Absolute Beginners (TV series)

{{Infobox television

| native_name = {{Infobox name module|pl|Absolutni debiutanci}}

| image = Absolute Beginners 2023.jpg

| caption = Netflix poster

| genre = {{Plainlist|

}}

| creator = {{Plainlist|

Nina Lewandowska
Kamila Tarabura

}}

| writer = {{Plainlist|

Nina Lewandowska
Kamila Tarabura
Jędrzej Napiecek

}}

| director = {{Plainlist|

Kamila Tarabura
Katarzyna Warzecha

}}

| starring = {{Plainlist|

Martyna Byczkowska
Bartłomiej Deklewa
Jan Sałasiński
Paulina Krzyżańska
Katarzyna Warnke
Piotr Witkowski
Anna Krotoska
Andrzej Konopka
Julian Świeżewski

}}

| composer =

| country = Poland

| language = Polish

| num_seasons = 1

| num_episodes = 6

| executive_producer =

| producer = Magdalena Zielska

| cinematography =

| editor =

| runtime = 43–54 minutes

| company = ATM Grupa

| network = Netflix

| first_aired = {{Start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| last_aired = present

}}

Absolute Beginners ({{langx|pl|Absolutni debiutanci}}) is a Polish teen drama television series starring Martyna Byczkowska and Bartłomiej Deklewa. It was released on Netflix on 25 October 2023.

Premise

Lena and Niko travel to the Polish seaside to make an admissions film for their dream film school. There, they meet a boy who will put their friendship to the test.{{cite web |title=Absolutni debiutanci |url=https://www.filmweb.pl/serial/Absolutni+debiutanci-2023-10011885 |website=Filmweb |access-date=17 October 2023 |language=pl |date=24 July 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Łęcka |first1=Iza |title=Netflix stawia na młodą krew. Absolutni debiutanci to najnowszy polski serial platformy – znamy datę premiery |url=https://www.ppe.pl/news/327221/netflix-stawia-na-mloda-krew-absolutni-debiutanci-to-najnowszy-polski-serial-platformy-znamy-date-premiery.html |website=PPE.pl |access-date=17 October 2023 |language=pl |date=25 September 2023}}

Cast

=Main=

Martyna Byczkowska as Lena Głowacka, an autistic{{cite web |last1=Keller |first1=Joel |title='Absolute Beginners' Netflix Review ('Absolutni Debiutanci'): Stream It Or Skip It? |url=https://decider.com/2023/10/25/absolute-beginners-netflix-review/ |website=Decider |access-date=26 October 2023 |date=25 October 2023}} teenager, Niko's best friend
Bartłomiej Deklewa as Niko, Lena's best friend
Jan Sałasiński as Igor Tymczenko, a promising young basketball player from Silesia who is attending a basketball camp on the coast
Paulina Krzyżańska as Malwina, Igor's summer fling and Niko's friend
{{ill|Katarzyna Warnke|lt=Katarzyna Warnke|pl}} as Tamara, Lena's mother
Piotr Witkowski as Dawid, Lena's stepfather
Anna Krotoska as Bogusia, Niko's mother
{{ill|Andrzej Konopka (actor)|pl|Andrzej Konopka (aktor)|lt=Andrzej Konopka}} as Paweł, Niko's father
{{ill|Julian Świeżewski|lt=Julian Świeżewski|pl}} as Marcin, Igor's coach

=Recurring=

Maciej Kosiacki as Jacek
{{ill|Jakub Wieczorek|lt=Jakub Wieczorek|pl}} as "Ryba", Malwina's father
Ewa Ekwa as Wika
Maciej Maleńczuk as the campsite owner
{{ill|Mariusz Bonaszewski|lt=Mariusz Bonaszewski|pl}} as the club president

=Guest=

Agnieszka Holland as the chairwoman of the examination committee
Agnieszka Smoczyńska as a member of the examination committee
Xawery Żuławski as a member of the examination committee
{{ill|Natalia Fiedorczuk|lt=Natalia Fiedorczuk|pl}} as a member of the examination committee
{{ill|Łukasz Maciejewski|lt=Łukasz Maciejewski|pl}} as a member of the examination committee
{{ill|Jerzy Matula|lt=Jerzy Matula|pl}} as a member of the examination committee

Episodes

{{Episode table

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 1

| Title = Episode 1

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 46 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 2

| Title = Episode 2

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 46 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 3

| Title = Episode 3

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 48 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 4

| Title = Episode 4

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 43 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 5

| Title = Episode 5

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 45 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

{{Episode list

| EpisodeNumber = 6

| Title = Episode 6

| NativeTitle =

| OriginalAirDate = {{start date|2023|10|25|df=yes}}

| Aux1 = 54 min

| ShortSummary =

| LineColor = 245471

}}

Production

The series was filmed in Ustka, a spa town on the Slovincian Coast.{{cite web |title="Absolutni debiutanci" z oficjalnym zwiastunem! Serial powstawał m.in. w Sopocie [WIDEO] |url=https://esopot.pl/pl/14_kultura/18860_absolutni-debiutanci-z-oficjalnym-zwiastunem-serial-powstawal-min-w-sopocie.html |website=Esopot.pl |access-date=17 October 2023 |language=pl |date=27 September 2023}}{{cite web |title="Absolutni debiutanci" są jak pocztówka z wakacji. Recenzja polskiej nowości Netfliksa |url=https://www.wirtualnemedia.pl/artykul/serial-absolutni-debiutanci-netflix-opinie |website=Wirtualne Media |access-date=26 October 2023 |language=pl |date=25 October 2023}}

Reception

Reviewing the pilot episode, Joel Keller of Decider wrote, "With some interesting lead performances, and a plot that goes beyond the standard teen coming-of-age stuff, Absolute Beginners sets up an intriguing story about teens who either aren't sure about what they want or are sure but have trouble expressing it."{{cite web |last1=Keller |first1=Joel |title='Absolute Beginners' Netflix Review ('Absolutni Debiutanci'): Stream It Or Skip It? |url=https://decider.com/2023/10/25/absolute-beginners-netflix-review/ |website=Decider |access-date=23 November 2023 |date=25 October 2023}}