Dearest gentle reader… the season for love has returned. Bridgerton Season 4 premiered on Jan. 29, and here’s what has been happening ahead of Benedict’s turn to find his soulmate.
When the show last ended, Penelope Featherington was revealed to be the infamous gossip journalist Lady Whistledown. She ended up marrying Colin Bridgerton, thus closing the main arc of Season 3. On the side, Eloise Bridgerton headed to Scotland with her sister Francesca to explore a change of scenery outside of the ton life. While Lady Violet made plans for a masquerade ball, Benedict Bridgerton ended an affair with Lady Tilly Arnold, explaining his desire to be free and open.
As readers and viewers of Bridgerton may know, the masquerade ball that was hinted at the end of Season 3 is integral to Benedict’s storyline, where he meets the Lady in Silver, the woman who captured his heart just by being out of place. Benedict, who spent the end of Season 3 avoiding his art and much of his duties to pursue flings and explore his own sexuality, does not like the idea of being tied down to anyone in particular.
Little does the second-oldest Bridgerton realize that the ball he’s headed to will change the rest of his life. Reprising his role as Benedict Bridgerton, Luke Thompson stated that approaching this season made him understand Benedict’s character more. According to Harper’s Bazaar, the actor stated, “What’s interesting with Benedict is that he’s very competent at a lot of things. The struggle is more inner.”
Fans of the book are aware of the Cinderella-esque plotline that Benedict’s season follows. He falls in love with a mysterious lady he names the Lady in Silver, only having a glove to remember their encounter by, before rescuing a young maid named Sophie, unaware that the two women he was falling in love with were the same. In the show, Yerin Ha plays the innocent yet hardworking maid, a challenge she readily accepted.
In an interview with Tudum, Ha exclaimed that becoming Sophie was an interesting challenge, since the character “immediately has obstacles—something that she constantly has to overcome.” Fans are aware of all the obstacles that Sophie faced growing up: her father’s death, her stepmother taking away her inheritance, and forcing her to live as a maid. Sophie’s character is what makes her not just interesting to Benedict, who has grown tired of the debutantes vying for his attention, but also a sweetheart to fans who adore her resilience.
Additionally, Bridgerton’s executive producer, Shonda Rhimes, added that she was the one making the final edits for Season 4. Her words sparked a great deal of interest and anticipation for the upcoming season. While on The Jennifer Hudson show, Rhimes explained that “[t]his [was] the first season [she’s] cried every time [she’s] edited a certain episode.”
“It’s emotional and it’s romantic, and it feels good.”
Shonda Rhimes, Executive Producer of Bridgerton
Following this statement, many fans took to social media to express their own expectations for the season, a buzz that only seems to increase until the show premieres.
With all the excitement going around, it seems that Benedict’s and Sophie’s love story will take the center stage and charm all of the viewers, and this author sure can’t wait either!