Simon Basset
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Bridgerton'' is an American
historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
- romance streaming television series created by
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
for Netflix. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, it is Shondaland's first scripted show for Netflix. It revolves around the eponymous Bridgerton family and is set in the competitive world of Regency era London's ton during the
social season The social season, or season, refers to the traditional annual period in the spring and summer when it is customary for members of the social elite of British society to hold balls, dinner parties and charity events. Until the First World War ...
where marriageable youth of nobility and gentry are launched into society. The first season debuted on December 25, 2020, to generally positive reviews, with 625.49 million hours viewed it became the most-watched English-language series on Netflix at the time of its premiere before being overtaken by its sophomore season. ''Bridgerton's'' second season became the most watched English-language television series on Netflix at the time with 656.16 million hours in its first 28 days of release. It premiered on March 25, 2022, with generally positive reviews and debuted number one in 92 countries on the platform. It was also the most viewed show on United States television screens for three weeks per Nielsen Media Research. The show's record-setting second season, which surpassed season one in viewership, cemented ''Bridgerton'' as a franchise per '' Entertainment Weekly.'' The series as a whole gave the romance genre its own
cinematic universe A shared universe or shared world is a fictional universe from a set of creative works where more than one writer (or other artist) independently contributes a work that can stand alone but fits into the joint development of the storyline, chara ...
with the female gaze front and center according to ''Slate''. Before the first season aired, the show was already in pre-production for a second season which was officially announced in January 2021. By April 2021, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season.


Premise

Set against the backdrop of the Regency era, the eight close-knit siblings of the noble and powerful Bridgerton family – Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth – navigate London high society in search of love, surrounded by friends and rivals alike.


Bridgerton family tree


Cast and characters


Main

* Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, the sharp-tongued, insightful doyenne of London society *
Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...
as the voice of Lady Whistledown, the author of a scandalous society newsletter * Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. Varley, the Featheringtons' housekeeper * Simone Ashley as Kate, Viscountess Bridgerton (née Sharma) (season 2), a spinster recently arrived from India * Jonathan Bailey as Anthony, 9th Viscount Bridgerton, the eldest Bridgerton son and head of the family * Ruby Barker as Marina, Lady Crane (née Thompson) (season 1; guest season 2), a Featherington cousin from a rural gentry family * Sabrina Bartlett as Siena Rosso (season 1), an opera singer and Anthony's former lover * Harriet Cains as Philippa Finch (née Featherington), the middle Featherington daughter * Bessie Carter as Prudence Featherington, the eldest Featherington daughter * Charithra Chandran as Edwina Sharma (season 2), Kate's younger half-sister * Shelley Conn as Lady Mary Sharma (née Sheffield) (season 2), Kate's stepmother and Edwina's mother * Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington, the youngest Featherington daughter and close friend of Eloise * Hannah Dodd (season 3; formerly Ruby Stokes, recurring season 1–2) as Francesca Bridgerton, the sixth Bridgerton child and third daughter * Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Basset (née Bridgerton), Duchess of Hastings, the fourth Bridgerton child and eldest daughter * Ruth Gemmell as Violet, Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton, mother of the Bridgerton children * Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton, the eighth and youngest Bridgerton child *
Martins Imhangbe Martins Isoken Imhangbe (born 7 July 1991) is a British-Nigerian actor. He made his debut in theatre, earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination for his performance in the 2018 production of '' Richard II''. As of 2020, he plays Will Mondrich in ...
as Will Mondrich (season 2; recurring season 1), gentleman's club owner, retired boxer, and confidant of the Duke of Hastings * Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton, the fifth Bridgerton child and second daughter * Calam Lynch as Theo Sharpe (season 2), an apprentice at the printing shop used by Lady Whistledown who befriends Eloise * Ben Miller as Archibald,
Baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...
Featherington (season 1), the patriarch of the Featherington family *
Luke Newton Luke Paul Anthony Newton (né Atkinson; born 5 February 1993) is an English actor. He is known for playing Colin, the third Bridgerton child, in the Netflix series ''Bridgerton'' (2020–present). He also had roles in the BBC Two drama '' The ...
as Colin Bridgerton, the third Bridgerton son * Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings (season 1), one of London's most eligible bachelors * Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte * Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton, the second Bridgerton son and an artist * Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton, the seventh Bridgerton child and youngest son * Polly Walker as Portia, Dowager Baroness Featherington, the matriarch of the Featherington family * Rupert Young as Jack, Baron Featherington (season 2), the new head of the Featherington family


