Christopher Chung and Philippa Northeast in My Brilliant CareerIan Routledge/Netflix
Netflix has managed to dig up another critical hit, one currently sitting at #5 on its top 10 list, in third place, if we eliminate true crime and WWE shows. The series has a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes critic review score, but audiences do seem to disagree a bit, albeit with limited reviews in.
The show is My Brilliant Career, a six-episode miniseries from Australia. The oddly-named series is based on a novel, though it’s a rather interesting adaptation, given that the original My Brilliant Careerwas written all the way back in 1901 by Miles Franklin, a famed Australian writer. Here’s the synopsis:
“A headstrong farm girl dreams of pursuing a writing career in 1900 Australia; her fierce desire for independence and creative freedom clashes with society’s and her family’s expectations.”
It’s a largely Australian cast as expected, but you may recognize some of them, even if you’re American. I was able to easily pick out Christopher Chung, who has played Roddy Ho in Slow Horsesfor five seasons now, soon to be six. Andorfans will absolutely recognize Genevieve O’Reilly, who expertly played Mon Mothma in that series across its two seasons.
Audiences, at least so far, have separated themselves from critics quite dramatically, giving the show a 55% audience score. But they are kinder over at IMDb, where instead the series has a much better 6.9/10.
What are critics saying about My Brilliant Career? Here’s a sampling:
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Wall Street Journal – “There are many people to credit for this buoyant “Brilliant Career,” including its developer and co-writer Liz Doran. But it is Philippa Northeast as Sybylla who is the shiny thing from which we cannot avert our eyes.”
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TV Tonight AU – “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.”
Philippa Northeast, the show’s lead, is frequently cited as a standout. Here’s what she had to say about the project in a recent interview and how she believes it is relevant for modern times, despite being such an old tale:
“I feel so proud we’re putting this story out right now,” Northeast said. “We are seeing reversals of women’s rights around the world. It is a pretty fragile political space in a lot of countries. A story like this, told in the way we are telling it, is vital, especially for young women coming through and realising that there is still a need to fight for your own independence and agency. It’s not a matter of sitting back and hoping these things will come to you.”
The show is performing well on Netflix, though given that it’s an adaptation, there’s no need to fret about renewal or cliffhangers. If you want to see more of Northeast, she has no upcoming projects listed, but she has appeared in seven different shows since 2023, from The Newsreader to TerritorytoPaper Dolls and more. There’s quite a catalog to choose from, now including My Brilliant Career.
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This article was originally published onForbes.com
