Snips and Specs and (Web) Series

I have found my new favorite distraction- web series!  

It all started with Lizzie Bennet Diaries.  I was skeptical- there are a lot of modern adaptations that went by the wayside, in my opinion (and I have notably bad taste in movies so don’t be offended if I don’t like what you love) such as 2003’s Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy which was like an arrow to my heart, what they did to Darcy and Jane. So if a movie that managed to get produced could flop, what on earth would happen to an adaptation merely posted on YouTube?

I persevered nonetheless and was rewarded with good quality video, clever and quick scripting, and an engaging cast. It was fun to have other interactive features- such as characters on Twitter and Lydia starting her own channel. I looked forward to noon Mondays and Thursdays every week, anxiously refreshing their page, pining for a glimpse of the elusive Mr. Darcy, anticipating how they would modernize Lydia’s elopement and Darcy’s rescue. I engaged in the wild speculation and discussion that is YouTube comments. 

YouTube comments crack me up.
This isn't intellectual debate, WE'RE ON YOUTUBE

Now that Lizzie Bennet Diaries is finished (a moment of silence, please) I have been searching for other book adaptation web series to occupy 10 minutes of my week.  The producers of LBD followed up with Welcome to Sandition but I had not read the novel yet (*gasp* what kind of Austenite am I??) and I don’t think adaptations are nearly as fun unless you can understand the references and appreciate nuances and plot changes (the watchers commenting, “What’s going to happen next? I’ve never read the book!” boggled my mind, but I guess it gave credence to the exemplary writers of the series that could keep even the non-literary glued to their screens? Or provided one more example of how these stories are ageless and engaging to all generations!).  

While I wait for the LBD creators to come out with their next project- an adaptation of Emma, I have been nosing around for other good YouTube adaptations and was delighted when Meg pointed me to The Autobiography of Jane Eyre.  For the first 3 episodes I was unconvinced; the first episode especially was too spacey, low quality and attempt-at-artsy for my taste, but I held my judgement and soon found myself anxiously awaiting each Wednesday for a new update, a little in love with Rochester (I have yet to meet a version Rochester I haven't fallen in love with).

Who could resist this??

What do you think of book adaptation web series?  What adaptations would you like to see (I would LOVE to see a Room with a View modernized!)?  Any recommendations of series we should be watching?

-Kate