Many Jane Austen fans have been flocking to watch The Other Bennet Sister. But I’ve also noticed that a number of period drama and romance lovers are also taking the time to watch this series.
The show has also been making its rounds on TikTok and Instagram. As a lover of Pride and Prejudice, on which this 10-episode series is based, I was keen to get stuck into the world I am very well familiar with.
Jane Austen knows how to create such an enchanting and magical world, and how to craft the most yearning man. The Other Bennet Sister, released this year, has been one of the most hotly anticipated period dramas of the year.
It is based on the novel by Janice Hadlow. The series also feels timely, given that the Netflix adaptation of Pride and Prejudice has recently been announced, so there’s really no better time to be immersed in Jane Austen. I wrote a review of The Other Bennet Sister.
What you need to know about The Other Bennet Sister:
- Genre: Period drama, romance
- Stars: Ella Bruccoleri, Ruth Jones, Richard E. Grant, Dónal Finn
- Director: Jennifer Sheridan, Asim Abbasi
- Air date: 15 March 2026 (UK premiere)
- Where to watch: UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer (free streaming)
US & Canada: BritBox (from 6 May 2026)
Australia: Binge (from March 2026)
What Is The Other Bennet Sister About?
In The Other Bennet Sister, we follow the life of one of the five Bennet sisters, Mary.
Mary Bennet always has her head in her books and suffers from terrible low self-esteem. She believes she isn’t as beautiful or as worthy of attention as her other sisters, Elizabeth, Jane, Lydia, and Kitty.
But after her sisters all marry, she is forced to choose her own path in life. Nothing comes easy for her due to society’s expectations of women, and Mary must follow her own heart. She meets new friends on her journey of self-discovery, explores new places, and finds somewhere she believes she can finally call home.
The Other Bennet Sister is a touching tale of relationships, family, and learning to love yourself despite what you were taught growing up, as well as conquering the battles within. It’s also a story of romance and quiet gestures that can often be the most powerful.
This is a spoiler-free portion of The Other Bennet Sister review.
You immediately feel sorry for Mary Bennet
I’m not sure why this series did this, but it was so hard for me to think that Mary even enjoyed her life at home at all, surrounded by her sisters. Or that she might have somehow liked not being the centre of attention and being tucked away in her room reading.
I get that it must have been hard being around her narcissistic mother, but her father seemed nice enough. I just feel like you have to really pity her, but somehow, knowing her character after watching the whole series, I don’t think she entirely hated being surrounded by her family.
Mrs Bennet was horrible
I actually preferred Mrs Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, but somehow they made her worse here. She was under a lot of pressure to get her daughters married. She felt harmless and persistent in the original story, but in The Other Bennet Sister she felt much more calculated, with a viper-like mouth, almost attacking Mary for even existing.
I understand this was because it shows how her words helped shape Mary’s self-image, but she wasn’t that great of a character here and made her quite unlikeable. Also, this is just my take on how she was in the series, as I haven’t read the book it is based on.
But I did like Mr Bennet
Richard E. Grant was a great Mr Bennet. I loved how utterly careless he was portrayed, but also how warm he was at the same time.
A Pride and Prejudice star makes an appearance
I’d actually only noticed this after someone pointed it out on social media. One actress who starred in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, makes an appearance in the show. Not only that, but it’s Lucy Briers, who played Mary Bennet in that series.
It just makes it feel super special that she tells Mary (Ella Bruccoleri) to wander off and find her own path, knowing she won’t blossom where she is. But if she leaves, she will lead a different life that could be more meaningful. It is so great that show producers included this in this series.
Lucy Briers plays Mrs Hill, a servant at the Bennet house.
There’s such an important conversation on happiness
As well as a message from Mrs Hill, there is also a really great conversation between Mr Collins and Mary Bennet in this series. Not only that, but I think the conversation between Charlotte Collins also shaped Mary’s thinking to a degree.
While marriage plays a very important part in this series, there is also a strong focus on independence and what it means to build a life outside of societal expectations.
Mr Hayward is the kind of man Mary Bennet needs
We all need a Hayward. There, I said it. But all joking aside, this character perfectly suited the world of Jane Austen and the type of man she creates: the loving kind, the observer, the one who is constantly thinking of making their love interest happy without the big gestures.
Mr Hayward is played by Dónal Finn, who perfectly fits the character of someone Mary would suit. They have similar banter despite their differences, and there is a level of understanding between them. Not only that, but somehow even small touches seem meaningful, like how he admires her individuality and uniqueness.
With Hayward, he knows exactly how to communicate with her, knowing she is an introvert, not drawing attention to her or overstepping her boundaries. The fact that he is always trying to make her happy is incredibly endearing.
I love the love triangle in The Other Bennet sister
If there is a love triangle that has me entertained, it’s the one in The Other Bennet Sister. I was cackling through the whole thing, especially at the exchanges between Mr Hayward and Mr Ryder (Laurie Davidson). The pair were completely hilarious, like the jealousy between them over Mary’s attention, or the fact that Mr Ryder knows exactly how to interrupt or cause a scene, which is so fun to watch.
I was also particularly amused at how they were so completely opposite, yet somehow both managed to connect with Mary in their own ways.
The chemistry is spectacular
Like I mentioned above, the chemistry between Mr Hayward and Mary Bennet is spot on. There was a huge barrier in their relationship that I won’t get into, which I thought would mean a possible relationship wouldn’t happen between them, but I was glad this wasn’t the case later on.
And we all know how much Jane Austen loves her characters with a powerful monologue, and this one did not disappoint.
The locations are stunning
Another great aspect of this show is how stunning the location spots are. Although some parts take place in London, the majority of the filming is actually done in Bristol, particularly around Berkeley Square.
The series gives a classic period drama feel with beautiful architecture and elegant streets.
Final verdict
I haven’t binged a series like The Other Bennet Sister in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It’s one I know I’ll look back on fondly and will definitely re-watch.
There was something really special about watching Mary Bennet blossom into herself. She became more assured, but still kept that quirky, bookish side she’s always had, and I’m glad she didn’t undergo some drastic transformation.
It was just a lovely experience to watch.