Lost in Austen

I'm not generally a fan of period dramas. I've never read "Pride And Prejudice" and I'm not sure if I've ever seen any adaptations. I was intrigued, however, with the premise of this series. Partly because it seemed similar to one of my favourite books of recent years: "The Eyre Affair" by Jasper Fforde (although this also, conversely, almost stopped me watching it).

I'm glad I did watch it. Right from the beginning, I was enthralled and entertained. The cast were superb. The writing was wonderful. Although it gave a modern twist to the story it was obviously done with great affection for the source novel and the use of language was very clever. It was also very funny in places.

Overall, one of the best TV shows I've seen this year. It's even tempted me to read the book and it's really not the style of book I would usually read.

I didn't make the mistake of reading reviews before watching this so I went in with no expectations. Before going any further I have to admit to having watched the 90's version of P & P and read the novel dozens of times. A true Austen freak, I am.

Like other reviewers, at first I was offended by the crudeness and lack of tact displayed by the Amanda character when she entered the world of the novel. How dare any true Austen fan behave in a way that displays such ignorance of Lizzie's world? She should have fit right in. But then I realized the choice to NOT make Amanda a perfect Eliza Bennet clone made for a much more dynamic story and more amusing moments between the characters. Instead of giving her the perfect accent, the perfect deportment, and the perfect manners right from the start, it took her some time to fit in. Her clumsy manner and bluntness caused her to make some mistakes that would seem impossible for a true Austen fan but enabled unexpected twists and turns in the story. And its these twists and the what ifs that I loved. I loved that the wrong people fell in love. I love that everything she thought was supposed to happen didn't happen. If I wanted to watch a P & P imitation, I would just watch the real thing again. I found the movie Becoming Jane, which attempted to follow a truer Jane Austen style, to be a sappy and insipid imitation that was truly forgettable and predictable. No one else can do Jane Austen and Lost in Austen doesn't try to. Instead, its fun and impertinent in a way that I think Jane herself would appreciate.

...as they would say, wouldn't they? And then, in a Mr. Bennett manner, aside, "I wonder...", but audible enough to be overheard. I know this sounds a bit delirious, I'm just trying to show I was infected by the first episode - by zest! And a racy perplexity! I mean, the premise of undertaking this demands a serious grip on so many levels: how to make Austen's imitation of language not sound ridiculous, the heroine's punchlines not of-the-wall, the collision of the two worlds plausible and funny, mostly; it's my impression that the team succeeds all-in-all. It seems somewhat elliptic or restrained sometimes, but as Jane points out "without Elizabeth the equilibrium of this house is...fragile". For what does our uneasiness mean regarding the other side of the wall? What is Elizabeth doing in the 21st century? Can she really be enjoying herself? I think yes; I don't think we're going to see her for some time (maybe a sequel; good point!); for she is the splendor of the novel, so, once removed, we feel uneasy about our world and what it's doing, well, there, once we step into it!Hence the excitement, the fun and the suspense. "I wonder..." what comes next!

The mini series was absolutely sweet and funny and it will be appreciated by real Jane Austen fanatics. It does resemble the weirdest dream that only authors of fan fiction have had. At times the plot lines turn into silly situations but for most of the time they are quite enjoyable. The young actors make the most of it. I wish response has been better so that the series can be longer. I also wish they had made one about Lizzy's stay in London, which could provide for situations way funnier than those during Amanda's stay in Longbourne. On a different note it does make you think about whether or not things were the way Jane Austen described them but not enough to make you disillusioned with her world. Just the right amount of real-ness is attached to the book characters. To the book fanatics I'd recommend watching without prejudice and you'll have fun.

Hard to imagine how this could be better. The casting is close to perfect. Mr and Mrs Bennet as played by Hugh Bonneville and Alex Kingston quickly outshine previous inhabitants of these roles. This Mrs Bennet is neurotic but also strong, and Mr Bennet is suitably acidic but also very affable and easy to like. The Bennet sisters are very well presented. Jane has a very gentle quality. Kitty and Lydia and Mary are a pleasure to see on screen. Gemma Arterton is as impressive as we would expect in the role of Lizzie. Best of all is Jemima Rooper as Amanda, a fine young actress who here gets the chance to take centre stage and to properly show us what she can do. The men inhabit their parts well - some very good work from Tom Riley as Wickhan, Eliot Cowan as a smouldering Mr Darcy and Tom Mison as a very winning Mr Bingley. Christina Cole is on great icy form as Mr Bingley's sister. And Mr Collins is truly repulsive as played by Guy Henry, looking like the grim reaper and finding a grotesque comedy in this very oily character. But what is most clever about this new 'spin' on Pride and Prejudice is the way it takes a story we all think we know and then turns it upside down. Guy Andrews writes very funny dialogue for both Amanda as a modern woman and the characters we know from Jane Austen. The comic set pieces are directed with real aplomb by Dan Zeff, but it's also surprisingly moving at times. Costumes and sets all look good. Having seen this I don't know how we'll take another 'straight' Austen adaptation seriously again!