Giant Colin Firth statue emerges from London lake (VIDEO)

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Oh, it's tolerable, we suppose — the new 12-foot Colin Firth statue memorializing his portrayal of the Jane Austen character Mr. Darcy — but likely not handsome enough to tempt everyone in London. 

For one, the statue is waist-deep in water, which is a little weird. It is meant to recall Firth's fondly remembered lake scene in the BBC's beloved 1995 'Pride and Prejudice' miniseries, a turn voted "the most memorable moment in a British TV drama," according to The Guardian's Liz Bury

TV, yes. Literature, no. The incident was not part of Jane Austen's vision of Darcy — nor was the 12-foot fiberglass statue currently representing him in Hyde Park in London, for that matter.

"This is an installation that celebrates the imagination of [BBC writer] Andrew Davies rather than that of Jane Austen," John Mullan, author of 'What Matters in Jane Austen? Twenty Crucial Puzzles Solved,' told The Atlantic.

The "brooding" statue of Oscar-winner Firth was installed in the Serpentine Lake on Monday and will travel to several other places before arriving at its final destination, Lyme Park, where the original BBC scene was filmed, according to the Associated Press

Haven't seen it? Even if you have, you know you want to watch it again: 

So epic. One of the sculptors, Toby Crowther, told the AP that particular scene was not the only thing artists looked to in making the statue, which is being used to publicize the UK's new "Drama" TV channel, but it was obviously a major source of inspiration — and continues to be for the public. They seem less certain about the statue, however: 

[View the story "Mixed feelings on London's new 12-foot Mr. Darcy" on Storify]
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