I liked this... but why?

So... I did not love reading the actual book, but I did, however, enjoy watching these videos. I found myself completely captivated and entertained by the progression of things and seeing all of the modern twists they put on the classic story. I think the characters are portrayed well, but I feel like there is just SO much drama, like a whole mess of drama all the time and its exhausting.
There were a few things I did not enjoy too much though, 1. every five minutes having to wait for it to cue up the next video along with ads, and 2. the other videos that branch from this (Lydia's videos, Charlottes sister's videos, etc).  I did find quite a few times difficult to watch because they were over dramatic, and I simply was getting annoyed by it. For example, episode 87... while I understand the gravity of the situation that Lydia is in and that it is a very hard time, I think the acting and such was a tad over the top.
Also, side note: in episode 4 Lizzie says that her mom was freaking out and then mentions that she wonders how many videos will start like that, and let me tell you, its none. Yes, her mom freaking out is mentioned other times, but no other video ever starts on that note.

Lizzie Bennet Diaries

This series was interesting. I definitely see how it connects to the book. The three sisters are taken out of the 1800's and put into the 21st century. The characters are depicted oddly as I would imagine them, in some ways. Lydia is depicted to be extremely boy crazy. I think she is more extra in the series than in the book. I find it interesting how Charlotte Lucas is Charlotte Lu and Asian. I personally enjoyed the book better than the hundred episodes. I found some of the humor a bit wacky, but that is my personal opinion. I do not find many things funny.  Lizzie acts as if she was pulled out the book and brought to present time. I like how she was made a communications major who likes to read and write. She has her typical judgmental and dramatic personality. Lizzie is a mixture of nerdy and hip. Lizzie's ill feelings of her mother are crystal clear. Jane finds Lizzie's opinion of the mother unsettling. Does anyone understand the point of the gelatin green bean dessert? I found it disgusting and did not understand the meaning, if there was any behind it.

Who is this for?

I watched all 100 episodes.  I understand what the creators were attempting to do.  I think it's an interesting remix on a classic story.  But, who is the intended audience for this series?  I can tell you it was not for me, but I doubt that's who they intended to watch it.  So I'll just ask questions to those who it is intended for:

• Did you find the characters worth your time?
• Did you find the modernization to remain compelling through all 100 episodes?
• Did the lack of "man time" in the show make this more about the Lizzie story instead of about Darcy?  Or is Darcy still the typical male character that drives the narrative in a romantic story?

I know how I would answer those questions, and it's not positive at all.  I found the series completely lacking in believable characters that I would want to spend any time with.  I also understand the show has its fans, so I would love to know if what I saw as deficiencies are actually positive to the intended audience and why?  

family drama? Count me in

As I watched through the series, the thought that kept running through my head was "who on Earth is interested enough to watch this?" I don't mean the series itself, because we have context of course. What I mean is that were this a real vlog, I can't imagine people being interested in it. I find Lizzie to be incredibly annoying, but that's just my personal opinion. It kind of reminds me of iCarly, where it's really funny from the other side of the fourth wall, but I can't imagine they would actually have been popular in real life.

But I guess that speaks to the question of why do we still invest time in this story. It's a story about family drama, and it has a happily ever after. What more could a reader want? People would rather read about family drama than deal with their own, they want to see a character getting a happy ending when they themselves don't always get one. Translating the story into vlog form adds a heightened sense of "what comes next?" This feeling obviously exists in the book version, but you can just continue reading. With the vlog, you have to wait for updates. Perhaps, if you can push how irritating Lizzie is in the series, then I guess you can appreciate her story for what it is.

tl;dr, the story of Pride and Prejudice and, obviously, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, ticks off two rather large boxes in our literature interests: family drama, and a happy ending. Maybe, because the story includes both of these things, we continue to reread and remake it.

America Still Loves its Outdated Values Concerning Gender & Socioeconomics

This series had me from the beginning point of printing "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" on a t-shirt. Albeit, that quote is probably already printed on many t-shirts around the world anyway, but the presumption that it was their *mother* who put it on the shirt was incredibly hilarious to me, and was largely representative of mothers who still act like this! In the twenty-first century! Still increasingly concerned with whether or not their daughters are single! Ah!

But what was most impressive to me about this vlog series is that it answered the questions that many of us probably ask ourselves while reading classic literature: Are these problems in this novel still relevant today? If this story were in a modern setting, how would it look? Would it be silly? Would it be serious? Would it even work? LBD answered all of those questions for Pride and Prejudice. While this series had a much sillier tone than the classic novel (as it should, since it's literally a series made of vlogs) it still had impactful emotional moments and thorough plot points in-between all of the kind of cringy acting. Lizzie and Lydia were hilariously at VidCon when they meet Mr. Collins, Lizzie (a modern working woman) shadows at Mr. Darcy's communications company--the series presented major plot points in these modern, relatable settings, and it not only worked--but it was entertaining and probably much easier for a modern audience to understand. The plot of Pride and Prejudice was proven by this series to still be largely relevant: Mothers still trying to control their daughters and their romantic lives, the confusing lines and mixed communication that can happen between romantic partners and even family, and both not having to sacrifice your identity for a potential partner, while also having them inspire you to become a better version of yourself.

