The latest Netflix crime drama to land on its library, Adolescence, continues to break records. As of today, Episode 1 has become the most popular streaming TV show in the U.K. in a single week. It sits at the top of the British ratings charts, making it one of the most successful series for British audiences. The numbers remain solid for the rest of the show’s four episodes, speaking highly of the engaging power of Adolescence and its visceral story about why a young boy decides to murder someone.
As reported by Deadline and the BBC, Adolescence has surpassed the numbers held by BBC shows like The Apprentice and Death in Paradise. The streaming statistics were shared by the ratings collection company Barb, and they have confirmed that Adolescence’s first episode was watched by approximately 6.5 million viewers during the first week of release. Barb reports that Adolescence broke this record after just being available for three days between Mar. 10 and Mar. 16 (it premiered on Mar. 13).
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After Episode 1, the Netflix drama stayed above BBC’s most important shows, as Episode 2 was seen by 5.9 million viewers, and BBC One’s The Apprentice and Death in Paradise went to third and fourth spots, respectively. Episodes 3 and 4 were seen by 5.1 million and 4.6 million, respectively. When staying within the Netflix-verse, Adolescence also shattered the record held by Fool Me Once, which brought in 6.3 million viewers in the U.K. in a single week in January of last year. The crime drama starring Stephen Graham and Owen Cooper in his acting debut has become more popular in the U.K. than recent hits like The Gentlemen and Baby Reindeer.
In Netflix’s global chart of most popular TV shows, Adolescence stands above shows like Running Point, the Robert De Niro miniseries Zero Day, Toxic Town, Beauty in Black, and American Murder: Gabby Petito.
‘Adolescence’ Is a Technical Marvel That’s Also Extremely Relevant
Adolescence follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), a boy who gets arrested for a murder he says he wasn’t involved in. The police storm inside the Miller household, grab Jamie, and take him to the police station, where he gets questioned alongside his father. Jamie insists he did not do it, and although the second episode widens the possibilities of more people being involved in the murder of a young female teenager, Episode 3 makes things clear. Episode 4 shows the aftermath of Jamie’s crime and the Miller family trying to get past the event that has changed their lives forever. Each piece is shot in a single take and is told in real time.
While it isn’t based on a single true story, Adolescence is remarkably realistic and poignant. Exploring themes like bullying, the uncontrolled use of social media, and teenage masculinity as seen from the eyes of a fragile young man, the show has earned the acclaim of viewers and critics alike. By the time of writing, it holds a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics based on 76 reviews, while audiences have given it a 72% score on the website.
