I just finished watching the other Bennett sister about a week ago and I just have to discuss it because I have so many thoughts. I know Pride & Prejudice remakes and spin offs are often controversial in their necessity to even be made, but this was a necessity. Mary lived in a time where it's literally marriage or misery in all the ways that count. Following that fact she was born into a family that didn't always appreciate her, mostly regarding who mother who everytime she opened her mouth I just wanted to close the computer. She was horrible and made sure marry knew how little standards she does and ever will live up to, in her eyes at least. When marry got to London it wasn't necessarily the romance I was much interested in anymore. Watching her literally flourish into the most beautiful and outgoing version of herself make me genuinely think of all ways we as people are able to find our own happiness. She found all this new ground to walk on and new people who adored her regardless of her off set to what society would picture the perfect lady. She spoke her mind and god forbid she wore glasses. And her mind and manner being the thing that Mr. Hayward loved the most about her was extremely meaningful. Now the romance aspect itself was great in my opinion, I enjoyed the conflict in the beginning and the foolishness at the end, but Mary's journey as a woman is the highlight for me. She broke through the words her mother scorned her with for her whole life, with her mind, her new found life experience, books, and her spectacles god dammit. This was a beautiful interpretation of a young woman who simply needed to extract herself from the environment that was intentionally enabling her to think she would always be a disappointment, and place herself into an environment of nothing but uncertainty and a little bit of hope. Sorry if this was so unnecessarily long I've just been thinking about it all week.
Hi, you might have better luck with discussion on r/PeriodDramas , quite a few people have watched it there!
2
ToasterYetiRanchApr 11, 2026
+1
Came here to say exactly this. r/PeriodDramas is like the Avengers HQ of “but what about this overlooked Regency woman” discussions.
1
GirlNeeds_ABreak269Apr 11, 2026
Thank you!!
0
CaregiverUsual6020Apr 11, 2026
+1
Based on your lovely review, I will watch it. Thank you.
1
Repulsive-You-7294Apr 11, 2026
+1
you watched a version of Mary that did not exist in the novel, but in someone else’s fan fiction interpretation of that novel and character.
Mary was NOT a shy, insecure, wallflower. She was VAIN. Not as pretty as her sisteRS, her vanity wasn’t in her looks…it was in her self-perception of intelligence and musical skills. Jane Austen wrote that Mary was more accomplished than any of her sisters, but because she was basically a constant show-off and pompous about it - people enjoyed listening to her less. Mary is a Jan Brady…a female Mr.Collins. She thinks she’s philosophical, but she’s not really.
The Other Bennet sister further strays from the original source material by changing the ending of P&P. Mr.Bennet doesn’t die right after Jane and Lizzie marry, Jane and Bingley move away from Netherfield, and MARY stays in Meryton becoming the most accomplished woman in the village (something she relishes) and marries a law clerk if her Uncle Phillip’s (that last part was revealed in Jane Austen’s memoirs).
People have latched on to Mary because she was “plain” , projecting their own personalities and issues onto her, completely robbing her character of its silliness. She wasn’t written to be a sympathetic character. Mr. Darcy whose own sister was shy, woukdnt have condemned Mary for being shy or even for her looks (because she was NOT SHY). Instead he tells Elizabeth that her younger sisters dont exercise propriety. it’s obvious with Lydia and Kitty. Why would he say this about Mary? Because she commandeers and rushes the pianoforte every chance she gets in an eager effort to show off her mad skills.
This author completely misread her character.
1
TmadredApr 11, 2026
+3
I agree with everything else you said, but I don’t think Hadlow misread Mary’s character. She just used the character as a base to go off and tell her own story. Is it the Mary of the book? No. Is it a Mary you can root for? Yes.
3
Repulsive-You-7294Apr 12, 2026
+1
then she should gave created her own original story and left Jane Austen’s characters alone. I have no problem with people dreaming up their own stories with beloved characters…but when you have to completely change a character (s) to make your story work? you are merely riding the coat tails of someone else’s storytelling success to try to garner interest in yours. Create your own world.
1
Ghosts_do_ExistApr 12, 2026
+3
As a huge fan of P&P (as well as most of Austen's other works), I have to disagree. I went into *The Other Bennett Sister* expecting a butchering of the original source material *a la* Nexflix's *Persuasion*, but I was pleasantly surprised. I think the series did a good job of *expanding* on Mary's character, not necessarily altering it. Additionally, the Mary in the series seems to draw characterization from the 1995 miniseries and 2005 movie as well, which makes sense as part of the "P&P extended universe." They in fact do include many of the character flaws found in the original novel's characterization; but Mary's actions and behaviors are given context & motivation, and her character isn't as one-dimensional as in the novel, so her flaws don't seem as glaring. Additionally, Mary is able to learn from the events that unfold, and modify and improve her character.
3
Repulsive-You-7294Apr 12, 2026
+2
im glad you enjoyed it…but it’s rewriting the ending of P&P that further irritates me. Mr.Bennet dying after Lizzie and Jane are married? No. Jane Austen literally wrote he often visited Pemberly. Jane and Bingley leave Netherfield. Those are Jane Austen’s words and intentions for her characters. It should be respected if you’re going to play in her world.
2
pennie794 days ago
+2
>Mr.Bennet doesn’t die right after Jane and Lizzie marry
He doesn't here, either. We have a time skip where the first 3 get married. Then Kitty gets married at an unspecified point. Then it's the three of them at Longbourn for an unspecified time.
>Because she commandeers and rushes the pianoforte every chance she gets in an eager effort to show off her mad skills.
Mary does that here too. The difference is that she grows, and does this less over the course of the series.
It's not a perfect adaptation, but is moderately true enough to the original P&P that I can enjoy the ride.
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