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The Other Bennet Sister starts tonight on BBC1 8pm

484 replies

IwantToRetire · 15/03/2026 19:31

Seemingly unremarkable and often overlooked, Mary Bennet longs to win her family’s approval.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002qkp3

Is this going to be a spoof or some sort of spin off ?

2nd episode tonight at 8:30

Couldn't see a thread so hope this isn't a duplicate!

BBC One - The Other Bennet Sister, Series 1, Chapter 1

Mary Bennet hopes to win her family’s approval at her first ball.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002qkp3

OP posts:
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6
BlueBlueCowWondering · 19/03/2026 08:08

I've enjoyed the first five episodes.
I keep switching between feeling sorry for Mary and her situation, but then thinking that she actually has not a bad life! 'Marriage or misery' isn't the choice Jane Austen herself had - nor Cassandra. I wonder if Mrs Bennet has influenced me too much!

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:40

but then thinking that she actually has not a bad life!

She dependant on others though.

Even her Aunt & Uncle who seem to like her only invited her as they needed a governess!

Abra1t · 19/03/2026 09:41

I suppose the issue is the longer term. Governessing until you're too old to carry on at work. No pension unless an employer is very generous. Relying on your other wealthier siblings (like Jane Austen herself at various points) for housing and money.

I'm thinking of Miss Bates in Emma, always having to be so grateful to people for subsidising them.

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:54

Relying on your other wealthier siblings (like Jane Austen herself at various points) for housing and money.

Yes it was very precarious.

Cassandra had a little money I think as she had been left something by her fiance.

I suppose brothers/sons would support rather than lose face but they didn't have to be generous!

Must be hard when you are working to support your own wife & kids & then are expected to help three more adults who due to sex & class can't work!

HotBaths · 19/03/2026 10:37

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:54

Relying on your other wealthier siblings (like Jane Austen herself at various points) for housing and money.

Yes it was very precarious.

Cassandra had a little money I think as she had been left something by her fiance.

I suppose brothers/sons would support rather than lose face but they didn't have to be generous!

Must be hard when you are working to support your own wife & kids & then are expected to help three more adults who due to sex & class can't work!

I don't think it was so much 'losing face', but the knowledge that there was literally no other option unless they let Mrs Austen, Jane and Cassandra go into the workhouse. It was all pretty precarious a lot of the time. Her father was from a branch of a wealthy family that had fallen into poverty, and had to supplement his small income as a clergyman by farming and running an informal boarding school in their home, and after his death were left with only a tiny income from shares.

The five Austen brothers (there was a another, but he was developmentally disabled and didn't live with the family after early childhood) agreed to support the three women, but their own finances were up and down. Frank and Charles were at the mercy of prize money, promotions etc in the navy. Henry the banker went bankrupt. James was a clergyman on a small stipend. There wasn't much spare money, and the three Austen women spent years on a round of long visits to different family members. Edward was the only wealthy one who eventually gave the Austen women use of a cottage he owned near his 16thc manor house. Even then, things weren't exactly flush for them. They didn't mix with local gentry. They'd fallen down the social scale.

No wonder JA initially said yes to a proposal from the unattractive but rich brother of her friends.

diddl · 19/03/2026 11:16

I wonder how far they ever were up the social scale though?

I wonder then if Edward mixed in a different circle which had become established from when he moved in with the Knights?

That might explain them not living with him until he had separate accommodation available!

Plus his large family of course!

HotBaths · 19/03/2026 11:57

diddl · 19/03/2026 11:16

I wonder how far they ever were up the social scale though?

I wonder then if Edward mixed in a different circle which had become established from when he moved in with the Knights?

That might explain them not living with him until he had separate accommodation available!

Plus his large family of course!

Oh, quite far! Her father was from a long line of wealthy wool merchants who had made it into the gentry over the generations, but her mother, a Leigh, was from an old family with strong aristocratic connections, and grew up in Oxford among gentry, her father being the rector of All Souls (which is how she met George Austen, who was a student at St John's).

Even though both of them were from poorer branches of families with considerable wealth (George Austen and his sisters were orphaned young and taken in by relatives -- his sister Philadelphia, without a dowry, went out to India to marry, did so, and her daughter in turn, who knew JA and Cassandra well (and may have been the model for JA's Lady Susan), married a French count who was guillotined during the French Revolution and later married JA's brother), they still benefited from having rich and well-connected family members helping them.

George Austen was given the living of Steventon by his wealthy second cousin's husband, and a neighbouring living was bought for him by a wealthy uncle. Their income was never big, needing to be supplemented by farming and taking in boys to educate, but they absolutely socialised as gentry during JA's youth, attending assembly balls with people on a level with the Bennets and above, and dining with them.

upinaballoon · 19/03/2026 12:36

SailingYachty · 19/03/2026 07:42

I’ve really enjoyed it so far, I think it’s a great take on it, that Mary in a different setting with people who nurture her could really change and grow. I’m looking forward to the next episodes. (Totally agree that Mr Darcy was a bad casting, eek!)

Darcy is a huge character. Perhaps it was good for THIS story that we saw little of him, and that bit not very attractive.

IdentityCris · 19/03/2026 12:57

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:40

but then thinking that she actually has not a bad life!

She dependant on others though.

Even her Aunt & Uncle who seem to like her only invited her as they needed a governess!

But they wanted her to stay after the governess came back, so must have liked her for her own sake.

