Netflix has unleashed a tantalizing addition to its international lineup with the BBC’s The Trial of Christine Keeler, a gripping six-part miniseries that premiered in 2019 and now streams globally. Starring James Norton in a dangerously charismatic role, this “story that shocked Britain” is being hailed as darker, smarter, and more ruthless than The Night Manager, weaving a haunting tale of espionage, betrayal, and the devastating price of truth in swinging ’60s London. Once you dive in, the web of deceit pulls you under—no escape until the final verdict.

Set against the scandal that toppled a government, the series chronicles the Profumo Affair through the eyes of Christine Keeler (Sophie Cookson), the 19-year-old showgirl at its epicenter. When she becomes entangled in an affair with War Secretary John Profumo (Ben Miles), her simultaneous liaison with Soviet naval attaché Yevgeny Ivanov (Luke Redmayne) ignites a national security crisis. As tabloids frenzy and MI5 circles, Keeler’s life spirals from glamorous parties to courtroom crucibles, exposing class divides, sexual hypocrisy, and Cold War paranoia. Norton’s Stephen Ward, the osteopath and society procurer who introduces Keeler to high society, is a revelation—a charming manipulator whose downfall mirrors the era’s moral rot.

Norton’s performance is electric, trading Grantchester‘s vicar charm for Ward’s enigmatic ruthlessness. “Stephen was a product of his time—brilliant, broken, and utterly unapologetic,” Norton told The Guardian. His chemistry with Cookson’s vulnerable yet fierce Keeler crackles, while Miles’ Profumo embodies the establishment’s crumbling facade. The ensemble shines: Ellie Bamber as Mandy Rice-Davies, Keeler’s saucy best friend, brings levity amid the doom, and Emilia Fox as Valerie Profumo adds poignant domestic tension. Directed by Leanne Welham, the series blends period glamour with gritty realism, its jazz-infused soundtrack and foggy London visuals evoking a noir fever dream.

Critics adore it: The Telegraph calls it “The Night Manager on steroids—colder, darker, and devastatingly real,” praising its “ruthless dissection of power.” With a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score, it’s lauded for humanizing Keeler beyond tabloid fodder, exploring her exploitation in a patriarchal spy game. Fans on X rave, “Norton’s Ward is seductive evil—better than Le Carré!” and “Keeler’s story hits harder than any thriller.”

As Netflix expands its BBC catalog, The Trial of Christine Keeler arrives perfectly timed for true-crime binges, reminding us that real scandals eclipse fiction. From double agents to shattered loyalties, it’s a descent into deceit where truth is the ultimate casualty. Stream it now—the ’60s scandal that still stings.