Review of Bridgerton, Season 2

 

 

Spoilers in this review.

 

The beauty of Season 1 of Bridgerton was that it was so unexpected.  My kids had given me a rare treat on Christmas day a couple of years ago -- I got to choose what we would watch on TV.  When I turned on Netflix and saw there was a Regency romance I think I actually squealed with joy.  And then I refused to give up the clicker for the rest of the day.  My kids drifted away, passing through the living room only to cover their eyes on their way to the kitchen.   

Season 2 was entirely expected and for that reason alone watching it was a calmer experience.  The plot is also more sedate than Season 1.  It took me a couple of weeks to watch it the entire season.  But that allowed me to savor it more.

Like Season 1, the plot is charming, the costumes beautiful, the cinematography lovely.  While I was not entirely convinced by the love story between Anthony (the Bridgerton of the title) and Kate, which seemed to be based more on animal attraction than affection, it was very fun to watch.  I appreciated that Kate's sister Edwina, who Anthony had originally proposed to, went through appropriate stages of ingenue, brat, and older but wiser.  And their sponsor, Lady Danbury, played by Adjoa Andoh, stole the screen every time she appeared.

I enjoyed the subplots and can't wait for Pen -- the Hollywood ugly (she's zaftig and is forced to wear yellow, which actually looks fantastic on her) young woman who writes a gossip rag under a pen name -- to get her own season.  

My major quibble with this season is that Kate and Edwina's upbringing in India, and cultural differences that would come with that, are non-existent beyond Kate's preference for Indian tea.  Their home city (Bombay, maybe?  I can't remember because it doesn't matter) appears to be London's twin.  

My minor quibble is that all the adult Bridgerton brothers look exactly alike.  About three episodes in I was usually able to distinguish Anthony from the others.  But as for the one who paints, and the one who went abroad and takes snuff (or is that the one who paints?) -- I have absolutely no clue how to tell them apart.  

Overall I loved this show.  I hope Netflix survives long enough to bring us Season 3.