So, I'm going to ramble on about LBD some more, and probably not about what your'e thinking
Just watched the latest Lydia video. That was a thing.
And it's not what I want to talk about.
What I really want to talk about is how I just rewatched all of Lizzie's last night. Such fun. And as a narrative, it works quite well.
But I think I've realized why I really don't like what they're doing at all with the Lizzie/Lydia situation, and anything surrounding it.
To make it work (it and a couple of other minor things), they've had to make Lizzie really imperceptive. I've said that before I know, but it's really true. She's supposed to have one massive Darcy/Wickham-sized blind spite guys, but she's still supposed to be reasonably perceptive, and good in awkward situations and such. And in this, the imperceptiveness and wilfull blindness is more universal. (For a second example, compare her reaction in the book to her reaction in the series to Charlotte leaving. A realisic reaction? Yes. Elizabeth Bennet's? No. I don't dislike the change actually, because while it's different at least it's well done. But I think it's symptomatic of what happens when this show experiences problems. It's the minor changes that are sometimes odd.
Like what is Jane doing all this time? I know it's been asked before, but it's a valid point. Does Jane not know that Lydia's seeing Wickham? I guess not.
And lastly, to make this work, they've had to make Lydia more than just immature. They've had to make her cruel. Because since they decided to set her up as a more prominent character, with more of a relationship with her sister, and who knows at least a little about Wickham, and what Wickham did, they've now had to justify why Lydia would then date him. In the book, Lydia had the excuse of youth and immaturity and just plain silliness. Now, the immaturity's present here, and some of the silliness, but she doesn't really have youth as much. Now that she's been aged. And I don't like how they've had to add the cruelty. I think it's reasonably clear that Lizzie has tried to apologize. Not well, not at all well, I'll grant you that, but intentions matter too. Her intentions were always good. Lydia's as they're protrayed in the middle of the fight and the few leading up to it are cruel and almost vengeful. It's why I don't like how the fight happened, or the existence of the fight.
It's taken Lydia from this light-hearted foolish, headstrong, stubborn girl who gets in over her head and makes dumb choices because, well, in part she's never really been taught any better. This Lydia doesn't have that excuse. This Lydia had more information all along, got her feelings hurt when something that was kindly meant was really badly done, wouldn't budge an inch when an apology was offered (even just to start a conversation about it and work things through). And has done things that were cruel. Not to mention, re-watching the earlier eps? Lydia has things to Lizzie that are at least as cruel as that present. Usually with a laugh, but does that make it okay? I don't know, the way this has been done, I don't like the character implications of the change. I might not be explaining it all that well.
I'm not saying Lydia is entirely in the wrong. Lizzie made a mistake too. But honestly, who is in the wrong isn't the issue. It how the storyline has changed the relationship between this sisters because of the subtle shifts in character. And it's the result of making Lizzie ridiculously imperceptive and Lydia a bit cruel/vindictive. The fight has shifted the dynamic in a way that I don't like and am not convinced was necessary, even to modernize the story.
*I suppose I should at least acknowledge my bias here. I've never been overly fond of the Lydia character. I like her, but I don't love her as a lot of people seem to. And part of the reason was that by making her such a major character, I knew there was going to be a strong possibility major weirdness up in the middle section (though I wasn't expecting this), or Lydia taking a really tragic fall (which we may still be into), or a changed ending, in order to make it work.
And it's not what I want to talk about.
What I really want to talk about is how I just rewatched all of Lizzie's last night. Such fun. And as a narrative, it works quite well.
But I think I've realized why I really don't like what they're doing at all with the Lizzie/Lydia situation, and anything surrounding it.
To make it work (it and a couple of other minor things), they've had to make Lizzie really imperceptive. I've said that before I know, but it's really true. She's supposed to have one massive Darcy/Wickham-sized blind spite guys, but she's still supposed to be reasonably perceptive, and good in awkward situations and such. And in this, the imperceptiveness and wilfull blindness is more universal. (For a second example, compare her reaction in the book to her reaction in the series to Charlotte leaving. A realisic reaction? Yes. Elizabeth Bennet's? No. I don't dislike the change actually, because while it's different at least it's well done. But I think it's symptomatic of what happens when this show experiences problems. It's the minor changes that are sometimes odd.
Like what is Jane doing all this time? I know it's been asked before, but it's a valid point. Does Jane not know that Lydia's seeing Wickham? I guess not.
And lastly, to make this work, they've had to make Lydia more than just immature. They've had to make her cruel. Because since they decided to set her up as a more prominent character, with more of a relationship with her sister, and who knows at least a little about Wickham, and what Wickham did, they've now had to justify why Lydia would then date him. In the book, Lydia had the excuse of youth and immaturity and just plain silliness. Now, the immaturity's present here, and some of the silliness, but she doesn't really have youth as much. Now that she's been aged. And I don't like how they've had to add the cruelty. I think it's reasonably clear that Lizzie has tried to apologize. Not well, not at all well, I'll grant you that, but intentions matter too. Her intentions were always good. Lydia's as they're protrayed in the middle of the fight and the few leading up to it are cruel and almost vengeful. It's why I don't like how the fight happened, or the existence of the fight.
It's taken Lydia from this light-hearted foolish, headstrong, stubborn girl who gets in over her head and makes dumb choices because, well, in part she's never really been taught any better. This Lydia doesn't have that excuse. This Lydia had more information all along, got her feelings hurt when something that was kindly meant was really badly done, wouldn't budge an inch when an apology was offered (even just to start a conversation about it and work things through). And has done things that were cruel. Not to mention, re-watching the earlier eps? Lydia has things to Lizzie that are at least as cruel as that present. Usually with a laugh, but does that make it okay? I don't know, the way this has been done, I don't like the character implications of the change. I might not be explaining it all that well.
I'm not saying Lydia is entirely in the wrong. Lizzie made a mistake too. But honestly, who is in the wrong isn't the issue. It how the storyline has changed the relationship between this sisters because of the subtle shifts in character. And it's the result of making Lizzie ridiculously imperceptive and Lydia a bit cruel/vindictive. The fight has shifted the dynamic in a way that I don't like and am not convinced was necessary, even to modernize the story.
*I suppose I should at least acknowledge my bias here. I've never been overly fond of the Lydia character. I like her, but I don't love her as a lot of people seem to. And part of the reason was that by making her such a major character, I knew there was going to be a strong possibility major weirdness up in the middle section (though I wasn't expecting this), or Lydia taking a really tragic fall (which we may still be into), or a changed ending, in order to make it work.