Netflix’s Adolescence is having anything but a quiet moment. The British limited series has made an impressive surge up the streamer’s Most Popular English TV list, landing in fourth place this week after debuting at ninth just one week earlier. In its climb, Adolescence overtook not only early seasons of Bridgerton and The Night Agent, but also acclaimed limited series like The Queen’s Gambit and Fool Me Once.
Since its 13 March release, it has amassed 114.5 million views. If it continues performing at this pace, it’s poised to pass Dahmer: Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story next week, which currently holds third place with 115.6 million views. Surpassing Stranger Things 4, which sits at 140.7 million views, may also be within reach. That would leave only Wednesday standing in its way.
At the core of Adolescence is the devastating fallout that follows the arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller for the murder of a classmate. Owen Cooper plays Jamie, whose quiet life unravels when he’s forced to confront the weight of a murder charge. Stephen Graham plays his father Eddie Miller, who also serves as Jamie’s “appropriate adult” during police proceedings. Ashley Walters steps into the role of DI Luke Bascombe, the lead investigator on the case, while Erin Doherty portrays Briony Ariston, the psychologist trying to piece together the motivations behind the crime.
Each episode unfolds in a single continuous take, a stylistic choice that reunites Graham with director Philip Barantini, following their acclaimed work on Boiling Point. The one-shot format ratchets up tension and provides an almost theatrical intensity that’s rare in television. It also underscores the emotional pressure each character faces, drawing viewers into the slow burn of uncertainty, guilt, and unraveling truth.
As Adolescence continues to perform, other titles on Netflix’s charts have experienced more mixed results. True crime docuseries Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer opened strong with 13 million views, taking second place for the week. New medical drama Pulse, from Carlton Cuse and Zoe Robyn, had a more modest debut with 6.5 million views. The Residence, another recent launch, saw a sharp drop, falling to 4.6 million views, about half of its numbers from the previous week.
But right now, Adolescence is the clear breakout. Its subject matter is heavy, its structure ambitious, and its execution both bold and intimate. With the numbers climbing and the show generating buzz far beyond its initial launch window, Netflix may have found its next word-of-mouth sensation, and a reminder that smart, character-driven drama can still make a huge splash.
Natalie is a big fan of anything related to movies, TV shows, and anime — you name it. When she’s not reading or being a dedicated cinephile, she’s probably playing gacha and tabletop games, or daydreaming of Caleb from Love and Deepspace.
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