BAFTA TV Insight: Why ‘Adolescence’ is Poised for Awards Season Success
Netflix’s acclaimed series Adolescence continues to make waves as it received 11 nominations at the BAFTA TV Awards, including five acting nominations and Best Limited Drama Series. Co-creator and star Stephen Graham will compete for Leading Actor alongside notable actors Colin Firth, Matt Smith, and Taron Egerton. The show’s supporting cast also stands strong, with four nominees—Owen Cooper, Erin Doherty, Ashley Walters, and Christine Tremarco— vying for recognition at the ceremony set for May 10 at London’s Southbank Centre.
Alongside Adolescence in the Limited Drama Series category are ITV’s I Fought The Law, BBC’s What it Feels Like for a Girl, and Channel 4’s well-received adaptation of Louise Kennedy’s Trespasses. Despite the competition, the before-mentioned titles could be dark horses, echoing last year’s BAFTA where It’s a Sin went home empty-handed, overshadowed by quieter but impactful series like In My Skin.
In an interesting turn, another show featuring Graham and Doherty, A Thousand Blows, also garnered attention, contributing to a record 16 nominations for Disney+ across TV and craft categories. This news excited Disney+ as its Europe content chief Angela Jain is set to address Series Mania attendees.
Record-equaling nominations also came from Apple TV and Sky, particularly notable as Apple had a relatively quieter year with Slow Horses. The streaming giant stands tall in the international category with nominations for Pluribus, The Studio, and Severance.
The BBC remains a dominant force in this year’s nominations, securing an impressive five nods for The Celebrity Traitors, which was the highest-rated show on British television in 2025.
After a lengthy awards campaign, it would be surprising if Graham, Cooper, or Doherty did not walk away as winners at the BAFTAs, given their resonating performances in Adolescence.
Launched in March 2025, Adolescence fits neatly within BAFTA’s qualification period, giving it more than a year of eligibility for this round of awards.
However, this time gap raises questions about the potential impact on the show’s momentum. Adolescence‘s creators and stars have already received accolades such as Emmys and Golden Globes since its release. Notably, ITV’s Mr Bates vs the Post Office, which launched earlier in 2024, also faced the challenge of a delayed awards timeline. By the time Mr Bates won Best Limited Drama Series in May 2025, its relevance felt diminished.
The immediacy of British television often contributes to its best storytelling. Adolescence tapped into pressing societal issues, such as the influence of social media on contemporary youth. Its deep societal commentary even led co-creator Jack Thorne to discuss its implications at the Prime Minister’s residence shortly after its release.
Despite the challenges posed by the time gap, BAFTA must adhere to its qualification timelines, as UK television has not yet established a synchronized awards season like that of cinema. Many popular shows often target festive seasons for their launches, rather than aligning with award schedules.
Channel 4 previously criticized Netflix for what it termed “TV tourism,” suggesting that the platform capitalized on talent developed over years by public broadcasters like Graham and Thorne.
Regardless of such critiques, Netflix is poised for a successful outing at the BAFTAs come May 10.
