to opine that the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is not very good?

[ScribblyGum]

Watching it with dd1 (15) as evidence of what constitutes a great romantic story after sitting through the utter shite that is the Harry Styles fan fiction movie After.

I know P&P is lots of other stuff but I wanted to show her something that I believed was excellent telly.

Four episodes in and I’ve come to the terrible realisation that actually it’s really dated, boring, badly acted and all in all a bit crap.

Far, far too much dull mimsy dancing.

Colin Firth is hot but doesn’t bring much to the part apart from posh snooty emotionally constipated hotness.

Alison Steadman's acting is just silly.

The music is too loud. Are the costumes a bit crap too? Not sure, there’s some bloody weird turbans going on on Caroline Bingley's head.

God it’s so BORING. Neither of us can be arsed to finish it.

I bet the Keira Knightly version is better

The 1980s BBC version is interesting too though. Both have their positives and their negatives: and I don’t like the film version with thAt famous actress (who was in Pirates of the Caribbean)

Yes I have read the book thanks

MM gets over the shyness of Darcy better, but prefer CF overall.
KK is wooden in everything. She's massively overrated.

Mr Collins is brilliant in the BBC one. As is Lady Catherine. It's far truer to the novel.

I love the Lawrence Olivier and Greer Garson version. I've got it on AppleTV and watch it regularly

I love Olivier/Garson although they are dressed as if Victorian.

I used to love the BBC version.

However I watched the KK version last year and I actually prefer it.

There is a tumblr called fitzwilliam-darcys-inner-struggles - which tie into the KK version and they are quite good at "interpreting" Darcy's "thoughts". Funny anyway if you do like the KK version.

I like that Mr and Mrs Bennet are clearly still having sex and being affectionate in the Joe Wright film — which makes sense of Austen’s suggestion that it was Mrs Bennet’s looks and her appearance of good temper that made Mr B unwisely propose (basically he fancied her), but honestly, those giant Hollywood gnashers. I spent the whole film staring at them.

Nice to have a Jane who genuinely outshone Lizzie in the looks department. And a Wickham who was better-looking than Darcy.

I've just googled the 1980s version. My word now that Mr Darcy is sporting a very strong jawline isn’t he.

I’ve read the book maybe three times now I think. I like the book. Just because it’s accurate doesn’t make this particular adaptation eternally great telly.

I actually think the staidness adds to the feeling of how stifled Elizabeth must have felt. I think it's atmospheric.

P&P 1995 will always be a big nostalgia fest for me, tuning into to the TV to watch live with my mate who was doing English at Uni. I studied something boring and practical and discussing the series and comparing it to the book with a cup of tea, made me feel like I was actually at University.

So YABU op. Sorry.

Me and my daughter (18) love the BBC version, the newer KK version is awful. Actor playing Darcy is a sop. Costumes and behaviour are more authentic with the book.

Though each to their own in preference, I can't comprehend how anyone could think the BBC version is boring, and worse that the macfadyen/knightley is better

I love the BBC version, I watched the whole lot in one sitting a few years ago, its so comforting!

You are wrong. Very very wrong!
The film is fairly enjoyable as far as a remake which isn’t overly true to the book. The BBC adaptation is wonderful and although yes probably now it does look a bit dated, it’s still heartwarmingly good.
Mr Collins, Mrs Bennet, Mr Bingley - all exactly as you’d imagine them from her book. Ooor I want to watch it now!

REPORTED!!!

Utter blasphemy.

Be gone with you.

Well I think it's boring because I felt bored watching it. I didn’t want to feel bored. I totally bloody loved it when I first watched it and wanted to have all those warm lovely happy tv nostalgia feeling again. I wanted dd to have them too. However episode four finished and dd wandered off to wash her hair and I decided to go and pick up the dog turds in the garden and mow the lawn instead.

I acknowledge that maybe it’s not for bingeing on. Maybe one hour per week would make the interminable dance scenes more enjoyable.

YABVVVVVVU

I find it cringeworthy in many places but still prefer it to the Keira version. I prefer Brenda, but in the book the mother is incredibly vulgar, so I suffer the more realistic Steadman version!

You’ve inspired me to look at the other box sets though and am trying their Sense & Sensibility. Seems alright so far... although I can’t think where I know the actor playing Edward Ferrars from and it’s pissing me off. I did spot North & South on the list - Daniela Denby-Ashe is a tad annoying, but that’s a good watch for Richard Armitage if nothing else 😆

There's a book!?!

The companion book facts and Donald Sutherland's teeth have made all the mn umbrage totally worth it though. And discovering I'm not 100% unreasonable, what a relief

Is there any proper gossip in the companion book? Like drunken after
parties etc

I totally agree with you OP. BBC versipn was over rated. Colin Firth was so wooden as Mr Darcy whereas Mathew McFadden manages to come across as socially awkward not cold. I am usually a fan of Alison Stedman but she was so over the top - Brenda Blethan was so much better. Keira Knightly version for me please.

Now North and South is an altogether different kettle of fish. Richard Armitage is perfection as John Thornton THE END.

I love the 1995 version and can't believe it is that old. Saying that, a lot of 90s TV feels slow in comparison to now, but that's no bad thing. At least it was audible and brightly lit so you could see and here rather than the current fashion of all characters in any given drama mumbling away in the shaddows!

I agree with you OP...

HOWEVER Colin Firth emerging from the lake in his britches remains the greatest televisual there has ever been ever and I defy anyone to think differently on this point.

@MindatWork - I had that companion book too.

Gooseberry fool etc.

I love the BBC version. It’s completely brilliant.
The KK version is OK but I fancy Tom Hollander more than MM, so that’s weird. I also find it funny the US market demanded an extra scene, which was duly added

The BBC production you refer to will always have a special place in my heart. I watched it and dozed through a lonely night in 2013 when my DH lay in intensive care in a foreign land and I couldn't speak to anybody till morning. It was a good friend to me that night.

Alison Steadman however is the weak link in it. Mrs Bennett in the novel is a very silly woman (though with real worries with so many unmarried daughters). Alison Steadman ( whom I generally like) made her vicious . So wrong.