Web Series: The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”

Most of you probably recognize that as the first line to Jane Austen’s immortal “Pride and Prejudice.” In the first episode of “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” (LBD), Lizzie (Ashley Clements) shows us that her mother had it put on a t-shirt she gave to each of her daughters. She explains her mother’s obsession with seeing her daughters married off while Lizzie eschews such an old-fashion notion. It’s not that she doesn’t want to get married, she just believes it isn’t the be-all end-all for her as a woman. And she discusses this on camera in a vlog style as part of her classes for her masters in communications, namely in new media, with the help of her best friend Charlotte Lu (Julia Cho).


Lizzie’s videos also involve her two sisters, Jane (Laura Spencer) and Lydia (Mary Kate Wiles), as they talk about their lives. And their mother’s determination to get them married. Especially once Bing Lee (Christopher Sean) moves into Netherfield near their house. With him comes his sister Caroline (Jessica Jade Andres) and his friend William Darcy (Daniel Vince Gordh). Who Lizzie hates almost immediately after trying to interact with him at a wedding. But Jane and Bing have an instantaneous connection. So Mrs. Bennet can hear wedding bells chime already.

Lizzie, though, is way more cautious. And a bit more judgmental of her new neighbors and their motives. But as Mrs. Bennet plots more and more, Lizzie comes to at least see Bing in a new light. Darcy, not so much. Especially once George Wickham (Wes Aderhold) comes to town. He doesn’t like Darcy either and he has stories to prove why. Lizzie believes them readily while both Jane and Charlotte think there might be more to the stories.

But as quickly as they arrive, the Lees and Darcy leave. Jane is brokenhearted and Lizzie is fuming. Lydia is just…Lydia. Though she seems to be maturing slightly thanks to her friendship with her cousin Mary (Briana Cuoco). As this happens, an old friend of Lizzie’s returns--Ricky Collins (Maxwell Glick). Mrs. Bennet hopes for a spark of romance but Mr. Collins (as he prefers to be called) is already engaged to someone in Canada. But he does have a proposition for Lizzie. He invites her to join his web video production company. She refuses, much to Mr. Collins’ and her mother’s dismay. Lizzie knows she made the right decision and is shocked when Charlotte reveals she took the job instead. Lizzie thinks it is a big mistake and the two friends fight. Charlotte leaves as does Jane, who gets a job in San Francisco (where Bing just so happens to be).

Lizzie is left alone with Lydia and her parents. But then Charlotte and Lizzie make up (courtesy of Charlotte’s sister) and Lizzie goes to visit her at Collins and Collins, Ricky’s company. Lizzie gets the idea to do independent studies at different media companies, starting with Collins and Collins. There, she meets with Ricky’s main backer—Catherine de Bourgh. Who also happens to be Darcy’s aunt. And who Darcy just so happens to be visiting! He audits Collins and Collins with his friend Fitz Williams (Craig Frank) in tow.

Lizzie and Fitz end up becoming great friends even though he tries to get her to see Darcy is not such a bad guy. Unfortunately, he uses the wrong example to try and convince her. Fitz tells her how Darcy saved his friend Bing from the wrong type of girl. One who was just interested in him due to her money. Pretty much, Darcy called Jane a gold digger. That infuriates Lizzie, but she doesn’t say anything to Darcy in order to make sure Charlotte gets a good review.

But then Darcy does something shocking—he finally appears on camera and professes his love for Lizzie. Once she recovers from the shock, she uses it to find out why he broke up Bing and Jane for herself. While he doesn’t use the phrase “gold digger,” Darcy says he got the impression (mostly from Mrs. Bennet) that Jane was into Bing for his money. Not to mention that Mrs. Bennet and Lydia did not seem like people the Lees would associate with. And then Darcy mentions Jane committing an “indiscretion” at Bing’s birthday party. Lizzie has no clue what he is talking about and then shoots down his declaration of love. In the process, she reveals her videos to him.

Lizzie then goes into panic mode immediately. She’s worried that Darcy will watch the videos and will sue her for slander. Charlotte does her best to calm her friend down, but Lizzie still is worried. But when Darcy next stops by, he assures her he doesn’t plan to do anything regarding what she said about him in her videos. He also tells her that he’s done with his evaluation and assures her that Charlotte has passed with flying colors. Darcy gives her a letter which he says explains everything and then leaves.

Everyone wants to know what’s in Darcy’s letter. Caroline even stops by to try to get it out of Lizzie. But Lizzie only reveals one part of the story—the one that told Darcy’s side to the Wickham story. But the other part involved a third party and Lizzie felt it wasn’t her secret to share. Knowing it, she heads home for the holidays. And Lydia’s 21st brithday. Lizzie, Mary and the house survive her party but then Lizzie gives Lydia a birthday present—a book about being more mature. Lydia takes it as an insult and freezes Lizzie out.

