TV Review: Bridgerton

The Queen – Liam Daniel / Netflix, © 2020

Released by Netflix on Christmas Day, Bridgerton is nothing short of a smash-hit for the streaming giant. Having dominated online conversation and soared to the #1 trending spot for the US, the show obviously has amassed quite the crowd. As Netflix’s own “Diamond of the Season”, Bridgerton is packed with something for everybody. From drama, to steamy romance, to comedy and even some action, the show does its best to be a crowd pleaser. The show was created by and is run by Chris Van Dusen, who has worked on such shows as Greys Anatomy and Scandal. Shonda Rhimes produces alongside Dusen. The show is set in early 1800s Regency-era England, focusing on the drama that surrounds the Bridgerton and Featherington families as their daughters–and sons–seek out love and purpose. The cast is made up entirely of brits who have largely starred only in television. Nothing short of dramatic, Bridgerton is likely to keep you in suspense and eager to uncover more secrets with each episode.

While Bridgerton is a show that is certainly capable of commanding attention for its subject material and adeptness at suspense, the show is certainly chock full of its own flaws. For one thing, despite being a fairly heartwarming drama, the show finds itself with few characters to root for. With the exception of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), and Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), and the two middle Bridgerton sons Benedict and Colin (Luke Thompson and Luke Newton), and a few other benign characters, the show’s protagonists are almost insufferable to an nth degree in their inability to communicate as well as be decent people. Miscommunication was one of the main sources of conflict throughout the show. From the unwillingness to divulge crucial information to the misunderstanding of truths, most characters either argued over the utter inability to see eye-to-eye, or they simply withheld information that could set the record straight. Those characters who, in my view, were most guilt of these actions include Daphne Bridgerton, The Duke of Hastings, Lady Featherington, Anthony Bridgerton, Penelope Bridgerton, and Lord Featherington. Unsurprisingly, I found these characters to be some of the least likeable in the entire show.

Characters aside, Bridgerton’s 1800s London setting was immaculately designed. Picturesque estates with rolling hills, mansions within the city, and perfectly manicured parks and promenades all dominated the settings for the show. The design aspects for the show were as colorful as ever and just as impressive. While other designers may have gone with royal blues, dark greens, and deep reds, the designers for Bridgerton harnessed the Spring and Summer seasons with lavenders, bright yellows, and lime greens as well as baby blues and pinks. These color schemes added to the overall lighthearted tone of the show, indicating that the show is not a heavy drama such as The Crown, but instead is a fun twist on regency-era aristocracy. Among the design elements, however, was the unmistakable scent of a copycat–perhaps homage?­–, with regards to the design of the Featherington family. This redheaded, female-dominated family inherits an undesirable distant cousin who attracts much male attention during the Season and is then shut away from society at the behest of the Lady Featherington. This subplot, along with the characters’ designs reeks of Disney’s 2015 live-action remake of Cinderella.

Despite the show's flaws, Bridgerton is an excellent show to watch and quite an easy binge. Despite the ire some characters may draw, I feel that it’s part of the show’s intention as well as its experience. Even more impressive than the show’s set design or its plot, however, is the fact that the series is almost a perfectly naturally diverse show. While a diverse cast is hardly something to praise anybody for in 2021, Bridgerton is significant because it imagines a racially integrated regent society without question. While the reason for this is revealed during the show, it is only briefly addressed, and not treated as something out of the ordinary. Being able to see Black faces on the TV without them falling into the same stereotypes we so often see was extremely refreshing, and something I commend the show for. There is much to love about Bridgerton, make no mistake. I, like many others am fervently looking forward to the second season, which has yet to be announced by Netflix. But from the wide success of the series, it’s more than likely that we will get another eight episodes of drama and romance.

Rating: 8/10