The Other Bennet Sister Review – A heartfelt story for the introverted romantic
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, I was keen to dive back into a world I know so well. Jane Austen creates an enchanting, magical world and crafts one of literature’s most yearning men. The Other Bennet Sister was released this year. It has become one of the most hotly anticipated period dramas of the year.
Janice Hadlow wrote the novel that inspired the series. The series also feels timely because Netflix recently announced its adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. There’s no better time to immerse yourself in Jane Austen’s world. I wrote a review of The Other Bennet Sister.
Rundown of The Other Bennet Sister – What You Need to Know:
- Genre: Period drama, romance
- Stars: Ella Bruccoleri, Ruth Jones, Richard E. Grant, Dónal Finn
- Episodes: 10
- 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.
What I Liked About It:
The chemistry between Mr Hayward and Mary Bennet. Mr Hayward clearly loved Mary from the moment they met. However, there was a huge barrier in their communication, 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 espically towards the end, and this one did not disappoint.
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. It is 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 will feel stuck where she is, in the shadow of her sisters.
Mary Bennet’s personality shines through. In the original series and even in the film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Mary is very often in the background. But in this series, we get to see how quirky and fun she is.
I liked 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.
The important conversations on true 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. 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.
I love the love triangle. 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. They were so completely opposite, yet somehow both managed to connect with Mary in their own ways.
The fact that Mr Hayward is the kind of man Mary Bennet needs. His character perfectly suited the world of Jane Austen. He’s loving, kind, an observer, and constantly thinking of ways to make Mary happy. With Hayward, he knows exactly how to communicate. He understands that she is an introvert, so he never draws unnecessary attention to her or oversteps her boundaries.
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.
What I Didn’t Like About It:
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, almost attacking Mary for even existing.
Overall Thoughts:
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.
