Austen Power: The Tale of Three Sisters

Without fail, there comes a time every year where I'd feel like watching shows set in the Victorian period (which inevitably leads to me binging on everything Austen). BBC, here I come!

Though this time it'll have to wait, because I'm here to pimp yet another modern retelling of Pride & Prejudice - but here's the plot twist: it so meta it's a vlog. Y'know, a video blog? Where people, uh, upload videos of themselves talking to the camera on Youtube?

Imagine if Elizabeth Bennet lived in the 21st century... and has a Youtube channel or her own.

 Where she talks about what a pompous prick Darcy is 24/7. 

And the Darcy here is... such a dork! I mean, he wears suspenders, for the love of Austen. And I'm pretty sure he's 80% Socially Awkward Penguin, or in his bestie Fitz Williams words, "has a social skills of a agoraphobic lobster." Oh Lizzie, if only you knew.

It's such an opportune time to be following this series (if you haven't already) because this week's episode has her visiting Pemberley. Yes, the place where Colin Firth got soaking wet in his shirt, THAT Pemberley. 

I'm ashamed to say that even being an Austen fan, many oh-so-witty alterations have escaped my notice, and I literally gave myself a headdesk when I realize Bing Lee refers to BingLEY. No duh - Bingley & Jane!! How could I! Seriously, my only thought was "oh, weird Asian name." *no face*

One of my favorite characters in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (that's the name of the show, by the way) is none other than sweet, sweet Jane. She is by far, my favorite version of Jane and is dare I say it, even better than the canon. She SO naturally sweet! But she's no vanilla either, there's a hidden strength in her that makes you cry - "one failed relationship does not define me," she says. 

And it damn well doesn't. Omo, The Feels it evoked when Bing Lee and Jane were together, but Bing Lee messed it up in a supremely dickheaded move by unceremoniously leaving town. Jane had to find out through a fucking tweet:

... yeah. Might be excusable when communcation's difficult in the 19th century, not so much in the 21st. At least have the decency to give her a phone call, you moron. If he comes crawling back, I can only hope that Jane looks deeeeeeep inside her soul for some bloodthirsty vengence and MAKE. HIM. PAY. 

Last but not least, the third Bennet sister: Lydia (not Kitty because she's literally a cat, ha). She's still a wild child in this one, or in Jane's words, "a special snowflake." But actress Mary Kate Wiles is playing her fabulously, and props to writers for coming up with such a "real" approachable character instead of reducing her to a caricature of a ditzy young woman who indulges in giggles-fest as a pastime.

Oh wait till you meet Collins, who is an absolute delight. And abs lovers watch out for Wickham ;)