Lost in Austen to premiere in Canada on November 9
A new women’s specialty channel, VIVA, will broadcast the Canadian premiere of Lost in Austen beginning on Sunday, November 9 at 8 p.m. followed by a “classic” adaptation of a Jane Austen novel. It appears from the press release that subsequent episodes and films will be broadcast over four Sunday nights.
One of the highlights of VIVA’s fall lineup is the Canadian premiere of Lost in Austen, a deftly post-modern four-part tale of a woman who worships the novels of Jane Austen and is suddenly transported one day to the world of Pride and Prejudice, swapping places with Elizabeth Bennet. A critical triumph in the U.K., Lost in Austen premieres on Sunday, November 9 at 8 p.m. ET. Each episode will be followed by a classic Jane Austen movie, starting with Sense and Sensibility, then Mansfield Park, Emma and Pride and Prejudice on the following Sundays.
In other words, who knows which version…but if we were a betting Editrix, our money would be on 95, 99, 97-Paltrow and 05, respectively.
The station is targeting women 40-64 (aka Middle Aged Austen Whores), who no doubt will find Mary Sue fan fiction featuring dimbulb twenty-something British women right up their alley. Oh, wait, it’s a critical triumph. Our bad.
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“…Oh, wait, it’s a critical triumph. Our bad.”
Dearie, you crack me up!!!
Here come another 103 comments; I hope this time at least they won’t be about panties
Some of us may resent being called “Middle Aged” Mags,
Ahem.
Just out of curiosity, any noises about Lost in Austen airing in the US?
Marlyn: Not that I’m aware of. I was told Masterpiece Theater passed on it–but since the success of their Jane Austen set last winter, I wouldn’t be surprised if that changed, but I think a cable channel more likely–maybe Hallmark or Bravo or something like that? Lifetime? Dunno. I don’t have cable anymore so I’m not that familiar with the channels. I know A&E has neither arts nor entertainment anymore…
This is all speculation. I know nothing for sure!
Cynthia Ann, that is an inside blog joke that goes back to a Victim of the Cluebat. It is meant to be tongue-in-cheek. To a 19-year-old, I guess we do look a bit middle-aged.
*Bum face!* Oh, did I say that out loud? Sorry. Much as I wish to be in accord with the general sentiment of the “regulars” here, in the interest of peace, I must admit that I liked the series a lot. Well, okay, loved it. There!
Perhaps the experience of watching it on YouTube was not very satisfying? I had the good fortune of watching it on DVD, and have reviewed it several times since. I thought that the script was very well written, the acting superb, and the twists very cleverly done. This was the most fun I have had with anything connected with Jane’s work in a very long time.
I am tempted to offer my take on the conclusion of the story, which seemed to confuse a number of viewers, but I don’t wish to spoil it for those who have yet to see it. Should any one wish to compare notes, or to simply give me a piece of their mind, feel free to write me at tonyaguila[at]mac[dot]com.
It doesn’t seem that the powers at Masterpiece have changed their minds about LiA, at least the press-releases they have for Classic 2009 do not include it in their schedule (nor Mystery and I doubt Contemporary will do).
*Swoons* no cable Mags? However does one watch BBC America? No Robinhood. No Britian’s Worst Teeth?
LA (who is at a loss for your loss)
I don’t really watch that much TV. If there’s something I really want to see, there’s Hulu, and everything comes out on DVD and makes it to Netflix eventually. I just have to be patient. And occasionally someone hooks a fangirl up, if you follow me.
(I saw the second season of Robin Hood before you did!) I have a digital converter box now, and get “extra” stations, which is kind of exciting.
The only thing I really miss on cable is Phillies and Flyers games. But I’ve learned to go low-tech and listen on the radio…AM yet! I like it because I can be listening to the game and then doing something useful as well, like blogging. (ha-ha) And some of the games are on broadcast TV. LIKE THE WORLD SERIES HA HA HA HA HA HAAAAAAAA!
Sounds like the Canadian Version of “The Complete JA” on PBS earlier this year… but better, eh? I mean with the Lost in Austen premiere.
BTW, it’s November 3.
Mags: I meant no offense by saying that, I was joking too.
