5/5 Stars
Released on Dec. 25, 2020, Netflix’s newest historical romance series “Bridgerton” was a hit among millions of subscribers. The show broke a record of being Netflix’s biggest show ever in its first 28 days of airing and reached over 82 million household views in that timeframe.
Produced by Shondaland, the production company behind “Grey’s Anatomy,” fans of the medical drama series will now have another web of character love triangles to fall in love with. This new series, created by Chris Van Dusen, transports viewers back to the year 1813, the middle of the Regency era in England. “Bridgerton” consists of only one season so far, but each of the eight episodes are around an hour long, providing plenty of content for fans. Fans can also look forward to reading “The Bridgerton Series,” by Julia Quinn, the book series that inspired the show.
“Bridgerton” follows the courtship process for the young Daphne Bridgerton (played by Phoebe Dynevor) who goes through the season in search of a husband. Despite many suitors showing up to win her heart, Daphne struggles to find the perfect one, finding herself at a dead-end. After making a deal with the particularly handsome yet mysterious Duke of Hastings (played by Rege-Jean Page) to trick the anonymous news reporter Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), things become much more complicated. Lady Whistledown sends out papers with the latest gossip and inside scoops, although her identity is a mystery to everyone in town. Daphne is faced with a difficult decision: marry the Duke to quiet the press, or continue searching for her true love in spite of gossip?
“Bridgerton” is beautiful and full of love and lust. However, with a TV-MA rating, it is certainly one for mature audiences. There are scenes that involve smoking and intimate encounters, so it is best if viewers are 17 years of age or older. Despite the scenes for adult audiences, the relationships between the characters feel real and raw.
Julie Andrews, who also voices Lady Whistledown, narrates this historical romance series. The executive producers are Shonda Rhimes, Betsy Beers, Chris Van Dusen and Julie Anne Robinson. Additional cast members include Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington, Jonathan Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton and Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton.
The creator and producers of this show along with all the actors and actresses deserve a round of applause for this series. It is very difficult to recreate a time period in the past, but “Bridgerton” makes you feel like you are there and know what it is like to live in that time period. The costumes are exquisite, the set design is stunning and overall the show exceeds expectations.
If you are looking for a romantic, fresh show to begin for the new year, “Bridgerton” is the perfect choice. Curl up with a fluffy blanket, a bowl of popcorn and entangle yourself in the gossip of the 1800s.
