By Faith Smith
“Bridgerton” is a popular Netflix drama series created and executive produced by Chris Van Dusen (“Grey’s Anatomy”) and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes (“Private Practice”) and Betsy Beers (“How to Get Away With Murder”). The series debuted on December 25, 2020.
Based on Julia Quinn’s (“Splendid”) best-selling series of novels, ‘Bridgerton’ is set in the sexy, extravagant and serious world of Regency London high society, where the core of the show is the powerful Bridgerton family. Comprised of eight close-knit siblings, this interesting, clever, trying and sharp group must navigate the upper ten thousand’s marriage market in search of sentiment, adventure and love.
The majority of “Bridgerton” season two sees Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey, “Broadchurch”) battling his affections for the alluring Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley, “Sex Education”), to whose sister he is engaged.
While scandalous in its own right, season two otherwise reads like a far more traditional, “Pride and Prejudice” style romance, with Anthony and Kate initially stealing moments with one another until the midpoint of the season. Anthony and Kate are certainly compelling to watch as a couple, however with their often equally stubborn mannerisms and power dynamic marking them as perfectly suited for one another. Despite Kate’s accident near the end, season two never indicates Kate and Anthony will do anything other than end up together, making their narrative feel like a pedestrian affair past episode six.
Conversely, Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor, “Snatch”) and Simon Bassett’s (Regé-Jean Page, “Mortal Engines”) relationship is the anchor around which the remainder of season one is built, as well as the main impetus behind the first “Bridgerton” season’s streaming achievement. Daphne and Simon’s journey feels harder-procured, especially given their ploy toward the beginning of season one, which converts into a more satisfying ending for season one as the two, at last, give the crowd a consummation they had long sat tight for.
One area in which “Bridgerton” season two undeniably trumps its predecessor is its supporting storylines, whose respective characters have all been elevated by the unmasking of Lady Whistledown and the passing of Lord Featherington (Ben Miller, “Paddington two”). Penelope’s burgeoning romance with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton, “The Lodge”) feels a more tangible plot point now that the audience sees her confidence grow, while the long-heralded return of the Featherington heir Lord Jack (Rupert Young, “Merlin”), is a genuinely dark thread that will surely lead to more drama as season three unfolds. These tense supporting narratives heavily contrast with season one, whose other character arcs felt hollow compared to Daphne and Simon’s riveting love story. This is best represented by Anthony’s tryst with Siena Rosso (Sabrina Bartlett, “Victoria”) in season one, which translates as little more than a precursor to his Kate storyline in hindsight.
While both seasons undoubtedly have their eminence, season one is far superior. Season one’s risque romance scenes and fearless narrative hooked Netflix viewers and allowed the season two platform to bloom with its own storyline. Be that as it may, had season one not been such a cleaned, extravagant artificial period piece, it is hard to see season two garnering the record-breaking viewing numbers it achieved. Add in incredible performances from Dynevor and Page, which have come to redefine the desired effect of characters in modern romance productions, and it becomes clear that season one is a rare gem unmatched even by other entries into the “Bridgerton” series canon. Put simply, season two is a fine addition to Dusen’s Regency-era universe, but it is the magic of season one that made its existence possible.
Image from Netflix via YouTube
