Greetings,
Doing modern adaptations of classic works is nothing new. In fact, some may say, it has been done to death. I can agree with that on certain occasions. Of course, if one wants to do such a thing, they must be as original as possible, and what they create must be very, very good. Enter The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
For those sad few of you who are unaware, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a web series that ran on You Tube from 2012 to 2013. It is, obviously, a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice. Like I said, it is hard to retell a story that everyone already knows and keep people interested. They certainly did that here. It's a great mix of the novel used as a foundation with new ideas and twists on characters to build on top of that. I could go on and on about the details, like the stellar cast, headed by the lovely Ashley Clements, but I suggest you do this: just go watch. Seriously, it is quite entertaining. Also, this list I'm doing today truly is for the fans who already know the plot and the characters, but if you'd like to read on, be my guest. But watch this series eventually. It's worth it.
And now for my list of favorites. Some will be obvious; others, not so much. Some might make you guys just say, "What?" But I have my reasons, and it was hard to choose. Enough stalling. My name is Becky the Writer, and these are my Top Ten episodes of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.
#10. "Care Packages" Episode 58 - Okay, this choice may be a bit unexpected. It might even be considered a bit of a filler episode, only there to serve as something on which to bring forth a big "Uh-oh!" moment at the end. Basically, it's just Lizzie and her friend, Fitz, putting together a care package for Jane, but there's something so fun and funny about this one that makes me always look forward to it as it approaches on the playlist. Also, I now know how to properly prepare a care package...should I ever have someone to whom I can send such a thing.
#9. "Enjoy the Adorbs" Episode 20 - Again, this one may come as a surprise. It's one of the few to not feature Lizzie, and nothing too major happens here. Actually, my love for this one stems from, what I consider, one of the funniest lines in the entire series - "My name is Lydia Bennet...AND THIS IS MY HAUL!" Yeah, I can't do it justice here, so go watch Mary Kate Wiles bring it on home.
#8. "My Name is Lizzie Bennet" Episode 1 - One of the hardest things to do when you are a writer is figuring out how to begin. I bet it's even harder when you are updating a book that many people love. So they wisely opened with the opening line from Pride and Prejudice...written on a statement shirt. Talk about perfectly blending the old and the new.
#7. "The End" Episode 100 - Another one of the hardest things to do when you are a writer is figuring out how to finish. Here, we get something of an open ending. Things are wrapped up, but we also see that these beloved characters are moving on to good places in their lives. It's a nice way to tell us that everyone's going to be okay. Also, after a long wait, we get to actually see one of those characters...sort of.
#6. "Checks and Balances" Episode 82 - So while Lizzie is in this episode, she is not the focal point. That honor goes to Gigi Darcy. After much speculation about a certain cad named George Wickham, Gigi fills us in on the truth, and she does so by exposing a lot of personal things about herself, including some very big mistakes that she made. I like this one because it is rather subtle, and I love how they handle this part of the story for which a lot of people were probably waiting.
#5. "C vs. C" Episode 64 - Girl fight! Holla! Okay, civilized girl fight. In the episode just previous to this one, we begin to see the genesis of what we had always been suspecting about Caroline Lee - that she's kind of, for lack of a better and less offensive word, a "mean girl". Here, though, things come to a head between Lizzie, Caroline and Charlotte, and it is fantastic. My word, these ladies have mastered the art of smiling whilst gritting one's teeth. Amazing.
#4. "Corporate Interview" Episode 83 - Of course, we all know that Pride and Prejudice is a story of people who seemingly dislike each other that slowly but surely becomes one of love. This installment shows us the first time that Lizzie and Darcy truly start to let their guards down and have some fun, something that Lizzie thought was pretty much incapable of at one point. But, judging by the last thirty seconds or so, we learn that he is capable. Oh, yes, quite, quite capable.
#3. "Snickerdoodles" Episode 48 - I love snickerdoodles, and I love Jane Bennet. Everyone loves Jane Bennet. She is the kind, loving, compassionate, older sister that one can only dream of having. She is also someone who, no matter what, seems to always see life from a positive perspective. As this episode begins, she does seem very positive. Too positive, considering what is going on in her life at this point. And Lizzie can see this. She doesn't push, but once she talks Jane into participating in some costume theater, her real emotions come through. It is so sad, and Laura Spencer, who plays Jane, wonderfully puts every viewer into "Holy crap, I totally have to give this girl a hug RIGHT NOW!" mode. Well, even more so than usual.
#2. "Are You Kidding Me?" Episode 60 - Anyone who loves Pride and Prejudice knows that there are certain moments to which we look forward with any adaptation. Probably none more than the moment where Darcy professes his love for Lizzie. However, in most adaptations, that comes after we have seen and heard Darcy for ourselves for a while. Here, all we know of him is what has come from other, especially Lizzie, who does not think so highly of him. Then, all of a sudden he just show up and tells her that he loves her, all in one fell swoop. And you know what? It really works well. Oh, and God bless Ashley Clements and her reaction faces. Priceless!
#1. "An Understanding" Episode 87 - Hey, how do you fancy an emotional punch in the gut? Well, here you go. For a series that is mostly comedy, you wonder how they will be able to handle more dramatic moments. If I am judging by this episode, I'd say brilliantly. Okay, first, this one features all three sisters and their respective actresses at their very best. Jane comes in to comfort Lizzie with a cup of tea and utters the now iconic line of "Everyone deserve tea", and then we get Lydia. Most of the time in this series, Lydia is seen as a very young, exuberant, fun-loving girl, who doesn't take things too seriously. Here, due to current circumstances in the story and in her life, she is forced to face all of her mistakes and the consequences thereof. It's kind of amazing, because, whilst everyone else is blaming another person, as well they should, Lydia seems to be the first one taking responsibility for her part in the whole mess. And through the whole experience, she is really being forced to grow up. The whole episode is really heartbreaking, mostly due to the superb performance of Mary Kate Wiles. But, at the same time, it's also heartwarming, because we get to see how much these three sisters truly do love each other.
So those are my favorites from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. If you haven't watched this series yet, go ahead and do it. And if you already have, then go watch it again. Also, get the book, which I plan on doing myself soon. The whole thing is just plain good, and if it can get a new generation to go and read the source material, or get into reading in general, I say thumbs up on that.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
