There have been lots of news articles and blog posts on PBS’ “Complete Jane Austen” over the past couple of days. Even though we are less than thrilled about some of the films, we are thoroughly delighted at the attention that the event will direct at our favorite authoress. Also we find ourself mellowing out into a kind of “who-cares-they’re-just-TV-movies-anyway” sort of Zen state, somewhere between Accepting The Inevitable and a Paula Abdul-like stupor. (Yeah, surrrre she tripped over her dog.) Rainbows! The films are like rainbows of love and happiness! That Editrix Simon is just an old meanie!

In the meantime, we direct your attention to a post at the Nashville Public Television blog. The reporter was present at the PBS showcase in Dallas during which the event was announced and has some fun details on the reception of the announcement.

One announcement that got everyone excited (especially the ladies, but hey, real men, I’m told, read Jane Austen, according to a profile on Facebook) is that MASTERPIECE THEATER will broadcast adaptations of all of Austen’s six novels, plus a new drama based on her life. It’s the first time in television history that her books have been broadcast as a complete collection.

From the news release:

Beginning in January 2008 on PBS, MASTERPIECE THEATRE is inviting viewers to tune in on Sunday nights for “The Complete Jane Austen”: new presentations of Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. The lineup will also include the acclaimed Emma starring Kate Beckinsale, and Pride and Prejudice, the Emmy award-winning miniseries that made Colin Firth a heartthrob.

(The ladies at the luncheon got a little crazy when that last bit of info was announced )

Hee.

And the first of an inevitable parade of misinformation and spin, The Los Angeles Times article on the event contained the following tidbit:

All four of the new Austen adaptations are by Andrew Davies, who did the earlier two screenplays too.

*headdesk*