I was incredibly surprised by the first season of Netflix’s period drama, Bridgerton. I’m not one for period dramas but the show managed to combine the genre with a number of unique features that gripped me so much that I binged the entire series in three days. So of course, with the arrival of Season Two I was excited to dive in and get back into the saucy period drama.
Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest of the Bridgerton children, has decided that this courting season he shall marry solely so he can fulfil his duty as head of the family. Having travelled from India, the Sharma family hope to marry off Edwina (Charithra Chandran) who has recently reached marriageable age. She is selected as the season’s ‘Diamond’ by Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), and with Anthony being the seasons most eligible bachelor the match seems set in stone before it’s even begun. But when Edwina’s elder sister Kate (Simone Ashley) disapproves of the match and tries to stop the two from spending any time together, it becomes clear that she and Anthony have developed romantic feelings for each other with neither wants to admit.
Meanwhile Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) tries to keep her identity as Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) a secret whilst Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) continues to try and unmask the infamous gossip columnist; all whilst the Featherington family continues to reel from the death of Lord Featherington and the loss of their wealth.
Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest of the Bridgerton children, has decided that this courting season he shall marry solely so he can fulfil his duty as head of the family. Having travelled from India, the Sharma family hope to marry off Edwina (Charithra Chandran) who has recently reached marriageable age. She is selected as the season’s ‘Diamond’ by Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), and with Anthony being the seasons most eligible bachelor the match seems set in stone before it’s even begun. But when Edwina’s elder sister Kate (Simone Ashley) disapproves of the match and tries to stop the two from spending any time together, it becomes clear that she and Anthony have developed romantic feelings for each other with neither wants to admit.
Meanwhile Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) tries to keep her identity as Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) a secret whilst Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) continues to try and unmask the infamous gossip columnist; all whilst the Featherington family continues to reel from the death of Lord Featherington and the loss of their wealth.
I was looking forward to Bridgerton Season Two, I mean if it were to retain the same high-quality standard that Season One had then I’m sure it would be just as enjoyable. But I’m pleased to say that Season Two is on the whole better than the first season, yet it does so by stripping back a lot of what made the first series unique. Much of the draw to Season One was the sex and scandal, there wasn’t an awful lot of it but it was enough to at least give the show its own unique flavour in the vast sea of period dramas. Season Two meanwhile strips that away almost entirely to present a much more back to basics forbidden love story, that’s considerably more conservative than its predecessor. Whilst Season One wasn’t exactly stuffed with sex there were some quite raunchy scenes…I only recall one sex scene in the entirety of Season Two and it’s far more tastefully done than what was present in the first season. It came as a surprise because for many the sex was what sold them on Bridgerton, so to just ditch that almost entirely was a bold move but one I feel paid off in spades.
I was so invested in the love story at the centre of Season Two that literally nothing else mattered. I couldn’t have cared less about the many side stories present in Season Two because this romance was just so powerful to watch. That’s not to say that the other stories going on in Season Two aren’t good, but all I cared about was Anthony, Edwina, and Kate.
The majority of cast members from Season One return, but one notable omission is that of Rege-Jean Page’s Duke of Hastings, though the story simply has no need for him so it’s an absence that isn’t felt. Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) takes a step down from the spotlight to make way for Anthony, but she’s still a big part of the story. But the newcomers of Edwina and Kate are the real stars of the show. Chandran & Ashley are fantastic in their roles and bring the most passionate and believable performances in the show so far and I do hope that they’ll continue to play a large role in the shows future because I desperately want to see more of them.
Season Two of Bridgerton is overall much better than the original, which itself was pretty good. Whilst stripping away most of what makes a show feel unique is almost certainly a recipe for disaster, Bridgerton actually feels all the better for it. It’s ahead of the game by using the clichés of the period drama to its strengths, and honestly I’m not sure I can wait another year to see what happens next!
I was so invested in the love story at the centre of Season Two that literally nothing else mattered. I couldn’t have cared less about the many side stories present in Season Two because this romance was just so powerful to watch. That’s not to say that the other stories going on in Season Two aren’t good, but all I cared about was Anthony, Edwina, and Kate.
The majority of cast members from Season One return, but one notable omission is that of Rege-Jean Page’s Duke of Hastings, though the story simply has no need for him so it’s an absence that isn’t felt. Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) takes a step down from the spotlight to make way for Anthony, but she’s still a big part of the story. But the newcomers of Edwina and Kate are the real stars of the show. Chandran & Ashley are fantastic in their roles and bring the most passionate and believable performances in the show so far and I do hope that they’ll continue to play a large role in the shows future because I desperately want to see more of them.
Season Two of Bridgerton is overall much better than the original, which itself was pretty good. Whilst stripping away most of what makes a show feel unique is almost certainly a recipe for disaster, Bridgerton actually feels all the better for it. It’s ahead of the game by using the clichés of the period drama to its strengths, and honestly I’m not sure I can wait another year to see what happens next!