We’re into May, the days are warmer and longer and life is running at a hectic pace. That makes the time you have to relax and watch a show precious. So, how do you know if a new show is right for you? That’s why this series exists! We give you the information needed to make an informed viewing decision. Today it’s a new addition to the PBS Masterpiece lineup.
Series: Miss Austen
Where to Find It: The four-episode series is airing Sundays on Masterpiece and is available on demand on the PBS Website. It premiered May 4.
What’s It About: This new series comes from the novel of the same name by Gill Hornby. The series was written by Andrea Gibb and directed by Aisling Walsh. It focuses on an adult Cassandra Austen (Keeley Hawes). She’s the sister of the famous writer and at the outset she’s called to the home of a long-time friend who is near death.
That friend passes, but Cassandra stays to help his daughter (Rose Leslie) prepare to depart their family home for a new life. She also discovers a set of letters that connect to her past. Others are looking for the letters as a means of exploiting Jane’s memory. That forces Cassandra to keep them hidden as she reads them and remembers that time.
Through flashbacks, we’re brought to a different time in the world. There, a young Cassy (Synnove Karlsen) and her sister Jane (Patsy Ferran) are close and living their lives. Those lives play out a lot like the plot of what would be one of Jane’s novels, and it stirs strong feelings among all those involved.
You Should Try It If: You’re a fan of the PBS Masterpiece offerings, a fan of period piece dramas, and a fan of the works of Jane Austen.
One Man’s Opinion of Miss Austen
This probably isn’t the kind of show I’d normally be interested in checking out. I have enjoyed some of the films made from Austen’s book, but I’m not her target demographic. And I think being in that target demographic—and being a fan of those stories—will help this to hook you right away.
This series has a fantastic cast. In addition to Hawes, the supporting cast includes familiar faces like Leslie, Alfred Enoch, Phyllis Logan, and Kevin McNally, among others. And there’s plenty of potential in the story. I like the idea that Cassandra is looking back on her past, perhaps through a slightly different lens, by reading these letters.
It’s only a four-episode series, so that makes it a short commitment. But episodes run around 55 minutes. The first two moved at a ginger pace to the point where it was hard to tell where this is going. It’s a little too slow for my liking, but those that read the book or have an affinity for the story will likely feel a bit different.