Flack (TV series)
A PR executive cleans up clients' messes while her own life spirals.
Flack is a British comedy-drama that ran for two six-episode seasons, one in 2019 and another in 2020. The series centers on Robyn, an American public relations executive based in London. Her job involves managing the disastrous fallout from her clients' selfish and careless behavior, while her own personal life falls apart.
The main cast includes Anna Paquin as Robyn, Sophie Okonedo as Caroline (head of the PR firm Mills Paulson), Genevieve Angelson as Robyn's sister Ruth, Lydia Wilson as Robyn's best friend and colleague Eve, Rebecca Benson as intern Melody, Arinze Kene as Robyn's boyfriend Sam (a nurse), Marc Warren as ballet dancer Tom, Rufus Jones as Ruth's husband Mark, and Andrew Leung as IT worker Craig.
Notable guest stars include Bradley Whitford as Calvin Cooper, a director Robyn reports for child pornography possession; Max Beesley as celebrity chef Anthony Henderson; Alan Davies as comedian Dan Proctor; Rebecca Root as transgender comedian Allie Gregs; Amanda Abbington as actress Alexa; Katherine Kelly as model Brooke Love-Wells; Sam Neill as co-founder Duncan Paulson; Daniel Dae Kim as Gabriel Cole; Rebecca Scroggs as reporter Abigail Reese; Dinita Gohil as Narinda; Toby-Alexander Smith as Terry; Aude des Pallieres as fashion model Sofi Adjani; John Askew as Formula 1 driver Darren Barron; and Sophia La Porter as his wife Roxy Barron.
The first season premiered on 21 February 2019. The series was renewed for a second season on 2 August 2019. In the UK, the second season was initially listed to air on W in March 2020, but that date was changed to "Coming Soon" before it premiered on 13 April 2020. In the U.S., the second season was scheduled for Pop on 13 March 2020 but was pulled after cutbacks by parent company ViacomCBS. In late March 2020, the first season became available on Showtime's video-on-demand platforms, though no confirmation of the second season airing there followed. In June 2020, the series moved to Amazon Prime Video for its second season, which became available for streaming on 10 June 2021.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 73% approval rating with an average score of 6.1/10 from 26 reviews. The critical consensus describes it as a "cynical take on publicity" with "hyperbolically unpleasant, underdeveloped characters." On Metacritic, it scored 58 out of 100 from 13 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews.
- genre
- Comedy drama
- country
- United Kingdom
- series count
- 2
- episodes per series
- 6
- first aired
- 21 February 2019
- final aired
- 2020
- network (UK)
- W
Lore & Background
The series stars Anna Paquin as Robyn, an American publicist working in London. The main cast includes Sophie Okonedo as Caroline, Genevieve Angelson as Ruth, Lydia Wilson as Eve, Rebecca Benson as Melody, Arinze Kene as Sam, Marc Warren as Tom, Rufus Jones as Mark, and Andrew Leung as Craig. Guest stars include Bradley Whitford, Max Beesley, Alan Davies, Rebecca Root, Amanda Abbington, Katherine Kelly, Sam Neill, Daniel Dae Kim, and others.
The first series premiered on 21 February 2019. The series was renewed for a second season on 2 August 2019. The second season premiered in the UK on 13 April 2020 on W. In the U.S., the second season was scheduled to premiere on Pop on 13 March 2020 but was removed from the schedule after cutbacks by parent company ViacomCBS. The first season was later made available through Showtime's video on demand platforms in late March 2020. In June 2020, the series moved to Amazon Prime Video for its second season, which became available for streaming on 10 June 2021.
Reader's Guide
Flack offers a cynical, darkly comedic look at the world of public relations, focusing on the moral compromises and personal costs of managing celebrity scandals. The series received mixed to average reviews, with a Rotten Tomatoes approval rating of 73% and an average rating of 6.1/10 based on 26 reviews. The critical consensus noted that the show's cynical take on publicity is exacerbated by hyperbolically unpleasant, underdeveloped characters. Metacritic assigned a score of 58 out of 100, indicating mixed or average reviews. Despite its modest critical reception, the series gained a cult following for its sharp writing and Anna Paquin's performance. Its significance lies in its unflinching portrayal of the PR industry's ethical gray areas and the personal toll of managing others' reputations.
Did You Know?
- The series comprises two series of six episodes each, in 2019 and 2020.
- Anna Paquin stars as Robyn, an American publicist living and working in London.
- The second season was removed from Pop's U.S. schedule after cutbacks by parent company ViacomCBS.
- The second season became available on Amazon Prime Video on 10 June 2021.
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