First Impressions: Why All the Austen Haters Are Wrong

In this episode we're thrilled to have guests Lauren and Emily of the Reclaiming Jane podcast! Reclaiming Jane was started as a podcast for fans on the margins, and creates a welcoming space for those whose identities are not reflected in Austen's original text, and may not be well represented in the current world of Austen fandom. Join us to learn what it means to read Austen through a modern len...

Gentle listeners, we present a review of Austenland (2013), a movie that skewers Austen-addict Jane (Keri Russell) as she goes on a Regency roleplaying retreat and meets a real life Mr. Darcy (JJ Feild). Directed by Jerusha Hess, this movie might be considered the "Napoleon Dynamite" of Austen-related media, winning you over with its broad yet quirky humor. It's getting hot in here... let's take o...

[Note: File updated 12/20 with a small fix to the movie clip used in the intro - it was cut off in the first version of this episode!]. Time for the perfect Christmas movie review! We're taking on the beloved classic Bridget Jones's Diary, one of Kristin's favorite movies of all time. This "lean" adaptation of Pride and Prejudice with a very sexy Wickham, a very perfect Darcy, and a man we all cal...

(Note: This episode was recorded on November 1st 2020, so there is no discussion of the US presidential election or its outcome.) Join us, gentle listeners, for our movie review of the effervescent Bollywood P&P adaptation Bride and Prejudice, directed by Gurinder Chadha. This movie ports Austen's classic tale to modern-day India for an east-meets-west story of cultural misunderstandings, sharp so...

IT'S HERE. Thanks to all our amazing listeners who contributed to our fundraiser! We hit our goal, and as promised, we're bringing you a review of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, the 1992 movie starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche (note, we tried to get those two dots over the "e" in Bronte, then decided we have our lives to live). Join us as we give this difficult text a second look, ref...

Another movie review! Maggie and Kristin tackle the delightful 1940 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice starring Greer Garson and Sir Laurence Olivier. We adored this absolute gem of a movie for its light tone, its fantastic performances, and its imaginative departures from the original story. We also reference information from a book we previously reviewed, The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Loos...

Please join us for an interview with debut author Natalie Jenner, whose delightful book THE JANE AUSTEN SOCIETY was released in May 2020 from St. Martin's Press (NA) and Orion (UK). The book follows a group of unlikely Janeites in postwar England who come together to save Chawton cottage, and wind up saving themselves instead (through reading Jane, of course!). We discuss Natalie's personal relati...

And now for something completely different! Once again we have another just *slightly* off-topic minipod for a little extra fun in these crazy days. In this episode, Maggie, Kristin, and Special Guest (TM) Kevin take on hit Star Wars universe series The Mandalorian. Plus, you get bonus Bay content, as he keeps us on track when our Star Wars knowledge fails us. SPOILER ALERT: This episode includes...

Maggie and Kristin welcome Sarah Pesce of Lopt & Cropt to continue our exploration of the wonderful world of Jane Austen Fan Fiction, this time from an editor's perspective! In our lively discussion, Sarah explains how reading JAFF can provide new insight into Austen's original works. She gives us a tour of the JAFF universe with an overview of online archives, an explanation of common tropes used...

Big news! Maggie and Kristin are back to review the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen and directed by Joe Wright. Knowing that this adaptation has generated some controversy in the Austen community, the girls attempt to tread lightly over difficult ground, acknowledging where this movie shines while also attempting some thoughtful critique. W...

Hi y'all! We're back with another fluffy minipod for those of you who need extra podcasty-goodness during this time while we're all staying home. In this mini-episode, Kristin and Maggie talk about something ENTIRELY unrelated to Jane Austen - the recent theatrical release of Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn. Despite not having even a whiff of Jane Austen about i...

Okay, we know, it's been out for months. But we asked ourselves, did we REALLY understand the new Emma movie on our 3rd, 5th, or even 8th viewing? Of course not! It darted through us with the speed of an arrow that we had to do a second EMMA podcast! Here are all the things we SHOULD have said, all the things we FORGOT to say, and all the things that were too brilliant to burst upon us until our b...

