10 TV Shows you cannot miss if you loved Adolescence on Netflix

If you just finished watching Adolescence on Netflix then you know how hard it is to shake off the nervousness while watching the show. The tension never lets up because every scene plays out in real time and the performances hit like a punch. Nothing about it feels polished or easy.

It throws you right into heavy subjects like violence and responsibility without giving you room to breathe. Once it ends you are left sitting there wondering what could possibly fill that gap.

The good news is other shows deliver the same weight. Some focus on families that are falling apart while others follow intense police investigations. A few put you inside the lives of young people caught in chaos. Others pull apart big topics like trauma and guilt.

What they all have in common is how direct they are. There are no distractions and no unnecessary build-up. Just sharp writing and tough characters stuck in situations that feel real.

If you are looking for more shows that keep you locked in without letting go then you are in the right place. Here are ten shows that carry the same force as Adolescence. Every one of them is worth checking out.

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TV Shows you must see if you liked Netflix's Adolescence

1) Time (BBC)

Time follows Mark Cobden, played by Sean Bean, a man adjusting to life in prison after a fatal accident. Stephen Graham stars as a conflicted prison officer struggling with his duty and personal ethics. The show focuses heavily on moral dilemmas, exploring how punishment affects both inmates and staff.

Like Adolescence, it avoids sensationalism, keeping the camera close and the emotions raw. Each interaction is uncomfortable but necessary, revealing how broken systems fail vulnerable people. Fans of Adolescence will appreciate how Time tackles guilt, violence, and fractured families without filters, forcing you to sit with every uncomfortable truth.

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2) The Virtues (Channel 4)

The Virtues centers on Joseph, played by Stephen Graham, a man battling alcoholism and childhood trauma after losing custody of his son. Directed by Shane Meadows, the series follows Joseph’s return to his estranged sister, where old wounds resurface. Like Adolescence, it dives deep into personal damage without softening the edges.

Every scene lingers on raw emotion, making you watch the character unravel in real time. The show doesn’t rely on twists but instead keeps focus on human pain and recovery. Fans might find the same unflinching honesty and grounded performances here, especially in how it handles abuse and redemption.

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3) Criminal: UK (Netflix)

Criminal: UK is entirely set within an interrogation room. Each episode focuses on detectives questioning a single suspect, with each story unfolding through conversation and strategy. There are no outside scenes—just psychological cat-and-mouse games.

Similar to Adolescence’s intense interview room sequences, the tension in Criminal: UK comes from subtle shifts in dialogue and character behavior.

For Adolescence viewers who appreciated the focused, stripped-down format and moral ambiguity, this show delivers tight, uncomfortable character confrontations without distractions, forcing you to study every facial expression and word.

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4) One Shot: The Football Factory (BBC Three)

One Shot: The Football Factory follows young footballer Kai through a violent, chaotic night in South London. It focuses on masculinity, gang culture, and how quickly one bad decision spirals. The single-take style keeps everything immediate and intense, much like Adolescence.

There’s no break, no chance to step back, pulling the viewer into Kai’s world as tensions rise. The show’s focus on peer pressure, violence, and youth disenfranchisement parallels Adolescence's exploration of radicalization and teenage aggression.

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5) State of the Union (BBC / Sundance)

State of the Union presents a simple setup—each episode shows a married couple, played by Rosamund Pike and Chris O'Dowd, meeting in a pub before their therapy sessions. The conversations are sharp, tense, and packed with emotional undercurrents. Though much lighter in tone than Adolescence, it shares the same focus on real-time dialogue and relationship breakdowns.

There are no flashbacks or side plots—just two people talking, trying to understand each other. Viewers who liked how Adolescence relied entirely on conversation to build tension will find something similar here. It strips storytelling down to essentials, making every word matter.

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6) Top Boy (Netflix)

Top Boy follows Dushane and Sully as they navigate gang rivalries, drug deals, and survival on a London estate. It’s not just about crime—it shows how poverty, lack of opportunities, and broken systems shape young lives. Like Adolescence, it focuses on youth pulled into violence beyond their control.

The show spends time on family dynamics, loyalty, and how choices at a young age spiral into something irreversible. Adolescence fans will connect to how Top Boy doesn’t glorify violence but instead shows its roots and aftermath, keeping the focus on personal consequences and systemic failures.

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7) The Responder (BBC)

The Responder stars Martin Freeman as Chris Carson, a Liverpool police officer stuck on night shifts while dealing with mental health struggles and work pressure. The show never paints him as a hero—it’s about watching someone unravel while trying to hold things together.

Like Adolescence, it keeps the focus tight, avoiding procedural clichés. Fans of Adolescence will appreciate how both shows strip away polish and present characters under extreme stress, where each decision carries weight and personal breakdowns are just as important as external conflicts.

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8) This Is England '86 / '88 / '90 (Channel 4)

Shane Meadows’ This Is England trilogy continues the story of working-class youth in Thatcher-era Britain. It follows Shaun, Woody, Lol, and others as they navigate adulthood, trauma, and fractured relationships. The series is grounded in real social issues—unemployment, abuse, and addiction.

It’s shot with raw honesty, focusing on broken families and violence’s long-term impact. Each installment allows the characters to grow while showing how past damage keeps resurfacing. Adolescence viewers will appreciate how Meadows refuses to let his characters off easy, forcing them to confront hard truths without soft resolutions or easy forgiveness.

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9) I May Destroy You (HBO/BBC)

I May Destroy You follows Arabella, a young writer dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault, as she tries to reclaim control over her life. Michaela Coel’s writing never flinches from uncomfortable subjects—consent, trauma, identity—and refuses to offer simple answers.

It moves between anger, confusion, and moments of clarity, showing how trauma’s effects aren’t linear. Fans of Adolescence will find the same fearless approach here, where nothing is filtered and the focus stays firmly on how individuals process violence and power dynamics.

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10) Your Honor (Showtime)

Your Honor stars Bryan Cranston as Michael Desiato, a respected judge who covers up his son’s involvement in a fatal hit-and-run. What follows is a slow unraveling of both father and son, as lies pile up and morality blurs. The show centers on parents trying to shield their children while losing control.

Every decision worsens the situation, making it impossible to undo the damage. Viewers drawn to Adolescence’s focus on family breakdowns and accountability will appreciate how Your Honor traps its characters in escalating consequences, never letting them escape the weight of their choices.

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