Netflix’s upcoming four-part drama Adolescence is shaping up to be one of the best shows of the year and is inspired by some tragic real stories from the British headlines. From the brilliant creative team behind the one-shot film and TV series Boiling Point comes a hard-hitting drama about a shocking accusation against a young teenage boy that shatters the lives of a seemingly normal family. When Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a classmate, his horrified parents Eddie (Stephen Graham) and Manda (Christine Tremarco) try to unearth the truth.

Acclaimed screenwriter Jack Thorne helms the series with Boiling Point director Philip Barantini, who films each episode in one continuous shot putting viewers in the midst of the action. The all-star cast also includes Top Boy’s Ashley Walters and The Crown’s Erin Doherty, plus Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley and Jo Hartley. While the series promises to be one of the most gripping crime thrillers of the year, the central premise was inspired by a sobering trend that has devastated parts of the UK in recent years.

Speaking at the Next on Netflix event for 2025, Graham explained: “The idea came as - over the past 10 years or so - we’ve seen an epidemic of knife crime amongst young lads, up and down the country. “And for me, there were certain instances that really stuck out where young boys - and they are young boys, you know, they're not men - were killing young girls.”. The shocking series will delve into the psyche of teenagers committing these horrific crimes and the traumatising impact they have on the victims’ friends, families and neighbourhoods.

“When I mentioned it to Phil, it just really hit me hard. I just thought, ‘Why? What's going on? What's happening? Why is this the case?. “‘What's going on with our society as a whole, as a collective?’ When these things are on the news - and we’re a couple of kids from council estates - but when these things are on the news, your judgement instantly goes to blaming the family, you blame the mum and dad.

“We’re all guilty of it, because that's the easy common denominator. I just thought, ‘what if that's not the case at all?’ That was it.”. By putting Jamie’s parents front and centre in the drama, Adolescence will daringly interrogate how young boys are lured into committing violent acts. The Boiling Point-style format will also ensure you never look away from the unfolding fall-out, making the upcoming drama a taxing yet eye-opening viewing experience.

Director Barantini added: “We're all guilty of watching stuff with one eye on our phones, but for something like this, it's so compulsive, that you can't miss a beat. “And that's the idea, that it adds to the tension and to the anxiety, which is an immersive experience for the actors as well. “You get the best performance because they're in it. They’re living it. And there's no cuts at all, so for one hour you have to be in character.”.