Recurring

* Molly McGlynn as Rose Nolan, Daphne's loyal maid and confidant * Joanna Bobin as Lady Cowper, Cressida's mother *
Jessica Madsen Jessica Shirley Madsen (born 11 April 1992) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Clarice in the horror film ''Leatherface (2017 film), Leatherface'' (2017) and Cressida Cowper in the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020–). ...
as Cressida Cowper, a gossip-mongering and Daphne's rival debutante * Jason Barnett as Jeffries, the Bassets' butler *
Hugh Sachs Hugh J Sachs (born 25 February 1964) is an English actor, best known for his role as Gavin Ramsbottom in the ITV hit sitcom ''Benidorm''. Career Sachs has appeared in numerous television shows and films, including ''Aristocrats'', ''Foyle's ...
as Brimsley, the Queen's gossip-mongering secretary * Geraldine Alexander as Mrs. Wilson, the Bridgertons' housekeeper * Kathryn Drysdale as Genevieve Delacroix, a high society
modiste A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. Nota ...
and dressmaker * Simon Ludders as Humboldt, the Bridgertons' butler * Julian Ovenden as Sir Henry Granville, an artist who befriends Benedict * Oli Higginson as Footman John, a Footman in the Bridgerton household often working for Eloise


Guest

* Jamie Beamish as Nigel, Baron Berbrooke, Daphne's suitor *
Caroline Quentin Caroline Quentin (born Caroline Jones; 11 July 1960) is an English actress, broadcaster and television presenter. Quentin became known for her television appearances: portraying Dorothy in ''Men Behaving Badly'' (1992–1998), Maddie Magellan in ...
as Lady Berbrooke, Nigel's mother * Freddie Stroma as Prince Frederick of Prussia, the Queen's grandnephew *
Amy Beth Hayes Amy Beth Hayes (born 8 October 1982) is a British actress. She is best known for her roles as Kitty in ''Mr Selfridge''; Lucy in "The Entire History of You", an episode of ''Black Mirror''; Ruth in ''Misfits (TV series), Misfits''; Clementine in ...
as Lady Trowbridge, the hedonistic widow of an earl * James Fleet as King George III *
Céline Buckens Céline Buckens (born 9 August 1996) is a Belgian and British actress. After appearing in the film ''War Horse'' (2011), she went on to play Mia MacDonald in the Netflix series ''Free Rein'' (2017–2019) and Sophie Mercer in the Cinemax series ...
as Kitty Langham, a general's wife * Chris Fulton as Sir Phillip Crane, Marina's husband, a baronet * Daphne Di Cinto as Sarah Basset, Duchess of Hastings, Simon's mother * Richard Pepple as the Duke of Hastings, Simon's father * Pippa Haywood as Mrs. Colson, the housekeeper at the Hastings' country estate * Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich, Will Mondrich's wife * Anthony Head as Lord Sheffield, Lady Mary's father and Edwina's grandfather * Shobu Kapoor as Lady Sheffield, Lady Mary's mother and Edwina's grandmother *
Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series ''The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's ''Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in ''Bridgerton ...
as Edmund, 8th Viscount Bridgerton, father of the Bridgerton children


Episodes


Series overview


Season 1 (2020)


Season 2 (2022)


Production


Development


Season 1

On July 20, 2018, Netflix announced that Shonda Rhimes, through her production company Shondaland, would produce the screen adaptation of the bestselling novels of the ''Bridgerton'' series by Julia Quinn, while
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
would serve as showrunner. Quinn explained on '' The Tamron Hall Show'' that when she heard from her agent that Rhimes was interested in adapting her novels, she "almost fell off of erstool", and quickly agreed to the offer. Season 1 of the show adapted '' The Duke and I'', the first book of Quinn's series. Van Dusen said in a Shondaland article: "I think eriod showsare considered a bit traditional and conservative. With ''Bridgerton,'' I wanted to take everything I loved about a period show and turn it into something fresh, topical, and relatable."