Maggie and Kristin bespeak your indulgence as young performers, because they've decided to amuse themselves with a mini-podcast format during this time of social distance! Today, they're tackling a duologue from Rosina Fillipi's collection, first published in 1895. For the history of these duologues, check out the book The Making of Jane Austen by Devoney Looser, which explains the cultural signif...

The wait is over! At long last, we're back to talk about the new movie EMMA. directed by Autumn de Wilde, screenplay by Eleanor Catton, and starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn. This totally bonkers adaptation subverted our expectations at every turn, yet still managed to be wonderfully faithful to the source material. The movie's score is inspired, the sets and costumes are divine, and every...

[UPDATED 11/29/2020: This episode was updated to remove an extended discussion of medical and pharmaceutical research practices which we feel is no longer appropriate in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the record, we have full confidence that the pharmaceutical companies who are developing COVID-19 vaccines are doing rigorous medical research according to best practices]. First Impressio...

We're ringing in a new decade with a very special movie review episode! Hardcore Austen fans out there may be aware of the delightfully weird 1987 BBC adaptation of Northanger Abbey, starring Peter Firth and Katharine Schlesinger. Despite "missing the joke," this bizarre adaptation throws the viewer many delightful curveballs, including the surprise new French characters, the steamy Roman baths, a...

Gentle listeners, after having been schooled at this year's JASNA conference, we're re-reading Austen's fantastic first novel with new appreciation for its extreme genius. Join us as we revisit everything Northanger has to offer, from its always-hilarious narrative voice, to its lovable and intuitive heroine, to its unique and inimitable way of elevating gothic storylines so that they become "real...

If you hadn't heard, Maggie and Kristin recently attended the Jane Austen Society of North America's Annual Meeting! Are you ready to hear about all the fun we had at JASNA 2019 in Williamsburg? Wondering what new insights we have into the conference's theme, Northanger Abbey? Or just wondering if Kristin and Maggie managed not to embarrass themselves? Check out this JASNA recap episode where we s...

Hello dear First Impressions fans! We're back with the second part of our discussion of Among the Janeites by Deborah Yaffe. This time, our discussion focuses on the founders of JASNA and the fascinating history of the organization. After wrapping up our remarks on the book, Maggie and Kristin share their views and expectations about their upcoming trip to Williamsburg - because if adventures will...

Join us, listeners, for part one of our discussion of Among the Janeites: A Journey Through the World of Jane Austen Fandom, authored by journalist Deborah Yaffe. As a "a warm and witty look at the passionate, thriving world of Austen fandom," this book satisfied our curiosity about famous Janeites, centered our understanding of our fabulous fandom, and gave us plenty of context for our own Austen...

Gentle listeners, we present the third and final installment of our Regency Daze roleplay game! Join us as Kristin, Maggie, and Priya bring our characters' stories to an end with the help of game-master Selvi. As always, intrigue, romance and silliness abound.

Gentle listeners, we bring you yet another review of an Emma movie adaptation! This one was released in 1996, and stars Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong, with a screenplay by the ever-productive Andrew Davies, right off his 1995 success with Pride and Prejudice. From surprising plot omissions to unusual acting choices, this socially-conscious adaptation provides a lot to ponder, especially with reg...

Gentle listeners, we're back! Kristin and Maggie welcome guests Priya and Selvi for the second installment of our Regency Daze game. In this ongoing series, our game master Selvi has crafted a Regency-themed role-playing game (RPG) where our three heroines must plan a neighborhood ball, all while preserving their families' good names, learning the truth of one young lady's parentage, and perhaps,...

Gentle listeners, at long last we bring you a review of the 2009 adaptation of the novel Emma, starring Romola Garai and Jonny Lee Miller! In this episode, Maggie and Kristin talk about how they developed a new appreciation for this excellent adaptation, as the characters are given an emotional depth that some other adaptations lack. The girls also analyze how this version falls short of the mark,...

Gentle listeners, we are thrilled to bring you a very special podcast event! In this episode, your faithful First Impressions podcasters, joined by some good friends, are players in a Regency Era tabletop Role-Playing Game (RPG). Join Maggie, Kristin, and their friends Selvi and Priya, as together they uncover a world of secrets, love, and party planning in "Regency Daze." Game Master Selvi has cr...