There are three season to binge-watch (Image: Red Planet (Sanditon 3) Ltd/Rob Youngson)
Period drama fans will be pleased to know that there’s more to watch from their beloved author Jane Austen, away from the likes of Pride and Prejudice, and it’s now streaming for free.
For fans of Downton Abbey, Bridgerton, and the most recent TV craze The Other Bennet Sister will be pleased to know that some of Austen’s very own work has been adapted to the screen once again.
Across three gripping seasons, Sanditon takes inspiration from the incomplete manuscript Jane Austen left behind following her tragic death.
The novel was unfinished, and so the original unfinished book was mostly used for the first episode alone, remaining faithful to Austen’s style. From there, the writers let the story unfold and expanded upon these already established characters and narratives.
Like many of the most popular period dramas, this series is set against the backdrop of the Regency era, which calls for elegance and lavishness. The glitz and glamour of it all, while created hundreds of years ago, was developed by the creator, Andrew Davies, to bring it all to life on screen.
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The show first aired in 2019 (Image: Red Planet (Sanditon 2) Ltd/James Pardon)
One fan of the show shared on Rotten Tomatoes: “Absolutely loved it. So intelligent, sensitive, and well acted. It is sad that there is not TV like this in America.
“The Brits make series for intelligent people who are not superhero addicted. All three series were binge-worthy and elevating. Rose Williams was perfect in her role.”
Meanwhile another fan shared: “I loved Sanditon 2 and 3! The casting was outstanding, and the story, though not written by Jane Austen, was expertly written to continue her unfinished last novel in the Austen-like style.”
Sanditon follows a young woman named Charlotte Heywood as she finds herself struggling to navigate life in the new seaside resort of Sanditon.
She is keen to explore everything she can but the town’s scheming locals seem to be getting in the way.
The series first aired on ITV back in 2019, with eight episodes available, before it was later commissioned for a further two seasons.
Across these seasons we see the cast shift and change with some characters remaining central to the story, including Rose Williams as Charlotte, Kate Ashfield as Mary Parker and Crystal Clarke as Georgiana Lambe.
Viewers can’t help but praise the chemistry between some actors, especially that of Rose Williams, playing Charlotte, and Ben Lloyd-Hughes in season two as Alexander Colbourne.
One review reads: “Masterful storytelling. Exquisite performances by Rose Williams and Ben Lloyd-Hughes establish Charlotte Heywood and Alexander Colbourne as an iconic Austen couple. Bring them back to tell more stories of their life in Sanditon.”
Another fan wrote: “Never in my life have I been so intensely swept away by a series. Sanditon is literally the best thing I’ve ever watched, and I’m not exaggerating. The acting!! The ACTING!! Superb. The storyline is so captivating.”
It seems as the series went on, it grew further in popularity, and it’s the final season of the period drama that has the highest score on Rotten Tomatoes – a proud 100%.
Rose Williams plays the leading role of Charlotte (Image: ITV)
Upon the release of its final season, a critic for The Times wrote: “After a tame series one and two, Sanditon may finally have found its soul. And, a flavour that at least faintly tastes of Jane Austen.”
The much-talked-about series, born from the mind of Jane Austen, is available to stream now, with all episodes of Sanditon free to watch on ITVX.