The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is a modern adaptation of Jane Austens classic novel Pride and Prejudice. While Austen's novel takes place in Regency England this version is set in our time somewhere in California (although I don't think that's actually been said so don't take my word for it but San Francisco and Los Angeles are both plot points so I'm just going based off of that). Lizzie's diaries tell the story of 24 year-old communications major Lizzie Bennet in her last year of school. With the help of her friend Charlotte Lu who edits the videos (instead of Charlotte Lucas) she puts together a vlog for her thesis project detailing the lives of her "crazy" family.
That family includes:
Jane "Its-so-good-to-see-you" Bennet aka the sweetest person you'll ever meet according to her sister Lizzie. Jane is a fashion merchandise coordinator who works extra hard trying to pay off her student loans.
The Lydia Bennet
Lydia who according to Lizzie via the second video is "a cute, adorable humps the neighbors leg puppy" . Anyone who knows the story of Pride and Prejudice knows that Lydia is the trouble maker in the family. She is in this one too but Lydia's storyline instead of running away with creepy George Wickham is like everything else in the series modernized. And done so incredibly well might I add. Seriously, you won't see it coming if you watch.
The family's life is made even more interesting when new neighbors move in next door. In the novel we had The Bingley's and Mr. Darcy. In the video blog we have Bing Lee and Caroline Lee and William Darcy instead of Fitzwilliam.
Bing Lee
Bing Lee is a rich supposedly med student who seems to spend a lot more time with Jane then actually studying throughout the series...which he should be doing since that's what med school students do. Right???? But perhaps he's not a med school student. Maybe he's secretly James Bond. Kidding. There is no James Bond in this. I promise.
Caroline Lee
Caroline Lee is Bing's super pretty sister who seems to be in love with Darcy although he doesn't seem the slightest bit interested. Probably because Darcy is too busy thinking about "a pair of fine eyes".
William Darcy
William Darcy is the CEO of his own company who "has the social skills of an agoraphobic lobster". Lizzie has to awkwardly dance with him at a family friends wedding and is anything but impressed. And vice versa. She also thinks he's "boring, stuffy, unbelievably rude" and a lot more unflattering things.
Other characters featured
George Wickham
George Wickham in this version briefly dates Lizzie. He's also a swim coach. And I'm pretty sure has devil horns on him somewhere. Kidding. Kind of.
Kitty Bennet
Kitty is actually a kitten in this case. She's Lydia's cat.
Mary Bennet
Mary instead of being one of Lizzie's sisters is their goth cousin who Lydia stays with briefly and films her own vlogs with. They're adorable and just as good as The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Plus they explain a lot of important stuff that happens although they're not essential to Lizzie's Diaries. But they're still fun to watch.
Gigi Darcy
Gigi Darcy is William Darcy's younger sister. She shows up in the later half of the series and also gets her own vlog as part of an app promo for Darcy's company. The app is called Domino and explains a little bit about how Darcy ends up helping the Bennets when they end up going through their George and Lydia drama. Again not something you have to watch to get Lizzie's story line but fun.
Mr. Collins
Mr. Collins is adapted into a former grade school friend of Lizzie's who has his own company. He offers Lizzie a job which Lizzie wants nothing to do with.
The series as a whole is incredibly funny, witty, and probably one of the best adaptations of Pride and Prejudice there is. Being the Austen fan that I am I have seen A LOT of them. Any character cut or changed was done so with purpose. The vlog also uses social media resources like tumblr and twitter to add more character development and interaction. Tweets are used to cleverly hint at plots that might be addressed in that weeks episode. As a whole the series is an imaginative re-telling of the classic brilliantly making use of today's technology to add to it.
So if you haven't already check it out on The Lizzie Bennet Diaries youtube channel and to learn more visit http://www.lizziebennet.com/.
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