So Lizzie takes her adviser’s offer to go shadow at Pemberley Digital, though she has second thoughts when she learns that Darcy owns Pemberley Digital. But Dr. Gardiner pretty much says “No takesie backsies” and sends Lizzie to San Francisco. There, she meets Georgiana “Gigi” Darcy (Allison Page), Darcy’s beloved younger sister who is a fan of Lizzie’s videos. And doesn’t have a problem with Lizzie’s portrayal of her brother. She and Lizzie become good friends as Darcy enters Lizzie’s life again thanks to some manipulating by a matchmaking Gigi. Yes, she is a shipper on deck.

Lizzie and Darcy start to have something that might be called a flirtation. She’s seen a new side to him—one that she likes. Also, while there, Gigi agrees to tell the viewers her side of the Wickham story—she was the third party Lizzie didn’t want to violate. But she tells of how George used her for money, making her think he loved her. Lizzie comforts her and the three grew closer.

Unbeknownst to Lizzie, Lydia has been putting out videos that made the audience concerned. She went to Las Vegas for New Years and partied so hard, her friends left her. But she gets rescued by George Wickham and the two start dating. Lydia’s videos document a psychologically abusive relationship, with Wickham decimating Lydia’s self-esteem, bubbly personality and relationships with anyone who isn’t him. They are difficult to watch.

When Lizzie gets a new phone, she gets all the messages she’s missed. Including ones from a frantic Charlotte, who tells her that Lydia is in trouble and that she has to go to a website. Lizzie and Darcy go to the site, which says it will release a sex tape featuring “Internet star Lydia Bennet” and people can pay to watch it. Lizzie learns Wickham is involved and realizes she has to go home. Darcy helps her make arrangements.

At home, Lizzie realizes that Lydia didn’t know that Wickham planned to release the sex tape. She finally watches the videos and feels like a horrible sister. Jane returns as they clue in a still unseen Mr. Bennet about the videos. The three of them work to try and get the website to not release the tape, but they keep reaching dead ends. Lizzie debates whether or not to end her own video series, but first uses them as a platform to plead with the company to do the decent thing and not release the video.

Back in San Francisco, the Darcys and Fitz work together to try and take down the video. Though Darcy doesn’t want Gigi involved. But she knows she is the best chance to smoke out Wickham. It works and he downloads their new software, Domino, allowing Darcy and Fitz to track him down.

As the day of the video’s release approaches, the Bennets (except their mother who is still in the dark) brace for the worst. But there’s no video. Someone bought out the company and buried the video where no one could ever see it. Lizzie thanks who ever did it and starts to work on her relationship with Lydia. Who then reveals it was Darcy who made the video disappear.

Meanwhile, Jane realizes she lost her job due to rushing home to help with the family emergency. But she’s only unemployed for a bit before getting a dream job in New York. She prepares to leave and stay with a friend in Brooklyn just as Bing returns. He apologizes for leaving and for letting his friends dictate his life. He also reveals he’s dropped out of med school and wants to help people in other ways. Maybe in New York. Jane thinks that’s a good idea and sets some guidelines for their relationship. Aww, happy ending!

What about Lizzie and Darcy? Well, Caroline wants to know that too! She shows up to demand answers from Lizzie, especially as Jane made Bing drop out of med school. Lizzie tells Caroline that her brother is a big boy who makes his own decisions and the same is true for Darcy. She then invites Caroline to stay for dinner but the latter has enough sense to bail.

Charlotte returns to celebrate hers and Lizzie’s shared birthday as does someone else—though Darcy didn’t know it was her birthday. He had been watching the videos and saw her response to Caroline. It gave him hope. He asks her what her feelings for him are. She kisses him and the fandom rejoiced—even if the fandom knew it was going to happen. As the series winds down, Lizzie decides to create her company and does so with the support of her new boyfriend, Darcy.

Happy, she  ends her web  show with Charlotte by her side and a surprise appearance from her mother.
I binge watched this when I first discovered it existed because I came late to the Lizzie Bennet Diaries party. Then I waited with bated breath for each new video. They released so many, it was like an addiction. I believe I went through withdrawal when the videos went back down to twice a week. Though I didn’t keep up with all the social media interaction that surrounded the videos. I enjoyed being surprised.

But I did read the corresponding book released this year. It added some information and fleshed out a few of Lizzie’s off screen relationships. If you enjoyed the videos, I highly recommend the book.

And if you like Jane Austen, I highly recommend the videos. If for some reason you haven’t already discovered them.

Next week: Welcome to Sanditon