Adolescence

"This 4 episode miniseries is basically a character study of how a senseless and horrific crime by a child affects the family and people of a small town in England. It's sometimes hard to understand dialogue through the thick English accents and slang but it is still an engaging and tense drama with powerful performances. The most noteworthy thing about it is the cinematography, each episode is one long continuous shot. Definitely worth a watch. 8.5/10"

"Only four episodes, so an easy binge, but the impressive thing is that each episode was filmed in one take. The camera expertly follows characters to move through scenes and settings - it is done so smoothly that at first you may not even realize that it's happening until suddenly you're looking at someone's back and see them go into a new room and think "oh damn has this been happening the whole time?" And even if for some reason the storyline doesn't draw you in, this technique definitely could. Though the story should be interesting enough to grab your attention, 9/10☕🍫🥪"

"Haunting, horrifying and compelling. The actors were impeccable...as a mother with a son who has dealt with mental health issues during high school..this really hit home with me. My husband and I have totally been there over the last past few years with trying to break through the generational chasm that exists between us and our kid and the hopelessness you feel when you know social media has had a bigger impact on raising your kid than you or your love did . This is the tv series of the year...hands down."

"Heavy. Masterful performances. Impressive that every episode is a one-shot. It’s a series that sticks with you."

"First of all, hats off to the first time actor who played Jamie. What incredible acting, kid! Stephen Graham did a chilling emotional act in the last episode. If you are expecting this to be a story with trials, who dunnit or a twist, it’s not. It mostly portrays the social side of things, the impact on the family whose son is accused of murder and the emotions of guilt, blame and judgement that they endure. Most importantly it touches on an incredibly important topic which all boys and men should be taught- how to deal with rejection and violence towards women generally. What they didn’t show were the signs to watch out for but really can anyone know for sure? I absolutely loved it! "

"Started off strong with all the talent involved. Then my interest tapered at the end. I think the goal was to empathize with the experiences of all parties involved in these awful situations. But I also think the one-take scenes were counterproductive to my attention span, unlike the movie, 1917."

"This was a great show. I liked the way it was filmed. That school was top notch horrible and full of horribly behaving kids, and I've been in some interesting schools. It really delved into the toxic red pill culture and how easily it can manifest in people/children with low self esteem. But the parents also played a role in this. The emotionally closed off father who thinks they're doing excellent because he's not hitting the children, the mom who justifies all of his behaviors instead of addressing issues in the home. 4.5 stars A from me."

"Emotional, thought provoking. The acting is incredible. "

"A phenomenal show, and one that should be made required viewing to all IMO. A powerful look at the dangers of social media and their effect on children especially, and also a haunting commentary on just how social dynamics have completely changed as well in the last few years (I went to school at a time when social media was only starting up, and hence real human interaction was still the dominant way with which people interacted at the time). While I personally made the decision to avoid social media early on and avoid cell phones until I joined college, it does highlight just how important it is to raise a child properly in today's times where phones are much more rampant and widespread and it easier than ever for a person to be radicalized in today's world. This therefore makes the show a powerful reminder of just how important the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" really is, and why healthy interactions and proper upbringing are crucial to their development. Phenomenal direction, layered writing, and performances across the board, with all episodes shot in single long takes that actually work remarkably well in this context. The cast is uniformly excellent, with Owen Cooper in particular standing out as the young Jamie accused of murder, as is Stephen Graham as his father and Ashley Walters as the deputy inspector investigating the case. I really applaud the makers of this show (including Stephen Graham) for sparking a much-needed discussion on this topic that is extremely relevant to today's times. Extremely highly recommended. P.S.: I was really surprised to learn that Brad Pitt was an executive producer on the show, and he has proven to be a powerhouse as a producer over the years."

"Great series! Blows my mind that the young actor that played Jamie has absolutely no acting experience and that this was his first gig. He was amazing and it’s definitely an award winning performance. The one camera shot per episode was also very impressive. Just think about it… one screw up and whole thing would need to be re-done! It’s easily bingeable with only 4 eps. Ep 3 had some epic acting!!! Def worth a watch. Also to note, I appreciate how they show how social media affects young kids and why IMO they shouldn’t have it. "