12 Shows Like My Brilliant Career You Must See

Created by Liz Doran, Netflix’s ‘My Brilliant Career’ is an Australian period drama series based on Miles Franklin’s novel of the same name. Set in rural Australia in 1900, the story centers on Sybylla (Philippa Northeast), a fiercely independent young woman determined to become a writer despite living in a society that expects women to marry and conform. Rather than accepting the future planned for her, she dreams of using her writing to achieve financial and personal freedom. However, Sybylla’s determination to control her own destiny becomes increasingly complicated when she meets Harry (Christopher Chung) and develops romantic feelings for him.

As her relationship with Harry grows, she finds herself caught between the possibility of love and the creative life she has always wanted. With her ambitions challenging both her family’s expectations and the conventions of the era, Sybylla must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice to remain true to herself. These shows, similar to ‘My Brilliant Career,’ explore the journeys of layered characters, the social morality of bygone eras, themes of liberation, and more.

12. Victoria (2016-2019)

‘Victoria’ is a Daisy Goodwin creation that traces the remarkable transition of Princess Alexandrina (Jenna Coleman) from an 18-year-old heir to the young Queen Victoria, following the death of King William IV in 1837. Suddenly responsible for the British throne, Victoria must learn to handle royal duties while navigating the powerful relationships surrounding her. Guided by Prime Minister Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell), she develops into a confident monarch, while her growing affection for Prince Albert (Tom Hughes) eventually leads to marriage. While Victoria becomes a wife and mother, the demands of family life increasingly collide with her responsibilities as queen.

The British historical drama series also explores tensions within the royal family, international relations, and major crises during her reign. Both ‘Victoria’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’ examine young women coming of age within societies that already have a future planned for them. While Victoria must grow into the role of monarch, Sybylla resists the expectations surrounding marriage and convention, making personal identity central to their complex journeys.

11. The Pursuit of Love (2021)

‘The Pursuit of Love’ follows cousins Linda Radlett (Lily James) and Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham), whose very different personalities shape their approaches to adulthood, relationships, and marriage. While Fanny grows into a practical and logical young woman after being affected by her mother’s abandonment, Linda becomes consumed by her desire to find love and the ideal husband. Their lives unfold through regular visits to Linda’s family home, Alconleigh, in the English countryside, as the cousins begin pursuing very different futures. Set in Europe between World War I and World War II, the narrative explores their friendship alongside their contrasting ideas about love and the lives they want for themselves.

Written and directed by Emily Mortimer, the British romantic drama series is based on Nancy Mitford’s eponymous novel. Like ‘My Brilliant Career,’ the show examines young women confronting the expectations surrounding love and marriage. But while Linda actively pursues romance, Sybylla questions whether marriage should take priority over her own ambitions. Both stories explore the uncertainty of choosing what kind of life to build in rigid societies.

10. Lark Rise to Candleford (2008-2011)

With Bill Gallagher serving as the creative voice, ‘Lark Rise to Candleford’ is a British period drama series based on Flora Thompson’s novel trilogy of the same name. It is the tale of Laura Timmins (Olivia Hallinan), who leaves her modest home in the rural hamlet of Lark Rise and begins a new chapter in the more prosperous market town of Candleford. Her cousin Dorcas Lane (Julia Sawalha) becomes an important guide as Laura adjusts to unfamiliar surroundings and encounters people from different walks of life. Laura witnesses friendships, rivalries, hardships, and threats to the local community, including epidemics and harvest-related problems.

As she grows accustomed to her new life, her relationship with the independent and warm-hearted Dorcas remains central to her journey. The show’s strongest connection to ‘My Brilliant Career’ lies in young women discovering possibilities beyond the lives they were born into. The stories place their main characters in rural communities while following their encounters with new experiences that challenge their understanding of their futures and the expectations surrounding them.

9. Miss Scarlet and The Duke (2020-)

‘Miss Scarlet and The Duke’ or ‘Miss Scarlet’ chronicles the life of Eliza Scarlet (Kate Phillips), who refuses to let financial hardship determine her future after the death of her father, Henry. Instead of turning to marriage for security, she takes over his private detective agency in Victorian London and attempts to establish herself in a profession dominated by men. Her efforts frequently bring her into contact with William Wellington (Stuart Martin), a Scotland Yard detective and her childhood friend, whose connection to Eliza’s father complicates their relationship. As they work together on cases, their constant arguments gradually give way to mutual respect and subtle affection.

