Anatomy Of A Scandal: Why this British political mini-series has proved compulsive viewing for many Netflix subscribers

The potent, destructive mix of political power and illicit sex has long proved compelling viewing both in the real world - parliamentary history is littered with examples - and fiction.

The original 1990 British TV version of House of Cards based on the book by Michael Dobbs was perhaps the first substantial incarnation of the concept on our screens.

But the themes are as old as civilisation itself - as Robert Graves' I Claudius reaffirms.

Anatomy Of A Scandal is the latest brutal exposition of the genre.

The Netflix blurb says simply: 'Sophie's privileged life as the wife of powerful politician James unravels when scandalous secrets surface — and he stands accused of a shocking crime.'

That shocking crime is rape - and of his former mistress.

But was he guilty? Where does the truth lie - if truth, by definition, can lie at all.

If this was just about sex and a potentially arrogant and depraved MP it's unlikely to have struck the chord with viewers that this one has.

Without doubt, there are parts of the plot which stretch credulity to their limits. No spoilers here.

But the story is clearly told; acted with a depth and quality that singles it out.

Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery, and Rupert Friend lead the pristine cast list, even though it is occasionally difficult to quite separate Ms Dockery from her equally polished and determined alter ego as Lady Mary Crawley in Downton Abbey.

Together, the cast carry it with such conviction and pace that that is why above all other reasons Anatomy of a Scandal is compulsive viewing.

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