By Brianna Alleva

The hit Netflix show, Bridgerton, is one that almost everyone has heard of or seen. When the show premiered in 2020, it had audiences in a daze: the time period, the clothing, the forbidden swoony romances. Bridgerton revitalized an otherwise almost-dead genre of media: regency romance. Bringing to life the romance books of Julia Quinn has been one of Netflix’s best accomplishments. 

We are now familiar with terms such as “rake” and “vicount,” and the ceremony of balls, thanks to the powerful Bridgerton family being brought to life. Each season focuses on one sibling and the interactions of an unknown (or once-used-to-be unknown) social columnist, Lady Whistledown. This heightens the anticipation and drama that surrounds the show. 

There is something whimsical and fun about entering the British social scene and watching the suspense and spectacle of two people falling in love. Being on its fourth season means that almost everyone agrees that Bridgerton has tapped into a dedicated audience. 

The first two seasons have been widely seen as the best of the best. The first being the audience’s first time seeing into this world, and the couple being the classic player boy and inexperienced girl. The second season is the enemies-to-lovers trope with the best chemistry between the two leads of any season. 

The third season, though, is where we find some issues not seen in the previously very successful show. This season was the most anticipated one between one Bridgerton sibling and his lifelong family friend. So, when it first aired, we saw promising plot development and specific scenes that millions had waited for.

It was a majority view that the problems, however, revolved around the cinematography, color balance, and even the direction of the writing. The first two seasons had a soft, pretty, almost calming feel, and now we get harder colors and more glamorous-looking people: people you wouldn’t see during this time period. The writing of the show also failed to capture the book’s cohesiveness and proper love story. The friends-to-lovers trope and its predictability (same in all seasons) kept audiences watching until the end. 

Going into season 4, I am not expecting to be impressed. I know that this season is going to be a Cinderella storyline. Already, I know what is going to happen, how it’s going to look, and that everyone will end up happily ever after.

The season starts like the rest, with the a Bridgerton brother being a “rake” or player and the female lead showing up innocently. The show also gives the audience a look at the entire Bridgerton family and their significant others, hinting at possible storylines and things to come. In the first episode, there is a masquerade ball, which marks the beginning of all Cinderella storylines. 

This, however, is where problems start to creep in. The female lead is introduced quickly and with little background information, possibly on purpose, but it leaves us with more questions as we continue to watch. Because we don’t know who this “Cinderella” is, as Benedict falls for her, we only know his background and can only predict his thoughts. The joy is knowing who both characters are as they fall in love. These scenes fall short, but it may be a matter of personal preference.

This season will feature two love stories. One between Benedict and Sophie and one between Francesca, a Bridgerton sibling, and John Stirling, her husband. The latter is beginning to tell the story of Francesca and a gender swapped Michael (Michaela). This choice to introduce two stories feels rushed and disjointed compared to the books. 

The main issue, though, with this season and the last of Bridgerton is that it has been sensationalized. 

The costumes, the makeup, it all screams modern-day pretending to be from the past. The plots are also failing to meet expectations because they are all manufactured suspense, with no real struggles, or at least the struggles are resolved too quickly. The newness has worn off, and now it’s one-dimensional characters getting their fairy tales.

This is not the fault of the books in any way; it must be the fault of the show’s decisions and storyboarding. Going out of order from the books’ order means changing how characters and storylines are introduced, for no real reason other than making sure people see the characters they want. 

Overall, Bridgerton used to be a fun, exciting watch, and still could be if you just accept that the more people watching, the more it may change to suit that audience or the writers’ preferences.

Being able to watch your favorite characters come to life and fall in love will always be thrilling, no matter how you would change what you are seeing on screen. Perhaps that is why Bridgerton will always be a success, seemingly despite the production.

Advertise on Streaming: Bridgerton

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Audience Demographics

• TV subscribers + Drama Lovers + Female‑focused TV viewers.
• Female 18–49 (or 25–54) + 45,000-150,000+ romance TV fans
• Female, 18–34 + Drama TV Viewers + Paid TV High Spenders +Fashion/beauty or young‑adult lifestyle shoppers + TV/entertainment affinity 

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Typical Advertisements

• Beauty
• Skincare 
• Haircare 
• Personal‑care brands
• Fashion 
• Jewelry
• Romantic or Regency‑inspired creative
• Fragrance and luxury “treat yourself” products 

Where to Stream

• Netflix exclusive

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