Miss Austen Season 1: Release date and time, plot, and everything we know so far

Miss Austen season 1 is a historical television series based on the life of famous 19th-century author Jane Austen and her sister Cassandra. Directed by Aisling Walsh, it is based on the novel Miss Austen by Gill Hornby. Andrea Gibb adapted the literature for the screen, with Stella Merz serving as producer for Bonnie Productions and Masterpiece.

Set in 1830, Miss Austen season 1 investigates why Jane Austen's sister Cassandra destroyed the majority of her personal correspondence following her death. It premiered on February 2, 2025, on BBC One, while the US release is slated for May 5, 2025 on PBS.

The series has four episodes and each episode is approximately 53 minutes long. Miss Austen features Jessica Hynes as Jane Austen's sister-in-law, Mary, and Keeley Hawes as her older (and only) sister, Cassandra. Mirren Mack portrays Austen's servant Dinah, and Rose Leslie plays her family friend Isabella.
Miss Austen Season 1 is liked by critics and audiences alike. On the film and television rating website Rotten Tomatoes, the show has received a 91% score from the critics.

Where to Watch Miss Austen Season 1?

Miss Austen Season 1 will be available for streaming in the United States on PBS on May 4, 2025. It will subsequently be made available for free streaming on PBS.org and the PBS App, which is compatible with Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Samsung Smart TVs, as well as on PBS Masterpiece. 

Viewers can also access PBS Masterpiece on Prime Video with an add-on subscription priced at $5.99 per month. The basic subscription to standalone Prime Video is priced at $8.99 per month, with a seven-day free trial period.

Exploring the plot of Miss Austen Season 1

The four part BBC period drama Miss Austen, adapted from Gill Hornby's novel, focuses on Cassandra Austen, Jane Austen's devoted sister. The newly unveiled teaser demonstrates how this historical event is transformed into an engrossing, humorous, and moving tale of sisterly loyalty, with Cassandra at its center as a figure as complex and alluring as any Jane Austen heroine. 

In Miss Austen, Keeley Hawes plays Cassandra, who, upon hearing that her young friend Isabella (Rose Leslie) will lose her home due to her father's passing, rushes to see her. Although Cassandra is there to support Isabella, she has a secret purpose of her own: to find her sister Jane's private letters, which she believes could destroy Jane's legacy. 

Cassandra is taken back to her childhood when she discovers the secret bundle of letters. A series of flashbacks are used to tell the story of young Cassy (Synnøve Karlsen) and Jane (Patsy Ferran), who are shown navigating the many loves, family conflicts, and broken dreams that formed their lives and provided the inspiration for Austen's renowned body of work. 

Cast members of Miss Austen Season 1

In Miss Austen Season 1, Keeley Hawes is leads the cast as Cassandra Austen, Jane Austen's only sister. Synnøve Karlsen plays as young Cassandra (Cassy) Austen. Alfred Enoch portrays Mr. Lidderdale, a physician, and Isabella's love interest. Jessica Hynes portrays Mary Austen, née Lloyd, Eliza's sister, and James Austen's widow, thus Cassandra and Jane's sister-in-law. 

MIss Austen Season 1 features an ensemble of supporting cast, some of whom are listed as follows: 

• Liv Hill (Jellyfish, The Little Stranger) as young Mary Austen
• Max Irons (The Host, The Wife) as Henry Hobday
• Rose Leslie (Honeymoon, Game of Thrones) as Isabella Fowle
• Phyllis Logan (Secrects & Lies, Downtown Abbey) as Mrs Cassandra Austen
• Calam Lynch (The Long Shadow, Sweetpea) as Tom Fowle

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