A lively, offbeat swashbuckler that blends period adventure, folk magic, and Sally Wainwright’s knack for spirited underdogs. It’s easy to enjoy for its energy and charm, but the single-season cancellation means the larger story never fully lands.
Renegade Nell
Where to watch: Buy
TV Show · Action & Adventure · Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Fri
Created by: Sally Wainwright
Starring: Louisa Harland, Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg
Overview
England, 1705: Framed for murder and on the run with her sisters, Nell Jackson turns her hand to highway robbery to survive. Aided by her superpowered sidekick, a plucky little sprite called Billy Blind, Nell realizes that fate has put her on the wrong side of the law for a reason. A reason much bigger than she could have ever imagined: to defeat a magical plot against the Queen of England.
Created by
Sally Wainwright
Cast
Louisa Harland, Frank Dillane, Alice Kremelberg, Enyi Okoronkwo, Bo Bragason, Florence Keen, Nick Mohammed, Adrian Lester
Curator Review
Verdict
A lively, offbeat swashbuckler that blends period adventure, folk magic, and Sally Wainwright’s knack for spirited underdogs. It’s easy to enjoy for its energy and charm, but the single-season cancellation means the larger story never fully lands.
Best for
Viewers who like playful historical fantasy
Fans of brisk, female-led adventure series
People open to a one-and-done season with strong personality
Audiences who enjoy British wit mixed with action and magic
Skip if
You want a complete, fully resolved story
You prefer grounded historical drama without fantasy elements
You dislike shows that lean on whimsy and genre mashups
You want a long-running series with multiple seasons to settle in
Overview
Renegade Nell is a cheeky, fast-moving adventure with a strong sense of mischief. Sally Wainwright gives the series a very specific voice: resourceful women, class friction, and emotional undercurrents beneath the swashbuckling. Louisa Harland makes Nell feel scrappy and alive, and the show’s blend of highway robbery, court intrigue, and folklore gives it a distinctive identity.
Worth noting
The fantasy elements are light but memorable, especially Billy Blind, and the production design sells the 1700s setting without turning it into a museum piece. It moves with enough momentum to stay entertaining, even when the plotting gets a little crowded. The tone is more playful than grim, which helps it stand apart from more solemn period dramas.
Bottom line
The downside is structural: as a canceled single season, it feels like a setup for a bigger saga rather than a fully satisfying arc. If you’re happy to enjoy the ride and not worry too much about closure, it’s an easy recommendation. If you need a finished narrative, the abrupt end will likely outweigh the charm.
If the appeal is the fantasy side of the premise, this offers monster-hunting, destiny, and a similarly genre-mixed binge experience.
Themes
female-led adventure, period fantasy, class conflict, family loyalty, outsider heroism, witchcraft and folklore, court intrigue, survival
Topics
historical fantasy, swashbuckling, British drama, action adventure, folk magic, period piece, female protagonist, whimsical tone, 17th/18th century, bingeable