Adolescence broke records after it was streamed on the platform this month and
Adolescence has carved out a unique place in British TV history, becoming the first streaming show to top the most-watched programme of the week.
The drama series has been warmly received by both audiences and critics since its Netflix debut earlier this month, with each episode distinctively filmed in one continuous take.
Already being touted for numerous BAFTA nominations, data from ratings body BARB showed that the premiere episode attracted 6.45 million viewers in its first week.
This figure sets a new record for the largest audience for any streaming show in the UK in a single week, surpassing the 6.3 million who tuned into Fool Me Once on Netflix last year.
The four-part series revolves around the Miller family, whose world is turned upside down when their 13 year old son Jamie is arrested for fatally stabbing a female classmate, influenced by online misogyny, reports the Liverpool Echo.
The drama has struck a chord with viewers due to its stark portrayal of the harmful impact social media and misogynistic influencers can have on young boys.
The second episode of Adolescence pulled in 5.94 million viewers, ranking second behind BBC’s The Apprentice and Death In Paradise, which came third and fourth respectively.
The third instalment ranked fifth in the ratings with 5.14 million viewers, while the fourth and final episode was watched by 4.65 million.
Stephen Graham, celebrated for his performances in This Is England and TV dramas like Line Of Duty and Peaky Blinders, has co-created and co-written Adolescence with renowned playwright Jack Thorne.
The show’s success has catapulted teen star Owen Cooper into the limelight, with predictions of awards recognition for his spine-chilling portrayal of Jamie.
Adolescence has even outperformed the hugely popular 2024 Harlan Coben series Fool Me Once, featuring Michelle Keegan, which garnered approximately 20 million views in its first week. In fact, only the viral period drama Bridgerton has ever achieved more views, and that was during its third season, backed by a massive promotional campaign.
The impressive new series has also been making an impact on daily audience charts, drawing in one million viewers in a single day last weekend.
As per the Super TV X account, the only other Netflix series to feature in such a report previously was the British spy thriller Black Doves, starring Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw, but it attracted just 500,000 viewers within a 24-hour span.
Adolescence is available to watch on Netflix now
