Netflix viewers obsessed with new period drama as it rockets into UK top 10
17 August 2026, 14:53 | Updated: 17 August 2026, 15:19
The six-part adaptation of Miles Franklin’s classic novel has been hailed as “sensational” by viewers, with fans already calling for a second season on Netflix.
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Netflix may have found its next period-drama obsession following the huge success of Bridgerton.
My Brilliant Career, the new six-part adaptation of Miles Franklin's 1901 coming-of-age novel, has arrived on the streaming service to a surprisingly enthusiastic reception, with viewers calling it “sensational” and one of the best shows of the year.
Developed and co-written by Liz Doran, the series landed on August 13 and has already climbed to number four in. Netflix’s UK TV chart.
It currently sits behind Conversations with a Killer: The Charles Manson Tapes, while Mourinho, My Life with the Walter Boys and Ricky Gervais's Alley Cats are also among the shows sitting near the top of the chart.
It's quick rise into the top 10 is particularly impressive given that My Brilliant Career is competing for attention with a mix of true crime, returning favourites and new releases, but viewers appear to have quickly fallen for its mix of romance, rebellion and period-drama setting.
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One viewer described it as “one of the best shows of the year”, while another posted: “How fantastic is Netflix's #MyBrilliantCareer. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
And some have already raced through the six episodes. “I need season two of this,” one fan wrote after watching the series in just two days.
Another viewer was five episodes in and clearly struggling to contain their enthusiasm, calling the show “SENSATIONAL” and comparing it to Anne of Green Gables and Little Women, but transplanted to Australia.
The timing could also be perfect for anyone suffering from a Bridgerton-shaped hole in their viewing schedule.
The series follows Sybylla Melvyn, a sharp-witted young woman in early 20th-century Australia whose biggest ambition is not marriage, but becoming a writer.
Her family has other ideas, however, and she finds herself being pushed towards the conventional future expected of women at the time. Then she falls in love.
My Brilliant Career | Official Trailer | Netflix
Netflix's official synopsis teases Sybylla as a “shockingly modern young woman” who has an “irrepressible taste for fun” and is determined to break the conventions of 1900 Australia as she searches for a way to achieve independence through her writing.
Philippa Northeast leads the cast as Sybylla, with Slow Horses star Christopher Chung playing Harry.
The ensemble also includes Anna Chancellor, Genevieve O'Reilly, Jake Dunn, Kate Mulvany and Miah Madden.
Critics have been similarly enthusiastic, with The Guardian describing the series as “witty, intelligent and absolutely glorious to watch” in its five-star review.
Variety called it a “vibrant, sexy and energetic adaptation”, while The Telegraph awarded the coming-of-age drama four stars.
It currently has a perfect 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 13 reviews. For viewers, though, there is perhaps a simpler question — when is season two coming?
For now, the first six episodes of My Brilliant Career are available to stream on Netflix.
