Why This Season of Bridgerton is Unrivaled Compared to its Season One Counterpart
- Amber Louise
- Apr 12, 2022
- 3 min read
*Spoiler alert for those of you who haven’t seen season two of Bridgerton, keep reading at your own risk*
Dearest readers,
It has recently come to my attention that Viscount Anthony Bridgerton and newcomer Miss Kate Sharma have made quite the impression on the ton. It is almost baffling that poor Miss Edwina Sharma did not catch a glimpse of the longing in their eyes until her and Anthony’s courtship was almost too far to turn back. By too far, I mean standing at the altar. Alas, Lady Bridgerton, Lady Danbury, and Anthony’s sister, the Duchess of Hastings, shared my knowledge of the pair’s certain desire for one another. As if their stolen glances and magnetic pull would not have been noticed by myself, after all, I am Lady Whistledown.
I have said it before, and I’ll say it again: Season 2 of the Regency-era Netflix series, Bridgerton, dominates season one wholeheartedly. From the plotline and character development to costume, hair and makeup, season two has stolen my heart completely. That’s not to say that I didn’t have my doubts, because I definitely did. Truthfully, I didn’t think that Anthony Bridgerton would be able to beat the Duke of Hastings, especially with his God-awful sideburns. Nonetheless, with a haircut and a much-needed shave, he managed to do just that. Oh yeah, and the way he looked and acted around Kate, unable to avoid a glance—or in this case, passionate gaze—around any company. Swoon.
Not only had Anthony undergone a glow-up, but it seemed as if the rest of the Bridgerton family had too. No, I’m not talking about major unrecognizable changes, but more about subtle, but certainly not unnoticeable changes, like Daphne and Eloise’s bangs. From the get-go, Bridgerton has made it clear that it’s not historically accurate, nor have they ever wanted to be, so these slight changes only bring the character’s appearances into a more modern time. It felt as if the entire show had grown up, with the Bridgerton siblings growing into themselves and their roles in the family and society.
With the Bridgerton family dynamic shown more frequently on screen, the audience gets to explore the Bridgertons as a family, their relationships with one another and their past. The pall-mall game held at Aubrey Hall was a regal backdrop ready to unearth another side of the family, through competitiveness and banter, all the while being one of the most anticipated—and noteworthy—scenes of the season. This scene, taking place in episode 3, whilst being lighthearted, also told the story of how Anthony’s father died tragically after a bee sting.
Understanding Anthony’s past and the reasons for his actions made his character more personable and brought an emotional connection that I felt wasn’t as present in season one with any of the characters. Not only does it bring you closer to him as a character, but it connects the dots of his reasoning and actions throughout the first season.
These shifts from season one to two made the show much more appealing, albeit the romance between Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley, and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) was truly unrivalled. If you know me, you know I love a slow burn, and I wasn’t disappointed. While this season was not even close to as raunchy as its first season, it felt as if there was just as much—if not more—tension between the two love interests. From the very first encounter, the audience can sense this growing pull that each of them experiences, bringing them closer every time they meet. So, by the time they finally admit their affection for each other, it feels all the more rewarding… And, unquestionably, keeps you on the edge of your seat. Let’s just say there was a lot of yelling at the TV, “just kiss already!”
They seemed to disguise—mostly from themselves—their infatuation with one another through sheer animosity that slowly bubbled to the surface, until it reached a point where it was completely unavoidable. The fact that it took Edwina until she was practically wed to discover their true feelings was astonishing… Particularly when they were undressing each other with every glance. Poor Edwina. In all honesty, though, I couldn’t quite make my mind up as to how I felt about the situation. My heart was the one yelling “kiss,” and my head was saying “no, no, no, you can’t do this without getting caught.” I was conflicted, to say the least.
After finishing the last episode, one thing was clear to me: This season surpassed all of my expectations. Not only did the slow burn romance woo me, if you will, but the connection I felt to the characters grew stronger as more tidbits of information were revealed. You’ll find me rewatching season two more than once, I can assure you of that.
Yours Truly,
Lady Whistledown
Kommentare