Geek Girl review: Is House of the Dragon star's new Netflix show any good?

Scouted by hotshot talent agent Wilbur Evans (Emmanuel Imani) after a classic case of falling over her own feet, Harriet is soon thrust into an unfamiliar world, all while juggling her tormentors, jealous modelling rivals and crippling anxiety.

As she hides her new career path from her best friend Nat (Rochelle Harrington), who also has her sights set on becoming a model, she thankfully has the swoon-worthy Nick Park (Liam Woodrum) to take her mind off things and teach her the runway ropes.

Read more:

• Emily Carey on Geek Girl: 'Finding Harriet Manners, I felt like I belonged'
• Netflix unveils Geek Girl trailer with House of the Dragon's Emily Carey

Based on the Holly Smale novel series of the same name, Geek Girl feels like Gen Z's version of Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging in a way that almost feels deliberate.

A coming-of-age story about finding the path that's right for you as your hormones rage is a tale as old as time. But while Georgia is doing her best to be the cool girl in the 2008 movie, Geek Girl sees Harriet just wanting to blend in, even when she's being forced to stand out.

Bright and boldly coloured, the series even has a killer soundtrack that would feel right at home in the late 2000s, courtesy of Ladyhawke and Franz Ferdinand, both of which are set to welcome in a whole new generation of fans.

Carey is adorable as Harriet, whose inner monologue when navigating all that life and modelling throws at her is funny and sharp. But it's hard to buy into why the fashion world is falling over itself to secure Harriet when she literally trips over her own feet more than times than any one person should.

But away from the dazzling lights and haute couture, the relationships in Harriet's life truly bring the heart of the series, especially her family unit, who are eager for her to emerge from her shell - but fear modelling will come at too high a cost.

Her father Richard (Tim Downie) struggles with knowing how to handle his teenage daughter, while her stepmother Annabel (Jemima Rooper) wants to be a mother figure to Harriet, but never quite knows where her responsibilities lie and when she's crossing a line.

Harriet and Nick's blossoming relationship is also a joy to watch as they clumsily feel their way through the early stages of first love. She brings out his hidden nerdy side and he teaches her the art of posing. They're impossible not to root for.

With a leather jacket, a jawline that could cut glass and the essence of an injured puppy in need of some TLC, Nick is straight out of the teenage dream boy handbook.

But the show also comes with flaws that are difficult to ignore.

The format is a little run-of-the-mill, even by teen romcom standards. And the suspension of disbelief required to truly believe that Harriet would take the fashion world by storm, despite causing chaos wherever she goes, is substantial.

Poppy Hepple-Cartwright, Harriet's #sponcon hustling model rival (Daisy Jelley), also falls a little too far into vapid and cruel trope territory when she doesn't need to, while at the same time still not feeling like much of a true threat to Harriet's growing career.

But overall, Geek Girl is a feel-good, cosy watch that will be happily approved by dedicated fans of the best-selling source material.

All ten episodes of Geek Girl are available to stream on Netflix on Thursday 30th May from 8am – sign up from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.