The BBC has announced a new Pride and Prejudice TV spin-off, The Other Bennet Sister.
The 10-episode limited series will follow Mary Bennet, the overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The Other Bennet Sister is based on Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel of the same name.
Mary is a secondary character in Pride and Prejudice, while her older sister, Elizabeth, is the main protagonist.
What to Expect in The Other Bennet Sister?
“Unlike her sisters, Mary isn’t your typical period drama heroine. She is awkward, anxious, preachy, full of facts, a terrible singer… overlooked by her mother and seemingly destined to an empty dance card for the rest of her life… until Mary takes matters into her own hands,” BBC’s synopsis reads. “The Other Bennet Sister gives Mary Bennet the epic love story nobody predicted for her, taking her from her family home in Meryton to the soirees of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District — all in search of independence, romance, and, most elusive of all, self-love and acceptance.”
Sarah Quintrell (The Power) will write and executive produce The Other Bennet Sister. Quintrell told BBC that she can’t wait to “bring this beautiful story to screen,” especially for all “the Marys.”
Bad Wolf, the production company behind Industry and the recent Doctor Who specials, will produce The Other Bennet Sister for BBC iPlayer and BBC One. Executive producers include Hadlow, Kate Crowther, Becca Kinder, Jane Tranter, and Rebecca Ferguson.
In 1995, the BBC aired a six-part television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Jennifer Ehle played Elizabeth Bennet, while Colin Firth starred as Mr. Darcy. The popular series is considered one of the best adaptations of an Austen novel.
(Source: BBC)
