Finally saw 'Adolescence'
Since its March release it has racked up 141-million views and I wasn't one of them.
Saw 3 episodes of "Adolescence" (Netflix, 2025) on Thursday and I could not sleep. I was awake all night thinking about what I had seen, wondering how they did it, and how it all reset the bar for acting and production. Was still so lost in thought on my 7AM flight that my seatmate asked if I was "rawdogging" (intentionally going without phones and media to embrace and endure boredom, eg. Xennials' version of monkhood).
I am finally watching 'Adolescence' and I realize about three minutes in that they aren't going to cut. Ever (!) The whole episode, one-hour long is done in one take. Mind blowing. All hand held, in and out of cars, houses, the police station. Dozens of actors hitting marks. The cameramen handing off to each other, off to the drone at the end and not one thing can go majorly wrong or its all "fooking shiite."
Had to know who they pulled it off -- Each episode was 3 weeks of blocking and rehearsal followed by 5 days where they shot the whole take twice. So that's ten takes and the best of those is the episode. Live theater meets high tech camera work. Actors fully immersed in character despite a camera 18-inches from their face.
It is the most stunning accomplishment of theatrical teamwork ever accomplished. Easily. They shot the third episode first and I can see why -- fewest actors and locations so it gives them a chance to get the techniques working before they try the harder stuff. Also, and they don't mention this, it gives them a chance to recast the kid if he can't pull it off.
Stephen Graham plays the father but is also co-creator, co-writer, and executive producer. In BTS footage the crew credits Graham and Jack Thorne with making it work. Especially to Graham who was the leader throughout filming. When I was first trying to get on film crews in the late 1980s, a friend took me to the Sunday pick-up softball games in Pacific Palisades. He explained that you get on a crew as a newbie by proving that you can handle pressure and be a great team member. You have to click in and do your part flawlessly among people you barely know. Within 2-hours I was offered a spot on the crew of 'Coming to America' (1988) but I couldn't take it because it was shooting in NYC and paid only stipend. Hitting a run-scoring Texas-leaguer over the shortstop helped but I would like to think it was my obvious love of teamwork that got me the offer. Anyway, I worked recently on a long one-take with the producer of 'The Wire' -- "long" meaning 70-seconds with the camera in a moving car, buildings burning, etc. but really only know enough to have a vague idea of how danged hard and bold it was to make 'Adolescence'.
Has to be satisfying to know you set off an important worldwide Anglophone conversation and have earned those Emmys and a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
My landlord is a teacher for incarcerated youth and I look forward to discussing it with him. Would love to know if they have shown 'Adolescence' to the incarcerated and if yes, what their reactions were.
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