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Must Watch reviews: Adolescence

Every week the Must Watch podcasters review the biggest TV and streaming shows.

This week, Hayley Campbell and Scott Bryan Leila Nathoo to review new Netflix four-part series, Adolescence.

When a 13 year old is accused of the murder of his classmate - his family, therapist and the detective in charge are all left asking what really happened.

With each episode filmed in one continuous shot - the story, created by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, unfolds in real time.

But what do the team make of it?

What do the Must Watch reviewers think of Adolescence?

Scott Bryan and Hayley Campbell give their views on Adolescence.

Leila: "Hayley, is it a Must Watch?"

Hayley: "Yes, it is. Obviously, I would say this is a Must Watch — that’s not a surprise. The one-shot thing that Scott was talking about, I think it could be considered a gimmick if you didn't really know what this show was.

"But I think it really forces the writing to focus purely on one scene for a full hour. Instead of being a gimmick, it forces a new way of telling a drama."

Leila: "I thought it forces you as a viewer to slow down completely. You get an idea of how the process is playing out in real-time."

Netflix

Hayley: "Yeah, because they’re at the house or the police station or the school. They've got to do the whole episode where they start unless the camera gets in the car with them and goes somewhere else.

It’s about the rise of misogyny, especially in young boys"

"It's told in a really realistic way, and you get one angle per episode, so you get really bedded into that scene and you know you're not going anywhere else. So I really liked that about it.

“I don't think as a drama it answers any of the problems it's talking about and I don't think it tries to. It's bringing it up, it's looking at it. It’s about the rise of misogyny, especially in young boys, brought about by people like Andrew Tate, who's name checked in this, but only once - it's not about him.

"None of the kids ever mention him, which I thought was interesting. It's just the adults who mention him when they're trying to understand what's going on… It's purely by chance that this is coming out in the same week as the news that Kyle Clifford was looking at Andrew Tate content the morning before he murdered three women. But I think what's horrible about this whole thing is that this would be timely if it came out at any point.

"The drama is more about the horror of how little control you have over your kid and what they're doing on their phone.

"I think the acting is brilliant. Obviously, Stephen Graham as the dad is great. Erin Doherty as the child psychologist is amazing. You will have seen her recently in A Thousand Blows. But I thought Owen Cooper, who plays the 13-year-old in this, is extraordinary and it was apparently his first ever audition.

Leila: "So a massive thumbs up for you, Scott would you agree?"

Netflix

Scott: "I would. This is a Must Watch. There are many moments in this drama where I was watching it thinking, 'how could they have done this?' Now, I'm not going to be giving any spoilers for it, but in episode two, this is a one continuous take shot from the very start of an episode, Philip Barantini, who did Boiling Point, is known for this form of filmmaking. Stephen Graham was involved in that.

"Normally, I find that when I've seen a one-shot TV show or a film - it's normally quite isolated. They focus only on a few actors, maybe it's in one space. In episode two, in Adolescence, they involve a whole school that in one scene, they have a fire drill in the middle of it. Just how you are able to have essentially 200 extras with a show being filmed in one take is absolutely astounding.

"Not only that, but later on, I feel so weird to give a spoiler for essentially somebody gets in a car and drives somewhere! But you see Stephen Graham's character in a car driving and they go to a B&Q... other outlets are available.

Netflix

Scott continues: "I think that they filmed the whole car, that he was literally driving, doing this whole 10-minute driving sequence. Absolutely astounding.

Flawless performances… really thought provoking”

"But this is the thing about this show because you might be thinking 'oh, this is just a gimmick, having it all just been done in one take'. Slowly but surely, you forget about that. You think more about the drama and the performances. You realise this hasn't been done as a stunt.

"This is actually, I think, as Hayley was pointing out, allowing us to see this at a real-time level and it gives it a different edge compared to a normal police procedural.

"I think it's the fact that when they arrest Jamie, you see the shock by his father in real-time, played by Stephen Graham. You see Ashley Walters, who plays the DI with his whole team of police officers raiding this property.

"Their sense of confusion about how on earth is a 13 year old being arrested? Also that this kid was terrified. It seems like an innocent-looking child has done this. How on earth have we ended up here? You see that processing in real-time. Same with Erin Doherty, who plays the child psychologist in episode three.

“I think it's the fact that you see that rawness, you see what it's like for each of the characters when they are not having that dialogue. The performances are absolutely fantastic. I would say this is flawless. The person, though, I think who deserves the most recognition is 15-year-old Owen Cooper, as Hayley was pointing out. If he doesn't get nominated for a BAFTA..."

Hayley: "You're going to storm the building?"

Netflix

Scott: "Honestly, I'm getting angry in advance because particularly in episode three, which I still think in my view is the best episode of anything I've seen this year."

Hayley: "It's the child psychologist episode."

Scott: "I'm saying it is as good as Big Boys in of its standout factor. Flawless performances and really thought provoking.

"Overall, I have my great shows of 2025 that I've listed. It's got Severance on it, it's got Big Boys, A Thousand Blows, Amandaland, Toxic Town, and Adolescence. I think Adolescence is right there at the top at the moment."

Leila: "Yeah, it has some really big themes, as you said. I mean, parenting, technology, education. You come out of it really asking a lot of questions, don't you?"

Hayley: "If I was a parent, I'd be terrified to watch this."

Netflix

Leila: "A parent or a teenager! I think that's also what comes across, the fact that he is at such a tender age. I mean, that to me really came across. You were just thinking 'oh my God, he's on the precipice, isn't he at age thirteen."

Scott: "But it's also, I think, not trying to come out with this message or this takeaway. I think it's allowing you to interpret the facts as they play out in your own way. It leaves us so many questions about social media, parenting, who do you really know? It manages to have something that really makes it special."

‘Adolescence’ script writer tells us the secret of the 'one take' shot

The drama is getting rave reviews, with each episode lasting about an hour with no cuts.

You’ll be able to watch all episodes of Adolescence on Netflix this week.

But before all that, why not Scott and Hayley with the shows you’ve been loving, loathing or lamenting on [email protected].

This week, the team reviewed Fear and A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis story.

Listen to it on BBC Sounds.

As always, we like to include your reviews - on shows you love, loathe or lament.

Message @bbc5live on social media using the hashtag #bbcmustwatch or email [email protected].

Industry

Louise liked this show, but warned about where she watched it…

"I’ve found Industry amazing from start to finish, I did however want to call out a warning to anyone who, like myself, watches programmes while on the treill, at the gym, to get through the miles. This is not something you want those around you spotting on your phone while exercising. If I go to the gym pre-work, then the pensioners seem to think I am a sexual deviant. If I go to the gym post-work the teenagers seem to be too keen to get within eyeshot of my phone."

Blake's 7

Ian thinks this would make for a good reboot...

"The first series finished too quickly. Left me wanting more all the way back then. I’m sure there is scope for a new crew to rediscover the ship and adventures to unfold and with modern effects it could be improved. I wonder why it has never happened?"

Bergerac

David wasn’t sold on this reboot...

"I thought it was good but I was disappointed in the end."

Listen back...