Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell promises Cinderella class clashes reshape the series’ romance formula for Season 4.
Bridgerton Season 4 is deliberately reshaping its creative foundation, and showrunner Jess Brownell is being unusually candid about why. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Brownell explained that the fourth season isn’t just another romantic chapter but is a tonal and structural pivot for the franchise.
The upcoming season will bring a chock-full of juicy conflict, but also focus on the dynamic between the socialities and their staff.
We talked a lot about going downstairs and how that would affect the overall tone of the show and I think, actually, it seamlessly blends into the themes that we were trying to explore this season. Benedict very much lives in a fantasy world. Sophie very much lives in a harsher reality. The idea is that, for each of them, neither of those stations are where they need to live in order to find true love.
By leaning into class disparity, moral gray areas, and a grounded Cinderella-style narrative, Season 4 aims to alter how Bridgerton approaches romance, conflict, and perspective.
Why Bridgerton Season 4’s Cinderella Similarities Helped Its Case?
Season 4’s Cinderella framework isn’t a retreat into a cliche, but it is a strategic connection and the reason why it is appealing. Brownell emphasized that Sophie Baek is not a passive damsel waiting to be rescued. Instead, she is headstrong, self-directed, and actively deciding her own fate.
We start with a character trope that we’ve seen a million times before, which is a maid who falls for someone above her station. But I think a lot of times in these classic Cinderella-like stories, Cinderella is a bit of a damsel in distress. And, in the case of Sophie Baek, she is no such thing. We get to watch a very headstrong young woman try to decide her fate for herself and pick up the courage to believe in and dream for a life greater than the one she currently has.
These parallels also allowed them to adapt it easily and effortlessly. Based on Julia Quinn’s book, An Offer From a Gentleman, Brownell noted that it was the easiest book to adapt.
It lent itself really closely to television structure for a love story. There are just a lot of rich set pieces that gave us juicy conflict and high stakes. I think fans will be happy to see quite a few of the set pieces from the book in the show.
Telling the story of Benedict and the Lady in Silver, the upcoming season might be a fantasy story, but it is more grounded than others. The class divide isn’t just for aesthetics, but serves as the driving force behind each decision, every risk, and every act.
How Bridgerton’s Earlier Seasons Strayed From the Books?
While Bridgerton has always been an adaptation rather than a strict translation of Julia Quinn’s novels, the previous seasons often expanded or re-engineered plots to heighten spectacle and melodrama.
In the second season, the show restructured Anthony and Kate’s romance to emphasize prolonged tension. Then, in the third season, it radically reframed Colin and Penelope’s arc by emphasizing Lady Whistledown’s political consequences over romantic intimacy.
The previous seasons also introduced new characters such as Queen and Theo Sharpe, shifting the focus from the individual romances to the ensemble cast.
Apart from shifting the book order by focusing on Colin and Penelope first instead of Benedict and Sophie, one of the most controversial decisions has been altering Francesca’s love story. The show introduced us to a queer storyline, where her future romantic lead was changed from Michael to Michaela, disturbing the whole reason why Francesca wanted to remarry after John’s death.
Moreover, the books exclusively feature a white cast, but the show has a diverse cast, which fans have come to appreciate and love. Despite these changes, overall, the show remains as family-centric as Quinn’s books, making up for an entertaining fantasy period drama.
What are your thoughts about the show not being a faithful adaptation? Let us know in the comments below.
Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 will release on January 29, 2026, while Part 2 will release on February 26, on Netflix.