MotherofPufflings · 19/03/2026 13:21

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:40

but then thinking that she actually has not a bad life!

She dependant on others though.

Even her Aunt & Uncle who seem to like her only invited her as they needed a governess!

I think that's the reason they give so Mrs Bennet will let her go and also maybe to give her something to do that they think will play to her strengths.

diddl · 19/03/2026 13:39

I think that's the reason they give so Mrs Bennet will let her go

True.

That makes sense.

diddl · 19/03/2026 13:44

married a French count who was guillotined during the French Revolution

I thought there was doubt as to whether or not he was actually a Count?

Rictasmorticia · 19/03/2026 14:54

diddl · 19/03/2026 09:40

but then thinking that she actually has not a bad life!

She dependant on others though.

Even her Aunt & Uncle who seem to like her only invited her as they needed a governess!

In the book she invites herself to the Gardeners after her visit with Charlotte goes wrong. The Gardeners are exceptionally kind to her. I think this is a much better take on things. I guess as a huge chunk has been cut out, they wanted to explain why she went there.

HotBaths · 19/03/2026 15:07

diddl · 19/03/2026 13:44

married a French count who was guillotined during the French Revolution

I thought there was doubt as to whether or not he was actually a Count?

Yes, but my point was only that Philadelphia Austen and her daughter Eliza moved at a high level in French society (de Feuillide was a wealthy army captain, even if his claim to his title was dubious, and PA met Marie-Antoinette and the Princesse de Lamballe) and that Eliza wasn't then marrying down when she remarried, to JA's brother Henry. The Austens were of good lineage, despite not being rich.

OrsolaRosso · 19/03/2026 15:54

Rictasmorticia · 19/03/2026 14:54

In the book she invites herself to the Gardeners after her visit with Charlotte goes wrong. The Gardeners are exceptionally kind to her. I think this is a much better take on things. I guess as a huge chunk has been cut out, they wanted to explain why she went there.

It's a shame that they have missed out the part where she stays with the Collins's. That was an important part of Mary's development.

Rictasmorticia · 19/03/2026 16:51

OrsolaRosso · 19/03/2026 15:54

It's a shame that they have missed out the part where she stays with the Collins's. That was an important part of Mary's development.

I agree. I think her stay with the Collins’ formed the whole premise of Mary’s later decisions and actions. I don’t want to give anything away but to me the next part of the series will be less enjoyable without this experience.

piscofrisco · 19/03/2026 18:19

I’ve watched all Available episodes and loved it! I always felt sorry for Mary-they were all so mean and dismissive to her.

Illegally18 · 19/03/2026 19:32

OrsolaRosso · 19/03/2026 06:47

Are you referring to Death Comes to Pemberley? I really enjoyed the adaptation of that!

yes. it was good, wasn't it.

OotontheRandan · 19/03/2026 19:53

I want MORE. Are there more episodes to come?

I have read the book. And was quite entertained by the "Charlotte Lucas Is A Cousin Stealing Snake In The Grass" approach. Maybe she did deserve the odious Mr Collins after all.

Anyway. Really love this Mary. Very well acted.

OnGoldenPond · 19/03/2026 20:50

likelysuspect · 16/03/2026 16:30

I often wonder like I did in this one, how it must be to be asked to play a part where the character is seen as undesirable or 'ugly'.

How does that make the actor feel?

Actors often find those parts much more desirable as the characters are usually much more interesting and satisfying to play. Much more than playing a smiling pretty character as they are often not written as interesting people. And any actor would be very glad to play the lead in a ten part BBC adaptation!

readingmakesmehappy · 19/03/2026 21:03

Indira Varma is so often cast in quite haughty, chilly roles (and she’s very good in them) but she’s so wonderful and warm as Mrs Gardiner. I’d like to be her friend.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 20/03/2026 06:13

i found it a bit boring, i have seen two episodes
they treated Mary so badly
i hope it gets better

CuriousKangaroo · 20/03/2026 09:46

I am enjoying it so far. Thank you for this thread OP, or I wouldn’t have known about this.

I find this interpretation of Mrs Bennett interesting. It’s not quite how I imagined her from P&P, but I do think there is something to be said for her being someone who is focused on marrying her daughters off for their future security, and not just bragging rights. In those days, not producing a male heir would likely have been blamed on the woman. I always wondered if a character like Mrs B would have felt that more keenly than the novel suggests/ goes into, which would add a different dimension to her endeavours.

Like others, I found AS’s Mrs B over the top. Not a totally unrealistic interpretation, but it was a bit much for me.

FranticFrankie · 20/03/2026 10:51

Binge watching this and loving it. Can't help comparing it with P&P adaptations.
Richard E Grant is a good Mr Bennet but Benjamin Whitrow was my favourite.
I don't think Jane and Lizzy are the right casting though and what the heck has been done with their hair (or wigs?) Awful.
Darcy is wrong!!!
Mr Gardner actor is Jeffrey from Coupling I think? Must check. Love Mrs G.
Poor lovely Mr Sparrow and his puppy dog eyes - hope Mary goes back to him. Free glasses for life too 😆

Death comes to Pemberley on my to watch list

OrsolaRosso · 20/03/2026 12:42

I'm surprised by how many people found Alison Steadman's portrayal of Mrs Bennet too much. I thought that it was excellent. When I listened to the audio book of The Other Bennet Sister, one of the things I particularly liked about it was that Mrs Bennet sounded just like Alison Steadman!

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