Adolescence. (L to R) Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in Adolescence. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2024
Stephen Graham’s Adolescence is one of the most successful limited series in Netflix’s illustrious history. While the series was fully intended to be a limited run with a definitive conclusion, fans are wondering if Stephen Graham and director Philip Barantini will be returning to Netflix anytime soon, either for a follow-up or a series of a similar vein.
Co-written by Jack Thorne and Graham, Adolescence follows 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), who is arrested for the murder of a girl in his school. What follows is a gripping (yet extremely disturbing and harrowing) psychological descent into Jamie’s mental state, and the wide-ranging impact the act of knife crime has on the surrounding community, from families to those tasked with investigating the murder. In our glowing review, we gave the series an impressive 4-star rating.
In terms of cultural impact, the series has been the standout Netflix project of 2025 so far. Given its harrowing narrative on the dangers of knife crime, especially among youth, Netflix has allowed the series to be shown in all high schools across the U.K, and the government has backed the move. To put its success into numbers, see below how it stacked up against other shows and yes, it’s the biggest English-language launch of 2025 so far:
Will Adolescence get another season? Here’s everything the cast and crew have said…
Given the immense success of Adolescence, it’s easy for everyone to assume that we’ll see another instalment. But the show itself is a limited series; a completed, one-shot tale. However, there’s always going to be questions about another instalment. It wouldn’t be the first time that a “limited” series has gotten another season; look no further than 13 Reasons Why, which was originally intended as a one-season adaptation of the original novel.
So what would another season entail? Of course, Jamie’s story has already been told. But that’s not to say there isn’t room to spin out another story. During an interview with Variety, star and co-creator Stephen Graham weighed in on the possibility of a follow-up. “Possibly, let’s see how the figures are. But yeah, there’s the possibility of developing another story,” he said. “I suppose what I’m trying to say is that we had no idea that it would impact socially the way it has, but it seems to have cut through all the race, creed and hierarchical structures of society with the message that it’s carrying about our youth.”
Meanwhile, executive producer Hannah Walters, Graham’s wife, believes there’s scope to tell another, similar story. “A prequel to Adolescence, that’s certainly not going to happen. But there’s so much mileage in the one-shot and so much mileage in investing into human nature again and looking at something else. But yeah, everything’s looking good … everyone’s happy, shall we say?”
Director Philip Barantini weighs in on a follow-up
Another crew member to weigh in on a potential season 2 is director Philip Barantini, who masterfully helmed the show’s groundbreaking one-shot storytelling. Adolescence was his second project with Graham, having previously directed Boiling Point, which also utilised the seamless ‘one-shot’ style. During an interview with GQ magazine, Barantini played coy on future possibilities.
“I mean, we’re just coming up for air, to be honest. The last couple of weeks have just been crazy. I’m sure we will get together, and I’m sure we’ll talk about what to do next. Is it possible, or… So, who knows? It’s been an absolutely whirlwind. Who knows.”
There is one certainty, however: he will continue collaborating with Stephen Graham for the foreseeable future. “Stephen and I have got a couple of projects that we’re developing, yeah,” he said. “We’ve got a movie that we’re working on together. But I’ll work with Stephen forever. We’re like brothers. We just have something really special, in my opinion. We have a real shorthand.
Writer Jack Thorne “doesn’t think a series 2 of Adolescence is quite right”
Finally, the show’s co-creator and writer, Jack Thorne, has admitted that he doesn’t see a season 2 happening. At least, not in the conventional sense. “Jamie’s story is finished,” he told ITV’s This Morning. “I don’t think there’s anywhere more we can take Jamie, so I don’t think there is a series two.”
While he’s understandably against continuing Jamie’s story, there’s an openness to exploring other characters. Most notably, a series showing Katie, the victim, and her family.
“I think there are other makers out there that could tell beautiful dramas about Katie or girls like Katie, and that those shows should be made,” he explained. “Our aim was to try and tell Jamie’s story as fully as we possibly could, and maybe trying to tell her story would dilute that in some way and maybe we would be inadequate for that task.”
Thorn is down to creating more shows that use the one-shot format at Netflix. “We’d love to explore the one-shot format in another way,” he added. “We’d love to tell other stories with it, but I don’t think a series two of Adolescence is quite right for us.”
Adolescence is now streaming on Netflix. Would you like to see another instalment? Tell us in the comments down below!
Rating: TV-MA
