Hansal Mehta Heaps Praise On Netflix’s Adolescence, Says It Deserves Every Award: ‘It Left Me Terrified…’
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta was mighty impressed with the British crime drama Adolescence, starring Owen Cooper. He said that as a parent, it left him terrified and concerned.
Jack Thorne and Stephen Graham’s psychological drama ‘Adolescence’ released on Netflix a few days ago, and the limited series is already creating waves, and garnering great reviews. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta was among the many viewers who were left awestruck by the gripping crime drama. He heaped praise on the series starring Owen Cooper, and said that it deserves every award out there. He said that it was one of the best shows he has seen in years, and that as a parent, it left him terrified and concerned.
Sharing his review of Adolescence on X (formerly Twitter), Hansal Mehta wrote, “I was devastated by Adolescence on @netflix—so much so that I had to write this follow-up post about it, particularly about the final two episodes, Episodes 3 and 4. They leave an impact beyond the procedural, outside any semblance of mystery, and beyond any genre-defined cliché. As a parent, it left me terrified, concerned, and introspective—all at once and for a long time to come. As a filmmaker, it made me look up in awe at the creators of this show, including the writers, director, actors, grips, gaffers, sparks, and so many others who made this absolute banger even possible. It left me envious, nervous, and energized."
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He further added that as a parent, the show left him terrified. Meanwhile, as a human being, it also compelled him to look at people with greater empathy and understand life with greater nuance. “I wanted to hug my kids. To tell them it’s alright. To tell myself I can do better. Adolescence is truly an achievement. Just give it every award this season already," he concluded.
Earlier, Hansal Mehta had shared another lengthy note praising Adolescence, in which he mentioned that the show is a ‘universal story of our times’ that scares you, shakes you and keeps you riveted. “‘Adolescence’ on @NetflixIndia is perhaps the best TV show I’ve seen in years. An exploration of men, misogyny, and murder. Of boys, bullying, and beyond. Of crime and misdemeanour. Of family and failure," he wrote. He further added that in a country like India, the idea of a show like this would be ‘deemed unsuitable for commissioning’, and would be considered as something that wouldn’t have wide appeal.
“As a result, it would never get made. It makes you wonder: Is such exceptional work the domain of the first world, while countries like India are relegated to mass-producing mostly mediocre content, deemed appropriate for an audience whose intelligence is consistently underestimated?" he questioned.
Adolescence, starring Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper, Ashley Walters, Erin Doherty, and others, was released on Netflix on 13th March 2025. The series consist of 4 hour-long episodes. Owen Cooper plays Jamie Miller, a 13-year-old boy, who is accused of the murder of a classmate.
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