So could Paquin do Robyn’s job in real life? At a press event we attended in February 2019, she replied, “Yeah” with a wry smile. No wavering, no further explanation needed. After all, Paquin is no stranger to the spotlight or the inner workings of the celebrity world, having begun her acting career back in 1993.

On the other hand, Paquin’s co-star Lydia Wilson (watch our video interview with her here), who plays Robyn’s entitled and materialistic colleague Eve, spent a day at a PR agency, saying, “I arrived at 10am. I was knackered by 10.30am. It was exhausting and high-octane. They work super hard. It gave me a huge sense of respect for people who work extra hours on top of the 9-5.”

So is the world of PR really as dark as Flack makes it out to be? “It can be,” says Paquin. The show is packed with witty dialogue, innuendo, put-downs and farcical yet plausible scenarios. Caroline gifts Robyn and Eve a “pet” in the form of intern Melody (Rebecca Benson, Game Of Thrones), whose initally happy-go-lucky demeanour takes a turn under their tutelage.

Flack attack! From left: Rebecca Benson, Sophie Okonedo, Anna Paquin and Lydia Wilson

“Flack isn’t a cynical look at the world of celebrity. It’s a realistic portrayal of the fact that within the world of celebrity there are a lot of things that people don’t see,” says Paquin. “It’s not good, it’s not bad. It’s just realistic.”

The dark humour of Flack is what attracted Paquin to the script – so much so that she also executive produces it. “It was [writer Oliver Lansley’s] absurdly, anarchically funny writing that drew me to it. I was reading it going, “I’m either a terrible human being for laughing at this or this is the best thing I’ve ever read.” Turns out it was the latter!”

Another thing Flack does well is invert gender roles. Where Robyn’s boyfriend Sam (Arinzé Kene, Our Girl) is desperate to start a family, Robyn is hesitant. The cast and crew are also predominantly female. According to Genevieve Angelson (Good Girls Revolt), who plays Robyn’s sister Ruth, Flack is “the most feminist show I’ve ever done. Without being a show about women’s equality, it still has the power to bring in viewers who might not otherwise be drawn to that. It features incredible female roles for women with incredible things to say.” Look out for a fabulously #girlpower speech from Robyn in episode 1.

In case you’re looking for another reason to tune in, Rufus Jones, who plays Ruth’s husband Mark, sums up Flack’s USP perfectly: “[Director] Peter Cattaneo was very insistent that you play the funny stuff seriously and the serious stuff funnily.” The result? Dramedy gold.

When is Flack on Amazon Prime Video?

Find the six-episode series in Apps & Games > Prime Video from Friday 22 January.
 

How to watch Amazon Prime Video with Virgin TV

Prime Video is available to all Virgin TV customers with a V6 box, powered by TiVo^®. Simply sign up to Amazon Prime Video via their website, and you can log in on the box. And because Prime Video is fully integrated into TiVo^®, you can search without even going into the app. Just select Search & Discover from the Home menu and type in the name of the show or movie you’re after.