Bridgerton is the newest smash hit from Netflix and has caused quite the conversation online. The adaptation of the romance novel series by Chris Van Dusen under the Shondaland banner has almost everything you could want in a series: romance, drama, plenty of sex, and great acting. Let’s dive in a bit more with the review.
The Good
The writing. Bridgerton is a bodice ripper series through and through and the series does not hold back on being the sexy drama filled mess that you wanted it to be. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen does an admirable job of setting the course to juggle a romance plot, a mystery plot, and about 30 characters we have to care about. I also think that the show found a really smart way to explain the racial dynamics of the world. That’s a lot to ask from a show and they did really well.
The cast. Outside of the amazing diversity (which was amazing to see) this show is brilliantly brought to life by the cast of actors. There honestly is not a bad performance in the bunch, something rare given the amount of speaking parts. The MVPs of the show are Adjoa Andoh as the acerbic Lady Danbury and Regé-Jean Page as Simon Bassett, the Duke of Hastings. I could watch them deliver quippy lines and acidic insults forever.
Sex positivity (minus one moment). CHILE, this series was very sexy. As a member of the frock piece hive, I’m used to the sexiest thing in these types of shows being characters touching hands or admitting feelings. A little sex is a nice thing.
The technical elements. Costumes? Flawless. Production Design? Decadent. String covers of pop songs? Wonderful.
The Bad
Benedict’s arc. I put this here, not having knowledge about where this character will go, but I was kinda super disappointed in the fact that this show hit us with a pause and a No Homo with Benedict. Throughout the season, there are all of these hints that he’s not on the straight and narrow: he’s artistic, befriends a queer character, bonds with Eloise over not wanting to be where they are in life, and even though he’s the second son, he’s not as wild. So when all the build up ends with him forming an entanglement with the modiste…I was flummoxed. It honestly felt like we were being toyed with, especially given his closeness with Granville. They even had a meet cute! I think Bridgerton set up this character strangely, especially after that awkward conversation with Granville at the opera. What was the point of having this queer character about being in love with Lord Weatherby IN PUBLIC, whilst scolding Benedict, if we don’t even get a scene where he contemplates his sexuality or looks at a man longingly?
Now there’s def room for them to explore his sexuality in future seasons, and he can even be bi/pansexual and still fall in love with a woman. This just left a weird taste cause there were so many signs pointing in a particular direction.
The Ugly
There is only one element of Bridgerton that deserves a place in the ugly section. In episode 6, Daphne, having finally found out about where babies come from and realizing that her husband was “lying” about giving her children, takes matters into her own hands. During one of their many sexcapades, Daphne gets on top and despite pleas from Simon, forces him to finish in her. The two then have a big fight about the fact that Simon has not been entirely truthful about his desires to never sire children. Daphne ends up finding out the reason later in the series and by the end of the season, they are welcoming their first child.
Like many shows that deal with the sexual assault of a man, Bridgerton does not seem to truly examine the effects of this moment on the man past what it does for the woman’s plot. Bridgerton wants us to be entirely on Daphne’s side and indeed, it was rather annoying to me that Simon never told her flat out why he didn’t want to have children. But this show never has her apologize for what is clearly an act of martial rape. We see the couple continue on with their deteriorating relationship and watch as little by little it’s built back, but the moment does linger because Daphne never truly apologizes or reckons with her decision. If the situation were reversed, baby there would be marches down to Netflix before Christmas was over. I think this show is written smartly enough to deal with topics like this, but I hope that in the next season they’ll do a better job.