The Other Bennet Sister, a BBC miniseries spun off from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, has been hailed as a 'perfect period drama' by The Guardian and holds a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The six-part series, adapted from Janice Hadlow's novel of the same name, shifts the spotlight onto Mary, the bookish and socially awkward middle daughter of the Bennet family. In Austen's original, Mary is the family's ugly duckling, characterised as stern and plain, and outshone by her older sisters Jane and Lizzie, as well as her younger sisters Kitty and Lydia.
Hadlow's novel gave this minor character a path towards independence and love, and the adaptation features Ella Bruccoleri as Mary, with Dónal Finn (Tom Hayward) and Laurie Davidson (Will Ryder) as romantic interests.
Critical acclaim and audience reaction
The Guardian included the show on its list of the six best programmes of 2026 so far, writing: "This gorgeous, funny show offered a spirited new take: the overlooked sister, Mary, telling the classic story from her perspective. Ella Bruccoleri was superbly cast as the misunderstood 'spinster' who goes on to carve her own path and fall into a love triangle of her own. A perfect period drama."
The series has also won over viewers who would not normally watch such fare. One reviewer, describing himself as a "61-year-old geezer", admitted in an IMDB review that he found himself hooked by the end of the first episode, calling the show "completely sublime". He wrote: "Every single thing is just done so well. Yes the settings & costumes & dialogue. But mostly the wonderful, marvellous casting and acting by everyone in the cast. And I mean everyone, I was going to single out the main actors but it would be churlish when they are all so perfect."
Future of the series
A three-episode Christmas special is confirmed to air later this year. Beyond that, the series has covered all of its source material, and a second run remains little more than a distant hope for fans, at least for now.
The Other Bennet Sister is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
