Austentatious

Elinor Dashwood is frustrated when her sister Marianne announces she will move in to her apartment. Marianne has little regard for the way Elinor does things, and the sisters butt heads. Lizzie Bennet begs for her friend, Emma Woodhouse, to try to keep her parents from getting a divorce, even though Emma is a divorce attorney. Lizzie meets Mr. Darcy, her latest--and most difficult--real estate client to please.

Emma is about to set up Elinor on a date when Elinor admits she got cornered into going out with Collin, her odd and overly forward neighbor. On the date, Elinor is subject to the most awkward dinner of all time, and learns that Collin is really setting his sights on Lizzie. Marianne gets down to creative tactics to find the perfect job for herself. Lizzie agrees to stick it out and be Darcy’s realtor, despite his arrogant ways.

Lizzie deals with coordinating her family’s wardrobe for a family portrait, with constant resistance to her ideas and suggestions of wild animal prints from her mother. Marianne gets a job at Yum Divine (a dessert bistro of sorts), but repeatedly messes up to the point of having her new job on the chopping block. Through Elinor’s insistence, and everyone’s help, Marianne hangs on to her job—barely. Grant figures out that Emma’s love of match-making comes as a therapy for all the divorce cases she handles. He recounts all the terrible dates Emma has sent him on. Lizzie learns that Grant might just love Emma.

Emma sets up Lizzie on a date that goes well, until Lizzie wonders why the date doesn't call again. Her constant analysis of the date leads to an evening of nit-picking details, until Grant sheds light on a more realistic viewpoint. Elinor finds a mouse in her apartment, and takes up arms to eradicate the pest—only to discover Marianne’s secret trash stash that has been feeding the mouse.

Elinor eagerly goes with Edward Ferrars, the IRS agent, to an audit. On their way, Elinor’s car has trouble. She and Edward walk back to find help, and have time to get to know each other better. Collin tries a new approach with Lizzie, deciding to be bold, but really just gets in Lizzie’s way. Lizzie also has to juggle Darcy’s numerous calls at all hours for his house hunt. She meets with him and finds out a few more vague details about the house’s intended resident (a mystery woman), and that it’s a birthday gift—which Lizzie has one month to find.

Emma is anxious to set up another friend on a date. Grant, Elinor and Lizzie refuse, and counter that they will set Emma up on a date each. Emma endures the worst dates ever at their hands. Lizzie deals with a bad manicure, but that’s nothing to Marianne’s bizarre health condition. Marianne’s skin has taken on a mysterious blue tint, prompting concern from Elinor and her friends about her health. Reluctantly, she agrees to talk to a friend of Grant’s: Brandon. Brandon is a male nurse, and draws a blank about Marianne’s condition, but through Elinor’s wisdom, the unusual—and hilarious--cause is found.

Lizzie drags Grant, Brandon, and Marianne to the gym for moral support as she “tones up” for an upcoming high school reunion. Brandon keeps asking Grant about Marianne and how to get her attention. Emma spends the evening pretending to work on a case while Elinor actually works and prepares for a meeting with Edward. Elinor tells Emma about Edward and her feelings for him, and then by chance she sees him—with a beautiful woman.

Emma prepares for a date with a very handsome, very successful former client. Grant is jealous and tries to convince Emma this date is too good to be true. Lizzie finds the perfect house for Darcy’s mystery woman. After spending time with Darcy, Lizzie starts to see him in a new light. Elinor tries to figure out how to act around Edward since she knows he’s been flirting with her while having a girlfriend on the side. Edward comes clean that he’s long been involved with someone else, but he really admires Elinor. Elinor is heartbroken.

Lizzie closes the house for Darcy and finally meets the woman he bought it for: his sister. Lizzie’s opinion of Darcy sky-rockets, and there’s a spark between them. Elinor breaks her toe, and Brandon comes by to help her. He pines after Marianne and resolves to ask her out. Each time he tries to ask her out, he is thwarted by interruptions. Just as he’s about to get his chance, Marianne comes home, excited about a guy she met: John Willoughby. Grant tells Emma he’s taking her out on a date to cheer her up. But Emma comes down with a cold. Instead, Grant takes her home and tends to her. They talk about Emma’s father and have a comfortable evening. Grant admits he just wanted to spend time with Emma.