Surrounded by people who support her in different ways, Eliza continues fighting to prove that she can succeed on her own terms. Created by Rachael New, the British period crime drama series, akin to ‘My Brilliant Career,’ explores a woman entering spaces traditionally controlled by men. While Sybylla wants to establish herself as a writer despite the expectations surrounding her, Eliza takes over a detective agency. She attempts to build a career in a male-dominated profession. The decisions of the two characters challenge them in unexpected ways, while also helping them forge their destinies.

8. The Paradise (2012-2013)

‘The Paradise’ revolves around Denise Lovett (Joanna Vanderham), a young woman from the Scottish town of Peebles who leaves home to work at a groundbreaking department store in 1875. The Paradise, owned by widower John Moray (Emun Elliott), has transformed the local high street while putting smaller businesses, including Denise’s uncle Edmund’s shop, under pressure. While Denise settles into her new job, Moray recognizes her potential, placing her in competition with other employees and drawing the attention of Katherine (Elaine Cassidy), who hopes to marry Moray. Denise’s experiences inside the rapidly changing store expose her to new opportunities, rivalries, and relationships.

The creative team of Bill Gallagher, Sarah Barton, and Sarah Brown is behind the British drama series, which is based on Émile Zola’s novel ‘Au Bonheur des Dames.’ The period settings and the character dynamics link the show to the world and characters of ‘My Brilliant Career.’ Both stories capture societies undergoing change while their young female protagonists try to find their place within them. The rural Australian landscape of ‘My Brilliant Career’ contrasts with the changing commercial world of ‘The Paradise’, but both use their settings to depict personal transformation.

7. Gentleman Jack (2019-2022)

‘Gentleman Jack’ deals with the life of Anne Lister (Suranne Jones), a determined landowner who returns to her ancestral Shibden Hall estate in Halifax, Yorkshire, in 1832 after leaving Hastings heartbroken. Anne sets out to restore the struggling estate and discovers that the Rawson brothers are taking coal from her property. She responds by planning to reopen the estate’s mine, while also becoming increasingly involved with Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle), the owner of a nearby estate. Their developing romance adds another complication to Anne’s efforts to reshape her life and secure her future. Against the backdrop of the lush Yorkshire countryside, she records her experiences and relationships in a secret diary.

From the creative mind of Sally Wainwright comes this British historical drama series based on Anne Lister’s extensive and cryptic diaries. ‘Gentleman Jack’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’ shed light on strong female characters challenging conventional ideas about relationships and adulthood. Romance does not simply represent a traditional destination, but becomes part of a much larger struggle for personal freedom, ambition, and identity.

6. North & South (2004)

Directed by Brian Percival, ‘North & South’ is the tale of Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe), whose life in southern England changes when her father leaves the clergy and moves the family to the industrial town of Milton in the North. Unfamiliar with the customs and harsh realities of her new surroundings, Margaret gradually becomes caught between the opposing interests of the town’s mill owners and workers. Her growing concern for the laborers puts her at odds with the Thornton family, particularly John Thornton (Richard Armitage), a proud cotton mill owner who looks down on those he considers socially inferior.

As Margaret becomes increasingly drawn to Thornton despite their differences, the narrative brings questions of class, gender, social expectations, and personal feeling into conflict. Set around 1851, the British historical drama series is Sandy Welch’s adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel ‘North and South.’ Both ‘North & South’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’ place romance against larger questions of personal identity and independence. Margaret’s attraction to John Thornton develops alongside her changing understanding of class and society, while Sybylla’s feelings for Harry complicate her pursuit of writing.

5. Sanditon (2019-2023)

In ‘Sanditon,’ Charlotte Heywood’s (Rose Williams) life takes an unexpected turn when she arrives in the seaside village of Sanditon, a community undergoing a dramatic transformation. Hoping for a fresh start, the spirited and unconventional Charlotte soon finds herself surrounded by residents driven by ambition, secrets, and competing interests. Her outspoken nature puts her at odds with Sidney Parker (Theo James), the handsome and puzzling younger brother of entrepreneur Tom Parker (Kris Marshall), who dreams of turning Sanditon into a thriving luxury resort. As Charlotte becomes increasingly involved in the village’s complex social world, unexpected events and emotions complicate her experience.

