Adolescence
Adolescence finally lost its #1 spot on Netflix’s top 10 shows list, but at the same time, hit a huge milestone on the service.
The show has now become the ninth most-viewed English language series on Netflix of all time, with 96.7 million views, just scooting by Stranger Things season 3 with 94.8 million. But it seems very likely to at least move into seventh place, passing Fool Me Once and The Night Agent season 1, both of which have 98.2 million views.
Could it go higher? I don’t think it’s impossible. The next four shows on the list are Bridgerton season 3, The Queen’s Gambit, Bridgerton season 1 and Dahmer. Those range from 106 to 115 million, and could Adolescence get another 20 million views in the next 90 days? (this is the cutoff for this being tracked). I certainly think it’s possible.
Adolescence is one of three, perhaps four limited series on the list. The Queen’s Gambit and Fool Me Once certainly are, while Dahmer, though a standalone story, is technically part of the Monster(s) anthology from Ryan Murphy. On this list, nothing is even remotely close to Wednesday season 1 at 252 million views. But internationally, of course, Squid Game season has 265 million. Squid Game season 2 has risen to 192 million, failing to top that margin by a good amount.
Adolescence
And yes, Adolescence really is a limited series. No season 2 there, so far as we know, and no desire to turn it into an anthology with a new teen the focus of some new plot revolving around incredibly difficult to film one-take shots, a core appeal of the original series, along with the performances given during those takes.
Adolescence, with a 99% critic score, is in fact the highest scored show on the list. Everything else may be popular, but I think the only show that’s even close here is The Queen’s Gambit and its 96% (albeit that had a higher 94% audience score). The rest of these shows maybe widely watched but they’re not at this level. So far as I can tell, Adolescence only has a single bad review in the entire collection (curse you, New Yorker!).
Netflix may be accused of having quality control programs with its endless glut of shows and movies, but when you play the volume game, you do manage to find a few gems from time to time, and that has certainly been the case with Adolescence.
Follow me on Twitter, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram.
Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.

