Adolescence, the British drama of four episodes shot in a sequence plane per chapter, became a global phenomenon. The miniseries tells the story of a British family whose life falls apart when his 13 -year -old son, until then apparently normal, is arrested for the murder of a classmate.
The content that made its debut in Netflix on March 14, was co -produced by Matriarchthe actor’s producer Stephen Graham and Hannah Walters, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Philip Barantini. What begins as a domestic drama of the Miller family, is soon transformed into a fierce portrait on new youthful violence, the impact of the incel subculture, the parental bewilderment and the gaps of the system.
The format is no less bold than its content: each episode was shot in a single shot, a film technical feat that enhances the emotional intensity of each scene and refers us to cinema classics of all time as “Birdman”, the “Russian ark” and “the rope”. On the other hand, it is not a police series to use: the question is not who?, but because? The painting puts sustained focus on the collapse of the everyday and the complexity of adolescence.
The fulminating impact of the series was only a matter of days, Adolescence climbed to number one in the Netflix ranking in more than 80 countries, including India, Australia and Saudi Arabia. In the United Kingdom he broke historical records: it was the first series of a platform to lead the weekly rating of all television. In just four days he added 24.3 million visualizations, and in two weeks he reached 66.3 million, becoming the most seen limited miniseries in the history of Netflix.
“Many young people wrote to us that, thanks to the series, they were able to talk to their parents about something that hurt them,” Walters said. The producers received messages from all over the world. Parents who fear for their children, teachers who ask to use the series in schools and, above all, teenagers who found in adolescence a channel to talk to their families of issues that did not know how to address.
In that context, speculation began: Will there be a second season? Although adolescence was conceived as a closed miniseries, neither Graham nor Walters rule out continuing. “Possibly … let’s see how the numbers follow,” the actor slid “Snatch, pigs and diamonds” and “Rocketman” laughing, knowing that the figures are already astronomical. Walters warned the media to repeat a similar impact “is difficult”, but acknowledges that there is “a lot of room to explore new human stories.” What he did denied is a prequel: “That will not happen.”
Netflix did not confirm a new installment, but all the signs suggest that the conversations are underway. Walters also left open the possibility of moving towards a formal alliance with the platform. “When they want to have that conversation, my door is open,” said the head of Matriarch, consolidating as one of the most active producers in the United Kingdom.
“We want our model to be a real example of diversity and inclusion,” Walters explained. Founded shortly before the pandemia, matriarch already adds titles such as “Boiling Point”, “A Thousand Blows” And now adolescence. The focus of its contents combines high technical level with stories of strong emotional load and a commitment to inclusion behind the camera: in all its productions they implemented training schemes for young people and adults without previous experience in the audiovisual sector.
The team behind adolescence is completed with key names such as photography director Matthew Lewis, The producer Johhnson and the management assistant Sarah Lucas. To them is added a sharp cast where they stand out Erin Doherty Like the psychologist, Ashley Walters as the detective of the case and Owen Cooper, The protagonist teenager who embodies Jamie Miller, In his first acting role.
Even Walters, who did not plan to act in this series, ended up accepting a minor role as the teacher who challenges the best friend of the victim, at the request of screenwriter Jack Thorne. “I had to leave another job to do it,” he said. But, judging by the impact, it was worth it. With a global audience, an urgent message and a unique narrative formula, adolescence became an open conversation about the world we inhabit and the cracks that cross the new generations
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