Netflix viewers have been left stunned by a gripping crime drama series that is filmed in one single shot.
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The highly anticipated crime drama follows the story of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a girl from his school, exploring the ripple effects on his family.
With a powerhouse cast featuring Stephen Graham, Erin Doherty, Ashley Walters, Christine Tremarco, and 15-year-old newcomer, Owen Cooper, the series has already captivated viewers.
What sets Adolescence apart from other crime shows is its unique one-shot filming techniques. Each episode is filmed in a single, continuous take, immersing audiences in the tension of every moment.
Many viewers have taken to social media to gush about the style of filming. "Really enjoyed it, and the way it's shot is certainly more emotive and intense," one person on Facebook praised.
Another said: "Absolutely. Brilliant. Amazing so good so powerful," while a third commented: "I've just been watching the first episode. Very impressive, for sure."
A fourth added: "Binge watched it! Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters delivered! Owen Cooper was brilliant and played his character with perfection."
The ambitious four-part series was directed by Philip Barantini, known for his previous work on Boiling Point, which also used the one-shot method.
While some might view the technique as a gimmick, Barantini insists it was a deliberate choice to heighten realism and keep audiences fully engaged.
"This particular story forces you to pay attention," he told Metro. "It’s relentless, and it puts a perspective on things that you wouldn’t necessarily have. You can’t jump forward in time, you can’t cut to another person, you can’t go to a close up."
The immersive filming style means every scene unfolds in real time, with no chance for re-dos or edits. This adds an unmatched intensity to the viewing experience.
"We wanted to just dip the audience in for an hour in this particular moment in time, dip them back out again, and then put them in a few months later and let them work it out themselves," Barantini explained. "It creates an extra layer of tension and a subconscious anxiety you wouldn’t get from a conventional drama."
Stephen Graham, a veteran actor with experience in one-shot dramas like Boiling Point, compared the experience to theatre acting - where everything happens in the moment.
"You have that spontaneity of theatre and that live performance. It’s that energy inside, that visceral energy on set, because we’re a part of a team. It’s a major collective. It’s like footy players. You’re all integral, and you’re passing the ball around," he shared. "I’ve never been so zen in the performances and never been so immersed within it."
His co-star Christine Tremarco agreed, describing the process as "total synchronicity and teamwork across the board."
One of the biggest challenges of filming Adolescence was ensuring everything went smoothly in a single take. However, the cast and crew never stopped filming unless absolutely necessary.
Barantini revealed that each episode was filmed 10 times before selecting the final take. "If something’s a bit off, we’d never stop, unless it was dangerous," he explained. "Then we’d get to the end, and then we’d re-watch it and be like, does this work? Is it still serving the story?"
The actors were encouraged to embrace natural dialogue and movement, making their performances even more organic.
"Nobody talks super eloquently every day," Barantini noted. "There are little nuances in everybody. So I wanted them to have that."
Owen Cooper, who plays the accused teenager, even had input in shaping his character’s dialogue.
"Owen would be like, 'I wouldn’t really say that. I don’t think a teenager would say that,'" Stephen shared. "There’s no egos involved. Jack was like, 'Perfect. Okay, then what would you say?' Because he’s gonna know what language gets used."