Rachel Weisz delivers an unswervingly brilliant performance in Vladimir, an eight-part adaptation of Julia May Jonas's provocative 2022 novel. The series, written and created by Jonas, retains the book's black comedy, bleak insight, and willingness to explore moral grey areas, making it a rare piece of television for adults.
Weisz plays an unnamed tenured English professor whose husband, John (John Slattery), is suspended for sleeping with students, claiming it was before the rules changed. The couple had an open marriage, as she describes it, “without all the awful communication.” Her composure is tested when she falls for a younger colleague, Vladimir (Leo Woodall), who is charming but married.
The show delves into generational divides over consent and power dynamics, with the protagonist questioning how consensual affairs could be seen as harmful. Her students' shifting loyalties and the fallout from John's actions add layers to the narrative, while direct-to-camera monologues by Weisz provide sharp, introspective commentary.
Vladimir refuses to offer easy answers, insisting that motives are never pure and nothing is black or white. It is a thoughtful, complex drama that rewards patient viewers with its wit and depth.
