The tough subject matter isn't the only thing capturing the nation's attention, however. The show's cast is also brilliant, featuring big names such as Stephen Graham and Ashley Walters, as well as newcomer Owen Cooper, who stars as Jamie, the 13-year old boy accused of murder.

Speaking about working with Graham, Cooper previously told Variety: "Obviously, Stephen was always checking in on me, but there was a time in episode 1, when it was just us two, with no camera, in the police cell, and he scruffed me up and said, 'You’re never going to see your mum again, you’re never going to see your dad again.' And was going on and on."

He added: "Before then I’d been frustrated because I hadn’t been getting emotional. But after that point I was emotional in every take. So that helped me a lot. He was amazing to work with."

Wondering where you've seen the cast before? With a second season potentially on the horizon, read on for everything you need to know about the actors in Adolescence.

Adolescence cast: Full list of actors and where you've seen them before

The following stars feature in the Adolescence cast:

• Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller
• Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller
• Christine Tremarco as Manda Miller
• Ashley Walters as DI Luke Bascombe
• Faye Marsay as DS Misha Frank
• Mark Stanley as Paulie Barlow
• Amari Bacchus as Adam Bascombe
• Erin Doherty as Briony Ariston
• Amélie Pease as Lisa Miller
• Faye McKeever as Erica
• Jo Hartley as Mrs Fenumore
• Hannah Walters as Mrs Bailey
• Fatima Bojang as Jade
• Kaine Davis as Ryan
• Douglas Russell as Victor

Here is all you need to know about the major players...

Owen Cooper plays Jamie Miller

Who is Jamie Miller? Jamie is a 13-year-old who is accused of murdering a girl called Katie, who also goes to his school.

Speaking about the casting of Cooper in the series, Graham previously told Radio Times magazine: “I wanted him to be a kid from a working-class background whose parents were hard-working. You know, his mum wasn’t an alcoholic, his dad wasn’t violent, and he hadn’t been molested by his uncle.

"I didn’t want there to be a reason we can go, ‘Oh, well, we blame it on this.’ I think we’re all accountable in some way. We just wanted to throw it out there, ask the question why, and see where it lands. And if it can create debate within living rooms with people watching it with their families, our objective is completed.”

What else has Owen Cooper been in? Adolescence is Cooper's first on-screen role.

Stephen Graham plays Eddie Miller

Who is Eddie Miller? Eddie is the father of Jamie, a boy accused of murdering a female pupil from his school.

Speaking about the series, Graham previously told ITV that he wanted to "put a mirror up to society".

He said: "We don't have the answers and we're not saying that we do....but as a society we need to look at these kinds of things.

"We wanted to put a mirror up to society and just say take a little look and see what's going on."

What else has Stephen Graham been in? Graham has had a prolific and acclaimed career, with notable roles in films such as Gangs of New York, The Irishman, Venom: The Last Dance, Blitz and This Is England, as well as the latter's subsequent TV series.

Graham has also starred in series including Boardwalk Empire as Al Capone, Line of Duty, The Virtues, Time, Peaky Blinders, The Walk-In, Code 404 and Boiling Point, Bodies and A Thousand Blows.

Faye Marsay plays DS Misha Frank

Who is DS Misha Frank? Misha is a detective sergeant working alongside DI Bascombe.

What else has Faye Marsay been in? Marsay has previously had roles in series including Fresh Meat, Glue, Doctor Who, Vera, Game of Thrones, Black Mirror, Bancroft, McMafia, Deep Water, Andor and Ten Pound Poms, as well as films such as Pride, Darkest Hour, A Private War and Lady Chatterley's Lover.

Christine Tremarco plays Manda Miller

Who is Manda Miller? Manda is Jamie's mum and Eddie's wife.

What else has Christine Tremarco been in? Tremarco has had roles in series including Waterloo Road, Casualty, Clink, Wolfe, The Responder, The Gathering, Kidnapped: The Chloe Ayling Story and Emmerdale.

Ashley Walters plays DI Luke Bascombe

Who is DI Luke Bascombe? A detective inspector heading up the investigation into the murder of a school girl.

"Similar to Jamie, I had a great upbringing with a great family trying to keep me on the straight and narrow," Ashley Walters, who plays a detective, told Radio Times magazine.

"I was never seduced by a life of crime. The trouble I got into was because I fell into the wrong crowd."

"It really baffled me, but it just shows how complex and how deep that world is, and how much these kids are having to put up with and think about in order to not be bullied, to not be a victim," said the Top Boy star.

"I did worry a lot about my boys [Walters has four sons] going through their teenage years. There were scrapes here and there, but I’m very proud that they were able to get through unscathed.

"Managing to get them through without anything major happening was tough. There is still a fear, because I have an eight-year-old, but the idea [as a parent] is to be present, give them your time and listen."

What else has Ashley Walters been in? Walters is perhaps best known for playing Dushane in Top Boy, while he has also had roles in other series including Grange Hill, Hustle, Outcasts, Doctor Who, Silent Witness, Cuffs and Bulletproof. He has appeared in films such as Goal! and Stormbreaker, too.

Mark Stanley plays Paulie Barlow

Who is Paul Barlow? Jamie's lawyer.

What else has Mark Stanley been in? Stanley has had roles in series including Game of Thrones, Dickensian, Broken, Sanditon, White House Farm, Criminal: UK, The Bay, The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe, Happy Valley, The Reckoning, Trigger Point and A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, as well as films such as Mr Turner and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

Amari Bacchus plays Adam Bascombe

Who is Adam Bascombe? DI Bascombe's teenage son. He attends the same school as the victim and accused.

What else has Amari Bacchus been in? This is his first major role.

Erin Doherty plays Briony Ariston

Who is Briony Ariston? Briony is the clinical psychologist assigned to Jamie’s case.

What else has Erin Doherty been in? Doherty recently starred alongside Graham in A Thousand Blows, while she has also had roles in series including The Crown, Call the Midwife, Les Misérables and Chloe.

Jo Hartley plays Mrs Fenumore

Who is Mrs Fenumore? The headteacher at Katie and Jamie's school.

What else has Jo Hartley been in? The actress has previously appeared in After Life, Bank of Dave, In My Skin, Passenger and David Brent: Life on the Road.

Amélie Pease plays Lisa Miller

Who is Lisa Miller? Jamie's older sister.

What else has Amélie Pease been in? Adolescence marks her first role.

Additional cast includes:

• Faye McKeever (Trollied, The Responder, A Confession, Time) plays Erica - the nurse who assesses Jamie after his arrest.
• Hannah Walters (Whitechapel, No Offence, Boiling Point, A Thousand Blows) plays Mrs Bailey - a teacher at Katie and Jamie's school who comforts Katie's best friend.
• Fatima Bojang plays Jade - Katie's best friend.
• Kaine Davis plays Ryan - Jamie's best friend.
• Douglas Russell (Payback) plays Victor - he works at the secure training centre where Jamie is being remanded.

Adolescence is streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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