When it comes to period dramas, Miss Austen brought a tale that we wouldn’t usually get to hear. It focuses on Cassandra Austen, Jane’s lesser-known sister, and the reason she burned the letters Jane had written to their friend Eliza.
Over the course of four episodes, we took a trip to the past to see how Cassie ended up becoming a spinster, focused on supporting her family. In the present day, we got to see her focus on finding a home for Eliza’s youngest daughter, Isabella, as she didn’t want Isabella to end up like her.
With the first season done, eyes will be on the future. There is some bad news for those who want Miss Austen season 2.
Miss Austen was designed to be a miniseries
When Miss Austen was first released, we were told that it was a four-part series. In other words, it’s a miniseries, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. That was certainly the case over the course of four episodes, as we got to see why Cassandra burned some of Jane’s letters to Eliza, and it wasn’t out of spite.
The series is based on the novel of the same name by Gill Hornby, and it focuses on Cassandra and her reasoning behind burning the letters. All this came because so many historians hate Cassandra for burning some of the letters, but it’s clear that there was a reason other than jealousy. After all, the surviving letters show that Jane loved her sister, and there’s no reason for Cassandra to burn some and not all, unless it was a way to protect Jane.
There are other books to adapt
While Miss Austen season 2 may not happen, it doesn’t mean that this needs to be the end of the story for all the Austens. Hornby has written other novels about other members of the family, so it’s certainly plausible that these novels could be adapted as well.
With how popular Miss Austen has been, it would make sense to continue the story. Many likely want to know what happened to young Anna, who was only seen briefly as an adult in the third episode. Others will want to know more about Jane’s brothers or about the other nieces and nephews.
Of course, the show could take a different direction and put some focus on Isabella and Mr. Lidderdale. Maybe there is a story there of what happened to them after they married and Isabella found a love story just like the ones she read. So, the world doesn’t have to be over, but it’s unlikely that Miss Austen season 2 will happen.
Miss Austen is available to stream on PBS Masterpiece.
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