Adolescence, as the world seems to agree, is a perfect piece of television. However, even perfection has its problems. Adolescence is the sort of show that needs some breathing space afterwards; it’s so comprehensively shattering, and will leave you in such a state of emotional despondency, that you can’t simply hop straight into the next show. I tried – after episode four, I had to watch a reality show for work – and it was horrible. It was like stumbling from a funeral straight into a circus.
Perhaps what we need here is an off-ramp. A bunch of shows that, while they might leave you in pieces, may not pack quite such a devastating punch as Adolescence. Here’s a selection of the most heartbreaking television.