Season 2

Before the first season aired, the show was already in pre-production for a second season which was officially announced in January 2021. It is focused on Anthony and based on the book ''
The Viscount Who Loved Me ''The Viscount Who Loved Me'' is a 2000 historical romance novel written by Julia Quinn, first published by Avon. It is the second novel of Quinn's Bridgerton series set in Regency England and tells the story of Anthony, Viscount Bridgerton wh ...
''. On April 13, 2021, creator Van Dusen revealed on Twitter that the series had additionally been renewed for a third and fourth season.


Season 3

Unlike the first two seasons which followed the order of the book series, the third season will focus on Colin, based on Quinn's fourth novel '' Romancing Mister Bridgerton''. Jess Brownell would serve as writer and showrunner for the third and fourth seasons, replacing Van Dusen.


Casting

Unlike the series of novels, ''Bridgerton'' is set in an
alternate history Alternate history (also alternative history, althist, AH) is a genre of speculative fiction of stories in which one or more historical events occur and are resolved differently than in real life. As conjecture based upon historical fact, altern ...
with a
racially integrated Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation). In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity ...
London where people of color are members of the '' ton'', some with titles granted by the
sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
. Creator
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
was inspired by historical debate over the 1940s African ancestry claims of Queen Charlotte "...to base the show in an alternative history in which Queen Charlotte's mixed race heritage was not only well-established but was transformative for Black people and other people of color in England." Van Dusen says the series is not " color-blind" because "that would imply that color and race were never considered, when color and race are part of the show."


Season 1

On June 19, 2019,
Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Fi ...
was cast as Lady Whistledown, whose voice-overs explain much of the series' action. In addition, Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page were cast to play the leads with Jonathan Bailey, Golda Rosheuvel,
Luke Newton Luke Paul Anthony Newton (né Atkinson; born 5 February 1993) is an English actor. He is known for playing Colin, the third Bridgerton child, in the Netflix series ''Bridgerton'' (2020–present). He also had roles in the BBC Two drama '' The ...
, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh and Polly Walker co-starring.


Season 2

On January 21, 2021, it was announced that Jonathan Bailey would be reprising his role as Anthony and would be the center of the show's sophomore season. The following month, Simone Ashley had been cast as Kate. On April 5, 2021, Charithra Chandran joined the cast as Edwina, Rupert Young joined to play a new character, with Shelley Conn cast as Kate and Edwina's mother Mary, and Calam Lynch cast as Theo Sharpe. On May 28, 2021,
Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series ''The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's ''Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in ''Bridgerton ...
joined the cast as Edmund Bridgerton, the late patriarch of the Bridgerton family. Page did not return for the second season despite being asked to come back as he only signed a one-year deal and wanted to explore other opportunities outside the show. In addition, the plan has always been for each season to focus on a different Bridgerton sibling and their quest for marriage, and his character is insignificant in the succeeding novels.


Season 3

In April 2022, Bailey and Ashley were confirmed to return for the third season as Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton, exploring their married life and duties as heads of the eponymous family. The following month, Hannah Dodd was cast to replace Ruby Stokes as Francesca Bridgerton for the third season. Stokes exited the show due to scheduling conflicts. Chandran will not reprise her role as Edwina for the season. In July 2022, Daniel Francis, Sam Phillips, and James Phoon were cast in undisclosed capacities for the third season. In October 2022, Hannah New joined the cast as Lady Tilley Arnold.