(offense to the middle aged part, but not the whore part, hahaha) I will get the inside jokes after I have been here for a while, everyone please bear with the blond until I do. 
I looked on the Masterpiece site and I think they are doing Dickens this season, but we in the US can keep our fingers crossed for LIA, or when someone desides to put it on a DVD for our region.
So with this showing in Canada do you think that means a Region 1 DVD will follow?
I sent Masterpiece an email the other day asking if they have any plans to air LIA. Got a reply back today, “Unfortunately, MASTERPIECE will not be broadcasting Lost in Austen, though it may be broadcast by a different network in the US.” Guess we will have to hope that a
Region 1 DVD will come out or another network will air it.
I ordered the LiA DVD, it arrived yesterday!!! yeah!!!
regions…you should ask your husbands/boyfriends/lovers or even coworkers…I’m sure they can do something for you girls…click here and there, 3 times or many more…do you know what am I talking about? I buy my dvd’s in amazon(dot)uk (cheaper, even with freight)
I saw a post on the IMDB page for LiA that OvationTV will be airing the series in January 2009. Unfortunately, I have been unable to verify it anywhere including the OvationTV website. Perhaps someone with better Internet research skills or connections can find out for sure if this is accurate.
panties? middleaged nags?However does one watch bbc America….What does one say about the bbc except they are full of it, oh i forgot the sh…..
Oh no! the above said Middle Aged Mags? Can that be? time for an eye exam….
OH!! YOU LUCKY LUCKY CANADIANS!!!!
Mags, I didn’t notice until now that the link you have up there for VIVA is broken.
Was nobody interested enough in reading the source, perhaps? Anyway, I hope this one works. I can’t make it open in a new window, though. Sorry.
you should ask your husbands/boyfriends/lovers or even coworkers…I’m sure they can do something for you girls
Math is hard!
*rolls eyes*
Oh, and I think the link is fixed. It was actually to a press release.
bifocals…..damn! next i’ll be joining -aarp- serves me right,how did i miss the paperback i wanted at Kroger’s and end up with something by Janet Dailey and NOT notice?????
oops … my mistake (comment 11). Nov. 3 is when they launch the new station VIVA, Nov. 9 at 8 pm ET is the premiere of Lost in Austen. I’ll be joining my fellow Canucks to enjoy this privilege … only in Canada, eh?… Yup.
A critical triumph!!?? Not in any review that I ever read. However, you would hardly expect the people now hoping to use it to attract advertisers to come out and say “A critical non-event, though it did attract some kind comments about the actors and the settings if not the story, and it might well have done much better than it did in the audience ratings but for the stupidity of the UK network on which it was shown in putting it up against a very popular BBC programme firmly rooted in reality.”
I agree with Kathleen G. IMHO, this link is a public relations press release written to excite interest rather than provide an accurate description. The main resemblance to P&P is the name of the characters. Too bad they don’t just state that it is a fantasy inspired by P&P. But then Jane isn’t around to hire an attorney to protect her intellectual property.
I’m a hardcore Austen/Regency Period fan and I enjoyed it very much. As did several other Austen fans I know. I think it either appeals to your sense of humor or doesn’t. Not necessarily any indication of how much some one knows about Jane Austen. I found the production and acting all quite good, and it really did not take its self seriously. Sure a lot of people hate to see Austen being messed with, but I don’t think Lost in Austen deserves too much criticism. There are a lot worse things out there.
While I enjoyed that…. I can’t say I’m looking forward to ‘The independence of Miss Mary Bennet’… which does seem horrible. Unfortunately being a stock model… I am actually on the cover of it (at least the Australian version), yes that is my body on the cover, but they changed the head.
I do feel some what of a traitor to hardcore Austen fans and some what disappointed in myself… but when I signed the image over to Harper Collins, I did not know what the book was about.
It’s strange though, isn’t it supposed to be set 20 years after Pride and Prejudice? Depending on what year you figure Pride and Prejudice would be set, it still sets this new book either at the end of the Regency period or out of it…. in the image they used of me, I’m wearing an earlier Regency Period dress.
I guess they don’t care about those historical inaccuracies.
