Death Comes To PBS As Network Lands Jane Austen Based Miniseries

Shelby Arnold

Staff Writer

PBS is known for its broadcasting of music performances and informational programmes as well as beloved British series such as Sherlock and Downton Abbey. While Downton tends to get the most buzz out of any other series they air, they aren’t forgetting that a few Jane Austen hits, such as Pride and Prejudice, and Emma, made them popular years before our favorite socialite family came onto the screen.

It was announced at the Television Critic’s Association press round up, earlier this month, that the BBC One produced miniseries Death Comes to Pemberley would be aired sometime next year in three one hour installments.

The murder mystery is based on the best selling book of the same name penned by author P.D. James. It puts the characters of Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice into a murder mystery when Lydia Bennet crashes the idyllic estate of Pemberley, screaming that her husband has been murdered. Pemberley is the estate owned by married couple Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy. The miniseries takes place six years after their marriage.

Anna Maxwell-Martin, from the BBC miniseries South Riding, plays Elizabeth Darcy. Matthew Rhys (FX’s The American) plays Fitzwilliam Darcy. Matthew Goode and Jenna Coleman (of Doctor Who fame) play Mr. Wickham and Lydia Bennet.

Filming started in July in Yorkshire, which doubles as Derbyshire in the the show. BBC One is hoping to air Death Comes to Pemberley sometime in the winter season or sometime early next year.