Watch the "Bridget Jones" movies. I know they were created last, but honestly, isn't this where most of us jumped in?
Note that Colin Firth plays Mark Darcy, the Perfect Man.
Read the "Bridget Jones" books.
Note the parts where Bridget fantasizes about the BBC's airing of Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice", with Colin Firth as -- yes -- Mr. Darcy, the Perfect Man.
Also note the parts where Mark Darcy saves Bridget and her oddball family, knocks things off the writing table, and has snooty upper-class women pursuing him.
Watch the 1995 BBC production of "Pride and Prejudice".
Pay particular attention to the scenes where Mr. Darcy dives into the pond and then stumbles upon Elizabeth Bennet while his shirt is still soaking wet. To get the full Bridget effect, watch these scenes ten or twelve times.
Also note Elizabeth's oddball family, their rescue by Mr. Darcy, and his pursuit by a snooty upper-class woman.
Watch the 1995 movie, "Persuasion".
Note the scene where Captain Wentworth knocks things off the writing table.
Note also Wentworth's friend, Captain Benwick, who solves a dilemma by getting the female competition to shift her affections from Wentworth to Benwick.
Read Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion".
See? With Bridget and Colin Firth in the background, they're much funnier and richer than when you read them in high school.
Mix and match the previous steps to find more and more similarities.