Bridgerton’s charm is undeniable, but its love story formula is growing stale. Can Season 4 finally offer something new for fans craving a twist?
There seems to be something hypnotic about Bridgerton. I feel it’s the gown, the gossip, and the orchestral covers of pop songs. In all honesty, it’s one of my favorite forms of escapism, and if you’ve binged your way through all the seasons so far, you’ll probably agree that the show’s love stories are a bit redundant.
Don’t get me wrong, I live for a good slow burn, but there’s a pattern that I’ve seen all too many times now. The duo starts on the grounds of mutual disdain, only to have a predictable finale where they’re both head over heels for each other.
Been there and shipped that: The enemies-to-lovers arcs in Bridgerton
If you were waltzing around on the internet between 2011 and 2015, you might be familiar with Wattpad and the way most of its stories unfold. They were written by young writers and devoured by a teenage audience. The enemies-to-lovers trope was a classic in these tales, and Bridgerton has begun to seem like a glorified, well-funded, Wattpad adaptation.
At first, we are introduced to an intense push-pull between Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset. While their dynamic still had some emotional weight, it followed the old and known trajectory of antagonism, then flirting with each other, and finally, surrendering to love.
The most textbook hate-flirt example is Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma. I was tired of watching episode after episode of verbal sparring, longing glances, and near-misses. Although it was satisfying, it featured a familiar waltz of having banter to finally accept their feelings.
Will Bridgerton Season 4 break the cycle?
With Bridgerton season 4 on the horizon, I can’t watch another eight episodes of “I don’t like you — wait, maybe I do!” before their inevitable kiss in the rain. As per reports from Netflix and what we have seen in the sneak peeks so far, this time around, Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Bleak will be stepping into the spotlight, and we’ll have a Cinderella-inspired storyline.
They’ll meet at Lady Bridgerton’s masquerade ball, and we’re promised a story full of secrets and mistaken identities. According to Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict, the plot is more like a twist to the classic fairytale. And showrunner Jess Brownell has hinted at another usual simmering romantic tension.
So, will I have to sit through yet another season of longing stares and a story of barely-contained attraction that’s stretched across several episodes? At this point, I’m craving something more, something surprising, and I’m patiently waiting for Bridgerton to deliver it because I do have a love-hate relationship with the show, much like its couples.
