The mini-series is terrible and the book is worse because there's more Margaret Hale time. In the mini-series, she's like a fish. Other characters try to converse with her, and she just stares at them with her mouth slightly open. In the book, she's better at the whole talking thing, but there's more time to show her in all her snobby and selfish glory. So annoying.

This, however, is fantastic, and sums up the novel rather accurately.

MR. THORNTON: hello

MARGARET: ugh
UGH
you smell of new money and PAVED STREETS
you look as if you have sold something to a shop recently
you look as if your father had a JOB
get out of here at once, you disgusting lump of coal

BESSY: halloo thar miss

MARGARET: ah that's much better
you're just poor, I'm perfectly comfortable around regular old poor people

BESSY: ai'm also dyin', miss

MARGARET: better and better
that's very proper, that you should be poor and dying
not like SOME people
not like some people who go to an OFFICE and then try to talk to LADIES with their OFFICE MOUTHS and their NEWSPAPER HANDS and their FACTORY EYELIDS
we are going to be best friends, Bessy

BESSY: [coughs]

MARGARET: I love you too, Bess

***

MRS. THORNTON: and how did you find Miss Hale

MR. THORNTON: I do not think she likes me very much, Mother

MRS. THORNTON: then I will set her on fire

MR. THORNTON: please do not set her on fire

MRS. THORNTON: I KNEW you were in love with her

MR. THORNTON: I don't want you to set anyone on fire
that doesn't mean I'm in love with everyone

MRS. THORNTON: but she is in love with you

MR. THORNTON: what makes you say that?

MRS. THORNTON: she didn't let all those strikers murder you
what stronger proof do you need of her sluttery

MR. THORNTON: I don't think that means she loves m-

MRS. THORNTON: I watch people get murdered in front of me every day
and I never do a damn thing about it