How many episodes are there in Adolescence? Episode count and more details explored
Netflix's latest British crime drama, Adolescence, dropped on March 13, 2025, under the direction of Philip Barantini, with Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne behind its creation. It is a limited series featuring four episodes, each shot in a single continuous take.
At its core, the series tracks the Miller family as they grapple with the sudden arrest of 13-year-old Jamie Miller, played by Owen Cooper, who stands accused of murdering his classmate, Katie Leonard. Across its four hours, the mini-series investigates layers of the case.
One moment, viewers follow the chaotic police raid, and the next, they sit inside tense interrogations and therapy sessions, all while watching a family unravel under the weight of public scrutiny.
The Guardian noted on March 16, 2025, that the show digs deeper than the crime itself. It tackles how young men today navigate social pressures and how platforms like social media shape their realities.
Number of episodes in Adolescence season 1
Adolescence season 1 features a total of four episodes, all of which were released on Netflix on March 13, 2025. Each episode is filmed as a single continuous take, capturing events in real-time.
The complete list of episodes is listed below:
Production, direction, and cast
Adolescence is a four-part limited series created by Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne, with direction by Philip Barantini. The production adopts a one-shot filming technique across all episodes. Describing the process, Barantini remarked in a Tudum by Netflix article dated March 14, 2025:
"It takes months of preparation and weeks of rehearsals and an incredible team of people to pull it off at every stage, from the script to the locations to the production design to where exactly the camera is going to be able to shoot and from what angle."
The series was filmed in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, with key sets constructed in a nearby studio, allowing seamless transitions between real locations.
The cast of Adolescence includes Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy accused of murder, and Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller, Jamie's father. Ashley Walters plays Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, with Erin Doherty as clinical psychologist Briony Ariston. Supporting roles are filled by Faye Marsay, Christine Tremarco, Mark Stanley, Jo Hartley, and newcomer Amélie Pease.
The show is executive produced by Graham, Thorne, Barantini, and teams from Matriarch Productions, Warp Films, Plan B Entertainment, and others. While fictional, the story draws inspiration from real-world reports of youth violence, as per the Tudum by Netflix article. The creators aim to explore deeper social issues, such as male rage and societal pressures on young men.
Plot of the series
Adolescence follows the unraveling of a British family's life after 13-year-old Jamie Miller is arrested for the murder of a classmate. The four-part series begins with police raiding the Miller home and arresting Jamie, who insists he is innocent.
According to Tudum by Netflix report dated March 14, 2025, the story moves from Jamie's arrest and initial interrogation to the police searching his school and questioning his peers. The synopsis of the show on Netflix reads:
"When a 13-year-old is accused of the murder of a classmate, his family, therapist and the detective in charge are all left asking: what really happened?"
The creators, Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne intended to examine how ordinary families face extraordinary tragedies, steering away from typical crime drama tropes. The series delves into male rage and youth alienation, with The Guardian's article published on March 16, 2025, highlighting its commentary on the wider societal impact of disaffected young men.
Adolescence is currently streaming exclusively on Netflix.
