So I've watched the Lizzie Bennet Diaries now, and I'm not really impressed. I can appreciate it for what it is- it's certainly an interesting take on Pride & Prejudice and it certainly works as a modern adaptation of it. But I really didn't like it. Like, at all. I kind of just kept wanting it to be over, about 15 episodes in.
I'm not sure I can pinpoint exactly what I didn't like about it. It just didn't click with me. For some reason I found all of the characters to be kind of annoying and obnoxious rather than entertaining or funny. Especially Lydia, but in all fairness she's kind of supposed to be like that, even in the book, so that gets a pass.
Also I think it's just the format of having all the events told to me, rather than actually seeing stuff happen. I just personally don't really like the 'video diary' format that they used, I guess. There's nothing wrong with it, it's just not my thing, I dunno. The number one problem I had with it though is 'Bing Lee'. And by that I mean the name. Everyone else has the same name; Darcy, Lizzy, Charlotte (except her last name is Lu now, but you get the point) but for some reason Bingley is now 'Bing Lee' which is the fakest and dumbest sounding name ever. I mean, 'Bingley' isn't the greatest name ever either, but it at least sounds more believable. You aren't Bing Crosby, Mr. Lee. The name doesn't work for you.
Anyway, I dunno. I feel like I'm just complaining for the sake of complaining, with no real substance to back my dislike of the series- I mean, I really can't figure out why it irked me so much. Sorry to anyone who liked it I guess, just wasn't really my cup of tea.
I can see why you don't like the video diary format, but for me that's what makes me want to keep watching the diaries. Whenever I found out something interesting about one of the characters I instantly wanted to keep watching the videos because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I also enjoyed that they were like 4-7 minutes long. I thought they were very entertaining and I never found myself bored with them.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the concept of the video diary, but I have to say the Lizzie Bennet Diaries didn't click with me either. I do think I'd've liked it more if I'd seen it as it was being released though. The added suspense might've toned down the characters' almost overbearing personalities the same way the narrator provides padding for Elizabeth's in the novel.
ReplyDeleteThere was a lot that I liked in the modernization of the story, for example using the phone activation in place of the letters, but there were some things that just didn't quite translate, such as Charlotte's job offer in place of a marriage offer because no job she would've been offered would've been as life-altering or lasting as marriage would have been.
Shouldn't have to apologize for an opinion. I didn't like the video format either. And I definitely agree that the characters we pretty annoying. It is definitely a little hard to point out why, but I think it's because other than the few characters that show up, we don't really have a reason to attach ourselves to any other characters, making it just as hard to attach ourselves to our story. Lmao, and yeah, I didn't even think about it that way. "Bing Lee"? It would be interesting if they had a legitimate reason for this change.
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