"Lost in Austen" (2008) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

3 September 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Fantasy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Plot:

Amanda, an ardent Jane Austen fan, lives in present day London with her boyfriend Michael, until she finds she's swapped places with Austen's fictional creation Elizabeth Bennett.

Plot Keywords:

Jane Austen | England | English | Romanticism | 1800s

Cast

Jemima Rooper	...	Amanda Price (4 episodes, 2008)
Elliot Cowan	...	Mr. Darcy (4 episodes, 2008)
Hugh Bonneville	...	Mr. Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Florence Hoath	...	Kitty Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Alex Kingston	...	Mrs. Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Morven Christie	...	Jane Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Perdita Weeks	...	Lydia Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Tom Mison	...	Mr. Bingley (4 episodes, 2008)
Ruby Bentall	...	Mary Bennet (4 episodes, 2008)
Christina Cole	...	Caroline Bingley (4 episodes, 2008)
Tom Riley	...	Mr. Wickham (3 episodes, 2008)
Guy Henry	...	Mr. Collins (3 episodes, 2008)
Gugu Mbatha-Raw	...	Pirhana (2 episodes, 2008)
Daniel Percival	...	Michael (2 episodes, 2008)
Gemma Arterton	...	Elizabeth Bennet (2 episodes, 2008)
Lindsay Duncan	...	Lady Catherine de Bourgh (2 episodes, 2008)
Michelle Duncan	...	Charlotte Lucas (2 episodes, 2008)

Also Known As:

Inside Austen (UK) (working title)

Runtime:

60 min (including commercials) (4 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:PG | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Allerton Castle, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Mammoth Screen

Trivia:

The black velvet striped day dress Lindsay Duncan (Lady Catherine) wears at Longbourn is the same costume Anna Chancellor (Caroline Bingley) wears at Netherfield Hall in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995). The same costume is also worn by Janine Duvitski (Mrs. Bute Crawley) when Becky and Rawdon return to Queen's Crawley in "Vanity Fair" (1998), and by an extra in a London street scene in "Little Dorrit" (2008).

Quotes:

Mr. Darcy: Are my wits disordered by opium? Where is this dreadful place?
Amanda Price: This is London. My London.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Lost in Austen: Behind the Scenes (2008) (TV)

Wonderful breath of fresh air!

I am utterly captivated by this refreshing take on Austen. I used to love romantic periodical novels when much younger, but they have since fallen out of favour with me, as they are all so alike. Here I am quite unaware, as of yet, what may happen and I absolutely adore the suspense.

The actors are well chosen for their task and I am quickly falling in love with them one by one. I never thought I would see Mr Bingley as adorable, but in this it is quite so. The characterizations over all are very well thought out, especially Mr Bennet (the father). I must also give Alex Kingston some cheer for her portrayal of Mrs Bennet, as it is a far more layered performance than one would first expect.

Our leading lady is also quite the find. She is very human without being the typical foot-in-mouth we usually see in these trapped-in-another-world stories. Not to say that she doesn't make mistakes, but it has yet to become painful or terribly unbelievable in any way.

So to summarize: Watch this series, not because you are an Austen puritan, which may make you regret such action, but because you love periodicals, fantasy and beautiful language. Oh, and romance that takes its sweet time. ^^