If you think you've seen every TV series set in the Jane Austen universe, here's one with an unusual twist. Death Comes to Pemberley is a three-part BBC drama adaptation of P.D. James' 2011 bestseller, picking up Austen's story six years after the novel's events with a murder mystery plot.
Plot and Setting
In June 1803, Mr and Mrs Darcy are hosting a ball at Pemberley Manor when chaos ensues with the arrival of Lydia Wickham. She claims her husband George has argued with his travelling companion Captain Denny, leading to Denny's death. The series swaps Austen's romance for a tightly woven whodunnit involving secrets, family ties, and a courtroom trial, exploring the impact on Darcy and Elizabeth's marriage.
Cast and Critical Reception
The cast includes Matthew Rhys as Darcy, Anna Maxwell Martin as Elizabeth, Matthew Goode as Wickham, and Jenna Coleman as Lydia. Other notable actors are Eleanor Tomlinson as Georgiana Darcy, James Norton as her suitor Henry Alveston, and Penelope Keith as Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Tom Ward, who plays Colonel Fitzwilliam, had a minor role in the 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation.
The first broadcast over Christmas 2013 pulled in nearly 8 million viewers for its opening episode. Critics praised it as "perfect" Christmas TV material. Online reviewers on IMDb call it "a substantial addition to Pride and Prejudice" and "a truly thrilling mystery that pays tribute to Miss Austen." Most reviews highlight the cast, with many saying the actors who played Elizabeth and Mr Darcy did the characters justice.
Streaming Details
All three episodes of Death Comes to Pemberley are streaming on Channel 4 now.
