#death comes to pemberly

[sweetfirebird]

Jane Austen in 17-whatever: I am going to depict the behaviors of not just a fuck boy, oh no, but an actual predator in all respects. A man who uses his friends, who betrays the trust of a superior officer, who leaves debts to businesses that needed the money with no intention of ever paying them, who lies easily for his own gain, and who preyed upon (and groomed into trusting him) two young girls who were not adequately protected, but actually paid someone to help him forcibly dishonor and marry one of them for her fortune. The language to describe men like this in those terms does not really exist in my time because sexism but as a woman from the time, we knew about men like this and to not trust them around young girls, and by God, I am going to make it clear that he is a villain who lacks conscience and a user and should never be trusted.

So many professional Pride and Prejudice adaptations and AU since then: what if Wickham wasn't that bad though, and silly Austen just didn't understand bad boys?

[underthewingsofthblackeagle]

Good Morning from Pemberly/UK :)

[xxgothchatonxx]

Oh, I finished Death Comes to Pemberly this afternoon!

Very nice ending, good mystery yada-yada-yada - I saw Lizzie and Darcy bangarang!!!

Including a little peek at Mrs Darcy's thigh... oh my...

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Collider decided now would be a good time to show some love to the 11-year-old miniseries Jenna Coleman appeared in just before filming the 50th anniversary special. Not complaining.

[classic80sand90smovieloves2]

If you like Pride and Prejudice and mystery I’d recommend the short series Death comes to Pemberly, it’s kind of an unofficial sequel to the original it’s an interesting watch!

Ooh, sounds like fun! While I’m at it I should probably watch the two adaptations of pride and prejudice. Should have thought of them earlier lol. 💓

[veronicaleighauthor]

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

“Pride and Prejudice” is a timeless classic, and the basis for many of today’s romcoms. Boy meets girl, boy offends girl, girl hates boy, girl inspires boy to become a better man, boy and girl live happily ever after. There have been countless updated retellings. Countless. Most of the Hallmark Movies are reminiscent of this trope. “You Got Mail” is by far one of the more popular ones. The Mormons have their version in “Pride & Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy.” There’s “Bride & Prejudice” a Bollywood version; a version where Lizzy and Darcy take on Zombies; and the murder mystery, “Death Comes to Pemberly.” I’m not even going to mention all of the novels flooding the market are “Pride and Prejudice” inspired. I love a new spin on an old classic…but let’s not beat a dead horse. Austen is a genius and considering all of the romcoms, remakes, retellings, the recycled “Pride and Prejudice” formula can feel worn out. Or worse, cheapened.

One afternoon, I noticed my sister looking at her phone, earbuds in, laughing out loud.

            “Veronica, you have got to see this!” She insisted, when she finished watching a video. “It’s a new, updated ‘Pride and Prejudice’ on YouTube. It’s called ‘The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.’ It’s hilarious!”

I nodded, but wasn’t too enthused with the idea. As I mentioned above, I had had my fill of “Pride and Prejudice” knock offs. Often the actors fall short in their portrayals of the characters. Or the 19th century manners, customs, and plotlines don’t translate well to the 21st century. Example – Lydia running off with Wickham, living out of wedlock in London, and having to marry to save her from complete ruin. While it wasn’t fair in the book, considering they lived in Georgian/Regency England, Lydia and Wickham had to marry. However, in the 21st century, reputations aren’t “ruined” if people live together. Also, in this modern era, women have more rights, freedoms, education, and money, which doesn’t make it imperative for them to marry at all if they don’t want to.

A few weeks later, I tuned into the first episode. Then the second, third…and so on. There were a hundred episodes in all and of an evening before turning in, I watched a handful. Lizzie Bennet, a grad student who lives at home and is up to her eyeballs in debt, is intent on having a lucrative career and decides to do a vlog series for a class. The audience gradually meets the large cast of characters in Lizzie’s life…her sisters sweet Jane and wild Lydia, her bestie Charlotte Lu, new comers Bing and Caroline Lee. A few are left to our imaginations, or end up in Lizzie’s comical reenactments. The one who she mocks most in her imitations is Darcy, a friend of Bing’s, who’s snobbish and rude behavior offends her. The story (which mirrors the original in a round about way) plays out before the camera, or is reenacted. Darcy continues to be illusive, until episode sixty, when the man himself makes an impromptu cameo.