Filming


Season 1

Principal photography commenced in July 2019 and wrapped in late February 2020. ''Bridgerton'' was filmed in London and
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
, as well as at various estates and parks around England. Although the series takes place in London, most street scenes were filmed in Bath, York, and Chatham. The grounds of Wilton House were used for
Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...
and the grounds of Somerley were used for
Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band o ...
. Garden scenes were filmed at Painshill near Cobham and the Commissioner's House in Chatham. Filming locations included Ranger's House in Greenwich (standing in for the Bridgerton House in London exterior); Halton House at
RAF Halton Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World W ...
(Bridgerton House interior, Featheringtons' interior); Wilton House (Simon's Hastings House, Clyvedon estate interior, St James's Palace throne room);
Syon House Syon House is the west London residence of the Duke of Northumberland. A Grade I listed building, it lies within the 200-acre (80 hectare) Syon Park, in the London Borough of Hounslow. The family's traditional central London residence had be ...
and
Badminton House Badminton House is a large country house and Grade I Listed Building in Badminton, Gloucestershire, England, which has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house, which has given its name to th ...
(Hastings House); Castle Howard (Clyvedon estate); Coneysthorpe (Clyvedon village);
Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chie ...
and Lancaster House (
St. James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Alt ...
); Holburne Museum (Lady Danbury's estate); Hatfield House (Featheringtons' interior);
No. 1 Royal Crescent No. 1 Royal Crescent is the first building at the eastern end of the Royal Crescent in Bath, Somerset, and is of national architectural and historic importance. It is currently the headquarters of the conservation charity, the Bath Preservation T ...
(
Grosvenor Square Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the Mayfair district of London. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from the duke's surname "Grosvenor". It was developed for fashionable re ...
); Queen's House and Somerley (
Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ("O ...
); and Dorney Court (coaching inn). Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens no longer exists in its entirety. The production team recreated it for Lady Danbury's ball by combining the remaining parts with Castle Howard and Stowe Park. The banqueting room at the Guildhall, Bath was used for another ball as well as the Great Hall at Leigh Court in Somerset. Anthony Bridgerton and Simon Basset meet in the real-life Reform Club on Pall Mall in
central London Central London is the innermost part of London, in England, spanning several boroughs. Over time, a number of definitions have been used to define the scope of Central London for statistics, urban planning and local government. Its characteris ...
. The scene in which Lady Featherington takes Marina to the slums was filmed at Chatham Dockyard in Kent. Boxing scenes were also filmed here in addition to
Normansfield Theatre The Normansfield Theatre is a Victorian era building in Teddington, England. The theatre is on the site of Normansfield Hospital, which was a self-sufficient Victorian hospital complex run by Dr. John Langdon Down. The hospital was where he c ...
in Teddington. Theatre scenes were filmed at the Hackney Empire. A café in Bath, Pickled Greens, was used as the site of the Modiste shop and the Bathrooms at No.5 store on Trim Street became the site of Gunter's Tea Shop. The costuming was led by Ellen Mirojnick and involved over two hundred people and five months of preparation to create 5,000 costumes.


Season 2

Production on the second season began in March 2021. In May 2021, it was reported that the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead refused permission to build a film set for the second season in
Sunninghill Park Sunninghill Park was a country house and estate of about directly north of Cheapside, in the civil parishes of Sunninghill and Ascot and Winkfield, adjoining Windsor Great Park in the English county of Berkshire. The early 19th-century house ...
near Windsor, despite royal approval. On July 15, 2021, production on the second season was paused for 24 hours when a crew member tested positive for COVID-19, but resumed the following day. However, on July 17, production was halted indefinitely following a second positive test. Production resumed in August 2021. Production for the second season wrapped on November 20, 2021. New filming locations for season 2 included Wrotham Park (standing in for the Bridgertons' country home Aubrey Hall); West Wycombe Park (Aubrey Hall interior and the Crane estate); Wrest Park and Ivinghoe Beacon (the Orangery and Aubrey Hall grounds); the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races and ...
); Old Royal Naval College; Windsor Great Park (woods scenes); Goldsmiths' Hall (Buckingham palace throne room); and Wilton's Music Hall (feminist meeting place). The real St James's Church is in the series. The art display at Petworth House was used for the museum scene, with Royal Artillery Barracks used as the exterior. The finale ball was filmed at
Basildon Park Basildon Park is a country house situated 2 miles (3 kilometres) south of Goring-on-Thames and Streatley in Berkshire, between the villages of Upper Basildon and Lower Basildon. It is owned by the National Trust and is a Grade I listed buildin ...
.


