Books & Movies

Recommendations for Literary-Based Web Series

June 2, 2021

Literary-based web series rose and fell in the early 2010’s. For many creators, it was a new way to reimagine well-known classics and retell a modern equivalent through the form of vlogs on YouTube. Interestingly, there aren’t many more of these web series after 2015, so it’s fascinating how this genre of videos died out so quickly.

If you’re wanting to know more, I’ve gone through a number of these web series on my own and I’ve picked out some of my personal favorites.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

Based on: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

Definitely check this one out if you’re new to literary-based vlogs. I suspect that it was the popularity and the creativity of LBD that inspired many other creators to make their own web series, and I also theorize that it created some of the tropes often found in literary-based web series (e.g. costume theatre). It’s probably the gateway to literary-based vlogs for many people, and it’s easy to see why. There is some mature content in LBD, but Ashley Clements, Mary Kate Wiles, and the whole cast are a genuine joy to watch and I do recommend it if you’re looking for a modern version of Pride and Prejudice.

(Note: Pemberley Digital, the channel that released the Lizzie Bennet Diaries, also contains other web series such as Emma Approved, which is based on Jane Austen’s Emma.)

Jules and Monty

Based on: Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet

This is a short but fun adaptation of possibly the most famous star-crossed lovers. Content warning because it’s definitely not PG, but it’s basically Romeo and Juliet in college. The web series also incorporates quotes from the play into modern language (which can be jarring at times, but is overall quite creative).

The Autobiography of Jane Eyre

Based on: Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre

This is a mostly clean adaptation of Jane Eyre and I liked how unpolished it was compared to more professionally made ones like The Lizzie Bennet Diaries. I have mixed feelings about the ending, but then again I have mixed feelings about Jane Eyre as a book anyway.

Note: the actor for Rochester does leave partway through the series, so you won’t be seeing much of him in the finale. It’s interesting because it means there’s a larger focus on Jane’s platonic relationships (very cool).

Kate the Cursed

Based on: Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew

This is a high school AU of The Taming of the Shrew! Basically.

I was pleased that they resolved some of the issues I had with the original (like abusing Katherine to the point where her spirit was broken). This one is probably one of my favorites since many of the characters share names with my irl friends, but also, it’s short and sweet, the writing is decent, and the character arcs for both Kate and James are believable and carried out well. It’s a fun one, trust me.

Nothing Much To Do

Based on: Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing

NMTD is one of my personal favorites (I’ve seen it twice)! The writing is hilarious and the actors are all amazing. I loved that they actually acted like kids in high school (e.g. random conversations), and I think that’s because parts of some episodes are improvised. Content warning for cussing (kind of like Jules and Monty), particularly when Claudio accuses Hero of cheating on him, but I definitely recommend this one.

Also, you have got to listen to Reuben Hudson’s Sigh Not So. It is absolutely lovely and my favorite version of Balthasar’s song in Much Ado About Nothing.

University Ever After

Before you get into this one, you should probably acknowledge that it is a Disney college AU created by college kids, so the quality isn’t always top notch — BUT it’s a musical and I think that is something unique about it compared to the previous web series on the list. Season Two is where it starts departing from the vlogging format and into an experimentation of genres (e.g. one episode might be crime noir, the next is a western, then a Star Wars parody…). Honestly, the plot is surprisingly good, too, so that’s definitely a plus.

Green Gables Fables

Based on: L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables

This one may take some liberties with Anne’s timeline, but it still makes her lovable and I think it’s quite true to L. M. Montgomery’s books. It’s got solid casting and it’s a fun one.

Honorable Mentions

These ones don’t exactly make it to my favorites list, but they’re all right.

The Nick Carraway Chronicles: Adaptation of The Great Gatsby. I thought the actor for Gatsby was a little young and the writing can be a little rough sometimes, but it’s short enough if you don’t have a lot of time to spare and has its moments (e.g. the Richard Parker story).
The Cate Morland Chronicles: Modern take on Northanger Abbey with a lot of in-universe content (e.g. Comic Con interviews, actor interviews).
A Little Princess: Based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s work of the same name.

Of course, there are many more literary web series if you’re interested. I just thought this was a good place to start.