If we’re to believe statistics, there is something just undeniably alluring about Anatomy of a Scandal. So long, we have tried figuring out exactly what it is. While some say that it is the courtroom drama that thrills viewers, others seem adamant about the luxury of the show. We all have a history of gravitating towards shows that feel foreign, detached, and unrelatable in their glamour. So, perhaps, it might be the escapism? No?

We have noticed that Anatomy of a Scandal shares a common trait with cult classics like Downton Abbey and The Crown that keeps viewers hooked to their screens as they binge through the six hour-long episodes of this Netflix series.

The sheer Britishness of Anatomy of a Scandal

When we binged through Downton Abbey and The Crown, we figured it wouldn’t get more British than this. The costumes, the balls, the exquisite houses, and the accent that the world simply cannot enough of, be it for comical purposes or simply finding it attractive- everything about the way these shows portrayed the Britsh seemed to pull fans into the series like a moth to a flame. But, while these two cult classics remain iconic, and frankly, quite unmatched to this day, Anatomy of a Scandal brought to viewers a newer glimpse of Britain that the world hadn’t seen portrayed this way before.

Going centuries back, the emphasis placed on social hierarchies and their importance remains something quintessentially British. The idea of a scandal and disgrace is extremely English at heart. There, of course, is content out there on American scandals. Yet, all the same, it just doesn’t click the way a British scandal does. Perhaps this comes from the infamously free spirit that is the signature of America. Or, perhaps, the popular idea of “live and let live” that surrounds this country more so than others. In any case, we know that we do not see scandals being brought to life in an American or even European settings as much as do in British settings.

What makes it so British?

The scandal (another word that couldn’t get more British) is that big a deal. The sole reason for this is that the British are often too deep-rooted in their ways. The biggest example, which doesn’t even seem like a big exaggeration, is the difference between The Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey and Cora’s mother, Martha Levinson.

The two are women of similar age who grew up in the upper class of both their societies. But, their priorities lie miles apart. Martha rejoices in her freedom and ease of her state of being. On the other hand, Violet finds solace in the rigid way of life unique to the British. This is precisely what is so alluring about the Netflix series, Anatomy of a Scandal. The show is a modern rendition of the word scandal we have seen in classic shows and movies about the country.

Anatomy of a Scandal is available for streaming on Netflix