Season 3

The third season began principal photography in July 2022.


Music

American composer and pianist Kris Bowers composed and arranged the score for the series. Bowers wrote and composed the first season's soundtrack, featuring nineteen songs. Musicians recorded the score remotely from their home studios during the COVID-19 pandemic.


Season 1

The first season featured orchestral covers of contemporary popular music, which director and executive producer Julie Anne Robinson said was inspired by the use of classic rock songs in the 2001 film '' A Knight's Tale''. Songs featured included
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
's " Thank U, Next",
Maroon 5 Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. It currently consists of lead vocalist Adam Levine, keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jesse Carmichael, lead guitarist James Valentine (musician), James Valentine, drummer Matt ...
's "
Girls Like You "Girls Like You" is a song recorded by American band Maroon 5 from their sixth studio album ''Red Pill Blues'' (2017). The track was written by lead singer Adam Levine, Starrah, Gian Stone, Cirkut (record producer), Cirkut, and Jason Evigan, wit ...
", Shawn Mendes's " In My Blood" and Billie Eilish's " Bad Guy", all four of which performed by Vitamin String Quartet. Also included are
Celeste Celeste may refer to: Geography * Mount Celeste, unofficial name of a mountain on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada * Celeste, Texas, a rural city in North Texas ** Celeste High School, public high school located in the city of Celeste, ...
's "
Strange Strange may refer to: Fiction * Strange (comic book), a comic book limited series by Marvel Comics * Strange (Marvel Comics), one of a pair of Marvel Comics characters known as The Strangers * Adam Strange, a DC Comics superhero * The title char ...
" performed by Bowers, and Taylor Swift's " Wildest Dreams" performed by Duomo. Bowers also included modern interpretations of classical music, such as Bach's Cello Suite No. 6 in D major from Peter Gregson's '' Recomposed by Peter Gregson: Bach – The Cello Suites'' and Vivaldi's '' The Four Seasons'' from
Max Richter Max Richter (; ; born 22 March 1966) is a German-born British composer and pianist. He works within postminimalist and contemporary classical styles. Richter is classically trained, having graduated in composition from the University of Edinbur ...
's '' Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons''. The first season also included JPOLND's "The End" which has a "swingy melody but intense lyrics".


Season 2

In the second season, covers include Nirvana's " Stay Away" and Robyn's " Dancing On My Own" by Vitamin String Quartet,
Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's " Material Girl", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" from the soundtrack of the film of the same name and
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
' "
How Deep Is Your Love How Deep Is Your Love or How Deep Is Your Love? may refer to: * How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song), "How Deep Is Your Love" (Bee Gees song), 1977, covered by Take That * "How Deep Is Your Love" (Keith Sweat song), 1987 * How Deep Is Your Love ( ...
" by Bowers. Also included are
Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with tw ...
's " You Oughta Know" and Pink's " What About Us" by Duomo,
Harry Styles Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His musical career began in 2010 as a solo contestant on the British music competition series ''The X Factor (UK TV series), The X Factor''. Following hi ...
' " Sign of the Times" by Steve Horner,
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
's " Diamonds" by Hannah V and Joe Rodwell and Miley Cyrus' " Wrecking Ball" by Midnight String Quartet. To promote the show, Morisette appeared in a video performing "You Oughta Know" with Duomo. When discussing the music of season two, music supervisor Justin Kramps explained that "even for these songs that are just huge songs that everyone knows,
n instrumental version N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
still breathes new life and brings them to a new audience, and in a different way. Pop is where we start, because it fits the style of the show, and it's often using these super-recognizable songs that just add a lot of joy, which is what pop does in general."


