It’s official. After a solid few weeks of constant browser-refreshing to catch new episodes the moment they’re available, and of re-watching past episode after past episode in an attempt to fill up the time between, I think I can safely say that I am obsessed with ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.’
Which, I have to admit, is definitely unexpected. When the YouTube series was initially recommended to me, I reluctantly clicked on that first episode convinced that I was going to like it just as much as I’ve liked every other reworking of Jane Austen’s original masterpiece that’s to say, not at all. But that first video surprised me, the second hooked me in, and now I’m clearly infatuated enough to prepare to write an entire article about exactly why and how much I love this show.
Before I do, though, here’s a little bit about what the series looks like for those of you who may not be familiar with it.
What: An online, modernized adaptation of Austen’s Pride and Prejudice produced in vlog-style and narrated by 24-year old mass communications grad student Lizzie Bennet. Allegedly created by Lizzie and Charlotte Lu, her best friend, as a project for an integrated communications seminar, the diaries depict the events of Lizzie’s daily life – a life lived under the shadow of her mother’s constant plugs for marriage, and one that is drastically changed by the arrival of wealthy medical student Bing Lee in the neighborhood, her fashion assistant sister Jane’s subsequent relationship with him, a falling out with Charlotte and, of course, the constant snarking of a mysterious corporate official named William Darcy.
Who: Developed, directed and produced by Hank Green (of Vlogbrothers fame) and Bernie Su. Featuring the relatively unknown but absolutely genius talent of Ashley Clements as Lizzie, ‘2 Broke Girls’ star Laura Spencer as her older sister Jane, Mary Kate Wiles as the charmingly hilarious Lydia, and Julia Cho as sensible Charlotte. So far in the show, there have also been a multitude of guest appearances, including several from Bing Lee and his younger sister Caroline, the gorgeously manipulative George Wickham, Mr. Ricky Collins and, most recently, the elusive Darcy himself.
When: New episodes – each between three-and-a-half and five minutes long – are posted every Monday and Thursday.
How: Though the bulk of the show takes place on YouTube – i.e. both the primary storyline and the two spin-offs that support it – the world is also completely integrated onto just about every social media platform. All of the characters, for example, have some combination of a Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Pinterest personality. Moreover, they interact with each other and their followers as if they were actually real.
As is probably already clear from even this, the most disjointed cross-section of a description, ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ is really smart, really well-crafted series. But that’s not all that it has going for it – not even close. It has so many more incredible elements that, when combined with its compellability as an adaptation well-done, truly make for a show worth watching. So, without further delay, here we go:
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Her name is Lizzie Bennet, and these are the reasons why I think her diaries are amazing.
- The show was definitely created with Pride and Prejudice fans in mind.
Bernie Su, who writes almost all of the scripts, is absolutely fantastic in his interpretations – in knowing what aspects of the novel to repurpose as a modern counterpart and what to leave alone. And he does so in such a way that even the little nuances of the script remain amazingly in line with both the events and attitudes of Austen’s creation, yet still form a work that is very much distinct. For example, in LBD, Kitty Bennet actually is a little cat who follows Lydia around everywhere.
(Sad, related-but-a-little-bit-tangential fact: there are some viewers who aren’t aware that the show is based on Pride and Prejudice. Even sadder fact: there are also some viewers who think it’s a real vlog and not a scripted show.)
Also, in conjunction with this, there’s the fact that:
- Lizzie’s world is our world.
This may seem like a really redundant and unnecessary thing to point out, but I don’t exactly mean it in the sense that Lizzie and Co. exist in time with cell phones and internet – though that is a part of it. What I’m really trying to get at is the fact that the idea of the internal logic of the show operating based on modern values – including modern conceptions of feminism – actually makes it easier for me, and for nearly every other girl that I’ve talked to about to the show, to become more invested in the storyline.
That’s at all not to say that Pride and Prejudice isn’t brilliant, and its characters and plot incredibly engaging. Because I would absolutely be the first person to stand up and say that I am in love with Austen’s novel. But I’d also be the first person to admit that, despite its relative forwardness within its own time, it’s still very much a product of different era. Let’s face it, there’s just something much more inherently relatable and, in a way, acceptable to us about Charlotte exercising her practicality by accepting a job offer from Mr. Collins as opposed to his hand in marriage.
So, essentially: mad props to Bernie and Hank for their spot-on analogies.
- There are skits. And costumes. And really cool accents.
Yes, you read right: Lizzie and anyone that she can rope into joining her retell just about every scenario by way of full-out enactment. And they are hands-down some of the funniest moments of the entire show. But, actually. My standing personal favorite is anything that includes Mrs. Bennet – who
apparently, for some uncertain but completely hilarious reason, has a Southern accent and the most ridiculous hat.
- The Bennet sisters are all gingers.
Enough said.
- The Ly-dee-uh.
Lydia Bennet would definitely have to round out this list as the thing that I find most admirable about LBD. Specifically, the transformation of Lydia from one of the most irritating characters in the history of English literature to one of the greatest personalities of the YouTube world. She’s quirkily adorable, irresponsibly crazy, compassionate, insightful and ultimately endearing; in short, she possess a depth that Austen’s Lydia never quite seems to reach. Which definitely makes for a much more interesting and entertaining dynamic among the Bennet sisters – especially since Mary and Kitty are somewhat absent throughout.
And there you have it: all of the reasons why ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries’ is currently the greatest show on my watch list. Now all that’s left is for you to catch it on http://www.youtube.com/user/lizziebennet and let me know what you think!