At the heart of the gripping series "Adolescence" lies a teenage killer who sends shivers down the spine, even evoking comparisons to Jeffrey Dahmer. This new, critically acclaimed British show, featuring a chilling portrayal of a 13-year-old boy (played by Owen Cooper) who brutally murders his classmate, has captured the imagination and attention of viewers worldwide. According to TheWrap, "Adolescence" has recently usurped Ryan Murphy's "Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story," knocking it down to the third spot on Netflix's list of all-time most-watched original TV series.
Merely a month after its March 13th debut on Netflix, the four-part drama has amassed an astonishing 124.2 million views. Standing between "Adolescence" and the crown of Netflix's most-watched series are "Stranger Things" Season 4, which leads with just over 140 million views, and Season 1 of "Wednesday," which boasts an incredible 252.1 million views. "Dahmer" now finds itself in fourth place with 115.6 million views, while the inaugural season of "Bridgerton" rounds out the top five with 113.3 million views.
"Adolescence," co-created by star Stephen Graham and writer/playwright Jack Thorne (also the mind behind Netflix's "Toxic Town"), has transcended the realm of mere television success. It has sparked nationwide dialogues about the perils of social media and toxic masculinity. Shortly after its release, the series was even referenced in the House of Commons by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who watched it with his children and suggested it could serve as a catalyst for essential reforms by the Department of Education. Thorne, thrilled by the conversations ignited by his work, told The New York Times that he favors a ban on social media for all children under 16.
Although "Adolescence" was originally intended as a one-season miniseries, its unforeseen popularity has prompted Graham and his wife/producing partner Hannah Walters (who also has a minor role in the series) to ponder expanding it into an anthology format. While Walters dismissed the notion of a prequel, she shared with Variety her enthusiasm for the potential in exploring different facets of human nature through standalone installments, stating, "There's so much mileage in investing in human nature again and examining something else."