Release


Season 1

The eight episodes of the first season of ''Bridgerton'' began streaming on Netflix on December 25, 2020.


Season 2

A preview of a scene from season 2 aired during Netflix's September 2021 '' TUDUM: Extended Talent Panel,'' which was followed by first look stills. On February 14, 2022, the first teaser trailer for the second season was released. A world premiere was held at Tate Modern on March 22, 2022, in London, England prior to the season's eight episodes being released on March 25, 2022. Due to a three-month commitment as the lead in the acclaimed
West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...
play ''
Cock Cock or cocks most commonly refers to: * Cock (bird) or rooster, a male of any bird species * Cock (slang), a slang term for the penis Cock or cocks may also refer to: Names * Cock (surname) * Cocks (surname) Places * Cocks Glacier, Ross Dep ...
'', Jonathan Bailey had missed "press, talk shows, FYC events, and even the Met Gala" as part of the show's promotion.


Reception


Critical response


Season 1

For the first season, the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 87% based on 99 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Sumptuous design, soapy drama, and a sterling cast make ''Bridgerton'' a delightful treat." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 34 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Kristen Baldwin of '' Entertainment Weekly'' gave the series a B+ and wrote, "''Bridgerton'', it seems, is a wonderful diversion for those who love ''
Pride & Prejudice ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreci ...
'' but wish it had more stairway sex." Richard Roeper of '' Chicago Sun-Times'' gave the series four out of four stars and called it "A show that will give you that unmistakable binge twinge and have you activating that "Next Episode" time and again, until there are no more "Next Episodes"." '' British GQ'' described ''Bridgerton'' as a cross between '' Downton Abbey'' and '' Gossip Girl'', but noted that it "may just end up being another disappointment" and "it could have been brilliant."
Salamishah Tillet Salamishah Margaret Tillet (born August 25, 1975) is an American scholar, writer, and feminist activist. She is the Henry Rutgers Professor of African American Studies and Creative Writing at Rutgers University–Newark, where she also directs ...
of '' The New York Times'' said "Bridgerton provides a blueprint for British period shows in which Black characters can thrive within the melodramatic story lines, extravagant costumes and bucolic beauty ..without having to be servants or enslaved." Erum Salam of '' Cosmopolitan'' wrote "I kept wanting more. I wanted more explanations of how race factored into this society..." Carolyn Hinds from '' The Observer'' stated "''Bridgerton'' has been praised as a racially diverse show set in the Regency Era". '' Vanity Fair'' Caroline Framke describes the sex in the series "isn't altogether shocking material for Shondaland to mine for its first drama series absent broadcast restraints." The first season's 6th episode drew criticism with regard to the non consensual nature of Simon and Daphne's lovemaking, which amounted to
marital rape Marital rape or spousal rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one's spouse without the spouse's consent. The lack of consent is the essential element and need not involve physical violence. Marital rape is considered a form of domestic vi ...
. The episode depicts Daphne, while having sex with Simon, changing her position to be on top, not letting Simon pull out of her when he climaxes despite his objections. Described as one of the toxic plot points of their relationship, it further drew scrutiny due to the fact that the deceit was never addressed as sexual assault in the series. Critics pointed out that it failed to acknowledge the difficulties of male victims of rape, and the further fetishisation of black men in media.


