The Other Bennet Sister Episode 5 had me fluctuating between loving Mary’s progress and all the romance blossoming in front of me and anger at Caroline Bingley. Nevertheless, I love everything that is happening with Mary and how she is discovering herself. Because it isn’t just that she is away from the horrid weight of her mother’s shadow. Mary is figuring out new interests, the limitations of herself, and who she wants to be. Also, she’s finally getting to experience girlhood.
MORE: Need a refresher of the last episode? Read our review for The Other Bennet Sister Episode 4!
Sisterhood is Really Grounding This Show
Before I dive into the romance of The Other Bennet Sister Episode 5, I want to talk about how girlhood is essential to what is happening to Mary right now. Because she’s working on discovering what kind of woman she wants to be. And yes love is knocking on that door as she finds herself. But I really think what makes so much of this show work is how important girlhood is to her journey.
The obvious girlhood moments that Mary is having come in the form of Miss Ann Baxter. She is encouraging, kind, and truly wants the best for Mary. And she’s helping deconstruct the things that Mary thinks about herself while providing a sounding board that Mary has never had in her life. Having someone like Ann is changing Mary for the better, despite the hovering complications of Tom.
Then there’s Mrs. Gardiner. If I had someone like her in my life I know that I would be set forever. Because she continuously spots all the distortions that Mary has about herself and how others try to crush her. And Mrs. Gardiner is like “Not today, Satan.” She is another form of girlhood that is liberating Mary and allowing her the space to dance, laugh, and stand up to those who have bullied her and continue to do so.
This community that Mary is building in London is what’s going to make the next episode of The Other Bennet Sister different. Because we’ve seen Mary crushed by her mother and surrounded by her beautiful sisters. But what we haven’t seen is a Mary with her family that is empowered and has seen the other side of herself, who she can be, and the world that is not just at her fingertips but in her grasp.
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We Have a Love Triangle, People
Episode 5 of The Other Bennet Sister does have the touchstones of beloved rom-coms. You had the girlhood moments with Miss Baxter, a makeover sequence, and the attention of two gentlemen. But what makes this show stand out from others is that Mary still looks the same and remains who she is at her heart no matter what. And still, Tom and William are attracted to her bold nature and curious heart.
So who do I think Mary should end up with? I don’t know yet. But I can tell you that these two men are completely different in who they are but also what they can bring to Mary’s life. Because I think this show is going to end up in a marriage, or I hope so. Because Mary deserves to be loved for the woman she is and not what she can do for others or how she can fill the role of a wife. That’s of course if she continues working through her own self-worth issues.
But back to her potential suitors.
On one side you have Tom, Mary’s first heartbreak. And even though this silent line has been drawn where Tom is engaged to Ann and they can’t continue their flirtation, there is something in those eyes that is undeniable. The way he looks at her is magnetic and speaks of a formation of a deep bond grounded in them knowing each other, despite the short amount of time. And if he wants an opportunity with Mary, he needs to buck up, make his intentions clear, and let Ann go. Because it’s not fair to Mary or Ann that he’s over here asking if he should tell William to back off.
Then there’s William. I think it’s important to keep in mind that William is living in a bit of a fairytale. He wants love for love’s sake. And that’s really important and maybe something that Mary needs. But he also needs to see the reality of what marriage means. This is one of the only choices for survival for women during this age. And the fact that he doesn’t see that means that he can never fully know Mary. Though there is also something about the way that he looks at Mary like she’s the sun and he’s seeing it rise for the first time.
Caroline Bingley, I See You
Mary might’ve been able to keep her composure in the face of Caroline Bingley’s continued provocations, but I wouldn’t have. And the entire time that I was watching Episode 5, anytime Caroline appeared I got maddddd. Because if there’s anyone that should be able to understand Mary’s plight, it’s Caroline. But she uses the hurt that she’s experienced in her life to inflict that pain on others. There is no girlhood with her. There’s competition.
And I’m going to be frank here. Caroline likes to act like she is the bell of the ball. But she’s just as plain looking as Mary. The only difference is that Caroline took her experiences in life and masked her pain with cruelty. And that’s going to get her far in life. But that’s also going to make it so that she’s going to be so ugly on the inside that she’ll never find the happiness that she is so angry that Mary is finding in London.
A part of me hopes that Caroline learns nothing. Because there was that moment when Mary told her off that Caroline flinched, as if recognizing that Mary saw her for who she was. But then she suggested that Mary sing and started a little chant. Caroline continued to be cruel and sometimes people don’t learn. Sometimes they continue being monsters, like I expect Mary’s mother to be when she returns home. And it’s all about what we do in the face of that cruelty.
The Other Bennet Sister new episodes premiere each Wednesday on BritBox.
Great analysis! It’s important to consider that Tom leaving his arrangement with Ann would be damaging to her in the eyes of society. But she can leave him without damaging him or herself.
Thank you so much for your comment! Honestly, I didn’t think of that when it came to Ann. Ohhhh that’s super interesting and makes more sense. Kind of makes me look at Tom’s situation with kinder eyes too. Can’t wait to watch more!
I was pumping my fist when Mary told off Caroline Bingley! I’ve read the novel and while the series does veer off from it in certain ways, it does it for the sake of telling a really good story. Speaking of eyes, in the interaction between Mary and Caroline, both actor’ eyes reveal so much. This series was cast perfectly. I also was struck by the fact that Caroline is rather plain – or perhaps strong featured – but it’s only her sense of superiority that allows her to carry herself as a woman worthy of recognition.
My favorite scene in this episode is how Mary turns around her seating next to Mr. Hurst – who in every other version of P&P is the nearly mute, perpetually drunken spouse – into a truly charming and amusing interaction. Mary later overhears him defending her to Caroline Bingley.