Revisiting Lost in Austen (2008): What did you think of this miniseries?

Here's a summary of the premise if you haven't seen this one:

Amanda Price is a young woman in modern day London who longs for the age of romance and good manners depicted in her favorite novel, Pride and Prejudice. One day, she discovers a woman claiming to be Elizabeth Bennet herself in her bathroom. Elizabeth tells Amanda that she entered the room through a mysterious door she found in her own home, and when Amanda goes on to investigate it herself, she stumbles into the world of Pride and Prejudice with no idea how to return home.

Amanda is welcomed into the Bennet household as "Elizabeth's friend from Hammersmith" who is visiting the family while Elizabeth has supposedly gone away to stay at Amanda's. Amanda quickly realizes that she's in stepped into the beginning of the plot of Pride and Prejudice, except now there's no Elizabeth around for Mr. Darcy to fall in love with, and the stories of the characters are about to be derailed in a big way.

Amanda desperately tries to steer the plot back to its original course while also struggling to hold her own in a complex social environment that makes it very hard for young women to thrive... and while dealing with her own growing feelings for Mr. Darcy himself.

I had mixed feelings about this series. I found it to be pretty enjoyable in some ways and intolerable in others. For what it's worth, at least it made an impression since I can still remember it pretty well, even though I've only watched it once, and that was years and years ago.

It's one part "fish out of water" narrative about a modern women trying to get by in the regency era, one part self-insert P&P fanfiction, and one part "what if?" speculations about the characters of the novel. It very much feels like a series that was made by avid fans of the novel for avid fans of the novel, because it doesn't really bother to cater to those who are not already very familiar with the plot and characters of Pride and Prejudice.

One of the things that bothered me about the series was that it never finds a smooth way to marry the fantastical idea of someone finding a magic portal into the world of P&P and its commitment to historical accuracy. It kind of tries to have it both ways only to end up with a very confusing internal logic.

Sometimes the show subjects its main character to the social norms of the regency era, and sometimes she's left off the hook completely, and the audience is left confused about when and how they are supposed to suspend their disbelief. It's one thing to believe in a door that takes you through the boundaries of time and fiction, and an entirely other thing to buy that the Bennets would be totally okay with a total stranger appearing in their house and with Elizabeth going away on her own to stay with people they have never even heard of before.

In my opinion, the biggest weakness of the series is Amanda Price herself. I found her to be very unlikable and uninteresting. My guess is that they were trying to go for Bridget Jones type getting to live out her wildest P&P fantasies, but whereas Bridget is charmingly relatable despite (and often because of) her rough edges, Amanda just comes off as off-putting. I just didn't find any reason to root for her or to identify with her, and her character arc is essentially a flat line; she's pretty much the same person from start to finish.

This might also be a casting issue. I didn't like Jemima Rooper's acting performance at all, so it's possible that some other actress could have made this character work.

What this series does get right are the characters of Pride and Prejudice. Not only is this series full of excellent casting decisions (excluding the lead), but it also ends up taking the characters into interesting places when the plot of the novel inevitably changes. This gives the series the chance to play "what if?" with them and portraying them from new and often exciting angles. You can tell that the series was created by people who know and love the novel thoroughly.

To me, the two MVPs of the series are Tom Mison as Mr. Bingley and Alex Kingston as Mrs. Bennet. Mison unleashes the full comedic potential of Bingley, and he also gets to portray his darker side when the series gives us an idea of what a drunk and depressed Mr. Bingley might look like. Alex Kingston gets to portray way more sympathetic a Mrs. Bennet than what we usually get, as the series takes the time to consider whether Mrs. Bennet's irritating behavior might stem from her being belittled and ignored by her husband who never bothers to hide the fact that he thinks she's a total fool.

(spoiler about the ending)

I also really liked Gemma Arterton's Elizabeth Bennet. I loved her performance and would have honestly loved to see more of Elizabeth's adventures in the modern world. I also love where she ended up. Even though the series's decision not to have one of the most famous couples from the history of literature to end up together feels almost sacrilegious, it makes way more sense that Elizabeth wouldn't want to return home and marry Darcy if she got a taste of freedom and independence in the modern world.

I actually quite liked it!

I loved it. It's probably my most watched Austen thing because it never fails to make me laugh even though I know all the jokes.

Yes it's not true to the book, it's not supposed to be, but it is hilarious.

I will admit I don't buy Mr Darcy falling for Amanda but whatever.

I love how they flesh out the other characters, and give some of them different backstories. Well, not necessarily different, just expanded. Caroline Bingley is a lesbian is my handcanon now.

As a Brit, I do feel shame that I didn't pick up on the Miss Spencer joke when I first watched it.

