Episode Guide
Episode 1: The review for Episode 1 was 3.5/5. The review for Episode 2 was 3.5/5. The review for Episode 3 was 3/5. The review for Episode 4 was 3/5. The review for Episode 5 was 3/5. The review for Episode 6 was 2.5/5.
The show is a mix of historical fiction and period drama, with some events taking place in the present day and others happening centuries ago. The story follows the lives of several characters, all of whom have something to do with either the English Civil War or the Restoration. The show is full of surprises, both good and bad, and it’s hard to put it down.
Netflix has given us a new series set in the world of Downton Abbey, and while it is sure to be popular, I feel that Bridgerton could have done more with its audience. It feels like a show that was made for people who love historical dramas, but it doesn’t quite deliver on what it should.
Bridgerton is a new show that blends elements of Gossip Girl and Downtown Abbey. It follows the story of Daphne Bridgerton, a young woman who gains the Queen’s favor during the upcoming season of societal balls and wedding proposals. Everything seems to be going well until two wildcards arrive on the scene - John and Caroline Featherington. John is a reckless young man who is always looking for a good time, while Caroline is an ambitious socialite who wants to make her family’s name synonymous with aristocracy. This clash of personalities will test Daphne’s loyalty to her friends, family, and country - and ultimately determine whether she becomes Queen Charlotte’s most trusted advisor or one of England’s most infamous villains. ..
Lady Featherington’s niece Marina Thompson arrives in town but quickly becomes a mystery to everyone. On the other side of the fence is the Duke of Hastings Simon Basset, who remains determined to stay a bachelor for as long as possible.
Daphne and Simon immediately hit it off, but decide to fake their relationship in order to make Daphne more desirable. After all, the heart wants what it can’t have, right? Will it work? Will Daphne find true love or will she and Simon realize they may have been staring at true love all this time? ..
Bridgerton is unabashed in hitting all the typical tropes of the rom-com genre, but it also injects narration from Lady Whistledown, a local gossip girl. This helps keep the series moving, but also adds an element of fantasy to an otherwise grounded series. After all, why would one paper bring the entire society – including the Queen – to their knees? ..
We’re not able to talk about many of the specifics across the season because there’s a lot going on. The recaps accompanying this will reveal more, but for now, outside of Simon and Daphne there’s not a lot worth getting excited about.
The story’s main plot line is serviceable, but the supporting characters are underdeveloped and unsatisfying. Most of them end on unsatisfying notes. There’s a sort-of love triangle here that never really materializes, an affair that ends unceremoniously, and a character suffering from financial woes that comes and goes as the plot pleases. ..
Despite a strong opening, Bridgerton fizzles out long before the end of its 8 episode run and never looks like recovering. All the usual hallmarks of the rom-com genre are here and avid fans will easily predict what’s going to happen long before the end. The identity of Lady Whistledown will definitely turn heads (it’s easily this reviewer’s highlight of an otherwise average show) but beyond this there just isn’t enough to warrant the amount of money spent on this one.
Bridgerton could have shone a light on diversity and produced a unique slice of period history to close the year out with. Instead, that bright spark extinguishes into mediocrity with its cookie cutter story and under-developed sub-plots. Bridgerton will undoubtedly draw plaudits for its simplicity, and fans will love how easy this is to jump in and out of, but it’s for this exact reason that the show will struggle to be remembered as fondly as other period dramas of its time.