I had the bonne chance to see all four episodes (UK DVD version) of Lost in Austen in one sitting and I agree with Tony A and pink on this one—I found it to be thoroughly entertaining. The most refreshing thing for me was that the writers did not attempt to take the dialogue from P&P and stuff it into their script, nor did I ever feel that it was supposed to be the novel, in film format. Quite frankly I thought the actors’ portrayals of JA’s characters were superior to most I’ve seen to date and the story line beats 99% of the online fan fic. After all, isn’t it what a lot of JA fans love about P&P—that they can imagine themselves with Mr. Darcy??
Just saying…
I agree with you completely, pink and Helen, on all counts. I consider myself a purist especially when it comes to Jane, but I found myself unable to resist the appeal of the new story line, twisted though it may be, passible fellow that I am.
…yes that is my body on the cover… Charmed… Charmed.
Pink, do not be too hard on yourself over the cover issue. After all, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a cover by its book. Your reputation is safe.
By the way, for the Gemma Arterton (Lizzy) fans out there, her Tess of the D’Urbervilles (2008) will be out on DVD later this month, region 2 only, sadly. And, of course, she is also in the upcoming Bond film, Quantum of Solace.
And, finally, for fans of our dear Anne Hathaway, I hear that Rachel Getting Married is a critical triumph! How about that? I must be feeling generous today, indeed.
Some reviews have said that the casting was superior than a lot of other Austen adaptations, which I agree with. On the whole, it was very well cast. Hugh Bonneville was probably the best Mr Bennett I’ve seen it.
I liked that Pride and Prejudice as a book didn’t change… this was like some alternative reality. Amanda didn’t go back into the real world and discover the actual books had changed. That would have annoyed me.
As for Mary Sue comments, while the fact that several men liked Amanda, besides from that I didn’t find her character to be Mary Sue-ish, she was very flawed, but not too flawed either.
Lost in Austen also respected Austen fans, with many in jokes that only they would get. Though I haven’t read The independence of Miss Mary Bennett yet (waiting for free copies to be sent to me) I have a feeling that author shows no respect to the real Austen fans.
I have to admit that I love this blog, but was disappointed with such criticism of Lost in Austen, as many fans enjoyed it. Voicing an opinion is fine, but I guess I would have preferred to get the information without the negative comments, as it did sort of taint it for me. Usually I love the funny comments on stupid things people say about Austen etc… but this time it felt harsher and unnecessary. And it made me feel bad for liking Lost in Austen, and I’m a hardcore Austen fan. It actually made me visit here a lot less. I wonder how many other people felt the same way, and were disappointed and feel less inclined to visit here.
I don’t think there needed to be praise for Lost in Austen, just a toning down of the negativity, as there seemed an unnecessary amount in comparison to what is said about other fanfictiony type things.
Again, I concur with you, Miss pink, wholeheartedly. But not to seem obsequious or anything like it, I must say that instead of being less inclined to visit AustenBlog because of the vilification of LiA shown here, I am inclined to do the opposite, if not merely to try to provide more balance into the discussion.
I had been coming here less often lately probably because I had become lazy about spending time on all things Austen, or maybe because I found the topics less interesting… until now!
After all, I know of no better place for discussing Jane than AustenBlog, honestly. (Not trying to win points, Mags. Rest assured.)
And as for the “Mary Sue” comments, Amanda Price would be the farthest thing from being one. Had I been a Brontë-loving-Austen-hating fan, I would accuse Jane of creating a Mary Sue in Fanny Price, for what real person could possibly be that good and tolerant? Or even Elizabeth Bennet. What girl of that period in her right mind, and in her situation, would turn down an offer of marriage from Darcy?
I thought that Caroline Bingley, in LiA, had a more realistic and practical take on the situation, even if Darcy had behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner.
***Spoiler Alert! You have been warned!***
After Darcy had announced his engagement to Caroline, the latter sought out Amanda and finally expressed her sapphic tendencies.
I shall get my paws on Darcy and I shall marry him, because it is correct… But physical society of men is something I have never sought. I shall endure it with Darcy because endurance is the speciality of our sex. But the poetry of Sappho is the only music that shall ever touch my heart… though I have yet to play upon the instrument myself.