We try to act like we are past the many dated conceptions that Pride and Prejudice presents to us in its story. But LBD proved that really, we are not, but rather far from it.

Thoroughly enjoyed meta moments like this one that were sprinkled throughout the series!

Lydia Bennet: a Whole New Character

Quote: Lydia: Jane and Lizzie are too worried about "propriety" and "letting things take their own time" and "not over-using air quotes" to get anything done at all. 

Question: How did the Lizzie Bennet Dairies change people's perceptions of the original Pride and Prejudice characters? Did you like certain characters more? Less? What changed? 

Follow up: Personally TLBD changed how I view Lydia Bennet. In my pervious experience with P&P, I always found her beyond annoying and struggled to find redeemable qualities in her; however, TLBD changed my view. When her character was remixed, I saw how young she is and needing attention not just for the sake of attention but to feel she had value in the Bennet family. Her older sisters are in many ways "perfect" and extremely close with one another. In comparison, Lydia always seems to fall short. One element that is lost is Mrs. Bennet's adoration for her youngest daughter. While you can see hints of it in TLBD (Lydia getting away with almost anything), without Mrs. Bennet actually in the story some of that relationship is lost. 

Questioning 100 vlogs? Yikes.

Full disclosure, I have not finished all of the Lizzie Bennet Diaries yet. I will say I enjoy the 3-4 minute segments and surprisingly enjoy the project as a whole much more than I thought I would. Finding a specific quote from 100 vlogs is pretty intimidating so I was wondering more so about format and topic? Did this make the topic more relate able to you or not? Often throwing a modern context into a classic tends to screw with the functionality and power of the piece. Did that happen for you? Also did you find the brief segments helpful or cumbersome? On our last blog many people wrote about leisure time in reading and being able to "dive" into a book, does this format make it more difficult for you?

The internet- Where cats thrive

Darcy in the Lizzie Bennet Diaries

I forget the exact episode of the Lizzie Bennett Diaries that discusses what would presume to be the first instance of Darcy showing interest in Lizzie.  The night of the presumed to be bad dinner party, Lizzie and the gang go out for drinks and arcade games.  From Lizzie's perspective, we learn Darcy was in the corner with Caroline.  From Charlotte and Jane, we learn that Darcy seemed to be focused on Lizzie and did not seem to know how to show his interest in a socially acceptable way.  In the novel, we as the readers do not really see Darcy's interest till he proposes and it seems out of line.  In watching these videos, Darcy comes across as kind of awkward and socially inept, but not necessarily out of line in his behavior.  We see Lizzie's judgment of him first.  My question is, what can we gleam from this series about Darcy and how this speak to the human condition?

Image source: https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/pride-and-prejudice/fitzwilliam-darcy

To (Let Viewers) See Anything Other than My First Impression

In the 99^th episode of The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, Darcy, in discussing his prior views of Jane, tells us, “it just took a while for me to see the similarities; to see anything other than my first impression.”  

Although the character is only speaking from his own point of view, and about one other person specifically, this line could have come from any number of characters in the series.  Lizzie is obviously neither innocent of prejudice in the novel nor the adaptation.  Since much like the novel, the YouTube series is presented from her perspective, her first impressions tend to be our only impressions – especially when it takes considerable time for her to move past them.  Whether holding onto her first impression of Wickham as handsome and personable (although the series does a great job at portraying his low intelligence), or of Darcy as stuck-up and self-centered, Lizzy never allows viewers a new perspective on people.  The rare instances where Charlotte or Jane stand up for an absent character are quickly brought to an end by our protagonist.

THE Lydia Bennet

AHHHHH. I love this moment, but I completely forgot to cite it before I closed the tab, and now I can't find it again. FORGIVE ME, INTERNET!

This was my fourth time watching LBD all the way through. Wow. I was 16 the first time I saw it, and it's so wild to reflect on how my perspective has changed. Back then, I really didn't mind the cringe or the overdramatics at all. I loved the story, the characters, I was obsessed with William Darcy (ugh), and I found Lydia obnoxious.

I now consider Lydia and her story to be my favorite part of the whole series.

In modernizing Pride and Prejudice to the 21st century, the creators obviously take a lot of liberties with the text to present it in a way that will resonate with the audience. By far, the best update was the reconstruction of Lydia's ending. The original text doesn't give Lydia growth. Everything Elizabeth says about her is true, and Lydia gets stuck in an unhappy marriage with a mess of a man for the rest of her life.
Here, the way Lizzie insults Lydia is so painful to watch because we can see how much Lydia cares about her and wants to have a positive relationship with her sister. LBD also showcases the extent of Wickham's manipulation. The creators do not use Lydia's story to caution women against a lifestyle or falling blindly into love; they use it to send a message about emotional abuse.

