Pictured: (Left to Right) Rachel Weisz as M and Leo Woodall as Vladimir – Netflix
Julia May Jonas’s bestselling thriller novel Vladimir A brand new 8-episode series headlined by Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall has arrived on Netflix.
Netflix’s latest romantic comedy, VladimirIt is created by Julia May Jonas, who also wrote the 2022 novel on which the series is based. Kate Robin, writer for the Netflix series dead to meActs as a listener. The series features an all-star cast, led by Academy Award-winning actress Rachel Weisz (The Mummy, The Constant Gardener) And leo woodall (One day, white lotus). Supporting cast includes jessica henwick (Glass Onion, Iron Fist) And John Slattery (Mad Men, Nuremberg).
Vladimir Follows an unnamed professor of English literature (Weisz) in the late 50s, who is herself a struggling writer. The series follows her lustful obsession with her new, handsome young co-worker, Vladimir (Woodall). The more time she spends with him, the more intense her uncontrolled and bizarre fantasies become. The banter and chemistry between them Are Undeniably tactile. Our protagonist is in an open relationship with her husband John (Slattery), who is in trouble for sleeping with students before the rules outlawed his actions. Our hero and John both have a daughter, Sydney (Ellen Robertson), an outspoken lawyer, who returns home and finds herself in the middle of her parents’ conflicts. During this time, Vladimir He himself is in a healthy relationship with his wife, Cynthia (Henwick), and has a child of their own.
Is Vladimir ‘just being nice’ to our hero – or does he feel the same way as she does? Watch the spiciest Netflix shows of 2026 so far.
From the very beginning, Vladimir Makes some unusual and quirky creative choices. First of all, the character Rachel Weisz is never actually named. It was a strange artistic choice; The show doesn’t necessarily gain anything by not revealing the name of its protagonist, but it doesn’t lose anything either. Perhaps, since the narrative is told so closely from her POV, the need to directly mention her name felt unnecessary.
This brings me to the second point: our hero’s tough outlook. She constantly breaks the fourth wall and provides lots of detail. This creative technique, on the other hand, was very welcome for adding humor. Breaking the fourth wall absolutely works, allowing Weiss to showcase her brilliant personality and intellect directly to the audience. We are taken into the mind of a woman who is feeling disconnected from herself, and we experience what she feels as a 50-year-old who no longer feels sexually desired. It dives into the complexities of lust, dealing with the entanglements of desire and jealousy.
All other characters are portrayed from our hero’s point of view, not least from the point of view of his colleague Vladimir. Despite being several years older than him, she falls deeply and intensely in love with him at first sight, leading to her sexual fantasies being explored in the show. It adds spice to otherwise mundane scenes, like cooking dinner or daydreaming during a mind-numbingly boring faculty meeting. These intense cuts, mixed with Weiss’s narration and fourth-wall-breaking, feel intrusive in the best possible way.
Vladimir. (Left to Right) Rachel Weisz as M and Leo Woodall as Vladimir in episode 102 of Vladimir. Ten million. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026
Vladimir himself lacks the infectious, aggressive personality of our hero. Sometimes it seems as if the writers have shackled the character. He is the epitome of perfection and virtue, someone who is completely desirable and everyone loves him. Granted, the perspective we see is almost always from the point of view of our protagonist, who sees it through rose-colored glasses.
The casting team played a brilliant role in this show. Weiss is excellent as the lead, and Woodall plays the fun-loving and bubbly young professor brilliantly. Plus, of course, John Slattery returns to the hedonistic and cynical style of character he knows so well – who could be better than that?
Both the plot and pace are quite strong. However, this is a narrative that will grip you through personality and charm rather than heavy plot. ‘will, won’t‘The dynamic between our hero and Vladimir is easy to guess and nothing original. The strength of the series comes from the charisma and aura of Rachel Weisz’s character as she keeps digging herself into a deeper hole.
The ending won’t blow you away, nor will it leave you wanting more. I don’t find myself breathless waiting for renewal news. And yet, I finished Vladimir With more than enough satisfaction. It’s not Netflix’s strongest romantic drama, but it’s still a solid, highly entertaining watch.
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Vladimir. Rachel Weisz as M in episode 107 of Vladimir. Ten million. Courtesy of Netflix © 2026
Rachel Weisz – An all-round outstanding performance, Weiss brings an infectious charm to the series through amazing energy, charisma and charm. From several intense scenes to deliberately breaking the fourth wall, his style is extremely entertaining.
Watch Vladimir on Netflix if you want:
- dark desire
- bridget jones
- Passion
decision
Star Rachel Weisz has previously described the series as “an elevated fairy tale”, and while there’s definitely a romance that’s pure fantasy, that description perhaps feels a little unnecessary. Vladimir is a passionately entertaining, highly humorous, entertaining romance. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is the show for you.