THE OTHER BENNET SISTER – Review by Susan Granger
Jane Austen aficionados have devoted so much time to “Pride and Prejudice” characters Elizabeth and Darcy that it may come as a surprise that there’s The Other Bennet Sister, a new BritBox series heralded as a ‘sleeper sensation.’
The often-overlooked middle sister, Mary Bennet (Ella Bruccoleri), is a ‘late bloomer.’ According to her hypercritical mother (Ruth Jones) and apathetic father (Richard E. Grant), among the five ‘eligible’ Bennet daughters, she’s a dismal disappointment – not quick-witted nor beautiful, not energetic nor good at games.
Since there’s no male heir to inherit Longbourne, the family estate, siblings Jane (Maddie Close), Elizabeth (Poppy Gilbert), Kitty (Molly Wright) and Lydia (Grace Hogg-Robinson) must ‘marry well,’ since that’s the only respectable opportunity open to dutiful women in England’s Regency Era.
When all four are suitably wedded in quick succession, insecure still-single Mary is invited by her thoughtful uncle (Richard Coyle) and his kind wife (Indira Verma) to live with them in London as their children’s temporary governess, igniting her inspiring coming-of-age journey of self-discovery and identity independence.
Despite struggling with social awkwardness, bookish, bespectacled Mary is soon befriended by vivacious Ann Baxter (Varada Sethu), poetry-loving barrister Tom Hayward (Donal Finn) and she’s courted – albeit unconventionally – by rebellious William Ryder (Laurie Davidson), much to the consternation of snobbish, bitchy Caroline Bingley (Tanya Reynolds).
“You lack artifice. Your qualities shine out,” Mary’s told. “They’re not corrupted by the false polish of the world.”
And the delightfully subtle performance by Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife) embodies that cerebral uniqueness perfectly.
Based on Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel, adapted by Sarah Quintrell, this rich, re-imagined spinoff is an archetypal romantic period drama, exploring the “marriage or misery” dilemma faced by women in that patriarchal period.
On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, The Other Bennet Sister is an empathetic, enchanting 8 – with all 10 half-hour episodes streaming on BritBox and a three-part Christmas Special, showing Mary navigating married life, scheduled for December.
