Lost in Austen

Lost in Austen is the new ITV series, airing on Wednesdays. They've shown two episodes so far, and this is must view stuff for Jane Austen fans.

Amanda Price is a Jane Austen fan. She reads the books over and over. She re-watchs the old BBC series of Pride and Prejudice, starring Colin Firth. Even the ring-tone on her mobile phone has the music from the series (and the title music for Lost in Austen is also a clever variation on the theme of the music for the original BBC series). Compared to the fictional Darcy, her real life boyfriend who likes to watch football while drinking a beer, can't compare, especially when one night, feeling drunk and sentimental, he proposes, with the ring-pull of his beer can.

But Amanda discovers a gateway to the past in her bathroom, and Elizabeth Bennet walks through it, and Amanda walks into Elizabeth's world. Elizabeth is enjoying 21st century life so much that she locks the door, so Amanda can't get back. Amanada is forced to stay, as Elizabeth's friend, while telling everyone Elizabeth is visiting her home in Hammersmith.

Only she isn't enjoying Jane Austen's world as much as she thought she would. Everything is slightly off, slightly more realistic. Lots of little things are reversed. Mr Bennet is more indifferent to his daughters than in the novel, and Mrs Bennet cares more about their welfare than in the novel (eg Mrs Bennet is worried about Jane getting a cold in the rain while Mr Bennet is not).

Everything starts to go wrong. For a start, a 21st century girl who is rather "forward", happily drinking and kissing everyone, is very attractive to the men. Especially when she tells everyone she is on "£27000 a year", which average 21st century salary is massive riches in the 18th century (it's nearly three times Darcy's income). First, Bingley falls for Amanda instead of Jane. Then Mr Collins proposes to Amanda (instead of to the plain Charlotte Lucas like he was supposed to). At least Mr Collins retracts, but only after Wickham tells everyone that Amanda's family money is made in a fishmongers business (shocking!).

Then Darcy seems to rather fancy Amanda, but by this time his rudeness and rigid refusal to be kind to the Bennets is wearing Amanda out. It's all rather harder to take in the flesh than in the novel and she's beginning to understand why Elizabeth won't come back from the 21st Century. To cap things all, poor Jane ends up marrying Collins (Mr Bennet making no attempt to protect his daughter). The whole thing starts to seem like a nightmare to Amanda, who is not sure how she will get the novel back on track (and neither is the view!)

To view previous episodes on ITV Catchup, click here