Netflix's trending show Adolescence creates history in UK TV ratings

Adolescence, a four-episode drama, has surpassed the ratings of BBC shows like The Apprentice and Death in Paradise as per the last official rankings.

The first episode was watched by 6.45 million people in the first week.

As per a report by BBC News, Adolescence's first episode viewership is the highest by any streaming TV show in the UK in one week.

The record was earlier held by Netflix show Fool Me Once with 6.3 million viewership in January 2024.

The second episode was watched by 5.94 million, the third episode ranked fifth with a viewership of 5.14 million while the fourth and last installment was viewed by 4.65 million people.

The series with a global impact tells the story of how a family’s world is turned upside down when 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl who goes to his school.

Stephen Graham plays Jamie’s father and 'appropriate adult', Eddie Miller.

Ashley Walters stars as Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, and Erin Doherty is Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamie's case.

With each of the four episodes being shot in a single take, Adolescence has switched on the discussions regarding parenting in the age of social media after Jamie was shown responding to the online bullying by his classmate with violence.

The darker meaning of social media emojis have been explored in the series, which talks about manosphere, incel culture and toxic masculinity.

The discussion over the show has even reached UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's doorstep as the PM too recognised the possibility of an existing problem in boys and young men.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Starmer said, "There's a reason why the debate has suddenly sparked into life - a lot of people who work with young people at school or elsewhere, recognise that we may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address."

The show has been streaming on Netflix since March 13, 2025.