Vlogging Lizzy

             The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is so far an interesting series. I am thoroughly enjoying this adaptation of Pride and Prejudice as well as the subtle fourth-wall breaking and clever ideas that’s been included—popular quotes from the book, Kitty the kitten, zombies, VidCon, referencing England in the Q&A, and etc. These are all helpful to include mainly because it’s a vlog-based adaptation having everything mostly from Lizzie’s perspective… It sorta provides a break from all the prejudice going on.

            Speaking of, was it my misinterpretation of the book, or was there a lot more prejudicing going on in this vlog series than in the book? I’m assuming it’s because, like I said earlier, we’re viewing a vlog series from mostly Lizzie’s perspective and her thoughts, while Pride and Prejudice in book form gave a more somewhat balanced approach to what some of the other characters thought of (obviously because it’s a novel).

For example, I felt Lizzie constantly saying something negative about Lydia whenever she appeared—as opposed to Jane who’s more protective of Lydia—and Lizzy constantly saying something negative about Darcy. Well, Darcy’s comments are understandable due to his socially-awkward mannerisms. Even so, it could be that Jane Austen portrayed Lizzy walking three miles to Netherfield to see Jane (as well as Darcy…?), while The Lizzie Bennet Diaries portrayed Lizzy getting forced to live at Netherfield due to house remodeling.

           

            For the vlog style itself, it becomes very recapping (is that a word?) half the time, since the vlogs I perceive has someone holding a camera, carrying it around everywhere, and showing more than just one’s room(s). This was why I mentioned the clever fourth-wall breaking ideas as well as the awesome reenactments definitely giving it a boost in creativity and excitement. And the time frame where Lizzy and Jane stayed at Netherfield was well-timed to introduce new characters with which we could see interact with the Bennets instead of just mere descriptions.

Speaking of, I thought Caroline was perfectly fitted into the whole vlogging adaptation. Through Jane Austen’s novel, the readers can see her point of views either whenever Jane left the room or via some other method of communication. Within the atmosphere of a vlog, Caroline couldn’t be scripted to say her true feelings like the freedom she has within a novel, especially when Charlotte is editing these videos. Instead, it was presented through her charm to Lizzie (and the internet) by encouraging her to continue ranting on about her impressions on Darcy.

I love Charlotte and forgive her for being in this terrible series

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries has the potential to be a charming adaptation of Pride & Prejudice, but it stumbles into so many obnoxious tropes and offensive throw-away lines that I can’t find it anything but aggravating. The characterization was fair, even if people came off as obnoxious and offensive. I liked all the puns, like “Mr. Douchey,” and the little references to Pride & Prejudice’s fandom, like Lizzie’s love of Colin Firth movies. They were cute and clever. I also liked when people knocked Lizzie off of her own pedestal, like when Charlotte asked Lizzie what was wrong with Bing Lee besides the fact that her mother liked him and then adds a bit to the video to specifically say that “Lizzie hates changing her mind.” Or the time Charlotte points out that Mrs. Bennet dressed Lizzie as a witch (NOT a spinster) for Halloween. OR the time she made her own video to show Lizzie’s bias against Darcy. I liked Charlotte, if that isn’t clear already.

Me, adoring this adaptation of Charlotte beyond all reason.

As I have already established, I loved Charlotte, but I was concerned about casting her as a Chinese woman because one of her key features as a character is that she is undesirable. She’s not supposed to be as pretty as the Bennet girls. She doesn’t have as much money as the Bennet girls. She’s older than the Bennet girls. Her only real redeeming marriageable quality is the fact that her father is a knight, but that may not be a factor to many suitors, especially the nouveau riche. By making Lizzie and her family white and making the comparatively plain and undesirable Charlotte Asian, The Lizzie Bennet Diaries seemed to imply that Asian women (specifically Chinese women) are less attractive and generally less appealing than white women. I doubt that this was purposeful, but that doesn’t make it okay.

The way Lydia said “they’re too hot and single to be gay” was probably meant to make her and her homophobic comment look as ridiculous as it is. On a slightly different note, as a lesbian, the fact that Lizzie immediately jumps from “What if he’s gay?” to “What if he’s a serial killer?” is.... Disquieting. It shows me that people think a person being gay is just as shocking and upsetting as a person being a murderer. That really hurts. I had been prepared to like the series, but that really put me off, and I had trouble warming back up to the series after that. Again, I doubt that this was purposeful, but that doesn’t make it okay.

Lizzie's a YouTube Star!

     I found The Lizzie Bennet Diaries to be very entertaining. It was more enjoyable than reading the book in the sense that since it was visual, it was easier to keep track of what was happening in the story, as well as being better able to hold my attention.

     I was most surprised by how different my opinions of book Lizzie and vlog Lizzie are. When reading Pride and Prejudice, I always felt Lizzie’s personality came across as strong and independent especially in a time where it was against the norm for women to be strong and independent. Going into the vlogs, I assumed that I would have the same reaction to Lizzie’s character and still like her which I still kind of do, but a little bit less now. I don’t know if it was the actress who played her, all of the “editing”, or what, but in this version Lizzie came off as mean at times, especially when Lydia would want to spend time with her.  It could also be that putting Lizzie into modern times, where women aren’t as oppressed, took away that feeling of sympathy I had for her.

     Jane was just as I imagined her to be! She was the super sweet character I had known from the book, always looking out for her sisters and parents. She reminded me of a baby deer half of the time, always so sweet and innocent. Even the clothes she wore played into the wholesome role.

Jane in animal form

     I looked forward the most to the episodes that had Lydia in them! She made the vlogs so much more entertaining and funny. She is the wild child in the vlogs, just like she is in the book.  Whenever she sprung up in the vlogs, Lizzie would seem to take it as her just being the annoying little sister, but to me it seemed like Lydia really just admired Lizzie and wanted to spend time with her. It was really sad how when Jane left to go to L.A. and Lydia came in to comfort Lizzie, she recognized that she was only second best to Jane in Lizzie’s eyes.

     One part of the vlog that I thought they did really well was Mr. Collins’ proposal to Lizzie to be his business partner. While watching it, I thought it was crazy for Lizzie not to accept Mr. Collins’ proposal, especially because she doesn’t have a job and is drowning in student debt. Even if he is super annoying, I thought it would still be wise for her to take his offer. I like how the creators of the series changed his marriage proposal to a business proposal because it better helps to illustrate the feeling people had in the book about her not accepting the marriage proposal, in that she was crazy to turn down such a good deal. 

What I was thinking as Lizzie turned down the proposal.