New British four-part series Adolescence is both a technical marvel and storytelling triumph.
We meet Detective Inspector Luke Bascombe at dawn as he and his team raid the home of the Miller family.
Dad Eddie runs his own plumbing business, his wife Manda is making breakfast in the kitchen, daughter Lisa in the bathroom, but the police are busting down their door to arrest their 13-year-old son Jamie.
“You’ve got the wrong house” Eddie Miller shouts as the armed police force each family member to the ground. It’s not an experience they’ve had before, but it quickly becomes clear there’s no mistake, his son is a lot of trouble.
A few minutes into the story you realise that the entire story is delivered in a single take. The camera swaps from following one policeman to a nurse, then we follow the duty solicitor and then back to the police, the family huddled in a waiting room, a young boy being ushered into a cell. There’s no cuts. It makes it feel very real.
The performance from Ashley Walters as DCI Luke Bascombe, a man investigating a horrific crime, while questioning his own abilities as a parent is brilliant. He’s followed and challenged by his sidekick Detective Sargeant Misha Frank, played by Faye Marsay from Game of Thrones and Andor.
Stephen Graham is perfectly cast as Eddie Miller, a dad suddenly thrown into an unfamiliar world of police procedures, interview rooms and the gut-wrenching moment he has to consider if his son has committed a harrowing crime. Most impressive is Owen Cooper who plays the teenager at the centre of the action.
Over four episodes the story unfolds, the second episode is two days later as police visit the school Jamie attends to try and find out more from his classmates. It’s terrifying because as you are watching you’re exposed to the harsh realities of teenage life in a world of social media and mobile phones. If you have any young people in your life, it will probably chill you to the bone.
The highlight of the series may be the show’s third episode, where a psychologist spends some time with Jamie to prepare a report for the court. It’s edge of your seat stuff. Erin Doherty, best known for playing the young Princess Anne in The Crown, must surely be the front runner for next year’s BAFTAs.
The final episode takes and unexpected, but ultimately rewarding, turn. Showing the effect of Jamie’s arrest on the rest of his family, and the community they must try to continue to be a part of.
Put aside four hours to watch all the episodes and afterward head online to see how they pulled off the feat of making four episodes with only four single shots from start to finish. Four shots that include car rides, foot chases, ariel photography, large crowds, fight scenes, and some of the most intense interactions you’ll ever watch.
Adolescence is available on Netflix.
MasterChef 2025 will be filled with familiar faces
When MasterChef Australia returns to our screens it will be filled with familiar faces, because all 24 contestants have been on the show before.
Some of them will be getting a second chance, and a few of them will have a third bite of the cherry. The cast will include former runners-up Callum Hann, Laura Sharrad, Rhiannon Anderson, Pete Campbell and Sarah Todd. For Callum, Laura and Sarah, they’re hoping third time is a charm!
Alongside podium finishers, other faces are fresh from Season 16 like Darrsh Clarke, Sav Perera, and Snezana Calic, while others are stepping back into the kitchen for the first time in years, including Andre Ursini who competed in the inaugural season 16 years ago.
Social media sensations Steph de Sousa and Declan Cleary will serve up their best, alongside some returning favourites who have enjoyed a taste of the other side of the bench since their series debut.
Audra Morrice from Season 4 has appeared on the judging panel for MasterChef Singapore and MasterChef Asia, while Depinder Chhibber from Season 13 joined MasterChef India as a guest judge.
A stellar line up of cooks from Season 1 through to Season 16 will face off under the guidance of returning judges, Andy Allen, Poh Ling-Yeow, Jean-Christophe Novelli, and Sofia Levin. The series will kick off with a guest appearance from Gordon Ramsay.
MasterChef Australia: Back to Win will be coming to Ten and 10Play.
Joe Lycett has packed his bags for a new series of ‘Travel Man’
Richard Ayoade hosted the first nine series of this show before handing the reins over to Joe Lycett in 2019. The fourteenth outing of the show arrives on SBS and this time round Malaga, Rotterdam, Washington and Malmo are on the itinerary.
Comedian David O’Doherty, Alex Brooker, Phil Wang and Rose Matafeo have signed up for one of the trips each.
The first episode sees Lycett and O’Doherty head to Malaga to eat sardines, walk down challenging cliff top paths, and sample local food and drinks. They also look at the works of Picasso.
Catch it on SBS on Tuesday 18th March at 8.30pm, and on SBS On Demand.
