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Adolescence: All episodes ranked
Adolescence has created waves since its premiere on Netflix. It is all because of the show’s high dedication towards portraying an important and urgent social problem that is infesting the society and doing it in a way that is technically stellar. Co-created by Stephen Graham who also stars in it, Adolescence focusses on the repercussions that social institutions like family, schooling, and society at large have, when a young boy is accused of killing a young girl.
The show has won critical and commercial acclaim from all quarters because of its technical mastery and shooting all the episodes in one-take and the powerful and visceral acting by its cast members. From the subject matter to the direction, each and every aspect of the show has been brilliantly created.
Therefore, here is a rating of all of the episodes of Adolescence, based on their overall contribution to the story of the series, the direction and performances, and the emotional depth.
Jamie's psychological analysis, the school episode, and others episodes of Adolescence, ranked
4) Episode 1
The first episode of the show comes in at number four, which already underscores the immense level of talent that the show has. Adolescence is a one-of-a-kind show and while all of its four episodes are strong, the successive episodes get even more better because the story keeps on building.
The first episode is a masterclass in how to begin an exposition and create suspense. This is the episode where we meet Owen’s Jamie for the first time and witness his raw acting brilliance. The episode begins with an aggressive raid, which sets the tone for how frenetic and chaotic the whole episode is.
The ride to the police station is long but piercing and the viewers realize that the show is shot in one-take. What sets the first episode apart is that the viewers do not know whether Jamie is guilty and that makes them empathetic towards the boy.
Adolescence plays on the ambiguity and creates even more tension. The frantic manner in which Stephen’s Eddie, runs from pillar to post, trying to get a sense of what has happened to his son, is heart-wrenching to watch, especially for a parent. However, the ending scene where it is finally revealed that Jamie committed the crime, is like a brutal wake-up call and makes the viewers ready for what is to come.
3) Episode 2
The second episode of Adolescence comes in at number three because it includes a very important message about the kind of learning that is going on in public institutions like schools. The show’s primary mission is to underscore the faulty education system that is creating a culture of misogyny and how schools are becoming breeding grounds. This episode highlights all of it.
The episode focusses on how inspector Bascombe and his colleague go to Jamie’s school to try to find a motive and a weapon. The episode is therefore also intriguing from the point of view of the case at hand. Viewers are kept in suspense over what kind of relationship Jamie had with Katie and what motivated him to commit such a heinous crime.
During the episode, viewers see through the eyes of Bascombe that the school does not have any discipline. The children have no regard for the teachers or elders and the moments where Katie’s friend breaks down are heart-wrenching to watch. The pivotal moment of the episode occurs when Ryan acts suspiciously, which results in the glaring confession about how he helped Jamie.
The episode also introduces viewers to important terms like incel culture, which make men hate women. At the end, however, the episode ends on a hopeful note as Bascombe is able to bridge the gap with his son and the two share a loving moment.
2) Episode 4
The final episode of Adolescence is at number two because of how beautifully poignant yet gut-wrenching it is. By this point, the show has made the viewers cover a long journey, even though it is just four episodes.
By the final episode, the viewers get ready to peek into the inside world of the Millers and how they are coping up with the devastating event that has happened in their lives. The episode begins with Eddie’s birthday and the series showcases how the family tries its best to celebrate but their past always catches up with them.
The episode also showcases the social fallout of such an event on a family as Eddie’s van is vandalized and the word “nonce” is written on it. As Eddie tries to furiously remove it, he has to further go to a hardware store, where an employee tries to support him but it only increases Eddie’s troubles. The scene where the family tries to sing songs and “get the day back”, is beautifully shown, until it is punctured by Jamie’s phone call, which reveals that he wants to plead guilty.
Once at home, Stephen Graham gives one of his best performances as he breaks down over the loss of his son and over the fact that as a father, he could not do anything to stop him. Eddie and his wife try to find out the reason behind Jamie’s radicalization but it is too late.
1) Episode 3
The third episode of Adolescence is one of the most complex and disturbing episodes of the season, and yet, it is played out in meticulous fashion. Done in a single take like the other episodes, the full weight of this technical precision is felt in this episode more than any other.
The episode focusses purely on the interaction Jamie has with his psychologist, Briony, who is there to create an assessment about him before his case goes to trial. It, therefore, peels back the layers of Jamie’s mind and the audiences witness for the first time, the extent to which the young boy has been engulfed by insecurity and hatred.
This entire episode of Adolescence is dialogue-heavy and as Briony throws one question after another about what Jamie feels about his father, about women, and his own identity, it is heart-breaking to learn how fractured Jamie’s own identity is. The episode swings between Jamie’s friendly approach to his sudden aggression, which is highlighted the most when he stands over Briony and tries to feel powerful.
Jamie’s visible annoyance over questions about his dad also portray the lack of a healthy and emotional bonding between the father and the son, which further alienates Jamie. In the end, this episode of Adolescence is one of the most stellar pieces of acting and direction and both terrify and highlight the massive scale of the problem.
Viewers are welcome to go through the list and check out each of the episodes from Adolescence.
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