Fans of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Get Mary Bennet’s Story In The BBC’s New Series

Fans of Jane Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ now have the opportunity to see Mary Bennet’s story in the newly released BBC Series ‘The Other Bennet Sister’.

The series is an adaptation of author Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same title, which focuses on the middle daughter of the Bennet household.

In ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Mary, as the middle child, is shown not to possess any of her elder sisters’ (Jane and Elizabeth) beauty or wit, or her younger sisters’ (Kitty and Lydia) bubbly energy. Rather, she’s seen as the sister who, early on in life, strived to be studious and accomplished because she couldn’t match up to her sisters. In fact, it was made quite clear that she is disposed to be studious or accomplished, because in her effort to show off her intelligence, she comes across as pedantic. Likewise, her social awkwardness often leads her to say or do things at the wrong time.

But Hadlow’s novel takes the reader, and now the viewer, into the background and the psyche of Mary Bennet, showing ‘what it felt like to be considered the least pretty of your siblings’, ‘what it feels like to be outshined by loved ones’, ‘the one that never draws the male admiration’, ‘the one that perhaps even had to take up accomplishments you never cared for, or have an aptitude for just to get noticed’ (because readers did see the character towards the end of the book, much more willingly to be out in society when her sisters were all married, and Kitty spending more time at Jane and Elizabeth’s homes, resulted in her being the only one left to keep her mother company).

What shines through in the six-part series is Mary’s (Ella Bruccoleri) quiet dignity. Yes, she might have been dealt a bad hand – looks and intellect-wise, but she is quietly taking control of her life, gaining self-confidence. And wonder of all wonders, she appears to be getting support from her father, Mr Bennet (played by Richard E. Grant) in the process.

With the BBC heading the adaptation, one does not need to worry. The media house did a splendid adaptation of the OG book ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in 1995, which most fans of Austen’s consider the most faithful to the literary text and the best in character casting.

Released March 15, 2026, ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ is currently streaming on BBC iPlayer in the UK, and will premiere on BritBox in the US and Canada on May 6, 2026.

It stars Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet, Donal Finn as Mary’s Love interest, Mr Hayward, Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet, Richard E. Grant as Mr Bennet, Maddie Close as Jane Bennet, Poppy Gilbert as Elizabeth Bennet, Molly Wright as Kitty, Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia Bennet, and Richard Coy and Indira Varma as Mr and Mrs Gardiner.