Keeley Hawes' new BBC drama isn't perfect, but it's got heart (2025)

The BBC's new period drama Miss Austen is careful and considerate in its storytelling.

Inspired by a real-life question that could certainly have invited some scandal – there's long been mystery around the belief that most of Jane Austen's handwritten letters were destroyed by her sister – the series, adapted from the best-selling novel by Gill Hornby, could have ended up with a very different feel.

While the Regency setting and letter-writing might conjure a portrait of Lady Whistledown – and there are pastel hues and matters of the heart (unfolding in a ballroom setting) – this is certainly no Bridgerton.

Related: James Norton's new BBC period drama gets first look and release update

Of course the BBC series bears all the hallmarks you'd expect of the period genre, with gorgeous stately homes setting the scene and classical costume design fully immersing you in the time at which it is set.

But sometimes the scenes meander a little, and the whispers of conflict stay rather well-mannered. There are many characters to remember, too, each with connections to keep track of, and that can sometimes become a little arduous.

Keeley Hawes (Bodyguard) takes the central role of Cassandra Austen, Jane's lesser-known older sister. It's one of the actor's more tethered performances; the character feels tangible and grounded, reflecting the tone of the story itself.

Related: Sean Bean's period drama cancelled after 1 season

While there is a warmth and understanding to be found in her, Miss Austen refuses to hit just one note and affords Cassandra the grace of being bristly at times too. Such is Hawes' performance that the audience is always invited back into her good graces – a worthy protagonist in her own story, coming out of the shadow of her more famous sister.

There is a clever and clear through-line between the performances of the younger Cassandra (played by Synnøve Karlsen) and Hawes' take on the character, offering even more depth and an investment that binds both versions.

The dual timeline allows for the series to explore the love shared between the two Austen sisters, giving us the chance to hear from Jane through her letters and Cass's memories.

Patsy Ferran is certainly a standout as the young Jane Austen. She paints a picture of an observant and astute, yet often misunderstood, young woman who is undoubtedly ahead of the time she was born into.

The contrast between the two sisters is stark. Cassandra, branded the family's "peach", is primed for society's expectations of a woman and ripe for the picking on the marriage market. Jane, meanwhile, is something of a worry for her parents – even if her father George Austen (Kevin McNally) assures them that their 'brilliance manifests differently'.

The series seems to capture the spirit of Jane Austen; while others around her were preoccupied with marriage and the scheming that came with it, she used her writing for social commentary at a time where women didn't have many options available to them.

Cassandra blossoms as the story unfolds too, and it's fitting that through this imagining Jane's sister can get some recognition for being part of that legacy.

Miss Austen is itself like a love letter to both Austen women, and it's through this affection and adoration that the BBC series can best be enjoyed.

Miss Austen will be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC One on Sunday, February 2.