Classic historical drama branded "hard not to love" is coming to Netflix

A historical drama hailed as "excellent" and "wonderful" is coming to Netflix. Originally airing in 2020, Malory Towers is based on the book series of the same name by Enid Blyton.

Set in post-World War II England, Malory Towers follows Darrell Rivers (Ella Bright), a fiery teenage girl who is sent to Malory Towers, a boarding school in Cornwall, England.

The show sees her navigate her formative years alongside her best friends and schoolmates at Malory Towers, learning all about kindness, honesty, and empathy along the way.

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Malory Towers ran for seven seasons, the last of which aired in 2025, and followed Darrell and her friends on their final day at school.

The wholesome drama is currently shown in the "worth the wait" section on Netflix, so we know it is coming to the streamer, but not exactly when.

At the time it was airing, Malory Towers was widely praised by critics and fans alike, being nominated for several accolades, including at the Children's and Family Emmy Awards several years running.

In their review, The Guardian said Malory Towers was "hard not to love," adding: "All the right tropes – midnight feasts, lacrosse team selections and disappointments, the formidable Matron (a Trunchbullesque figure played by This Country’s Ashley McGuire), the rock pool (although it now has a lifeguard, one of the few details that does strike an unnecessary unBlytonian note of modern realism) – are hit.

"It bowls along so smoothly and sweetly that you would be hard pressed not to love it."

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Girl Museum thought the show was "a lovely celebration of female friendship", while World of Blyton hailed it "excellent".

On IMDB, one user wrote: "This show holds true to the very essence of the books - and I believe that Enid Blyton would have been extremely happy with this outcome."

Another asked the creators to "please make another season," going on to say: "In the currently difficult climate this has been a wonderful escape from reality and it's been lovely to immerse myself in such innocent nostalgia."

A third posted: "I thought this was excellent, and a really good example of how to adapt a much-loved but dated original.

"Almost everything that happened in the book is preserved, and the Blytonian spirit of optimism is definitely there. But the writers have made some changes that actually improve on the original."

Malory Towers is coming to Netflix.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy Rebecca is a freelance journalist who specializes in TV and film. After beginning her career as a digital entertainment journalist for the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, she embarked on a freelance career in 2021 contributing to the likes of Metro UK, The Sun, WhatCulture, Screen Rant, FilmHounds Magazine and more. Her particular field of interest is horror cinema and she has written for genre publications such as Ghouls Magazine and Moving Pictures Film Club. LinkedIn