The series of misunderstandings are eventually solved, and Darcy and Lizzie surrender their pride and prejudice, and allow themselves to fall in love. Their relationship is a marriage of true minds. As much as I enjoyed this new take on an old classic, it was many of the side characters whose story arcs intrigued me.

When Bing Lee returns to reunite with Jane, rather than jump at the chance of reconciling, Jane is offered an explanation and apology. She has plans put in motion in regards to her career, and instead of forfeiting her dreams, Bing Lee follows her lead and supports her.

Charlotte Lu isn’t condemned for accepting Mr. Collins’ proposal…of a job. While Lizzie might question her motives and happiness, we see Charlotte content with her choices and she has a way out of her financial woes. She can help provide for her mother and younger sister too.

Best of all, Lydia is not conveniently married off to Wickham at the story’s end. Lydia is not the one-dimensional, selfish ditz shown in some adaptations/retellings. She is a well-rounded, three-dimensional young woman. We feel compassion when she makes mistakes and is manipulated, and we can rejoice when she thrives after her association with Wickham ends.

I’ve watched The Lizzie Bennet Diaries multiple times and it never gets old. There’s something about it, especially during this pandemic, that is heartwarming. The oddball Bennet’s remind me of my own family. I’ve laughed and cried with this version, as much as I have with the original.

And you know what, I think it’s time for me to tune into it again. You can watch it for free on Youtube! I’ll even link the first episode here.

[sweetfirebird]

Death Comes to Pemberly choosing Matthew Goode to play Wickham is very good

[ofliterarynature]

April 2023 Wrap Up

[loved liked okay no thanks dnf book club*]

The Girl in the Tower | Gaudy Night | 84 Charing Cross Road | The God of Endings | Dead Collections | Legends & Lattes | Death Comes to Pemberly | The Bear and the Nightingale | The Nine Tailors | A House with Good Bones | The Spear Cuts Through Water | Delilah Green Doesn't Care | In Deeper Waters | Refusing Compulsory Sexuality | The Deep (Katsu)

[niakila]

Mysteries I’ve watched entirely

Psych

Murdoch mysteries

Miss Fishers Murder Mysteries

Grantchester

Miss Scarlet and the Duke

Miss Marple 2003

Scream Queens

Veronica Mars

Grimm

Pushing Daisies

Agatha Raisin

Endevour

Queens of Mystery

Vienna Blood

Penny Dreadful

Miss fishers Modern Murder Mysteries

Bones

Frankie Drake Mysteries

Professor T

Houdini and Doyle

Madame Blanc

Sleepy Hollow

Dead Still

The Woman in White

Harry Wild

Partners in Crime 2015

Why Didn’t They Ask Evans

Dr Blake Mysteries

The Witness for the Prosecution

Ordeal By Innocence

The Pale Horse

Backstrom (US)

Dead Like Me

The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window

Year of the Rabbit

Partial Watch

Poirot

Death in Paradise

Death Comes to Pemberly

Supernatural

Lucifer

The X Files

Elementary

Monk

Vera

Father Brown

Brokenwood Mysteries

Republic of Doyle

Midsommar Murders

Sherlock

The Glades

[xxgothchatonxx]

So I finally started watching Death Comes to Pemberly and as a Jane Austen fan AND a murder mystery fan, I am having so much fun!

Anna Maxwell Martin is a fantastic casting choice for Lizzie.

Seeing Darcy as a father!! My heart- but my God, and I thought us white Catholic families had a limited number of boy names. THREE Fitzwilliams in the one story??