Yeah things like the door don't really make much sense when you actually think about it but again whatever, suspension of disbelief and all that.

Also, "it's called a landing strip Lydia. Standard pubic topiary" will never not be funny.

I like the idea, but that was basically the only thing I liked. I couldn't get through a single episode without taking breaks.

My main problem is that the main character is supposed to be a mega fan, having read the books time and time again. Then when she enters the world she doesn't want to engage with it, not try the hairstyle when offered (I don't remember more specifics, was a long time since I saw it).

Perhaps I would have liked it if it was more "first time reading the book and falling asleep then dream-inserting herself". I could forgive so much more inconsistencies then.

I think it's fun.

Omg it's so much cringe but I do like a lot of it. Especially Mr. Darcy acknowledging that he knows Tinky Winky. I wouldn't watch this all the time but it gives me a lot to giggle over.

Like: Mr. Bennet being named Claude

Mr. Collins being kneed in the balls

Mrs. Bennet giving Lady Catherine De Bough a piece of her mind

Lady Ambrosia being a pig

Mr. Collins' brothers, Especially the one named Tinkler (?) Or perhaps it's his middle name. But it's bonkers.

Sorry for spoilers, I'm not sure how to white them out.

Most of it had me going ??? but I loved how quickly and easily Elizabeth fitted into the modern world. I'd quite like another series telling her story.

It is a bit of a cringe-fest, but also very self-indulgent. Most Austen fans would love to be the character every now and then, but I really can't stand the stand-in for the fans, Amanda. Even things that passing fans know about the time period completely miss this so-called mega fan of the book, sacrificing common sense for comedy. I don't blame the actress (I've enjoyed her in other stuff, like BBC's Atlantis, where she played Medusa) but the character wasn't written well. I enjoyed the dynamic between River Song's Mrs. Bennet and the Earl of Grantham's Mr. Bennet, as well as Kitty's idolizing of Amanda and how Bingley and Jane's love story still prevailed through the end. Actually, I thought that the casting for Jane was one of the best I've seen in a while. Any time I watch it, I spend half my time loving it and the other half wanting to skip to the end. It definitely evokes strong emotions, no matter what (I remember AMarguerite's rant about it on tumblr, which was quite strong)

Okay, Georgiana being locked in a room full of toddler toys CREEPS ME OUT

I thought it great fun. “I may have lost grip on reality but I’m still in control over my hair!”

I enjoyed it actually. I think the actors were physically more compatible with the novel than the classic BBC adaptation. The revisited lake scene and "Lady Catherine's buttresses" were hilarious. Wickham-with a-heart-of-gold, pervy Collins and Gangsta Mrs. Bennet were fun spins on the original.

Nah

More Austen => More Better

Thought I'd hate it, so I dodged it for years. But I enjoyed it once I simply regarded it as fun

Incidentally, the difference between the US broadcast version and the UK (original) broadcast version is: Amanda sings the Petula Clark ’60s hit, ”Downtown” in the UK broadcast version (and uk dvd). The song and rest of that scene were left off the US version broadcast and dvd because the US distributor didn’t want to pay royalties for using the song.

I hated it when I watched it back in high school, but I fall more toward the "purist" end of things and so everything in it made me fume. I'd probably be more chill about it now that I've lost most of my volatile teenage emotions.

It's like fanfiction came to life but while still respecting the material. The soundtrack is beautiful as well. Very 2000-something British (Amanda's modern day hair and clothes), but hey, it's my guilty pleasure!

I loved it. I was living in the UK when it was first broadcast and have watched it many times since. I thought it was bright, funny and made by people who truly love P&P for different reasons.

“Can you hear that, George? That’s Jane Austen, spinning in her grave like a cat in a tumble dryer!”

Yes, it’s silly but it’s very much my brand of humour. It’s definitely not for everyone.

How did I miss this? The trailer makes it look quite hilarious and light-hearted. I will give it a go.

Haven’t seen it is it worth giving a shot?

Thoroughly enjoyed it!

Loved it overall. Chemistry between Amanda and Darcy illogical, sadly. Fun trip nonetheless.

Loved it and still love it. Most of the criticisms are just finding fault to find fault. It’s supposed to be a lark and it is. Enjoy it, or shhhhhh

I've enjoyed this off and on over the years, but I constantly feel secondhand embarrassment every time Amanda is a horrible time traveler. I liked her best when she played off of Wickham and had a real, honest rapport. Upon each rewatch, I've become more convinced of the chemistry between Amanda and Wickham than her and Darcy. I also very much enjoy seeing Lord Grantham --cough cough, excuse me-- Mr. Bennet reimagined.