Shondaland delivered an impeccable fourth season of “Bridgerton,” teaching viewers about the challenges of society through Benedict’s journey as he navigates societal pressure through the lens of a Cinderella story.
While my favorite couple is Penelope and Colin, I understand why some fans prefer Benedict and Sophie. Benedict has been a comedic relief for the past three seasons, so it was great to see a different side of him. Instead of being wayward and drunk, he becomes serious when he ventures on a quest to find “the Lady in Silver.”
Throughout the season, we see that Sophie is more than a lady’s maid. She’s authentic, outspoken, witty and matches Eloise’s energy, my favorite Bridgerton. Sophie also humbles Benedict, unlike the women on the marriage market, who only fawn over him.
Benedict and Sophie’s relationship also illustrates how society viewed marriage in the 1800s. A nobleman and a working-class woman couldn’t officially be together because it was viewed as a means to ruin a “respected” family’s reputation and social status. As Benedict falls for Sophie, he must decide whether to remain society or live a private life with her.
Besides Benedict’s feelings for Sophie, I loved his sketches of “the Lady in Silver.” We got to see more of an artistic side that I was jealous of. Whether Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict, is actually drawing or they have a sketch artist, the artwork exceeds mine.
The soundtrack for each season is always a bop, too, with each song matching the moments between couples. My two favorites for this season were “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift and “bad idea right?” by Olivia Rodrigo. Since this is a Cinderella story, “Enchanted” works with Benedict and Sophie’s meet cute. “bad idea right?” was unexpected at first, but it made sense because their relationship was a bad idea – societal-wise.
It was also great to see the appearance of Anthony and Kate, as we all love Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley. Anthony reminded Benedict of the consequences of loving someone from the lower class. Even though Anthony was furious, he helped Benedict realize what he wanted, which was Sophie, no matter the obstacles in their way.
Casting Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek was the perfect choice, as she shows the character’s complexity. Ha is strong by showing her emotions through interactions with the other characters.
To Lady Penwood, whom she worked for before the Bridgertons, she is solemn and puts her frustration away to continue her work as the maid, even though it’s her own house. To the Bridgertons, she shows her authentic self through her quick wit and educated background.
Besides the couples, it was interesting to see more of Gregory and Hyacinth as they are starting to grow into society. As Hyacinth’s lady’s maid, Sophie helps her debut by picking her outfits and overseeing her lessons to become a lady.
I can’t wait to see what happens to them both as “Bridgerton” has been picked up for a fifth and sixth season, rumored to focus on Eloise and Francesca, whom I both adore.
In the meantime, you can find me watching YouTube edits of Benedict and Sophie.