I am very okay with that choice. A lot of times, I can be bothered when an artist tries to take the original text into their own hands and make significant changes to the plot. But, in my opinion, the changes are warranted in Lydia's case. It takes the focus off romantic love and emphasizes family and personal growth instead. Additionally, using media to call out unhealthy behaviors in relationships is really satisfying to me, especially when executed with such care.

Money money money

One thing I really appreciate about the series "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" is the way that the economics translated into contemporary times. The role of money in relationships is (obviously) still important; despite that we pretend that we're past socio-economic status playing a role in choosing a partner, it is still a huge factor. If anything, the novel was more honest than we are today. But that got me wondering: which of Lizzie's biases (in both the book and the series) are influenced by her perceptions of wealth? It's easy to see the ways in which Darcy is influenced by economic biases, but what about Lizzie? How much of her biases against the wealthy are more difficult to extract because most of the viewers (and readers) were much closer to her status than to Darcy's?

Please Stop Yelling at Me

Lizzie and Darcy - found on Pinterest

Okay, so at first I really was not feeling "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries." I mainly felt this way because I was kind of just overwhelmed with the fact that everyone was screaming and there was just so much overdramatic acting, but then I realized... That's what is so charming about it. It honestly wasn't until around episode 43 that I really started getting into it, but once I did, I was happy I watched it. The cool thing about watching is probably the obvious - we know all of the nods to Austen and can see the differences between the novel and the series, as opposed to some viewers who only watched the videos and had never read the book. One of the things I really liked was the discussion about Pemberley Digital in episode 83:

Lizzie: "Let's start with the name. What does 'Pemberley' mean?"
Darcy: "Oh, uh... Pemberley is the name of the place my father's family comes from in England."

I had a feeling they had to discuss the name somehow, and I think they did a pretty decent job of tying it into the original text. One of the other modernizations I really liked was the fact that Mr. Collins didn't propose to Lizzie for her hand in marriage, but her hand in partnership. The one thing I did have some issues with was the fact that she didn't really change the character of Mrs. Bennet to match the rest of the series... She didn't seem to be very modernized like everything else was.

After I looked past the original shock of being screamed at by the cast of the web series, I was able to see the intelligence and thought that went into creating it, and I actually really enjoyed it (until the end when it got RIDICULOUSLY corny, but that's a blog post for another day, I guess).

My main question would be: should the character of Mrs. Bennet have been modernized like the rest of the storyline, or was it "okay" that she wasn't really changed much to match the new narrative?

Cringe, but Eventual Appreciation

            I was initially so hesitant to getting into the LBD series; I found the acting so cringey and awkward, like the slow was Jane talked and the loud laughing of Lydia and how CLOSE they got when they all talked to each other! The only character I could stand in the beginning was Charlotte (and her hilarious in-video edits of mustaches and much needed commentary). But when I got to about episode 20, I started to really get into it. I was able to look past the acting because I found myself genuinely engrossed in the story, and this was all thanks to its modernization! I mean, the cutting out of coupons, the sock slides, the student debt; it was all so real and relatable (maybe too real, @ student debt). 

             Society and civilization changes over time, so it makes sense that when stories are changed with those times, they are more accessible to modern audiences. Now, that's not to say that people nowadays can't get into the original novel; that is definitely not the case. But, for someone like myself who finds Austen's writing convoluted and headache-inducing, this video series is perfect! I found myself really invested in a story that I honestly wouldn't have otherwise been this invested in! If I had just read the novel, I would have missed out on the beauty of the story. I think this is where the purists come in and say "Hey! You didn't really experience the story the right way!", and to them I say, "why does it matter how I experienced it? At least I experienced it at all". Overall, I'm glad (for the most part *remembers the unbearably cringey flirting between Jane and Bing Lee in episode 28*) that we were assigned to watch this series; I enjoyed something that I otherwise would have missed out on. 

Oh Thank God

Perhaps it's my own dyslexia and ADHD talking, but I can't stand the writing style of the original Pride and Prejudice. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries were both more comprehensible and far more entertaining for me.

When you break the series down, it's an impressive exercise in making a text accessible: the majority is presented in a modernized form, including the language and references, while the "reenactments" use the language and structure of the original writing (barring of course, things changed by the setting, like Lizzie being a Mass Communications student, instead of just a writer, or talk of cars instead of carriages).

What surprises me is how enduring this story is, given how heavily it leans on the convention of arranged marriage among the English gentry in the early 19th century. That tie comes across intact, event in this 21st century modernization because it is so intrinsic to the plot.

perhaps this is because the story is less about arranged marriage than it is about social and parental expectations and how the younger generation chafes against them.