Photo Courtesy of Newsweek
“Anatomy of a Scandal” is Netflix’s most recent dive into the world of posh accents, relationship drama and political intrigue. Unlike the platform’s other shows featuring British aristocrats, like “Bridgerton,” “Downton Abbey” and “The Crown,” “Anatomy of a Scandal” is based firmly in a modern context. Ultimately, the show’s distinct setting in both time and place helps set it apart from its more antiquated counterparts.
The show, which is based on the Sarah Vaughan novel of the same name, centers around the British member of Parliament James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend), his wife Sophie Whitehouse (Sienna Miller) and the falling out of a scandalous affair with his office aide, Olivia Lytton (Naomi Scott). As increasingly more details come to light, the two parties meet again, in court instead of the bedroom, as Lytton publicly accuses James Whitehouse of rape.
While the first episode starts off relatively uninspired, with the air of a traditional political drama, the more elements of the affair are introduced, the more engaging the narrative becomes. Miller’s performance, first as a doting wife and later as a reluctant ally to her husband, stands out, especially in the early stages of the show.
In theme with the show and its nods to female empowerment and the #MeToo movement, Miller and the rest of the women in the cast, including Scott, Michelle Dockery as Kate Woodcroft and Josette Simon as Angela Regan, create vibrant, complex and driven characters while the men support them.
The intricate storytelling within the story assists the talented cast in their quest to weave a narrative that is a little more unique than the average British upper-class drama. The show highlights the inherent privilege that wealth brings in adulthood and youth by intertwining the current scandal with moments from each of the characters’ pasts. In the courtroom, viewers see both sides of the story: the narrative as told by a white man with the backing of the prime minister of Great Britain, along with the perspective of a young woman just beginning her career in politics.
By the last few episodes, the connections between the characters are shocking. Actions from their youth become relevant to the legal dispute in the courtroom. Revelations about decisions made (or not made) during James Whitehouse’s Oxford days become decisions that destroy relationships and form new ones.
Despite the evidence presented in court and kept close to the chest, the final verdict does not bring the sense of satisfaction that the characters and the audience have been waiting for, but that is the point. Rather than hammer home the familiar message of the #MeToo movement in a cliched way, “Anatomy of a Scandal” makes the case for a new way of looking at situations like the relationship between James Whitehouse and Lytton, by examining the impact of power, privilege and loyalty on people’s perceptions of the truth.
Overall, “Anatomy of a Scandal,” while not perfect, illustrates nuances in relationships and the many nuances of prestige through a unique story and a captivating cast. In the end, there’s something in the show for everyone – people looking for a philosophical show will enjoy the complexity behind each of the characters, viewers searching for relationship drama will thrive watching the Whitehouse family crumble and fashionistas will drool over the many dramatic outfits.
