The Netflix drama “Adolescence” has become the first streaming show to top the UK’s weekly TV ratings, surpassing BBC shows like “The Apprentice” and “Death in Paradise” in the latest official rankings. According to ratings body Barb, the first episode of “Adolescence” was watched by 6.45 million people in its first week. This marks the biggest audience for any streaming TV show in the UK within a single week, beating the 6.3 million who watched “Fool Me Once” on Netflix in January 2024.
“Adolescence’s” achievement in breaking the dominance of traditional broadcasters at the top of the UK’s weekly TV ratings is seen as another significant milestone in the growth of Netflix and streaming platforms. The second episode of “Adolescence” garnered 5.94 million viewers, while BBC One’s “The Apprentice” and “Death in Paradise” ranked third and fourth respectively in the weekly chart, each with nearly 5.8 million viewers. The third episode of “Adolescence” placed fifth in the weekly ratings with 5.14 million, and the fourth and final installment was watched by 4.65 million. Approximately 17 million UK households have Netflix subscriptions.
“Adolescence” quickly became the most talked-about show of the year so far after its launch on March 13th. It received critical and viewer acclaim for its hard-hitting storyline about a 13-year-old boy arrested on suspicion of murdering a girl from his school, with the drama heightened by filming each episode in a single shot. The cast, particularly newcomer Owen Cooper as young Jamie and Stephen Graham as his father, has received particular praise. The show has also sparked a national conversation about the impact of social media and “manosphere” influencers.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, in an interview broadcast on BBC Radio 5 Live on Monday, stated, “There’s a reason why the debate has suddenly sparked into life – a lot of people who work with young people at school or elsewhere, recognize that we may have a problem with boys and young men that we need to address.” “Adolescence” is now among the programs with the highest seven-day ratings so far this year, behind BBC’s “The Traitors,” “Call The Midwife,” and the “Gavin & Stacey: A Fond Farewell” documentary. ITV’s drama “Mr Bates vs the Post Office,” which similarly generated headlines and set the political agenda last year, was watched by 10 million people in its first week. Barb began including streaming data in its ratings in November 2021.
