So many shows have come and gone onNetflix, some garnering attention but never enough to beat the series that took over the streaming site after it premiered in 2016,Stranger Things. That is, beforeAdolescencearrived. When the British crime drama premiered on August 20, 2025, it was almost instantly widely praised by critics and viewers. Now, it’s set to become one ofthe streamer’s most popular series ever.
According toDeadline,Adolescenceis about tobecome the second most-watched English-language series of all time on Netflix. Its recent release caused animpact that already has viewersand critics wanting a follow-up. Not even a year into its release, it’s on the brink of surpassingStranger Things, which is almost unheard of for a brand-new show. In the past few weeks, it hasn’t seen the top 10 of the streamer’s weekly chart, but it has reached 140.2 million views in 75 days, with a lot of time left in its 91-day premiere window to continue its rise.
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‘Adolescence,’ ‘The Pitt,’ and ‘The Studio’ are among the shows nominated at the 2025 Gotham TV Awards.
The outlet also revealed that by next week, the series, created by Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Childstage play) andStephen Graham(This is England), will have passedStranger Things' 140.7 million views it obtained in its first 91 days.Adolescencewon’t, however, beatWednesday’s 252 million 90-day window, although its success is arguably more impressive since there’s no star power attached to the story. It focuses on a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper), who is accused of stabbing a female student to death after beingdrawn into the online manosphere. For creator Stephen Graham, the series was made with love and respect. He told Netflix that he wanted to shine a light on an issue happening in Britain.
“We made it with such love, such integrity, such respect, and it came from a place of passion for each and every single member [of] the crew — and I include the cast as the crew. We’re all a collective. And it was probably the most joyous experience I’ve ever had as an actor.…We made a piece that was based on truth and things that are happening in Britain with young men stabbing young girls to death. We just wanted to shine a light there, and, predominantly, we just wanted to create conversation between parents and children.”
Creator Stephen Graham on ‘Adolescence’s Honesty
In April,Deadlinerevealed that Netflix and Plan B Entertainmentwere in talks about a second season.With the show’s popularity, it’s not surprising that the streamer wants to provide more episodes of the series to its growing audience. Graham has received several British Academy Television Awards and one for a British Academy Film Award throughout his career, and it seems likeAdolescencestems from honesty, just like his other works.
“I think, because it was made from love, we made our little stone, our pebble or whatever it was, and we threw it into the universe, and it landed in the pond. And the ripple effect has been, in all honesty, slightly overwhelming. You have no idea ofthe impact it can have. But the intention was always from a place of purity, truth, and honesty.”
Source:Deadline
Adolescence
