This article contains spoilers for AdolescenceNetflix's Adolescence was filmed in one continuous shot.

Adolescence is not based on a true story, but it has been inspired by one that was mentioned in a news report, and while each episode is compelling, one in particular is a standout.

4 Episode 2

The Police Investigate Jamie's School & Get A Shock

The second episode of Adolescence sees DI Luke Bascome (played by Ashley Walters) investigating Jamie's school with his partner, DS Misha Frank. The two struggle to make sense of what could have happened, and their questioning of the staff and students gets them nowhere until Luke's son, Adam, reveals something shocking. After the initial shock of the first episode, this is when Adolescence introduces incel culture and begins to get chilling. Luke and Misha realize that everything they had assumed about the dynamic between Jamie and Katie was wrong.

None of Adolescence's episodes are bad, but episode 2 feels like the weakest, as it is considerably more chaotic in both the atmosphere and the plot. The continuous camera shot showed the large-scale disruption in the school to great effect, but even with just one camera shot, there were too many plotlines introduced that were never wrapped up. Luke's relationship with his son felt strained, though this wasn't fully addressed, and Katie's friend Jade was overlooked despite appearing to know all the information about what had led to Katie's murder.

3 Episode 1

Jamie Is Arrested, And The Main Characters Are Introduced

The first episode of Adolescence throws viewers into the center of the action, beginning outside the house as police force their way in. The episode does a great job of showing viewers that Adolescence is going to be very different from other crime dramas. First, it would be easy to assume that the police are after Jamie's father, Eddie, and the first twist comes when they arrest the 13-year-old boy. Then, viewers who expected more of a "whodunit" style mystery got a shock when the show leaned away from the trope by showing that Jamie is guilty.

The first episode, while explosive, was more focused on the police procedural aspects of arrest and the immediate stunned aftermath of the arrest. While setting up the plot was necessary, the episode was relatively simple compared to the later ones in the miniseries, which introduced more nuance, blindsiding both the characters and the audience. That said, the first episode of Adolescence was captivating, hinting at darker events to come.

2 Episode 4

The Finale Of Adolescence Asks Some Deep Questions

Many crime dramas attempt to stick the landing by introducing a horrifying twist, and I was expecting something similar in Adolescence. The fact that Jamie appeared to be a normal boy from a loving family was perhaps the most shocking revelation of all, and this twist was one of the best in Adolescence. The show is about a very frightening phenomenon and was written to provoke questions, so encouraging viewers to ask the same questions as Jamie's family was a good move.

Adolescence does not show Katie aside from her CCTV appearance.

Adolescence ends with Jamie changing his plea to guilty, reflecting what the audience and his family already know. The episode shows them trying to rebuild their lives, one small quiet moment at a time, and the final song, "Through the Eyes of a Child" is sung by Emilia Holliday, who plays Katie. As Adolescence does not show Katie aside from her CCTV appearance, the final haunting twist gives her the voice that audiences never had the chance to hear.

1 Episode 3

Jamie Reveals His True Colors In A Moment Straight Out Of A Horror Movie

Every episode of Adolescence has some standout moments, but the episode that defines the show is episode three, which mostly takes place in just two rooms. Jamie is interviewed by the psychiatrist Briony Ariston (played by Call The Midwife's Erin Doherty,) who brings him a sandwich and hot chocolate before seeing a new side of him. This episode showed the skill of Owen Cooper, who transformed Jamie from a frightened child into a monster and back again several times, as he struggles with being questioned.

Owen Cooper has now been cast as Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights.

Jamie begins his session with Briony shyly, trying to make her like him, but when she gives him responses that he doesn't like, Jamie transforms. He smirks, avoids questions, and uses his height and proximity to try and intimidate her, proving himself the anger-driven misogynist that Katie and her friends saw. To drive the message home, Briony finds herself suffering unwanted attention from one of the staff , who also stands too close. This episode is virtually perfect in of writing, acting, and illustrating Adolescence's message.