The Other Bennet Sister Review
The Other Bennet Sister (TOBS) has been a lovely watch. My thoughts on it are appropriately reminiscent of a quote all too familiar to Austin fans; it is well written which, although it is paced perfectly, makes it feel unfortunately short.
The series is an adaptation of Janice Hadlow's novel by the same name, which I had not come across until researching the show, which follows the events of Pride and Prejudice focusing on the overlooked Bennet sister, Mary, on her journey to self acceptance and inner joy. Each of the ten episodes are around thirty minutes long and within such a short run time writer Sarah Quintrell is able to beautifully convey a layered story of self discovery and a budding romance that feels cosy, relatable, and is ultimately, a reliably well delivered evening's entertainment; this should come with no surprise, however, with Quintrell's broad portfolio of book to television adaptations, including His Dark Materials and The Power. TOBS is a more muted story to take on but by no means is any less captivating.
My favourite component of the series is the central conflict, Mary's journey to self confidence. The series delves further into Mary's character by focusing on her inability to acknowledge other's high opinions of her due to a lack of self esteem caused by her disappointing family life. Mary never feels like a caricature. She is a bright, yet plain, young woman who could very easily be exaggerated for the sake of the plot, but instead her undulating path to her own happiness prevents her from being forced into the common trope of a nerdy girl being made over to get the guy. The make over is internal and it doesn't change anyone's opinion of her but her own. This is the beautiful part of the story, Mary is already lovable but her lack of inner worth prevents her from seeing that. Her relationship doesn't become achievable once she changes herself to someone else's standards, it becomes achievable once she accepts herself as she is. At no point does it feel too on the nose or tropey, but the message is clear and it's definitely one that every person needs to hear at some point in their life.
I was not surprised to find out Ella Bruccoleri (Mary) had studied at École Jacques Lecoq as she was perfectly swallowed by Mary in a way that feels supported by the work done by the institution. She was fully enveloped in the character and clearly took care with every detail; in fact, TOBS is exemplary in its casting, Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet and Ryan Sampson as Mr Collins are two fabulous examples of delivering rich yet comic characters and I was delighted to find out Indira Varma has voiced audiobooks. Her vocal performance was a real stand out part of her character.
And what a use of period setting! TOBS leans into the social politics of the time very appropriately and the world feels tangible. The rules and restrictions put on women are ever present and give character motivations a real sense of stakes as Mary and others navigate survival in a society that demands that they be married or miserable, to use the show's phrasing.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see zero villainised depictions of corsets, or stays as I believe were more popular at the time. In my opinion, doing so shows a clear lack of any real research and to anyone who had a fashion history phase (as I imagine many period drama enjoyers have) comes across as illinformed and misrepresentative. My personal interpretation of such scenes is that writers see them as a cheap tick in the feminist commentary box without having to do any grounded research or communicate any thoughtful insights. TOBS's lack of this highlights the series' dedication to the writing of a complex female character, living in a complex world in which women are politically and socially born with their hands tied behind their backs. TOBS is not just a sweet bildungsroman, it's a story that centres female growth in the face of adversity and doesn't rely on cliches and tropes to tell an engaging, woman-driven story.
I could praise and praise TOBS all day, but in fear of giving you any spoilers let me leave you with this. TOBS is a cosy spring time watch and its blend of comedic characters, well written storytelling, and beautiful visuals makes it the perfect show to enjoy on a quiet night in.