Despite a strong cast, the show struggles to be cohesive
Netflix released the first four episodes of Season 4 of the hit regency-era romance “Bridgerton” on Jan. 29. Based on a book series of the same name by Julia Quinn, “Bridgerton” focuses on the love stories of eight children in the aristocratic Bridgerton family, with each season highlighting a different child. Set in England during the 1800s and the fictionized rule of Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the Bridgertons and other members of the Ton — the English aristocracy — must enter society during the matchmaking season and navigate rigid societal expectations in hopes of securing a suitable “match.”
Season 4’s first half focuses on the budding love journey of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). Benedict, the second eldest Bridgerton and a notorious “rake” who prefers engaging in one-night stands and illustrious affairs over societal functions, attends a costumed masquerade ball held by his mother, Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). Drawn in by the enchanting aura of the runaway Lady in Silver — who, in actuality, is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), maidservant and estranged member of the Ton’s Gun family — Benedict chases after her. The premise of the season is like a fairytale, as Sophie leaves her glove at the masquerade ball, similar to Cinderella losing her slipper.
While “Bridgerton” attempts to be exhilarating by using secondary storylines to enhance the show, it loses its grip on viewers by overpopulating episodes with plots that fail to keep viewers engaged. The show does place ample focus on developing Sophie and Benedict’s steamy romance as they go from dance partners to accidentally sharing a room at the Crabtrees’ estate, with Benedict believing she is a maid in distress and not realizing that she is the masked Lady in Silver that he’s been searching for. However, secondary plotlines feel more surface-level and derelict of a serious effort. From Violet’s growing romance with Lord Anderson (Daniel Francis) — which definitely could have benefited from more depth — to Eloise Bridgerton’s (Claudia Jessie) desire to seek a life outside of marriage — who doesn’t want another scene about her disdain for her siblings preparing for marriage — “Bridgerton” Season 4 feels surface-level. It seems more like the show’s producers were trying to fill the space, rather than create a cohesive storyline.
“Bridgerton” also suffers from eyesore costuming and character design that is more reminiscent of a Halloween costume party than anything close to regency fashion and style. Women’s regency-era outfits were known for their high waistlines, classical style and pleasing tones, according to the Jane Austen Centre, and while Bridgerton’s costuming does loosely resemble those descriptions, accuracy seems like a suggestion rather than a requirement. In “The Waltz,” costumes worn by Eloise, Violet and Rosamund and Posy Gun (Isabella Wei, Michelle Mao) stood out negatively for how their oversaturated colors exposed cheaply made material, with other women throughout the series sporting gowns that weren’t tailored properly to fit well with their body types. While the approach “Bridgerton” costume designers take to regency-era dress may be beneficial to viewers who desire a modernized retelling of “Bridgerton’s” storyline, viewers looking for a historically-accurate version of the novel may be left disappointed.
Costumes aren’t “Bridgerton’s” only flaw — the show also suffers from strange cinematography and character composition choices that leave a lot to be desired. When characters are speaking to each other — such as with Benedict and Sophie or Penelope Bridgerton (Nicola Coughlan) and Queen Charlotte — their faces are often not fully shown, with cinematographers opting to feature their side profiles instead. Character makeup and design is also ill-fitting, especially for Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi), whose smoky eye caused outrage on social media.
“Bridgerton’s” one redeeming factor comes from the quality of its actors. While Thompson’s acting was often void of emotion and seemed more like an actor going through the motions (see: his monotone “wait!” to Sophie when she escapes from Episode 1’s masquerade ball). Ha’s ability to portray intense emotion during times of distress and introspection make her a standout member of the cast, and redeems some of Thompson’s poor acting. While Araminta Gun (Katie Leung) doesn’t have much screen time throughout the series, her ability to play a conniving stepmother and determined matchmaker are sure to leave a strong impression on audiences.
“Bridgerton’s” first four episodes of Season 4 started off on a shaky note, but the show does manage to keep things moving and set up a somewhat feasible foundation for the last four episodes in the season. Questionable costuming, cinematic choices and an abundance of plot lines are redeemed by the strong quality of the show’s actors, and make “Bridgerton” Season 4 decent enough to watch. It’s exciting to see where the show will go next — and hey, maybe it’ll “bridge” the gap between composition and characters in Part 2.
