Adolescence surpasses Bridgerton to become one of Netflix’s most watched English series of all time
Netflix’s UK drama Adolescence is proving to be a cultural juggernaut. It has catapulted past all three seasons of Bridgerton on the streaming platform’s all-time Top 10 list for English-language TV.
In a major milestone revealed by Netflix’s Tudum on Tuesday, Adolescence has climbed to the fourth spot on the platform’s Most Popular English TV list, a leap from its previous No. 9 ranking. In doing so, it overtook a slew of fan-favourite titles, including The Queen’s Gambit, The Night Agent, Fool Me Once, and Bridgerton seasons one and three — all of which had previously held top slots.
Although it debuted less than a month ago, it has amassed over 114 million views, with 17.8 million recorded just last week.
The show’s surging popularity also meant it topped the weekly global charts again, outperforming newcomers like Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer and Netflix’s new medical procedural Pulse.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, an interesting factor contributing to the show’s dominance is it being screened in secondary schools across the UK, allowing it to reach an even broader demographic, including teenage viewers and educators drawn to its complex themes and realistic storytelling.
At the heart of Adolescence is a harrowing tale: 13-year-old Jamie Miller (played by Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a fellow student, throwing his family into turmoil. Stephen Graham, also one of the show’s creators, plays Jamie’s father Eddie — and his “appropriate adult” during the police investigation.
Ashley Walters stars as the probing Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, while The Crown’s Erin Doherty takes on the role of clinical psychologist Briony Ariston. The show is created and written by Graham and Jack Thorne.
The show reunites Graham with director Philip Barantini, with whom he previously collaborated on the acclaimed single-take film Boiling Point. In a stylistic echo, each episode of Adolescence is also shot as a one-take, heightening the drama and the immersive nature of the experience.
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