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Happy Valley and Line of Duty stars lead Netflix's new crime drama from producer Brad Pitt – see first look

The four-part miniseries is penned by award-winning writer Jack Thorne

Nicky Morris
TV and film writer
November 29, 2024
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Netflix has released a first look at its new drama Adolescence featuring stars of Happy Valley and Line of Duty – and we can't wait for this one. 

Penned by award-winning writer Jack Thorne, the series tells the dark story of how a family's life is completely changed after 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) is arrested for the murder of a teenage girl who goes to his school. 

Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in Adolescence© Netflix
Stephen Graham stars in Adolescence

Line of Duty and Boiling Point actor Stephen Graham takes the role of Jamie's father, Eddie, who is selected as the boy's "appropriate adult" – a term for someone over the age of 18 who supports a child suspected of a criminal offence. 

Mark Stanley as Paulie Miller, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in Adolescence© Netflix
Stephen stars alongside Mark Stanley, who plays Paulie Miller and Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller

Meanwhile, Top Boy actor Ashley Walters stars as Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe, alongside The Crown star Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston, the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamie's case.

Also starring in the miniseries are The Responder's Christine Tremarco, Faye Marsay (Game of Thrones, Ten Pound Poms), Mark Stanley (Happy Valley, Trigger Point), Jo Hartley (After Life) and newcomer Amélie Pease.

Ashley Walters as DI Bascombe in Adolescence© Netflix
Ashley Walters takes the role of DI Bascombe

The four-parter reunites Stephen and director Philip Barantini, who previously collaborated on the BAFTA-nominated feature Boiling Point, which was widely praised for its one-shot filming style.

WATCH: Have you seen Boiling Point?

Adolescence will be shot in the same way, with each of the four episodes filmed in one continuous take as the action unfolds. 

Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller, Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller in Adolescence© Ben Blackall/Netflix
Christine Tremarco plays Manda Miller

A synopsis teases: "The gripping story unfolds in real time as the main characters — from the central family to the detectives investigating the crime — search for answers in the wake of a shocking tragedy. Who is actually responsible? Why did it happen? Could it have been prevented?"

Brad Pitt is among the show's executive producers, along with Jeremy Kleiner, Dede Gardner, and Nina Wolarsky for their production company, Plan B Entertainment. Other executive producers include leading man Stephen and his wife Hannah Walters for Matriarch Productions; writer Jack for One Shoe Films; Barantini for It's All Made Up Productions and Mark Herbert and Emily Feller for Warp Films. Meanwhile, Carina Sposato (Plan B Entertainment), Peter Balm, and Niall Shamma (Warp Films) serve as co-executive producers, and the producer is Jo Johnson.

Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston, Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller in Adolescence© Ben Blackall/Netflix
Erin Doherty plays Briony Ariston

Netflix has yet to reveal a release date for the drama, which is expected to arrive in 2025.

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