The Other Bennet Sister Is A Love Letter To The Woman Nobody Picked First

It’s unavoidable, that in every group, people get labeled. They’ll say, “She’s the prettiest, she’s the smartest, or she’s the most popular.” It’s an inevitable fact of life and a human phenomenon that has persisted since the beginning of time. 

And in Jane Austen’s beloved classic Pride & Prejudice, the Bennet sisters were no exception. Eldest sister, Jane, was the beauty. Elizabeth the strong wit and apple of her father’s eye. Kitty was youthful, fun, and bright. Lydia was the baby and her mother’s golden child. And then there was Mary. What’s a girl to do when she’s not known as the prettiest, wittiest, or most desired? 

In BBC’s bingeworthy new TV series, The Other Bennet Sister, that’s exactly the predicament Mary finds herself in. 

A Look Back at Longbourne

People can’t get enough of Jane Austen’s eternally romantic Pride & Prejudice, whether reading the book or watching a retelling. There’s very little that compares to the romantic punch that it packs. The depth of characters, the build-ups, the yearning, and the confessions of love. It's hard to get much better than the romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. And although many spinoffs have tried to recreate that lightning in a bottle, the shows have always fallen a little flat. And that’s where the BBC seems to have hit a stroke of genius by shifting the camera away from Lizzie Bennet and pointing it right at her bookish sister, Mary. 

You’ll remember Mary as the awkward, pedantic middle Bennet sister. Austen repeatedly used her as a foil for Lizzie. Where Elizabeth’s wit was effortless, Mary strived. Where Elizabeth was socially aware, Mary was anything but. So how can an entire TV show succeed when it’s focused on the life and love of an introverted hermit like Mary?

The Warmth of Austen Lives On

Trust me when I say, it does. And not only does it succeed but it creates some of the most riveting television I’ve seen in a while. Honestly, it was so warm and wonderful it felt like I was watching an amalgamation of Pride and Prejudice with the other classic sister tale of Little Women. The show brings you into the Bennet sister’s world in a way I didn’t even know was possible. It doesn’t tear down Austen’s original story. Instead, it craftily continues it. It plays on the same warmth, romance, humor, and family dynamics that make it timeless. 

And it even expertly plays on some dynamics that were left open in the original novel, expanding our understanding of some two-dimensional side characters. All while not betraying the original story. The show is beautifully filmed, the costumes exquisite, and the actors are superb. And unlike some other Regency-era shows, (ahem) Bridgerton, this show doesn’t rely on a "bodice-ripper" type format to keep the drama and romance going. It’s driven by characters and dialogue, not sex scenes and raunch. 

And you'll never guess who saves the day in the end. It’s full of constant surprises.

There’s Something About Mary

In today’s age of personal branding and social media influencers, we’re constantly encouraged to define ourselves by our standout qualities. Even if we’re not influencing online, our social culture pushes us to find our "thing." But what if you don’t have an obvious "thing"? What if you’re still figuring it all out? Or maybe you don’t want to be defined by what you do but simply by the totality of who you are?

Mary represents so many women who feel out of place because they’re not distinguished by an action they excel at. Mary is smart, there’s no doubt about that, but as she points out, she studies because excellence doesn’t come naturally. She strives. 

Throughout this series, we grow with Mary as she goes from self-doubting spinster to mature, confident woman. This TV series avoids so many pitfalls of contemporary women’s stories. It doesn’t have Mary fully self-actualize by sleeping around, finding her dream job that completes her, and it doesn’t shy away from Mary wanting a man. But it doesn’t turn her into Elizabeth 2.0. It doesn’t force an extravagant makeover or unearth some hidden genius. The series resists the storytelling trap that Mary had a hidden gift all along. It allows her to yearn for love without feeling bad for wanting it. And throughout the series we watch as she grows in confidence, maturity, and self-knowledge while remaining recognizably herself.

The Christian Message at the Heart of Mary Bennet’s Story

After watching the entire series, something remarkable stood out to me about the show’s overall message. The biggest lesson from this entire show is a deeply Christian belief. One that runs counter to the messages that Hollywood or mainstream culture typically promote. And it's that our lives are inherently valuable. 

Mary’s worth wasn’t granted to her because she all of a sudden became exceptional. She didn’t earn the right to love and respect because she became more talented, more charismatic, or proved her life would make everyone else’s easier or better. Even when her own parents wouldn’t vouch for her value, she still had a right to life and love. She possessed inherent dignity, even when no one, including herself, recognized it. 

This is why The Other Bennet Sister feels unexpectedly moving. It’s anathema to the cultural messages we receive about optimizing ourselves, building our brand, standing out, all in an effort for people to value us more. Our value will never come from the goodness of our actions or the volume of our output. We are valuable and loved because we are human beings created in the image of God. And although this show doesn’t deliver that firm of a connection, it certainly promotes a core Christian principle.

Mary’s Story is Universal

Beyond the romance, costumes, and faithful continuation of Jane Austen's beloved world is a series that tells a deeper lesson. The lesson that human beings aren’t valuable because they're the prettiest, funniest, smartest, or most successful in the room. That's why Mary's story feels so universal. 

Every overlooked woman can see herself in the Bennet sister who spent years believing she had nothing remarkable to offer. Only to discover that being loved was never contingent on being extraordinary, according to the world’s standards. In giving a voice to the sister everyone overlooked, The Other Bennet Sister masterfully reminds us that all lives are worthy of dignity, belonging, and a little romance.