The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Move over babies biting fingers, Rebecca Black, and dancing cats! There's a new sheriff in town! Hank Green's latest project, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modern adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, is the latest mini-series to make a big splash on the YouTube scene.

Since April 2012, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries has been telling the story of Lizzie Bennet, a graduate student studying mass communications, as she shares the details of her crazy family, romantic endeavors, and struggles to finish school and find a well-paying job through video blogs. Living at home, especially when your mother is constantly harassing you about not having found a wealthy man to marry, and going to school can be pretty stressful. Don't think it can get any more stressful? You're wrong!

When Bing Lee, a wealthy medical student, rolls into town and wins the heart of Lizzie's older sister, Jane, the Bennet household turns upside-down. Bing's stiff, critical friend William Darcy is also new in town and is getting on Lizzie's last nerve. Meanwhile, Lizzie's younger sister, Lydia, can't seem to stay out of trouble as she parties herself dry and pesters Lizzie constantly for a chance at Internet fame. Can Lizzie sort out Jane's love life, tame Lydia's party-loving ways, and avoid William Darcy at all costs? You'll just have to watch to find out!

Hank Green, the producer of the series, is a big name on YouTube already. Making his Internet debut with Brotherhood 2.0, a video blog project he started in 2007 with his brother, novelist John Green, Green has since created DFTBA Records, a record label inspired by YouTube musicians, educational YouTube series SciShow and Crash Course, 2-D glasses, Vidcon, the first YouTube convention, and many other great projects. He is also a musician and has released four albums available to purchase on iTunes. Green was featured on the promotional book tours for John Green's Papertowns in 2008 and The Fault in Our Stars in 2012.

Already being a fan of Hank Green's work for several years, I had no doubts that I would fall in love with the classic story of the Bennets in his modernized retelling. While I can't relate very well with Jane Austen's novel, I feel seeing a modern Lizzie makes forming both a mental and emotional connection much easier. As a fan of the film adaptations of the story, I can say that even the ladies claiming Colin Firth is the only Darcy for them will love this story. The talent and quality of the writers, actors, and technical crew are phenomenal. Half the time I forget that the episodes are based off a book from the 1800s because the acting is so realistic and the transition from book to modern screenplay is seamless.

Having met Hank Green on tour in 2012, I can say from experience that he puts forth a tremendous amount of effort and time into everything he does. His passion and enthusiasm for creative expression on both YouTube and all over the Internet is outstanding and apparent in each individual project he begins. Like his many other accomplishments, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is bound to keep you coming back for more.

Green's latest project, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, is a must-see series for everyone. A new episode, each between three and six minutes long, is posted every Monday and Thursday morning.

I adore this web series... every day I wake up hoping it's Monday or Thursday, and then am quite disappointed when it's not.... Lizzie's voice is perfect, and I love, love, love Lydia. She's exactly like my little sister, which is odd and funny at the same time. Also, I like how even though we've only met Lizzie, Charlotte, Lydia and Jane, I have an image in my head of the rest of the characters, especially their Mother. It's funny, modern and fresh. One thing.... can we meet Darcy and Bing Lee???? It's brilliant. Please, please don't be like sue other web shows I watched that just stopped halfway through. GREAT WORK, I CAN'T WAIT TIL THURSDAY!!!

I could give it a 10 but doing that is placing it in the same category as the 2005 and 1995 versions, and they both are so beautifully perfect to me.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is very well done and amazingly interactive adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, it is so loyal to the original book within the context where the story develops. I feel like they adapted the story very well to the 21 first century. Every character was so in character according to the era where it developed. They had to change the relations with some characters and get rid of kitty but it applies to the context of it all and how relevant they are to this story.

The only thing I will complain about a little bit is how tiresome it gets during the whole Lydia thing, I feel like they could have reduce the number of episodes of Lydia and added a little bit more of the Darcy that we get at the end of the book in one or two more episodes. But the show was perfect, personal favorite characters apart from Darcy:

Lydia--- Amazing Adaptation Fitz--- Seriously guys there is no way you can't love this Fitz Elizabeth as Mrs. Bennet--- On point, so much like the book but still relevant to this century

When you look at the history of vlog style adaptations, let it be remembered that Lizzie Bennet was the one to start it all. There are a few movies that I will return to after a bad day and as soon as I discovered this series it instantly joined the ranks. The first 20 episodes will always be my favorite, but the Darcy episodes (with the handsome Daniel Vincent Gordh) hold a special place in my heart. Ashely Clements acting is *perfect* and Julia Cho, Mary Kate Wiles, Laura Spencer, Maxwell Glick, and Allison Paige all play their parts beautifully! I can't recommend this web series enough. Thank whatever internet gods exist for Bernie Su!

Colin Firth's Pride and Prejudice series was made in 1995. Kiera Knightly did one in 2005. And while we all anxiously wait for what MUST be made in 2015, this vlog-style show is JUST what the doctor ordered! Everyone knows the characters, but this production really gives Elizabeth Bennet new life as a modern twenty-something with cute sisters and friends. It is just as it ought to be. Instead of balls and livings, there are weddings and student loans (Ugh! So true!). Any twenty-something can relate.

I sometimes find myself wanting MORE when I watch the Lizzie Bennet Diaries... specifically I want a glimpse of the elusive (and so far douche-y) Darcy. But there's something about Lizzie's narrative that makes me forget that only four of her characters have made appearances. Lizzie's opinions do the other characters justice and keep the retelling of the story honest. What twenty-something would invite a new acquaintance over to be on her video blog? Not I!