Netflix’s official synopsis reads: “A psychological thriller and gripping courtroom drama, the series infiltrates Britain’s elite through personal and political scandal, where the truth lies between justice and privilege.”


Along with Sienna Miller, we see ‘Downtown Abbey’ star Michelle Dockery as Kate Woodcroft, a talented QC lawyer, and Naomi Scott, who plays Olivia Lytton. The premiere took place in London last Thursday and was all the talk! Since then, it has topped the rankings and has also been titled as first of the top 10 shows in the UK today.  


The show follows Sarah Vaughan’s critically acclaimed novel ‘Anatomy of a scandal', which was partly inspired by her own experiences at Oxford University. It was published in 2018, a year after Westminster was rocked with multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.

Mainly, the show focuses on a lack of accountability fostered in a class of individuals raised to believe that they were entitled to have the world at their feet.  It further suggests an ignorance of the law by those that are in positions of privilege, such as the Prime Minister. It seems that it is a timely release given the current political headlines (as of 2022). 


The storyline is shown to viewers through the perspective of Sophie Whitehouse (the wife and fellow Oxford graduate of the accused James Whitehouse) and sometimes through that of Kate Woodcraft. The show is more about Sophie’s awakening from class privilege as her character begins to discover more about her husband’s past. Sophie was also born with good wealth and the ease of privilege – like James.


This thriller features corrupt government officials, family strife, courtroom intrigue, and deep, dark secrets from the past and is with no doubt a worthy watch.