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A steamy new period drama has dropped on Netflix with all six episodes available to binge at once – and we have a feeling this will be our new August obsession.
Not only is the Australian series based on a cherished story, but it also includes Slow Horses breakout star Christopher Chung in the cast, making the transition from rebellious tech whizz to bona fide heartthrob.
My Brilliant Career, starring Philippa Northeast as the lead character Sybylla, is based on the 1901 novel of the same name by author Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin, who was known by her pen name Miles Franklin.
Originally written by Franklin when she was a teenager simply to amuse her friends, the story follows a young girl called Sybylla who’s being pressured to abide by societal expectations to become a prim and proper lady despite her ambitions to become a writer.
The tale was adapted into a film in 1979, starring Judy Davis as the heroine and the late Sam Neill as Harry, a young man who turns her world upside down.
The period drama received critical acclaim at the time, regarded as being one of the most important films in Australian cinema and receiving a plethora of awards, including the Oscar for best costume design.
My Brilliant Career has now been adapted into a series, and on the day of release, it’s already scored a coveted 100% score on the reviews aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.
‘The sense of humour and boundless empathy of this adaptation, further catapulted by a phenomenal ensemble of performers, make this the best series of the year,’ critic LadyJenevia shared.
‘At its core, this adaptation carries Sybylla Melvyn’s spirit into 2026, with all the messy charm of its protagonist,’ The Age wrote in their review, while TV Tonight AU said: ‘The real star is Philippa Northeast, dazzling in a role which once put Judy Davis on the map. So too should this work. She gives a tour de force in these scenes, crackling with humour, defiance and optimism.’
Prior to My Brilliant Career, lead star Northeast, 31, appeared in Home and Away for four years as main character Evelyn MacGuire, as well as starring in the TV shows In Limbo, The Newsreader and Paper Dolls.
Meanwhile, several Slow Horses fans have expressed their shock over seeing Chung – aka Roddy Ho – take on such a drastically different character as the eligible Harry Beecham.
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In a post shared on his Instagram shortly before the drama’s release on Netflix, Chung, 38, revealed that Neill had sent him a message of support as he took on the iconic role.
‘This one’s for you, Harry. The OG Harry B 🎀 The iconic Sam Neill,’ the actor wrote in his caption, before sharing a video that Neill sent him, and one that he sent the Jurassic Park actor in response.