by Eleanor Maslin (@theelongatedjournal).
Based on the 9-book series by American historical romance writer Julia Quinn in the early 2000s, Bridgerton has encapsulated the nation by becoming the most-watched show ever on Netflix, with 82 million households tuning in over Christmas.
The show has flamboyantly been burst into life by programme creator Chris Van Dusen and producer Shonda Rhimes. The show follows the Regency era of London in 1813, focusing on the lives of the Bridgerton family’s 8 children. From Pride & Prejudice to Made in Chelsea, this show serves as a period drama that sits regally in-between modernity and tradition. The ladies of Bridgerton present themselves extravagantly in the fancy ballrooms, the 7,500 costume pieces made by costume designer Ellen Mirojnick creating a peacock performance of aristocratic elegance and seduction. The dreamy debutantes search for their lustful bachelor counterparts as they are serenaded with a rendition of Ariana Grande by the Vitamin String Quartet. A perfect melody to really bring that collision of time periods even closer.
The popularity that Bridgerton has quickly swept under its wing caters to a wide audience by making history more accessible, despite its inaccuracy, and easier to watch with its quirky and comedic flare. It is stripped of all regimented seriousness that most period dramas adopt; the enchanting and dazzling array of costumes quite literally have shaken off the dust of stiff nineteenth-century Britain and replaced it with a utopian society of allure.
What’s better than an aesthetically pleasing display of aristocratic romance and vibrancy? We would all love the idea of a high class, romantic, and beautiful ballroom to flutter our feathers, wouldn’t we?
Bridgerton not only holds the reins of the Regency era, but incorporates a casual modernity of personalities and wit, which makes the audience relate to the characters more and releases the drawbridge of separate periods. The viewer is entranced into the character’s worlds through a portal of merged time frames, the small details even in the music of the string quartet softly playing bad guy by Billie Eilish in the background, transporting us to the ballroom as we question; “where on earth have I heard this song?” The melodies alone brilliantly capture the essence of the show. A celebration of modernity and tradition.
But is Bridgerton as perfectly utopian when examining the representation of the societal issues it tackles?
The exploration of sexuality in Bridgerton is one which is overtly refreshing and sets the show further apart from other prudent period dramas that tend to avoid the exploration of female sexuality.
A rather cringy yet somewhat honest conversation between the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton results in her discovering her sexual prowess, a more thorough and open viewing experience of entering adulthood. This is taken even further when Daphne consults her mother about the lack of information she has received regarding sex, again an open and intimate conversation that doesn’t show up in most traditional period dramas. It is a shame then, that the show tends to prioritise the romantic endeavours more than these complex issues. This honesty is swiftly pushed to the side when the Duke of Hastings and Daphne go on to have sex and everything is immediately perfect in the bedroom department.
Regé-Jean Page and Adjoa Andoh are just two of the extraordinary cast members who make up the diverse cast of the show which further perpetuates its celebration of modernity. Queen Charlotte, played by Golda Rosheuvel, although not a character in the books, was based upon a real figure in history. She was thought to be of mixed racial heritage, apparently showing distinctive African features in her portraits. Although a continuation of the utopian fantastical ideal, this historical reference in Bridgerton has been expanded to include several black actors, and rightly so, emerging alongside Queen Charlotte as grand and vivacious. It would be good to see the diverse integration of the show explored more as the seasons continue.
Eloise Bridgerton is a particularly strong character whose interests are in the twenty-first century, yet she is stuck in the confinements of the nineteenth century. Her personality showcases the nature of the show; an offering of progressive and modern views yet essentially remaining stuck in the constraints of the Regency era. It will certainly be interesting to see how her character develops, for those of us who haven’t already read the books.
When the show manages to successfully blend the two elements of modernity and tradition, with more emphasis placed upon complex issues rather than just the cliché romance, that’s where the magic happens.
Filming for the second season is set to begin in March 2021. We can only hope the gate to utopia will welcome us in with an open-minded, experimental hand, adorned with an elegant silk glove.