Vanity Fair (Season 1)

Vanity Fair (2018) is an ITV and Amazon co-production that you can watch online on iFILM, adapted from William Makepeace Thackeray's satirical novel by screenwriter Gwyneth Hughes and directed by James Strong. Olivia Cooke plays Becky Sharp — born with no money, no family name, and no connections — who sets out to climb the heights of English society during the Napoleonic Wars.

Seven episodes, brisk pacing, and a cast that includes Johnny Flynn, Michael Palin, and Simon Russell Beale. The show earns its period trappings. What gives it an edge over standard costume drama is the deliberate refusal to frame Becky as either villain or victim: she's simply the sharpest player in a game whose rules were written by people who never expected her to enter it.

Cooke's performance is the reason to watch — controlled, watchful, and just unsympathetic enough to keep you honest about whether you're rooting for her. Stream Vanity Fair online on iFILM.