Season 2

For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 78% based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critics consensus states, "The risqué thrill may have faded, but ''Bridgerton'' remains a compulsive episode-turner in this delightful sophomore season." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Kristen Baldwin of '' Entertainment Weekly'' gave the series an A- writing, "With a second season that's more clever, moving, and emotionally complex than the first, this period drama... proves that it's not just a titillating trifle." ''The Hollywood Reporter'''s Angie Hahn echoed the sentiment describing the season as "older and wiser" than its predecessor's "rampant horniness" with an effective central romance that prioritized "a meeting of minds, played out over quick-witted arguments outside
ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic man ...
s and vicious competition during a friendly family game of pall-mall." Peter Travers of ABC praised the season writing, "Kudos to season two for digging deeper into the emotional lives of its characters and continuing the colorblind casting that creates a utopia in which diversity is so ingrained it's hardly worth a mention." Alison Herman of The Ringer commented that Season 1 is "sexy without quite being erotic" while "Season 2 is the reverse. There's not a lot of sex, but in the crackling chemistry and relentless self-denial that defines Anthony and Kate's dynamic, there's plenty of eroticism." Emma Clarke of ''The Independent'' argued that, "it is precisely the lack of physicality that makes this season (of the show and of courtship) so... well, sexy." Scott Bryan of the BBC wrote that the season serves as antidote to the "always static, laboured and slow" period dramas, adding that it comes with "real energy, it feels so modern (even though it is set in the past) and even though it feels extravagant, it doesn't feel too highbrow. It is refreshingly accessible." Kevin Fallon of '' The Daily Beast'' elaborating on Bailey's "exquisite lead performance," wrote that "he has an exceptional ability to carry his angst, pain, and guilt with him without bogging down things into a somber drag." '' The Telegraph s Anita Singh wrote that Bailey "brings more soul to the role of Lord Bridgerton than Page ever did with the Duke," with Randy Myers of ''Mercury News'' adding that Bailey "has a gift at comedic timing." Proma Khosla of
Mashable Mashable is a digital media platform, news website and entertainment company founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005. History Mashable was founded by Pete Cashmore while living in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2005. Early iterations of the site were a ...
concluded that with "Bailey and Ashley, ''Bridgerton'' Season 2 strikes gold" as they deliver "heaping, smoldering helpings of sexual tension" for "their chemistry is nothing short of explosive."


Audience viewership


Season 1

On January 27, 2021, Netflix announced that 82 million households have watched at least two minutes of the season amounting to 625,490,000 million hours viewed. It was the most-watched original series launch on the service at the time of its premiere, prior to being surpassed by '' Squid Game'' in October 2021. Caroline Framke of ''Variety'' attributed this huge viewership to "the perfect storm of a perfectly timed premiere (Christmas Day of 2020), providing silly and sexy entertainment after the first terrible year of COVID."


Season 2

Season 2 amassed 193 million viewing hours in its opening weekend, the highest opening for any English-language Netflix series at the time. It also broke the record for most viewed English-language series in a single week at that time, with 251.74 million viewing hours from March 28 to April 3. The first season also re-entered Netflix's top ten in second place. By April 19, ''Bridgerton''s second season had overtaken its predecessor as the most watched English-language television series on Netflix at the time with 627.11 million hours viewed since its March 25, 2022 launch. This viewing numbers went up to 656.16 million by the 28-day mark. Nielsen Media Research, analyzing the 2.55 billion minutes viewed on United States television screens in the first three days of season 2's availability (double all others across streamers for the week of March 21), characterized ''Bridgertons audience as "diverse and broad". The firm found one third of viewers to be Hispanic or African American and an even split in popularity across the 18–34, 35–49, and 50–64 age groups at 25% each. The only exception was gender parity with 76% of the audience reported to be female. It added 3.2 billion minutes viewed in its second week on top of the chart. It topped the chart for a third week with 1.6 billion minutes viewed.


Historical inaccuracies

Chris Van Dusen has said that the show "is a reimagined world, we're not a history lesson, it's not a documentary. What we're really doing with the show is marrying history and fantasy in what I think is a very exciting way. One approach that we took to that is our approach to race." The Bridgerton family, Lady Whistledown and most of the other characters in the show are fictional. The theory that Queen Charlotte may have had African ancestry has been called an unhistorical assertion by most scholars. In an interview with '' Insider'' magazine, American historian Marlene Koenig said the show's representation of Regency-era London was more diverse than it was in reality, adding that "diversity as we know what the word means did not exist" in Britain during that period. Some classical music pieces used in the first season were composed later than 1813, the year of the first season. Examples include
Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, , group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and was regarded throug ...
's Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2, which was written in 1938 and " Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" from Jacques Offenbach's 1881 opera '' The Tales of Hoffmann''.


