My Brilliant Career Still resonates with modern audiences with its spirited women and longing romances

Netflix's My Brilliant Career was adapted from Miles Franklin's novel of the same name, and it's impressive that a book 125 years old can still feel this relevant. Liz Doran created the series, offering a sexier and sharper depiction and featuring more perspectives than just Sybylla (Phillipa Northeast) on societal rules and expectations.

The six-episode limited series felt like Little Women and Bridgerton had a baby. Sybylla Melvin is similar to Jo March in that she longs to become an author more than anything. She doesn't care about coming out or falling in love, but she understands her place in helping pay off her family's debt, even though she hates the burden. It featured shades of Bridgerton with the coming-out scenes, the party scenes, and the contemporary music.

While most of the series focused on Sybylla's arc in 1901 Australia, where it wasn't proper for women to dream of being independent, the supporting characters also dealt with societal expectations. Many of these will still resonate with viewers today.

Sybylla resents the idea of living with her wealthy grandmother to be schooled to find a husband, but she hates the idea even more once she learns her parents arranged it because they needed her to pay off their debts.

While her stern grandmother and poised Aunt Helen are shocked by Sybylla's unrefined behavior, a family friend, Augusta, is taken with her and determined to help Sybylla get published.

Sybylla wasn't the type to sit pretty and was happier to dance in the evenings. She did not understand the old adage of "be seen and not heard." Her grandmother didn't understand her at first, but her spirit grew on her aunt and Frank Hawden (Jake Dunn), the temporary foreman at the estate.

She was delightfully messy and chaotic, and it's why Aunt Augusta was drawn to her. Her original story followed a Robin Hood-style story and included a female accomplice, and I loved that she based her on Nell. It was hilarious watching the three of them negotiate a price for Nell's character to be in the book.

It's ironic that Augusta's nephew, Harry, is one of Sybylla's love interests.

A brilliant career showcased a sexy, rootable love triangle

If you're going to feature a love triangle, you need to showcase sexy moments and find two rootable partners. Harry Beecham (Christopher Chung) finds Sybylla enchanting from the minute they meet. 

They tried to hide their feelings, but Sybylla was hurt when she learned he was spoken for, and even Harry's intended fiancée could tell Harry only had eyes for Sybylla. Those smoldering looks weren't fooling anyone.

However, I also enjoyed watching Sybylla with Frank. He seemed like a platonic close friend who would be there to support her, but he began falling for her outlandish quirks, and they always had fun together. 

I applaud Netflix and Liz Doran for highlighting some steamier moments of a young girl experiencing her first moments when it wasn't exactly proper in 1901.

Phillipa Northeast exhibited chemistry with both Christopher Chung and Jake Dunn. While I mostly shipped Sybylla with Harry (Chung), I also saw vulnerability, chemistry, and genuine friendship between her and Frank (Dunn). In many ways, they reminded me of Jo and Laurie from Little Women, and I suspected they could have built on that bond, and she could have written, too.

Sybylla wasn't the only one bound by societal expectations

While Sybylla's story was the main focus, showrunner Liz Doran expanded the details to create storylines for the supporting characters.

Both Aunt Helen's and Uncle Julius's arcs were expanded, and the series highlighted what societal expectations were for women if your husband cheated on you and if you were gay. I disliked how rigid the rules were back then and how many secrets developed because of it. It took courage to stop living a lie, and that wasn't easy. Sybylla taught the family a great deal about living their truth.

One of my favorite supporting storylines featured Indigenous sisters, Betty (Miah Madden) and Nell (Sherry-Lee Watson). Nell is the estate's horse trainer who longs to be the foreman, but that's not a woman's job. Betty is a housekeeper who's dating a policeman, but he can't be seen with her. The sisters struggle with loyalty to their families, their jobs, and the men in their lives.

The ending of My Brilliant Career only made Sybylla more rootable

Sybylla loved Harry. She was miserable when he left, but she also hated being a governess and having no time to write. Sybylla was meant to utilize her creativity, but no one believed in her. Even her own mother called it silly nonsense until a made-up story erased their debt. It's ironic how writing isn't worth anything until then. 

I fully believe in love, but I despise the idea that a woman needs to sacrifice everything to truly be in love. While I understand this was based in 1901 Australia, I admire Sybylla for choosing herself. That must have been a difficult decision, since he loved Harry and waited for him to return. While I wished there was a compromise and a way for her to write and be married, that wasn't realistic back then.

I suspect My Brilliant Career will resonate with my fans, and some will understand Sybylla's decision, while others will wish she'd chosen one of her suitors.

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