My Brilliant Career is a Delightful Escape

Warning: This review contains spoilers for the entirety of My Brilliant Career Season 1.

My Brilliant Career delivers a fun escape to a different time. The setting, characters, and costumes all dazzle throughout the six-episode season. 

The show makes it clear that it is not Bridgerton. Romance is not the main genre. My Brilliant Career is more of a coming-of-age drama following Sybylla as she forges her own path in life.

That being said, My Brilliant Career does give us some great romantic moments and manages to keep us invested in Sybylla’s relationships, even though we know she likely will end up choosing herself. She makes it very obvious, numerous times, that marriage is not on her priorities list.

Admittedly, during My Brilliant Career Season 1 Episode 1, “Revolt,” there was a bit of doubt as to how the show could continue entertaining the notion of Sybylla getting married when it is the last thing Sybylla wanted.

But the show gives us a valid explanation and makes it believable that Sybylla is serious in her pursuit if it means saving her family.

All the while, Sybylla’s character is never compromised. She doesn’t stop being this adventurous, outspoken woman just because her family needs her to marry. She’s Sybylla through and through, and that’s one of the reasons why she’s such a great character.

The most disappointing aspect of the show is how it rushes Sybylla’s decision on My Brilliant Career Season 1 Episode 6, “TA TA.”

Her rejecting Harry’s marriage proposal does not make sense.

He isn’t Frank, who started telling Sybylla about how she’ll have to pretend to be someone she is not once they are married. Harry has never even suggested that he would do anything to stifle Sybylla’s dream of becoming an author.

It’s clear that is part of her fear, but My Brilliant Career doesn’t take the time to show how Sybylla went from wanting to marry Harry and hating how he hasn’t written her to wanting nothing to do with him at all. He isn’t beside her, as a friend, as she sets off with her manuscript. It’s simply her, alone.

Throughout the rest of the season, My Brilliant Career does a good job of taking its time to really explore various relationships and characters’ growth. This makes the situation even more frustrating because it’s a quick no, and then Sybylla is back focused on writing.

There needed to be something more to explain why she has to say no to Harry, whether it be a closer look at how getting her family out of debt means she doesn’t have to marry or having Harry indicate in some way that he wouldn’t support her in her pursuit. It is a missed opportunity for some more great character work.

Despite this hiccup, My Brilliant Career is still a great watch. The characters who live in this world are fascinating, and there’s definitely room for another season. It would be wonderful to be able to return and check in with Sybylla and everyone else.

Stray Thoughts

• As a Slow Horses fan, it did take me a minute to adjust to Christopher Chung as a swoonworthy love interest and not the dirtbag Roddy Ho.
• Nell deserves the world.
• I’m surprised by how much I grew to like Frank Horton after the first episode. He and Sybylla are a fun duo.
• Julian is not prepared to run Caddagat, especially not if Helen isn’t around. 

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My Brilliant Career is now streaming on Netflix.

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