The British historical drama series is creator Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Jane Austen’s unfinished manuscript of the same name. On the lines of ‘My Brilliant Career,’ the show centers on a spirited young woman entering a world that challenges her expectations. Charlotte seeks a fresh start and encounters unfamiliar ambitions and social dynamics, while Sybylla’s desire for a creative life forces her to confront the conventions surrounding her.

4. The Buccaneers (2023-)

Created by Katherine Jakeways, ‘The Buccaneers’ is a historical drama series based on Edith Wharton’s eponymous unfinished novel. It explores the trials and tribulations of five ambitious young women, including Nan St. George (Kristine Froseth), Jinny St. George (Imogen Waterhouse), Conchita Closson (Alisha Boe), Lizzy Elmsworth (Aubri Ibrag), and Mabel Elmsworth (Josie Totah). They enter London society in the 1870s after Conchita’s marriage to Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan). Sent to the foreign country with the expectation that they will secure husbands and titles, the five American women quickly find themselves at odds with the rigid traditions of English high society.

Their lively and unconventional personalities clash with strict social rules as they navigate potential suitors, relationships, and the cultural divide between American and English society. The narrative is spiritually and thematically linked to ‘My Brilliant Career’ through its exploration of women resisting the futures society has designed for them. The two shows place young women in historical settings where marriage carries enormous expectations, as the characters begin to question whether such social norms should determine the course of their lives.

3. Little Women (2017)

‘Little Women’ follows the March sisters, namely Meg (Willa Fitzgerald), Jo (Maya Hawke), Beth (Annes Elwy), and Amy (Kathryn Newton) as they grow up in Massachusetts during the American Civil War. With their mother, Marmee (Emily Watson), supporting them while their father serves away from home, the sisters experience the joys and difficulties of becoming young women. Their lives bring sibling rivalries, first love, poverty, loss, and questions about marriage, but their bond remains at the center of their journey. Among them, Jo stands apart with her fierce independence and determination to pursue writing rather than follow the path expected of her.

Adapted by Heidi Thomas from Louisa May Alcott’s popular novel of the same name and directed by Vanessa Caswill, the British historical drama series explores the sisters’ transition from childhood to adulthood in all its complexities. ‘Little Women’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’ are essentially coming-of-age stories, with their young female characters moving toward adulthood as they navigate family bonds, romance, social expectations, and personal ambitions. The two shows’ period settings examine how difficult it can be for independent young women to define themselves on their own terms in rigid environments.

2. Anne with an E (2017-2019)

‘Anne with an E’ is a Moira Walley-Beckett creation that is loosely based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s ‘Anne of Green Gables.’ The period drama series, set in the late 1890s, revolves around Anne Shirley (Amybeth McNulty). She is a teenage orphan whose chance arrival at Green Gables farm on the outskirts of the Canadian town of Avonlea brings an unexpected change to the lives of the farm’s owners, siblings Matthew Cuthbert (R.H. Thomson) and Marilla Cuthbert (Geraldine James). Originally expecting to adopt a boy, Marilla struggles to accept Anne, who was mistakenly sent to the farm after years of abuse, leaving her carrying deep emotional scars.

Even after she finds a home, Anne faces bullying at school and judgment from the Avonlea community because of her class and background. Rather than surrender to those who question her place, she relies on her intelligence and fierce spirit to build a sense of belonging and challenge the attitudes around her. ‘Anne with an E’ and ‘My Brilliant Career’ focus on independent young women refusing to be defined by the expectations around them. The characters encounter communities that question their place and choices, yet their determination to build independent identities becomes central to their journeys.

1. Dickinson (2019-2021)

In ‘Dickinson,’ Emily Dickinson (Hailee Steinfeld) is a rebellious young writer determined to make her voice heard despite the restrictions imposed by her family and 19th-century society. Her desire for artistic expression and liberation brings her into conflict with expectations surrounding gender, family, and social conformity. As Emily grows into adulthood, she uses poetry to challenge the world around her and shape her own identity.

Her relationships with family and friends further determine her understanding of herself and the society she struggles to fit into. The comedy-drama series from the creative mind of Alena Smith captures the essence of ‘My Brilliant Career’ through its depiction of a young woman who sees artistic expression and words as a route to independence. Writing becomes more than an ambition for Emily and Sybylla, and serves as a vehicle for transformation and meaning in their lives.