Save ‘Sanditon’: Why fans want more from this Jane Austen PBS series

If you love period dramas, then chances are you’ve heard of the ITV/PBS take of the unfinished final novel of Jane Austen, Sanditon. The series was adapted to television by Andrew Davies (House of Cards) and stars Rose Williams (Reign) and Theo James (Divergent). Sanditon follows Charlotte (Williams) who has arrived at the seaside resort town of Sanditon, which is on the cusp of dramatic change.

As Austen died before the novel could be completed, Davies and his writer’s room had to figure out their own way to complete the story. With how Sanditon ended, however, fans are hoping that the series returns for a second season. The way the first season ended was a little more depressing than the usual happy ending that Austen was famous for. 

Here’s why fans want more of Sanditon.

The story is not over

Sanditon did not end as a Jane Austen novel normally would with the love interests together and happy. Instead, Sidney (James) realizes he loves Charlotte but gets engaged to another woman with the money to help his struggling family. It’s not a happy ending per se and fans were not pleased.

As series producer Belinda Campbell told Vulture, this was meant to be a midpoint for Sanditon. Sometimes, frustratingly, not all endings should have a perfect bow on it.

“That being said, the series is also designed so that it works as a self-contained story. Every story has an ending, some of them have an absolute ending, some have an ending that could be continued. It was the midpoint, and the next challenge was to come.”

The figures, however, weren’t enough for ITV to pick it up for a second season in the UK. Sanditon needs another partner if it does get picked up for a second season.

Campbell said, “We’ve always said, and ITV has also said that they would like to see it get picked up and carried on elsewhere. But the truth is, it just didn’t get the numbers high enough. So were it to continue, we would need a new partner. Which is why the U.S. figures matter, because if it does well and people love it, then these things can happen.”

The ending of Sanditon, however, was not the one that the creators wanted. They wanted the series to have that traditional Jane Austen ending with both Sidney and Charlotte ending up happily together. 

The fans of Sanditon are not giving up on the show getting the ending that it deserves though. 

An engaging story

Fans point to the engaging story, the cliffhanger ending, and the great acting as reasons for Sanditon to be picked up for a second season. 

@CharIsMyHomegirl said of the series, “Please bring back this gem of a TV show.  Such an amazing story and the acting is superb! It is so much in the spirit of Jane Austen but we need a Jane ending for Charlotte!  #Sanditon #SaveSanditon #SanditonPBS”

@TweetKP2011 pointed out that the story was only half-done, “Oh how we hope #SanditonSeason2 comes to Fruition and we see these boys strutting their stuff onscreen!  Such a lovely story and tragic to leave it half done! #SaveSanditon #sanditonpbs #sanditon”

The chemistry between Sidney and Charlotte remains something that continues to draw in fans. As @peluso_amanda writes, they just make a truly excellent team.

“They make such a wonderful team! Enjoyed watching their moments together and can’t wait to see more of them in the second season.  #SaveSanditon #Sanditon #SanditonPBS” 

Finish it the way Jane Austen would want it to be finished

We’ve said this once or twice before, but it bears repeating. Sanditon did not end in a Jane Austen way. Austen’s works always end with a happy ending, where the lovers get together and all is well in the end despite the mishaps along the way. Sanditon, being her sole unfinished work, deserves the same treatment.

It should end as Austen would want it to end with Charlotte and Sidney living their own happy ending. This is a chance to complete the work of one of the greatest writers in history. She deserves to have the work end as she would want it to end.

As @LouiseW614 said, “Jane Austen’s final unfinished manuscript #Sanditon #SanditonPBS deserves to be finished her way.” 

“My characters shall have, after a little trouble, all that they desire,” Austen once said. It’s something of a rallying cry of fans of Sanditon as well. @ubquitous_miss paraphrases, “We have had enough trouble, now give us what we desire! #SaveSanditon #SanditonPBS #Sanditon” 

Be sure to join the Sanditon sisterhood today in order to get the series renewed for its second season!