Since debuting on Christmas morning, the Netflix original “Bridgerton” has already attracted a massive audience and fanbase. The show is based on a book series by Julia Quinn. The first and only season of the show follows a wealthy family in London during the regency era, particularly the daughter, Daphne Bridgerton.
“Bridgerton” is an enjoyable show with music and an atmosphere that feels romantic, almost magical. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its flaws, but overall, the show was compelling and left me wanting more.
Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), or Simon, as she later calls him, meet during social season, which is when Daphne and the other girls are supposed to get married. Their love story is cute but rushed, which is disappointing but understandable given the time period. Fortunately, this allows some of the subplots to really shine.
The subplots are tricky to explain without spoiling anything, however most of them involve the various Bridgerton family members. Since Daphne’s story has mostly wrapped up by the end of the first season, it is reasonable to expect we will see more of the siblings’ stories fleshed out.
For many of the ball scenes during the show, classical covers of modern songs like “Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish and “Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift were played. The music wasn’t so obvious that you feel like they could be at a college party, but it was a fun easter egg for people paying close attention. The music also made me feel like I could be right there at the ball with the characters, which worked well for the show.
One of the most important things about Bridgerton is that it reimagines England under King George III as a place where people of color are afforded the same rights and privileges as white people. In a genre where white actors and actresses dominate, I really liked seeing some diversity in the casting of the main characters.
That being said, the way they handled the integration seemed a little all over the place. You go through most of the show assuming that the racial integration is a product of an alternate universe where racism doesn’t exist in England. However, in a later episode, we find out it is because the King of England fell in love with a Black woman. This was a really weird way to handle the situation, and I think it would have worked better for everyone if there wasn’t any given reason for the diverse casting.
Since season one just was released, it will be a while before any new content is created. In the meantime, dive into the compelling world of a racially integrated regency era from your TV.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
