gates Rating 9/10. 11 March 2025. The critic praises the series as essential and important viewing, highlighting its seamless one-take episodes as a technical achievement that enhances immersion, exceptional performances (especially Owen Cooper's debut), and nuanced handling of toxic masculinity and online influences without preachiness. [Read the review](https://collider.com/adolescence-netflix-review/) ## Den of Geek — Louisa Mellor Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 13 March 2025. The series explores the aftermath of a shocking crime through empathetic storytelling and technical skill in its one-take format across episodes. Episode 3 stands out as extraordinary due to the remarkable, naturalistic performance by newcomer Owen Cooper in a tense two-hander. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/adolescence-episode-3-is-extraordinary-television/) ## NME — Rhian Daly Rating 4/5. 13 March 2025. The critic calls the series essential viewing for its unflinching exploration of toxic masculinity and the manosphere's influence on boys, with standout performances from Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper. It notes a flaw in focusing too little on the female victim. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/tv-reviews/adolescence-review-stephen-graham-netflix-3845633) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/tv/adolescence.md