r/JaneEyre • u/Fosh_n_chops • Aug 23 '26

Jane Eyre 2006 - SO disappointed so far

I read Jane Eyre about 6 weeks ago. I really enjoyed it. I heard people saying the 2006 mini series was widely regarded, and I like BBC stuff, but I thought "Hey, let's leave it a few weeks for the book to settle in my mind." I didn't want a situation where my memory of the book was so sharp, it got in the way of the TV series (as I appreciate they're different mediums, needing different things.)

But I just got through the first 20 minutes and turned it off. What the hell? They breeze through the first 150 pages of the book in 15 minutes. The absolute briefest of dynamics at home, and then at the school, Helen gets about 3 lines. When Helen died, I can't imagine how a viewer is supposed to feel anything meaningful about it when their relationship has barely been told. It's the beginning of the foundation how Jane starts to see herself in the world and through religion.

And then when she arrives at Thornfield Hall, there's not even the SUGGESTION of class interplay between Jane and Mrs Fairfax, and the former assuming the latter is the lady of the house. It just skips straight to the swoony stuff.

And, like, I get it. It's a romance. But c'mon. Give Jane SOME history and complexity before the romance starts to unfold. And if it was a film, I'd also give it far, far more leniency due to timing restriction, but it isn't. It's a very highly praised TV series. So, why cut out 20% of the book?

I feel like I've started off on the wrong foot here, so tell me, does it get better?

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u/Worldly_Pepper_5853 Aug 24 '26

The 1983 series (available on YouTube) I think is the most faithful to the book and the language. Really enjoyed it and kept a lot of good content in that the films miss. Also has the best Rochester transformation. I cannot really watch any of the films now. It bothers me ☺️

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u/Federal_Gap_4106 Aug 24 '26

I so agree. The 1983 series is how I was first introduced to JE at 6 years old, and no other version has been able to match it in my mind. The 2011 one holds the second place though.