I swear there has never been a bad casting choice for Mr Bennet. Ditto with Mrs Bennet though good lord she's doing my head in more than usual here.

I'll get around to the other two episodes soon but I am really impressed with what I'm seeing so far!

[dragonmuse]

I love Izzy's goatee but I'm kinda wondering what reactions would be if he had to shave it in the main Leda timeline (to be undercover or something like that). Would he just be very matter of fact about it or would looking more like his brother and father stress him out? What would Lucius think?

(*rubs hands together*) 

The man in the mirror looks haggard. The light is unflattering, hotel fluorescent. There are wrinkles gathered at the edges of his mouth that the goatee had hidden and they gave him a weary look, he thought. Hangdog a little around the eyes. HIs hair hung loose around his face, the grey somehow more obvious without the beard. 

He also looked like someone Izzy remembered. A kid with more anger than sense, who always been ready to fight. Who had tried desperately to grow what he’d just casually removed. 

“Boss?” Jim knocked. “Ready?” 

“Yeah, let’s do the damn thing.” 

He came out of the bathroom and Jim gave him a once over, a frown on their lips. 

“Well. No on will recognize you,” was their only word on it. 

Read was in her best ‘notice me not’ gear,  but even under the brim of her cap, he could see her surprise. She didn’t offer an opinion either. Both of them were a fucking blessing sometimes.  

They just went and got the job done. Down low at a club, following one of Izzy’s old contacts until they finally isolated him. Izzy hung back, let Read and Jim do the questioning and then relayed it all the to the client. 

It was a clean job. They went home the next day. Izzy already had stubble. He’d never had trouble growing facial hair once he hit is early twenties. The goatee had arrived after Eddy had given up on them. Who was he shaving for after that? Might as well let it grow in, look older which came with the benefits. He hadn’t seen himself without it in more than two decades. 

He couldn’t do much about it. Just wait the few weeks it would take to grow back in, then trim accordingly. 

But there was Lucius to contend with first. 

Or, should’ve been first. Read was a traitor and sent a long a candid to Charlie apparently. 

Charlie: you look like the guy in a romance movie who hits on the main character unsuccessfully and gets shunned. Real Mr. Collins vibe. 

Izzy: at least mine will grow back. How are your ten chin hairs doing, Bingley?

Charlie: one less thing to shave off. You think I’m a Bingley? I would say more a Wickham., I told you reading  Death Comes to Pemberly would come in handy some day. 

Izzy: fuck off  

Charlie: Only because Felix just got here. See you next week! Borrow the Menace’s mustache so I don't get scarred for life. Think of my delicate psyche. 

So that was awful.  

Lucius turned up because it’s Tuesday night and Izzy didn’t actually try to hide from him though he briefly considered it. 

“Heya, goblin,” Lucius bent down to take his shoes off. “How was the job?” 

“It went. How was the weekend?” 

“Quiet. Got slammed with commission, you know how it is around holidays-” Lucius stopped dead. Stared. “Goblin.” 

“I know, I know, it’ll grow back,” Izzy groaned, “It’s temporary. I just had-” 

And then he’s not talking because Lucius was kissing him. He held his face in his hands and then pulled back to stare at him, thumbs rubbing over his cheek bones. 

“Hello there,” Lucius purred. 

“Hi,” Izzy said blankly. 

“I always like your jawline, but the chin!” Lucius said delightedly. “Your upper lip! Very sensual.” 

“I hate it,” Izzy told him. 

“Then you do you, but uh....how about making with the stubble burn while I still have the chance?” 

Izzy did grow the goatee back. But he trimmed it a little more closely after that.

[mollywog]

Watching Perry Mason and thinking about Death Comes to Pemberly

[skippingdown16]

*audiovisual, not including anything titled "pride and prejudice"

[aquitainequeen]

Here's an entrance hall. Was this in the 2005 Pride and Prejudice? It was definitely in Death Comes To Pemberly.

[dedanaan]

Love letter