RECAP: ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ Episode 6

In The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6, Mary (Ella Bruccoleri) visits her family for the first time since coming into her own in London. But Mary quickly finds herself stuck in the same overlooked position she was in at the beginning of the series, until the return of a friendly face changes everything.

Mary rushes to Pemberley after hearing that her mother (Ruth Jones) is “gravely ill.” Even though Mrs. Bennet’s overbearing presence has overshadowed much of Mary’s life, Mary can’t imagine life without her. All of Mary’s sisters gather at Pemberley, too.

But Mrs. Bennet has already recovered from her illness. Mary arrives in the same dress and hairstyle from the dinner party in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 5, when she felt confident and beautiful. Mrs. Bennet immediately criticizes Mary’s looks. The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6 marks three episodes since Mrs. Bennet last appeared, and it is clear that while Mary has changed, Mrs. Bennet, it seems, has not.

Mary has changed, but her family struggles to realize how much. 

Surrounded by her family, Mary feels like all the work she’s done on her independence and self-worth is coming undone. She’s determined to prove that London has changed her for the better. To demonstrate her newfound appreciation for games, Mary suggests they play Graces, but Lydia (Grace Hogg-Robinson) shoots down the idea.

Jane (Maddie Close) asks if her sister-in-law, Caroline (Tanya Reynolds), has crossed paths with Mary in London, suggesting Caroline could be “interesting company.” Even well-meaning Jane can’t imagine how out of step Mary feels among the Bennets, and has never experienced Caroline’s cruelty the way Mary has. Caroline’s certainly been interesting, but not kind, company for Mary, as seen in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 5.

Mrs. Bennet forces Mary to take care of her dog. After a week at Pemberley, Mary is exhausted by life back at her mother’s side. Mary cheers up when she gets a letter from Miss Baxter (Varada Sethu), who encourages Mary not to worry about how things will turn out.

Elizabeth (Poppy Gilbert) notices that Mary becomes sad whenever London comes up in conversation. Mary explains how Caroline tried to humiliate her at Ryder’s (Laurie Davidson) dinner party. Not only that, but in her rush to leave the dinner party, Mary broke a bell jar belonging to Ryder’s late father. Both incidents have left Mary embarrassed about the impression she left in London.

A surprise visitor arrives in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6. 

Elizabeth insists good things must have happened in London, too. Mary talks about Tom (Dónal Finn), whom she describes as a “good friend” and “the kindest man,” but he’ll soon get engaged to Miss Baxter. Elizabeth wonders if Mary has met any gentlemen she likes. “I’m not really the marrying sort,” Mary says, but Elizabeth thinks that’s nonsense.

Later, a surprise visitor arrives. Ryder (Laurie Davidson) is passing through and wants to see Mary. Elizabeth, Jane, and Kitty (Molly Wright) are excited to meet Mary’s handsome new friend, but Lydia is in disbelief that such a man is there to see Mary. Like Mrs. Bennet, Lydia is entirely unchanged by The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6. She’s been the most outwardly negative sister toward Mary since the beginning.

On a walk, Ryder tells Mary it’s nice to have met her whole family. “My sisters are exceptional, I know,” says a forlorn Mary. “As are you,” Ryder responds kindly. He’s impressed that Mary doesn’t fawn over potential husbands the way other girls do. Ryder hates politeness and social norms and wishes people would say what they mean and feel.

Ryder and Mary have different definitions of happiness. 

Ryder tells the Bennets that he’s not a big reader, but admires Mary’s interest in books. Mrs. Bennet overcompliments Mary, trying to make her look as desirable to Ryder as possible. Mary’s flattered when Ryder says London has been dull without her. She can’t help smiling; this is the first time someone has said genuinely nice things about her in front of her family.

The next day, Mary and Ryder read in a sitting room. Or, rather, Ryder pretends to read, but he’s really just mesmerized by the sight of Mary reading. She’s reading Fordyce’s Sermons, the book she tried to connect with Mr. Collins (Ryan Sampson) over in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 2. Ryder insinuates Mary’s book is boring.

Mary tries to convince Ryder to read work by Catharine Macaulay, a writer she and Tom bonded over in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 3. Ryder says that his late father was a scholar and spent his whole life in his study, preferring books to the company of his own family. Ryder thinks his father missed out on life entirely by being so focused on books.

Ryder’s philosophy of life, instead, is to “pursue joy.” He asks Mary what makes her happy, and she says she loves reading, teaching, and learning. Ryder asks if friendship and love bring her joy, but Mary can’t form a real answer. She’s never experienced enough friendship or love to know.

The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6 highlights a striking contrast between Ryder and Tom.

Ryder suggests an activity that brings him joy: horseback riding, unaware that Mary dislikes it. Mary agrees, however, to be a good sport. Kitty, Elizabeth, and Jane are convinced Ryder is falling in love with Mary. Mary insists nothing could be further from the truth. But this is the second time a man has gone out of his way to see Mary, after Tom set up the poetry reading for her in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 4.

The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6 is determined to make Ryder a suitable, if mismatched, love interest for Mary. He’s got money, as Mrs. Bennet is keen to point out, and he’s interested in Mary’s personality, even if he doesn’t share her actual interests. As it stands, he’s her best chance at a socially advantageous marriage.

On the ride, Ryder says he came to Pemberley to tell Mary how he feels about her. But instead of using his own words, Ryder wants to recite a poem that he thinks captures Mary “perfectly.” He recites “She Dwelt among the Untrodden Ways,” Wordsworth’s poem about a lonely girl who’s only noticed by the poem’s narrator. Unlike Tom’s poetry reading in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 4, Ryder’s recitation is awkward and passionless.

Mrs. Bennet continues to try and interfere with Mary’s love life. 

“I think you see me as a lonely figure,” Mary laughs nervously. Ryder says Mary has lived in the shadows of her family for so long that her best qualities haven’t had a chance to shine. So, he does get poetry on some level, just not with as much love or care as Tom gets it.

They ride back to Pemberley, and Mary’s grateful the horse ride is over. Even though she’s shown considerable growth, like learning to embrace party games, The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6 shows that you can’t change everything about yourself. Mary, bookish and not very outdoorsy, will likely not enjoy horseback riding anytime soon.

When Mary returns, almost all of the Bennets are convinced Ryder’s about to propose. Only Lydia rejects the idea, believing there’s no way Ryder could be in love with Mary. Mary tells her family not to get their hopes up, finding their romantic, imaginative hopes pointless and unhelpful. The last time Mrs. Bennet was interested in Mary’s love life, she unsuccessfully told Mary to pursue Mr. Collins.

Ella Bruccoleri shines as Mary continues to seek out her independence. 

Ryder asks Mary for a moment alone, insisting he has something important to tell her. “Mother told me to prepare myself,” Mary narrates, “but nothing could prepare me for what happened next.” Ryder, usually calm and collected, is fidgety and nervous as he prepares to talk to Mary. And with that cliffhanger, that’s the end of The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6.

After three episodes of Mary’s journey of self-discovery in London, she’s thrown back into her old family dynamic in The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6. Ryder’s interest in Mary reveals the full life she has led without her family in London.

Ella Bruccoleri’s performance shines as Mary tries to keep her new sense of independence among the familiar, overbearing Bennets and Ryder’s well-meaning but disconcerting interest in her. The Other Bennet Sister Episode 6 is a rich character study, showing Mary at a point where she can either continue to blossom or return to who she was before.

The Other Bennet Sister is streaming now on BritBox.

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