katieo156 To begin, I enjoyed this miniseries. The setting was incredible, it was shot wonderfully, and I'm a fan of a lot of the cast members. However, it's very clear that this takes place only at the shallowest level of the Pride&Prejudice world. The characters share the same names and relationships (for the most part), but there were scenes that were so out of character that it jars you out of the action for a moment. For instance, Georgina collapsing to the floor sobbing in front of servants is just too far from believable, especially considering the cause of her tears. (She's upset, yes- but upset enough to ignore all of the manners and excessively uptight social restrictions she grew up with? Hardly.) Elizabeth's wit peeked through at a few points, but overall she was far too passive for the character- she was afraid to contradict Darcy, which goes directly against a pretty large portion of their relationship in the novel. He also reverted back to the bullheaded character he was when the two first met, which erased a lot of characterization and also became a little confusing when the character jumped around from being open to Elizabeth and ignoring her. Jenna Coleman was excellent, and while her self-awareness was a departure from the book it was one that I loved. The secondary characters introduced for the mystery (namely Will and his family) were interesting and played well. I do wish there had been less anachronisms in the trial, but it could have been far worse and somewhat fit Henry's characterization as a man ahead of his time. Overall, a 7/10 and a fun watch once you separate it a bit from the novel it draws its characters from.

jonhanningtonholley I have long been an admirer of great writing, and the works of Jane Austen and PD James are among my favourites. But sadly, this series was not. Other commentators have described many of the objections to costume, plot and characters, and I can only agree. There seemed little of the 'sparkle' and panache that was evident in Austen's writing, and particularly apparent in Andrew Davies' memorable Screen Dramas. PD James is one of the best crime writers our country has ever known - and we can be proud of so many - but whilst crime is her forte, period drama in the fashion of Jane Austen is not. So, after reading Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, in which she created such vivid characters and credible dialogue, in-keeping with the period and the strata of society, we could be forgiven for expecting more of the same though, sadly, not from the late Jane Austen of course. Perhaps it was one of Austen's skills to give us so much, but leave us hungry for more....To do justice to PD James, Jane Austen is an extremely hard act to follow. And, while Ms. James has a proved track-record in her own genre, and did a splendid job on its' own merit, it seems likely that most viewers would be familiar with Jane Austen's work and, almost certainly, Andrew Davies' memorable and excellent TV dramatizations. If there be criticism of the TV version of 'Death Comes to Pemberley', then it must rest as much with the writer who, curiously, is not credited on IMDb? It is a rare skill, indeed, to take good writing on the page and translate it into the different medium of television. Many works of PD James have proved successful on television but, regrettably, this is not the best. She has taken Jane Austen's characters, and woven a skillful plot that stands well on its' own merits, but it's not Jane Austen. Unfortunately, using Austen's characters only makes us expectant of her style and her words, and sadly, they are not there. I'd happily watch it again, but maybe next time I'll do so expecting a good PD James, which it is, rather than a pastiche of Jane Austen.

tweatherlake If you are like me and enjoy your Pride and Prejudice, and a good murder plot, then you would love this series! The choice of the victim is good, but the one of the suspect is very smart, and I also love the way it delves into the soft points of the characters - Darcy's possible regret of marrying Elisabeth, or her not understanding of duty. I was fascinated by the re-creation of an inquest and trial from that period (who knew that judges were allowed to drink brandy during the trial?) and particularly by the depiction of the characters. Elisabeth in particular is just like I would have imagined, she is the same spirited outspoken person we know and love, while Darcy is more brooding, quiet and responsible (while I may have chosen other actors in terms of appearance, I think they portray the characters very well as reactions). I also enjoyed the way Lady de Bourgh is portrayed, and remarkably, I even grew a different understanding of Wickam!All in all, definitively worth to watch by P&P wit a murder twist lovers!

Dunham16 The premise of DEATH IN PEMBERLY is a twentieth century murder mystery set in the milieu of Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. Many scenes are set in Pemberley. In the Austen novel this is the birthplace of Darcy and Georgiana and the home to which Wyckham was brought as a child and Elizabeth Bennett upon her marriage. Several other novel characters appear among them Fitzwilliam,Denny, Lady Catherine de Bourgh and her daughter, Lydia, Jane, the Bennett girls' mother and Mr. Bingley's sisters. Many quotes from the novel are said by characters at least six years after Austen intended them in the novel an anachronism to be appreciated by some and not by others. Within this context the murder mystery which is quite good in itself is set six years after the novel bringing in events unrelated to the novel which may please some and disappoint others.