Bridgerton made it’s initial release in December of 2020. At the end of one crazy year of staying inside and suffering from cabin fever people were open to watching anything. Not only did this show gain a large fan base from stir-crazy people, the show is also based on a series of books by Julia Quinn. So needless to say we were all anticipating the release of Bridgerton season 2 after watching the series take off.
Before reviewing the details of season two it’s best to start with a refresher. So, before going any further please note this article will contain spoilers for season 1 and 2. Season one truly left us with a intense cliff hanger. After watching the characters figure out themselves, their relationships, and unveil their secrets, season two became highly anticipated. Some important things to note from last season to better understand this article were the end result of Daphne’s and Simon’s relationship, the ambitions of each character, and the reveal of Lady Whistledown. At the end of season one, after watching Daphne and Simon figure out their relationship what started as a makeshift and fake relationship to achieve their own and completely different goals ended in a marriage and birth of their first child, leaving room to explore their dynamic as a new family in season two. While most of season one followed Daphne and Simon’s relationship, we also followed other characters like Anthony, Collin, and Penelope all of which spent last season entangled in drama that was resolved in the next season. While each character was able to un-trap themselves from sticky situations and have more opportunities for the next season, one of the most notable characters was Penelope who was later revealed to be Lady Whistledown.
Knowing where we left our main characters after season one, anticipation was high to see where the next season would take our characters. The start of season two, reminds us of how season one started. One of the important aspects of how the show is the romance. The show centers this theme into by introducing the characters to their queen as a part of introducing themselves to society in order to find a husband. In season one we were introduced to Daphne at the same time we are introduced with the queen. So in the second season it makes sense that we were reintroduced and introduced to characters the same way. For example, Eloise and new character Edwina Sharma. While this is one notable similarity between the two seasons it may be one of the only similarities. After introducing the characters in the first season we see more of the relationship between Daphne and Simon with the occasional preview into other characters situations. However, after the introduction of the characters and the situation of the new season, it’s clear this season is unlike the last.
In this season we can see an equal amount of each characters lives. As we watch Edwina and her sister Kate navigate the world of romance we also get a glimpses into other characters lives. For example, we learn about the behind the scenes details circling Penelope running her business as writing Lady Whistledown’s articles. Throughout the season there is an equal amount of focus on each characters story. Another interesting character the season focuses on this season is Anthony, the eldest Bridgerton child. This season we learned more about his backstory, being the eldest he has had a lot of responsibility, so this season he has decided to find a woman to marry the perfect woman, a responsibility he takes more seriously this season.
This season doesn’t just have new situations there are some other notable differences that are worth pointing out. For example, this seasons writing felt different from the previous. While a majority of the last season was narrated by Lady Whistledown this season felt as if there was less narration than the pervious season. This may be a personal note, but this conclusion can possibly be made by the fact that since we know the identity of Lady Whistledown there isn’t as much as a demand for narration. However, despite missing some Lady Whistledown there is an equal amount of Penelope to make up for it. Another notable difference was the characters involved. While we see each character an equal amount of times were able to notice some missing characters from the previous season, Regé-Jean Page was one of the only characters not to make an returning appearance as Simon this season.
Aside from those differences there are more similarities between the season than one would expect. For example, in season one we learn more about Simon and his views through backstories. In season two the character we learn more about is Anthony. In season two Anthony’s main goal is to marry the perfect woman, he feels this is his responsibility as the eldest and head of the Bridgerton family. We learn his motive for taking on so much responsibility came after his fathers death. In the flashback scene we see the responsibilities come rushing towards Anthony. However, this motive gets in the way of his true desires, a relationship with Kate. Unlike last season watching Simons and Daphne’s relationship felt well paced throughout the entire season. This season watching relationships bloom like Anthony’s and Kates felt slower. While some may enjoy the slow burn aspect of the show, waiting till half the season for things to pick up made the show feel slower and not as well paced.
These are just a few notable aspects from the latest season. Although the ending of the season felt well rounded it’ll be interesting to see what the show explores in the next season. This seasons ending had us watching characters our favorite characters resolve their issues this season and start more drama, there’s no doubt the next season will take us for a ride.