Spicy New Show Alert: Vladimir On Netflix Looks Like A BookTok Girl’s (Wet) Dream Come True
But there’s a lot more going on than just unbridled lust here.
It’ll be a while before we get a second season of Heated Rivalry or The Hunting Wives, so we’re going to need things in the meantime that can quench our thirst for something a little spicy to watch after the kids have gone to bed. Is it possible Netflix has just that headed our way with the limited series Vladimir, starring Rachel Weisz, Leo Woodall, and John Slattery?
The promo poster alone should get the BookTok girlies’ blood pumping — it’s a set of well-manicured nails provocatively sliding into the pages of an open book. But aside from that, what else do we know? Get cozy; we’re diving into the details.
When does Vladimir drop on Netflix?
The streamer recently revealed that the eight-episode dramedy series will release on March 5. No trailer yet, so it seems they really want to build up the anticipation.
What’s the series about?
Adapted from Julia May Jonas’ critically acclaimed debut novel, Vladimir follows an unnamed middle-aged woman (Weisz), a writer, professor, wife, and mother who feels increasingly dissatisfied with her own life. Her husband (Slattery), also a professor, has been accused of inappropriate relationships with former students and is under review. This didn’t come as a shock to her, as they have an open marriage, but she dislikes the personal scrutiny it has brought.
Then, a magnetic new colleague enters the picture: the eponymous Vladimir (Woodall), a younger man who's been getting buzz for his debut novel. What follows is an all-consuming obsession that blurs the line between fantasy and reality.
The series reportedly leans hard into subjectivity. Much of what we see is filtered through the eyes of an unreliable narrator (the unnamed woman). Her fantasies bloom in even the most mundane moments, like while she’s cooking dinner or attending faculty meetings. “Full of sexy secrets, dark humor, and complex characters, Vladimir is about what happens when a woman is hell-bent on turning her fantasies into reality,” describes Tudum.
When Vladimir enters the picture, he notices our narrator in a way that makes her feel visible again. It feeds her vanity, something she points out is important to her, for better or worse. Still, we’re left to wonder whether his gestures are genuinely flirtatious or simply professional courtesy. And the ambiguity is the point — it gives the story a hazy feel that allows thornier topics to be folded in, such as the nexus between aging and desire or gender and power.
How is this different from other book adaptations?
For starters, Jonas has been very involved in the entire creative process. Behind the scenes, she serves as creator, showrunner, and executive producer, having worked closely with the cast to translate the novel’s voice to the screen. Fan reaction online suggests that having the author on set and invested in the adaptation worked: “YES, THEY GET THE CONCEPT,” one reader exclaimed in response to the series announcement.
So, if you’re the type who craves an adaptation that is extremely faithful to the book, Vladimir sounds like the perfect fit. And if you’re in need of a little extra spice right now, well, it sounds like it’ll deliver on that front, too. Come March 5, I guess we’ll all be falling down that rabbit hole together.
