Australia’s ‘My Brilliant Career’ Lands Engagement on Netflix

Australian crime dramas are as popular as their British counterparts these days – look at the success of shows like Scrublands and Deadloch. But for whatever reason, Australian period dramas are truly few and far between. Netflix appears to be attempting to change that with its forthcoming historical series My Brilliant Career. Based on the popular novel by Miles Franklin and previously adapted as a feature film starring Sam Neill (Peaky Blinders) and Judy Davis (Mystery Road) in 1979, Netflix’s new take aims to expand the world of the novel and reimagine its witty, romantic coming-of-age tale for a new generation.

Set in late nineteenth-century Australia, the series follows the story of a young woman named Sybylla Melvyn who dreams of becoming a successful writer rather than a well-off wife.

(If you’re already thinking this sounds an awful lot like Eloise from Bridgerton, well. We can’t blame you.)

As her family pushes her toward a marriage she doesn’t want, she chases the kind of story that could help her write her way to her own independence. But despite Sybylla’s ambitions, chaos strikes when she falls in love. Will she risk everything for the creative life of her dreams? Or choose to follow her heart?

Here’s the series’ synopsis.

Sybylla is a shockingly modern young woman with one searing ambition - to be a writer, while her family is determined to marry her off. With an irrepressible taste for fun, Sybylla breaks every convention of 1900 Australia as she searches for a story that will allow her to write her way to independence. For her, the choice between adventure or marriage seems easy, until she falls in love. Will Sybylla marry, or will she risk it all for a creative life?

Philippa Northeast (The Family Next Door) stars as Sybylla, joined by a sprawling ensemble cast that includes Christopher Chung (Slow Horses) as Harry, Anna Chancellor (Outrageous) as Mrs Bossier, Genevieve O’Reilly (The Dry) as Helen, Kate Mulvany (The Artful Dodger) as Augusta, Jake Dunn (What It Feels Like For a Girl) as Frank, Alexander England (Black Snow) as Julius, Miah Madden (The Clearing) as Betty, and Sherry-Lee Watson (Heartbreak High) as Nell.

The series is created by showrunner Liz Doran (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries), who co-wrote the episodes with Sarinah Masukor (Population 11) and Rachael Turk (Sunshine). Alyssa McClelland (Amandaland) and Anne Renton (He Had It Coming) split directing duties, with McClelland helming the series’ first three episodes and Renton handling the final three.

Doran and McClelland also executive produce, alongside Chloe Rickard and Courtney Wise. Paul Randord is producer, with Shari Sebbens as associate producer.

My Brilliant Career premieres with all episodes on Thursday, August 13, 2026, on Netflix.

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