Anatomy of a Scandal
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Anatomy of a Scandal
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that Anatomy of a Scandal revolves around an accusation of rape against an English member of parliament. We see that rape depicted as a woman gives court testimony; the visual depiction is not graphic, but we do see a man moving rhythmically while a woman's face appears horrified. She also graphically describes what happened in her testimony. Heroin figures into a sudden death; we see characters smoking "smack" from tinfoil and then hear the thud of a body hitting the ground. We briefly see a dead body; no blood. College students routinely binge-drink; they encourage each other to down liquor and after drinking are rowdy and sometimes commit criminal acts, like when a male student gropes the breasts of a waiter (after which a classmate offers her money for the "damages"). In one scene, we see students "anal chugging": Liquor is poured down the bare backside of a man while another crouches beneath to drink it. Characters are largely White and privileged; this drama questions how privilege insulates them from the consequences of their actions. People of color are visible in minor roles, but we don't learn much about their lives. Cursing includes "f--k" in various forms, "pr--k," "damn," and "hell." There's also vulgar English slang: "arse," "shite," "piss," and "c--t."
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What's the Story?
Based on the novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan, ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL begins as Member of Parliament James Whitehouse (Rupert Friend) confesses to his wife, Sophie (Sienna Miller), that he had a "fling" with a subordinate at Westminster, Olivia Lytton (Naomi Scott). Sophie is prepared to forgive her husband, and stand by him as the scandal breaks, until a follow-up looms: James isn't just accused of infidelity, he's accused of rape. Michelle Dockery also stars as prosecuting attorney Kate Woodcroft.
Is It Any Good?
With legal TV impresario David E. Kelley at the helm adapting a novel with a grabby #MeToo-inspired premise, this drama should be spectacular, but it doesn't quite hit those heights. The problem isn't with the acting, either: Sienna Miller is layered and sympathetic as Sophie, a wife suddenly forced to confront uncomfortable truths both about her husband and about her own past and privilege, and Michelle Dockery brings realism and electricity to her portrait of a prosecuting attorney at the head of a truly tough case. Meanwhile, the narrative seesaws back and forth between the present and the past, with Sophie seeing her experiences with her husband in a new light, while James tries every trick he can imagine to wiggle out of the consequences of his actions.
But did he commit the action he was accused of? Anatomy of a Scandal makes much of a blurry recording of James and Olivia in an elevator, when what could be a passionate coupling or an assault takes place, teasing the viewer with questions about power, consent, and the context Olivia and James both bring to that elevator trip. It's an intriguing setup, and Kelley and co-creator Melissa James Gibson (The Americans) make a meal out of it. Infuriatingly, though, a hard-to-buy narrative twist midway through the drama takes the focus off the finely drawn characters. It's not a fatal flaw, but it does downgrade Anatomy from A+ drama to a middling B.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why crime frequently figures in dramatic storylines such as the one in Anatomy of a Scandal. Why do you think people are interested in dark content?
How does this drama view James Whitehouse? Are characters supposed to relate to him? Like him? Believe in his innocence? What about the way he's presented brings you to this conclusion? How is Sophie depicted? Is she more or less sympathetic than her husband?
Have you read the book of the same name on which this series is based? How important is it to have read the source material for an adaptation? Does absorbing both detract from or add to the pleasure of each?
TV Details
- Premiere date: April 15, 2022
- Cast: Sienna Miller, Rupert Friend, Michelle Dockery
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: February 17, 2023
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