Viewers hail new Jane Austen series The Other Bennet Sister as ‘best period drama’

The BBC’s latest Jane Austen drama, The Other Bennet Sister, has had viewers glued to their screens since it premiered on Sunday night. 

An adaptation of Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel, the ten-part series reimagines the world of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and stars Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife) as Mary Bennet, the often forgotten middle sister.

The story follows Mary as she leaves her family home in Meryton for London in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention.

Sarah Quintrell, who has writing credits on The Power and His Dark Materials, penned nine of the episodes, while Maddie Dai (We Were Dangerous) wrote one episode. 

As a huge period drama and Jane Austen fan, I’ve been counting down the days until the release of The Other Bennet Sister, and this charming reimagining of Austen’s beloved classic featuring stellar performances is a must-watch for Pride & Prejudice fans. 

Keep reading to find out what viewers have said about the show…

What have viewers said about the series? 

It’s safe to say that viewers are loving the new series, which also stars Richard E. Grant, Ruth Jones, Indira Varma and Laurie Davidson.

Taking to social media, viewers praised the drama as “wonderful” and the “best period drama” in a long time.

One person wrote on X: “Couldn’t wait for more after tonight’s introduction to The Other Bennet Sister. Now I’ve finished the whole series. It was absolutely wonderful,” while another binge-watched all five available episodes, adding: “Absolutely loved this! Watched all iplayer episodes on Sunday, fantastic!!!!!”

A third viewer penned: “Really loving this series! Best period drama on TV for a long while in my opinion,” while another hailed the show as “brilliant”. 

Viewers also praised the casting of Lucy Briars, who played Mary in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, as Mrs Hill. One person wrote on X: “Just caught up on #TheOtherBennetSister AND delighted to see Lucy Briers, Mary from the definitive 1995 Pride & Prejudice playing Hill. Can’t believe it’s been 31 years.”

A second added: “Brilliant casting Lucy Briers (the original Mary) as Hill, the long suffering servant.”

What is The Other Bennet Sister about? 

Based on Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel of the same name, the series focuses on Mary Bennet, the seemingly unremarkable and overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice.  

The story follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows and embarks on a journey of self-discovery, while also finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way. 

The synopsis reads: “The story begins at Longbourn, the Bennet family home, where Mr and Mrs Bennet preside over a lively household of five unmarried daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As society’s pressures mount, the Bennet sisters navigate the glittering yet precarious world of Regency England, where marriage is both aspiration and necessity.

“While her sisters pursue romance and social triumph, Mary embarks on a very different path. Leaving Longbourn behind, she travels to London to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, in their elegant home on Gracechurch Street. There, Mary begins a journey of self-discovery, stepping out of the shadows and into her own story.”

What leading star Ella has said about her character

Speaking to HELLO! ahead of the show’s premiere, leading star Ella revealed why Mary wears her glasses throughout nearly every scene. 

“Everybody involved, luckily including myself, didn’t want [the show] to have a naff makeover aspect to it,” she said. “Where, as the story progresses, Mary starts having these romantic interests and she gradually lets her hair down and her glasses come off.”

The actress continued: “We could have done that and it could have been subtle, but I just think it would have been completely the wrong message. So we were really certain – because we had a choice as to how much the glasses were on as we were filming – we were like, ‘Let’s just try and make sure that they’re on for all the romantic moments and that she’s not criticised for those bits.'”

How to watch The Other Bennet Sister

The first five episodes of The Other Bennet Sister premiered on BBC iPlayer on Sunday 15 March, with a weekly double bill on BBC One at 8pm. 

The remaining five episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer on Sunday 29 March at 6am. BritBox will premiere the series exclusively in the US and Canada on 6 May.