After watching the first half of Season Four of “Bridgerton,” I was skeptical of the outcome of the show and the rank it held in my personal media collection. But after finishing the second half, I can confidently say that it has secured its spot in my top five series.
Set in the British Regency era, “Bridgerton” follows eight close-knit siblings of the powerful Bridgerton family and their attempts to find love.
While this season focused on Benedict Bridgerton and his potential match, it was the subplots that made this season exceptional.
This society is made possible by the mother and the maids, so it was refreshing to see their roles highlighted this season.
The main love interest is a maid and lives in a similar situation to the famous Cinderella story with Benedict as her Prince Charming. Through her story, the audience was introduced the larger society behind the glamour giving a face and heart to the maids and all the people that work behind the scenes of the nobles.
Benedict, who is a nobleman, is faced with a hard choice as he has fallen in love with a maid. In their society they are not allowed to wed.
The mother of the Bridgerton family, who is a widow, Violet, carries this season. She herself faces a new love match and must decide if it is worth pursuing. The decision she makes in the end is inspiring and wholesome.
Through everything, Violet values love. She is a woman of great respect in the town, and she holds her responsibilities as so, but the one thing she will never waver on is the love of her children. No matter who or what the situation is, if one of her children fell in love, she would make sure it worked out.
While this might sound dramatic, “Bridgerton” has gotten me through the darkest of times. The first season was released in December 2020, which helped guide me through the isolation of quarantine with a little bit of romance to give me hope.
The second season was in March 2022. This was the end of my junior year of high school, and I was starting to form into my true self. This season gave me the space to yearn for a love like Kate and Anthony’s. In some ways, this protected me from the terrors of high school boys as my standards for men were through the roof, and I was hellbent on never settling.
The third season was released in May 2024. At this time, I believed I was in love and shared a similar situation as the main couple of the season, Colin and Penelope. In their season, Colin couldn’t see the love his dear friend Penelope had for him until he was hit with it himself. I thought this would also happen to me. Spoiler alert: It did not and thankfully so.
Now with the release of Season Four, I can confidently say that I know what it is like to truly be in love and to be loved back. It’s an interesting feeling to watch a show like this and to know what the characters are feeling for one another.
I see the show in a new light just as Eloise Bridgerton has come to see love in a new perspective by the end of the season. She is one of my favorite characters because she constantly criticizes the ridiculous rules of society and advocates for women’s freedom. While she has been a great critic of the need to get married, she starts to understand love throughout the season by observing her siblings.
The one issue I had with this season was the need to shove the result of Season Three down the audience’s throat. Every time Colin and Penelope was on screen, they were all over each other, and it was sickening. Their love felt in-genuine and forced.
Still, I encourage those who enjoy a good period piece romance with a touch of modern glamour to watch this series.