Cultural impact

Fashion and interior design trends influenced or made popular by the series have been dubbed "Regencycore" or "the Bridgerton effect". ''Lyst'' reported an increase in searches for items such as
corset A corset is a support garment commonly worn to hold and train the torso into a desired shape, traditionally a smaller waist or larger bottom, for aesthetic or medical purposes (either for the duration of wearing it or with a more lasting effe ...
s, headpieces, and elbow-length gloves after the series' premiere. The series' female leads Daphne and Kate were also linked to a popularity in the colours sky blue and lilac respectively. In 2021,
Abigail Barlow Abigail Barlow is an American singer-songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. Her album ''The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical'', co-written with, and produced by, Emily Bear, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2022. She is also know ...
and Emily Bear wrote a concept album based on characters and situations in season 1 of the series titled ''
The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical ''The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical'' is a concept album by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear based on season 1 of the Netflix series ''Bridgerton''. They developed the songs on the album on TikTok in early 2021 in a series of live sessions, during wh ...
''; it won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. After the two presented the songs from the album live in concert at the Kennedy Center in July 2022, Netflix sued them for copyright infringement. To ring in the second season, an official "Queen's Ball" was held in Washington DC, Chicago, Montréal, and Los Angeles, with similar events and experiences taking place in London and Johannesburg. Bloomingdale's put together a ''Bridgerton''-themed pop-up collection and tea bar, displaying real costumes from the series in the U.S. for the first time in its 59th Street windows. After season 2 featured the main characters playing pall-mall, a lawn game considered to be the precursor to croquet, retailer John Lewis reported a 90% rise in sales for croquet sets. There was also a notable increase in internet searches and purchases of tiaras and corsets after season two's premiere. Walking tours of the filming locations of the series have also been created, including an official one by Netflix. Castle Howard also has an exhibition titled ''Castle Howard on Screen: From Brideshead to Bridgerton'' on location which opened in May 2022. The 33rd season finale episode of '' The Simpsons'' on May 22, 2022, featured
Marge Marge is a feminine given name, a shortened form of Marjorie, Margot or Margaret (name), Margaret. Notable Marges include: People *Marge (cartoonist) (1904–1993), pen name of Marjorie Henderson Buell, American cartoonist *Marge Anderson (1932†...
and her friends watching a period drama called "Tunnelton" with a Lady Whistledown-sounding narrator, and a character emerging drenched from a lake, like Anthony in the fifth episode of the second season.


Limited prequel series

In May 2021, Netflix ordered a limited prequel series from Shondaland which will focus on young Queen Charlotte, a character who does not appear in the ''Bridgerton'' novels. Rhimes will write the spin-off and serve as executive producer alongside Betsy Beers and Tom Verica. Rosheuvel, Andoh, Gemmell, and Fleet will reprise their roles, while India Amarteifio,
Michelle Fairley Michelle Fairley (born 1964–1965) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is best known for playing Catelyn Stark in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2013). She has since appeared in the USA Network series '' Suits'' (2013), the Fo ...
, Corey Mylchreest, and Arsema Thoma were cast, together with Connie Jenkins-Greig who will play young Violet. A novelization of the series written by Rhimes and Quinn will be released by Avon Books in 2023. In April 2022, it was reported that production designer Dave Arrowsmith was fired from the series following allegations of abusive behavior and bullying on set. In September 2022, Netflix announced that ''Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'' would be the title for the series and also released the first look.


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* *
Official season 2 premiere screenplay
{{Netflix original current series 2020 American television series debuts 2020s American drama television series 2020s American romance television series 2020s romantic drama television series American romantic drama television series Cultural depictions of George III English-language Netflix original programming Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series Television shows set in London Television shows filmed in England Television shows shot in London Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television series set in the 1810s Television series by Shondaland Television shows based on American novels Rape in fiction Rape in television Works about marriage