"Guilty pleasure" London-set drama with "messy" characters is trending right now on Netflix

A dark comedy branded a "guilty pleasure" and starring Anna Paquin as a PR to the stars has been climbing Netflix's charts, currently sitting at number 7 of the most-watched TV content on the platform.

Originally aired for two seasons in 2019 and 2020, TV series Flack follows the professional and personal shenanigans of protagonist Robyn (Paquin), an American PR in London who's really good at handling her entitled, obnoxious celebrity clients, but struggles in her private life.

Robyn has a hard time processing the loss of her mother, who died by suicide, with her relationship with boyfriend, Sam (Arinze Kene), spiralling out of control as a result.

Related: Best streaming services UK 2026 – including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV

Cast for the series also includes Sophie Okonedo as Robyn's boss Caroline, Genevieve Angelson as Robyn's sister Ruth, and Rufus Jones as Ruth's husband, Mark.

Lydia Wilson plays the protagonist's best friend, Eve, while Rebecca Benson portrays intern Melody, and late star Sam Neill plays Duncan Paulson, Caroline's ex-husband and the co-founder of the PR firm at the centre of the show.

Flack has earned positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, where the first season is Certified Fresh with a critic score of 74% from 27 reviews. Season 2 has a perfect rating of 100% from 5 reviews.

The first instalment has been described as "insightful" about the entertainment industry and "the most fun I've had watching TV in months" (via TIME Magazine), as well as "delightfully cynical, but sometimes bittersweet, funny and occasionally outright brilliant" (via Globe and Mail).

Season 2 earned similar praise for being a "remarkably entertaining and fully female-focused series" which allowed its leads to be "messy and problematic on their own terms" (via Culturess).

Multiple critics enjoyed the show's chaotic characters and twisty storylines, with Brioux.tv writing of season 1: "As guilty pleasures go, however, the series is all in."

The second chapter was also hailed as a "guilty pleasure" despite some "overly snarky dialogue" that might undermine the show's credibility (via ArtsATL).

Flack seasons 1-2 are streaming on Netflix.

Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.

The new edition of Legends, a 100-page celebration of Dolly Parton's life, is here. Buy Dolly in newsagents or online.

Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).