While I love a good Star Wars marathon or a Parks & Recreation binge, there's something about Pride & Prejudice that I just can't get away from. Keira Knightley's classy wit, Mr. Darcy's transformation from arrogant jerkface to tortured romantic, and that beautiful piano music—nothing beats Jane Austen's classic turned movie. And so I watch it over. And over. And over. And I never get tired of it.
But somewhere in the back of my mind, a little red flag pops up saying, "Hey, you've watched Pride & Prejudice three times in the last month. You might need to rethink your film choices. And your life choices."
So if you're like me and just can't seem to pull yourself away from Mr. Darcy walking toward Lizzie through the morning fog, here are five things to watch to curb your Pride & Prejudice obsession.
1. Sense and Sensibility
You may have seen (and loved) the 1995 Sense and Sensibility with Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet, but BBC's 2008 miniseries blows the beloved '90s movie out of the water. It's over three hours long, but it stays true to the book with phenomenal acting to boot. The story is about two kick-butt sisters trying to navigate love and life together. This is the ultimate "sisters before misters" film.
2. Australia
While the trailer will trick you into thinking that this is a movie about cattle-raising down under and the World War II bombing of Darwin, it's actually the most intensely beautiful love story you've ever experienced. It's love and war and racial equality and adoption all wrapped up into the most incredible three-hour cinematic experience of your life. Plus, Hugh Jackman is an Australian outback man that tames horses and droves cattle. Win.
3. Jane Eyre
Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre is Gothic literature at its finest. Romance, creepy mansions and mysterious men all act a part in this slightly creepy adaptation of the renowned novel. Consider it a darker, spookier Pride & Prejudice. Young, disadvantaged Jane Eyre comes to the secluded mansion of wealthy bachelor Mr. Rochester to tutor his ward, but soon discovers that Thornfield Hall holds a lot of secrets. We also have Dario Marianelli, composer of the Pride & Prejudice soundtrack, to thank for the outstanding film score that features violinist Jack Liebeck. All the feels.
4. North & South
I'll admit that I had low expectations for this BBC miniseries. After all, how could some second-rate story by Elizabeth Gaskell (I mean, who's ever heard of her?) hold a candle to anything by Jane Austen? I have never been more wrong. This riveting story about England at the start of the Industrial Revolution highlights the differences between the largely agrarian South and the quickly advancing North in a grand saga of romance, family and class distinction. Plus it features the classic love story reminiscent of Pride & Prejudice in which the guy and the girl hate each other at first (a personal favorite). Well worth four hours of your time.
5. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries
I dare you not to watch 20 episodes in one sitting. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is by far the best modern adaptation of Pride & Prejudice I have ever seen. And the best part? It's all on YouTube. It's a web series. You can watch all of it immediately. For free. The acting is first-rate, the story is brilliantly adapted to the modern world, and it's laugh-out-loud funny. The bad news: it's almost six hours long in its entirety. The good news: it's Christmas break. Happy binge watching.
So to all my Pride & Prejudice fans: take heart, make some Earl grey, bake some scones, and settle into the couch cushions to watch some of these Pride & Prejudice substitutes. You won't be disappointed. And if you are, well, just wipe the smudge marks off of your Pride & Prejudice DVD.
