The popular Netflix period drama “Bridgerton” debuted its second season and improved upon the first season. PHOTO CREDIT: DigitalSpy.com
Season two of Netflix’s period romance “Bridgerton” blew my expectations out of the water and solidified my love of the show.
A warning for spoilers ahead!
The series, adapted from the book series of the same name, follows a different sibling in the Bridgerton family each season and their journey to finding love in high society London during the early 1800s Regency era.
I was hooked by the first season’s couple, Daphne and Simon, but similar to many other fans, felt disappointed by the season’s portrayal of domestic sexual assault. I was eager to see if the second season could make up for this problematic start and I can happily say it did.
This season followed Anthony, the oldest Bridgerton sibling who took over his father’s position of viscount after he passed. Anthony saw how broken his mother was after losing the love of her life and decided that when he did marry, he would do it out of necessity, not for love.
Each courting season there is a “diamond” or a woman chosen by the Queen to be the most coveted potential wife, and Anthony decides that he wants her as his wife.
This year’s diamond is Edwina Sharma, who comes from India with her mother and older sister, Kate. She is determined to find the best match for her little sister before she returns home to become a governess. She meets Anthony and is immediately unimpressed by his rakish behavior. After overhearing a conversation where Anthony lists all of the unrealistic qualities he wants in a wife, Kate decides that he is not good enough for her sister.
The rest of the season follows Kate trying to keep Edwina from Anthony and Anthony trying to get close to Edwina, both slowly realizing that they have fallen in love with each other.
I really enjoyed Kate and Anthony’s love story, especially compared to Daphne and Simon. There were so many scenes that showcased their chemistry and how attracted they were to each other despite knowing they shouldn’t be. I particularly loved the scene where Kate is stung by a bee and Anthony freaks out, especially because it leads to a later interaction where Anthony is able to be vulnerable to Kate and confide in her about his father’s death from a bee sting.
The flashback scenes to Anthony’s past and him trying to become an effective viscount while dealing with the loss of his father and the deterioration of his mother were really powerful and helped me sympathize with Anthony even when he was making stupid decisions.
Early on, it seemed like the audience got to see them fall in lust, not in love, especially with how many side plots there were. I like how they showed how their physical longing for each other turned into emotional longing as time went on. Watching them together, it seems like they were made for each other; two older siblings who have spent their whole lives putting their family’s needs before their own and finally getting the chance to be someone’s first priority.
I think the side plots did take away from their story a little bit. I enjoyed learning about Lady Whistledown, this show’s version of “gossip girl,” and the class differences that Eloise’s relationship with Theo brings up, but I found myself waiting for Kate and Anthony to show up in these scenes. I do think that these plotlines will be important as the show goes on and that it will set up the love stories for the other characters, but I wanted to see more sweet or angsty Kate and Anthony moments.
The show has made a lot of progress since season one in terms of diverse characters and less problematic storylines but is still lacking in its representation of LGBTQ+ characters (are we really supposed to believe that all eight Bridgerton siblings are straight?) as well as showcasing the lives of the working class.
I really do enjoy forgetting about my own issues for a while and focusing on the relationship drama of these aristocrats and I hope that they work on making these changes in season three.