By Kasi Khathuria

Warning: Some Small Spoilers

I hate not knowing what to watch. I don’t know how many times I’ve scrolled through Netflix trying to find a show which looks captivating, and it’s annoying. I hope some of you share my struggle because I’m here to hopefully make your search for the next show to binge a bit easier. 

This series’ second season has broken the record for most views of an English language show within a single week of being released. The show has taken the first place spot on Netflix’s “Top 10,” living up to the expectations set by the first season’s release in December of 2020. You may have guessed it, the series is none other than “Bridgerton.” The two-season series contains eight, one-hour episodes which were created to be based on the book series by Julia Quinn. If you enjoy shows such as “Downton Abbey” or “The Gilded Age”, this show may be a great match. The show is set in London during 1813, also known as the Regency Era of England. The series focuses on the eight siblings of the highly reputable Bridgerton family. The directors incorporate romance and recurring drama into the show along with many scandals. Both seasons take place during the “social season” in London when the daughters and sons of prestigious families are to be courted. They attend grand balls and dances to hopefully find a suitor who can take care of the duties in a household. Each year, the Queen of England chooses the “diamond” of the season. This young lady is evident to be of high demand and most all eligible bachelors line up at her feet. Every so often, there is a match which is based on love, the “love match.” Most young ladies hope to find this “love match”, but it’s harder than it may seem. Many men and families choose to marry out of duty, simply to start a family and build a well-known household. 

So far, the show has only truly focused on the oldest daughter, Daphne, and the oldest son, Anthony. In the first season, based on the book “The Duke and I,” Daphne Bridgerton finds herself in a complicated “love match” with the Duke of Hastings. The Duke was not looking for love while Daphne was trying to capture the attention of other eligible suitors as the season’s diamond. Evidently, they both fall for each other and the season ends happily. The complicated romance continues through the second season, based on the book “The Viscount Who Loved Me” where Viscount Bridgerton, also known as Anthony, plans to marry out of duty to his family. The Viscount seems to do everything for his family but will the love he has for a certain someone grow too strong to withhold? I don’t want to spoil the second season for you, that would be cruel. Let’s just say it turned out in our favor. 

Now that we are past that extensive context, I want to give this show an honest review, specifically the newly released season. I am one to usually believe the first season is always better than the second, but for “Bridgerton,” it’s a little more challenging. I would almost call them equals. Both seasons were filled with passion and the chemistry the actors and actresses created was unmatched. Jonathan Bailey (Anthony Bridgerton) plays his part extremely well. At the start of the second season, Bailey portrays Anthony to be stone-cold, almost heartless. He seems to have no intention to marry for love and focuses solely on carrying on the Bridgerton family legacy. As we move on we see his struggle to be around the love interest played by Simone Ashley (Kathani). Bailey slowly changes his character to subtly show his emotions, most of the time frustration, but eventually, the frustration turns into passion and love. His character development was my favorite of all the characters in season two. Ashley (Kathani), also played her part of being the annoying but witty sister in the show. She egged on the Viscount just the right amount to bring to life the enemies-to-lovers plot. The slow burn of their love story was aggravating for me but well-played. Even though the Viscount and Kathani were the two main characters of the season, I need to add that the rest of the cast also played amazing roles. Claudia Jessie (Eloise Bridgerton), showed the rebellious spirit of the character and gave her a small romantic interest as well which was lacking in the first season. The other two brothers played by Luke Thompson (Benedict Bridgerton) and Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton) seem to be getting closer to each other as well as searching for their passions. Overall, the cast of the show did a flawless job portraying their characters as well as sparking the emotions of the audience. 

Along with the acting and character development is the beautiful setting created in “Bridgerton.” Whether the Bridgerton Manor, Queen’s Castle, or the colorful gardens, the looks of the show are certainly pleasing. When I was watching the show, I imagined myself dancing in the ballrooms and going on long promenades with the Bridgertons. The producers truly made me feel like I was a part of the show and the time period it was set in. Every ball gown and dance made me want to be in their shoes and experience this type of life. If only I had a time machine. 

Gallery • 4 Photos

By Katie Chan - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28021152

There isn’t much to change about “Bridgerton” but if I had to choose one thing, I would’ve liked to see more scenes of  the Viscount and Kathani and less of the Featherington’s (another high society family in the show). I don’t see the point of including the drama and issues of the Featherington family as much as they do, I would rather the show focus on the love interests and the Bridgertons. After all, the show is called “Bridgerton.”

Is it worth the watch?  I’m sure you can guess my answer by how highly I speak of the show overall. The characters, setting, and romance were designed to make the audience keep watching. I sure think “Bridgerton” is binge-worthy and would definitely recommend you add it to your list.