If Netflix learned anything from “Baby Reindeer,” it’s that it has an audience with an appetite for chilling stories of toxic masculinity. Case in point is the streaming service’s new four-part limited series, “Adolescence,” a master class in gut-wrenching material that’s almost impossible to stomach.

The psychological crime drama from co-creators Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne revolves around a 13-year-old boy who is accused of murdering a female classmate. It’s a basic entry point with massive implications not only for the child, but for his parents, the community and law enforcement. Viewers are equally drawn into the melee thanks to the filming approach: Each episode plays out in a single, continuous take.

The action begins with British homicide detectives Bascombe (Ashley Walters) and Frank (Faye Marsay) leading an early morning arrest in which they shock Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper), his parents Eddie (Graham) and Manda (Christine Tremarco...