The Miss Austen TV Adaptation: Episode One Review
- Mindy Killgrove
- May 6
- 4 min read
Have you ever had questions about Jane Austen? What fueled her writing? What love affairs shaped her thoughts and characters? How did she and her sister, Cassandra, both remain unmarried their whole lives? Author Gill Hornby explores many of those same questions in her novel, Miss Austen, and seeks to provide answers. Recently, PBS Masterpiece tackled the difficult task of adapting Hornby’s work by casting actresses to play the famous Austen sisters and bring to the screen all those intrigues and mysteries that continue to elude Janeites.
Please be forewarned here, friends. This blog does contain a summary of events that take place during the first episode of Miss Austen. If you detest spoilers, come back and read this article after you have watched the series.
Summary
The miniseries opens with Cassandra Austen sitting in bed, reading a copy of Persuasion, the last full novel penned by Jane Austen, her sister. She receives a letter from Isabella Fowle, an old family friend. It seems that Isabella’s father, Fulwar, is on his deathbed and it seemed prudent to notify Cassandra. Instantly, even though Isabella takes every measure to ensure Cassandra does not feel the need to hasten to Kintbury, that is precisely what Cassandra does. She packs her trunk and arrives just in time to speak to Fulwar. It is Cassandra who promises him that she will see to his daughter, Isabella’s, welfare. She should be taken care of and suitably situated with her sisters after his death.
On the day of the funeral, Cassandra is introduced to Mr. Dundas. He is not only going to be the next vicar in the village, but he is a professed Jane Austen fan. He declares that there ought to be a biography written about Jane, because all her readers would very much like to know more about her personal affairs. Mary Austen, Cassandra’s sister-in-law, agrees wholeheartedly that something must be done on this matter. Both her husband, James, and Jane should be memorialized through a biographical account. She will speak to her son, Edward James, about tackling the project and she, herself, will go through her sister Eliza’s correspondence, with the hopes of finding a treasure trove of letters from both Jane and Cassandra that will help illuminate many of their inner thoughts and feelings. Cassandra cannot allow this to happen. Without delay, she sets out to find Jane’s letters to Eliza.
As Cassandra reads through the correspondence, she is transported back through the ages to the time when she was much younger and fell in love with Tom Fowle. It is through Cassandra’s recollections and Jane’s letters that the audience learns of how Cassandra (or Cassy as she was called in her youth) became engaged to Tom Fowle and swore to marry none other than him, even after he left her for a year to seek his fortune on the sea at the behest of the nobleman, Lord Craven. Unfortunately, Tom Fowle did not survive the voyage, and Cassy was left to grieve.
The episode concludes with Mary Austen returning to the Fowle’s residence and Cassandra feeling so many emotions. It is awful to relive those painful days when she first learned of Tom’s passing, but also, she learns she was betrayed by Mary. Her sister-in-law did injustice by reporting her behavior incorrectly. Mary Austen lied and that duplicity stings Cassandra anew.
Impressions
For those who read the book, it will be evident in the first few moments that the timeline is inaccurate. In Hornby’s work, Cassandra Austen did not set out to find Jane’s letters until 1840. Here, the audience sees her heading to Kintbury in 1830. It is unclear why the change is made.
Outside of that discrepancy, the adaptation is largely faithful to the source. It moves at a rapid pace, perhaps passing over some of the minutiae, but always clearly showing the connection between Jane and Cassandra, which is really the heart of the story at any rate.
For those who wish to speculate about the life and times of Jane Austen, this TV series promises to deliver. While Cassandra Austen is the main character, Jane is there too, always there, documenting their everyday lives and commenting on what she sees. Austen is known for her observational skills and astute awareness of the feelings of others. This work is devoted to showing how she managed to cultivate such a talent.
Let’s Watch Together
There are four episodes in this mini-series with each premiering on Sunday nights throughout the month of May. Tune into your local PBS station or find Miss Austen on PBS.org. The series can also be streamed, one episode at a time, on the PBS app.
There are only a few places left for JASP 2025! Celebrate Austen's 250th birthday with us in New Bern, NC. Our four-day symposium includes lectures, small-group discussions, workshops, and a Regency ball.