And she starts to make a pass at Miss Price.
Ahh! So she is indeed a maid. I would not have guessed.
But I say this, thanks to Lost in Austen this place has come back to life, regardless of the controversy, and arguably, the unfair criticism placed upon it.
Well, that is another way of looking at it Tony.
I guess I just prefer to be given the news about things, and personal opinions just in the comment section. That way I have choice if I want to read a lot of criticism.
But you do have a point!
Has it occurred to anyone there’s a reason why this is not available on Region 1 DVD yet and why PBS or another top cable station is not showing it? Because the people that would normally handle such things think it would not be worth their time, effort, or money to do so? Because maybe they think it isn’t very good? So it’s not really just one voice raging into the darkness here.
It’s not even that I think it’s not good. It had its moments. But it’s not worth the immense time and interest and energy being expended upon it by the fandom. It goes back to: if we keep supporting second- and third-rate productions, we’ll keep getting second- and third-rate productions. If you want something good, ignore this stuff, don’t buy the DVDs, don’t discuss it, and maybe The Powers That Be will get a clue. They actually seem to have one about this, shockingly.
When you remove a very popular and well-loved heroine from a well-known work of fiction and insert an inferior replacement, that is indeed Mary Sue. Reading or re-reading Pride and Prejudice would be more worth your time and energy than discussing this film.
Sorry, just all a matter of opinion. I could argue so many points with you, but you seem very set in your views so I don’t see much point.
As a regular reader of this blog, I’m just giving you some honest feedback that such negativity is off putting, its up to you whether you want to listen to your readers or not.
I’ll go reread Pride and Prejudice for the hundredth time instead of discussing such things!
Please to see Jane Austen’s First Law of Blogging, and for your own safety engage sense of humor before operating Internet.
There ARE a few of us who did not care for LiA. You are not alone, Mags! We just have not commented much.
I feel that it could have been fun, but a lot of the humour was crass. (I enjoy Jane Austen’s humour because it is clever and often subtle.) My other complaint is that LiA corrupted too much of the original plot of P&P. I couldn’t even get through the second part.
I also share in the criticisms of LIA. I was happy to watch it on the internet but was also happy that I knew enough about it to avoid buying a DVD. I would like to remind people that this site brought many readers’ attention to the show. I certainly never would have known it existed, or watched it, if it were not described here and I was not conveniently provided with a link to watch it. I actually found myself looking forward to viewing it after reading Mags’ and other’s comments to see what I thought.
I sometimes wonder, are people so used to being marketed to that they forget the value of critical thought and sharing opinions?
I hope my saying ‘you lucky lucky Canadians’ wasn’t taken seriously.
Because I meant the opposite.
Usually I love the funny comments on stupid things people say about Austen etc… but this time it felt harsher and unnecessary. And it made me feel bad for liking Lost in Austen…
Well, all the gushing pro-LIA comments certainly didn’t make me feel bad for not liking it. Are viewers who dislike LIA not entitled to the same intensity of opinion as those who do? And what’s wrong with saying so?
Let’s all grow up a little here. This is a blog and commentary, positive or negative, is the point.
hmmmm guess you didn’t pick up the humour in my last post.
This is a blog, criticism or praise of it is going to be normal. Let’s all grow up a little here.
There you go, now you’ve got it.
Pink, I am glad you were just being humorous in your posting. No reason to feel bad in the exchange of banter! I enjoy reading everyones ideas, whether I agree or not. I am glad we have the chance to share them openly!
I just called Bell Expressvu and they do not have Viva. I really want to watch LIA (without having to watch a grainy cut up version on the internet). Any suggestions? Thanks!
I think the network isn’t starting until November 1–will they have it then? Otherwise, unless you want to invest in the Region 2 DVDs, or wait to see if Region 1 DVDs ever come out (though I’d recommend seeing it first to see if you really want the DVDs), I don’t know what to say, except perhaps some snark about “it could only get on a third-rate network that nobody carries” but that would just result in another round of whining about negativity. You could probably get it off the torrents and it won’t be grainy or cut up. Don’t ask me how, I haven’t really taken that particular plunge yet.