Are BBC Period Dramas Finally Back? A Review of 'Miss Austen'

Last night (February 23rd) was the airing of the final episode of the miniseries Miss Austen, which has been shown on BBC1 over the last three Sundays. It is an adaptation of the book of the same name by Gill Hornby and focuses on Cassandra, the only sister of literary icon Jane Austen. You may have heard about the infamous story of Miss Cassandra Austen burning her sister’s letters after her death, leaving very little personal and private information about Jane behind, with no indication as to her motivations. The book and adapted miniseries Miss Austen aims to reimagine this mystery behind Cassandra’s actions, by exploring herself, Jane and their relationships with each other and those around them. It begs the question about whether BBC Period Dramas are finally back?

Miss Austen begins in the then-present day, years after Jane’s death, with Cassandra (Keeley Hawes) travelling to her niece Isabella Fowle’s side upon learning that her father is dying. Cassandra arrives in order to comfort Isabella (Rose Leslie) and to help secure her uncertain future, as she is an unmarried woman about to lose her only surviving parent and the house she lives in. What’s unknown to the rest of them is that, whilst at the Fowle residence, Cassandra is determined to hunt down any letters of Jane’s that might exist to Isabella’s mother, Eliza, before any mercenary family member get their hands on them (*cough, cough* Mary Austen (Jessica Hynes), the Austen sisters’ insufferable sister-in-law). It makes for a thrilling piece of drama as audiences follow Cassandra trying to find what to some might be a treasure chest of gossipy information but to Cassandra is potentially legacy damaging information for her sister.

Keeley Hawes as Cassandra, reading some of her sister's letters.

As Cassandra gradually begins to find and read these letters, the relationship between her and her sister is laid forth through beautiful flashbacks to their younger days that explore the ups and downs of life as young women in 19th Century England. Synnøve Karlsen and Patsy Ferran play young Cassy and Jane and, aided by the brilliant writing, bring the warmth and wit of any Jane Austen novel to their performances. We see how fiercely the two protect each other during heartbreak and familial trials, and come to realise why finding these letters is so important to Cassandra in the present day. As Jane’s older sister and the only immediate family member left with her best interests at heart, it is vital to Cassandra that she remain in control of her sister’s enormous literary legacy, and keep it to just that: a legacy focused on her invaluable contribution to culture, and not distracted from by the revelation of personal thoughts and feelings that the letters may reveal. It is her love and devotion to her sister Jane that clearly fuels her decision to burn these letters, making Miss Austen a love story centred on these two sisters.

Synnøve Karlsen and Patsy Ferran as young Cassy and Jane.

One thing that absolutely hooked me in from the very beginning of the miniseries was how beautifully shot the episodes were, with so much attention paid to the colours and atmospheres trying to be created. Pastels overwhelm Miss Austen’s colour palette, despite the sprinkle of greys and blacks throughout the episodes that mark periods of mourning for the characters. The sets and costumes (particularly in the flashbacks) are full of pinks and blues and yellows and greens, which bring us back into the warm, comforting embrace of all of those BBC Period Dramas we have come to love (quite obsessively) over the years; it’s the sort of show you can see yourself coming back to over and over whenever you need a little pick-me-up. It is just insanely gorgeous to look at.

The beautiful cinematography of Miss Austen.

Part of the key to the nostalgic warmth that Miss Austen brings back to our TV screens is the lead performance by Keeley Hawes. I’ve made no effort to hide my admiration for Keeley Hawes and how much I love to watch her, and there is good reason for that. Almost no other actress that I have watched has the ability to repeatedly reach out and connect with you and make you feel every nuance of emotion that their character feels or convey distinct emotions that you yourself might have felt at some point. No matter the types of characters she plays (and being as versatile as she is, there is a range of them), she always brings such a potent sense of the ordinary and familiar with her, making her characters so down to earth and relatable even when they are from another century. She is also a familiar face when it comes to Period Dramas on the BBC, starring in the adaptation of Our Mutual Friend in 1998 and Wives and Daughters in 1999, and perhaps most famously Tipping the Velvet in 2002. She fully embodies Cassandra, and her stunning performance ties the story together beautifully.

Hawes as Cassandra.

What continues to make Miss Austen a particularly special watch is the knowledge that this was a female-led production. From the cast to the direction of Aisling Walsh, the writing by Andrea Gibb and production efforts of Stella Merz and Christine Langan (among many others), the beauty of the show in its final form is undoubtedly down to these women behind the scenes whose love for this Austen story shines through.

Miss Austen has been a hit with audiences on BBC1, bringing in almost 4 million viewers for its first episode, proving yet again that our love for Period Dramas will never die. I hope this means that we can rely on the BBC for more of the same in the future and that our beloved Period Dramas are finally back!

Disclaimer: Images belong to the BBC.