On December 25, the new romance drama series “Bridgerton” premiered on Netflix. Inspired by the book series of the same name, “Bridgerton” is filled with romance, scandal, drama, and love. Set in Regency-era England, the series follows two elite families in their attempts to find love during “the season”, where families introduce their daughters into society to find them a husband. Meanwhile, an unnamed author has started a gossip column about the town’s scandals, under the pseudonym Lady Whistledown. This inevitably leads to turmoil within the families, and drama ensues.
The show took a color-conscious approach when casting the series, and it has been getting mixed reviews in the media. Some applaud the show for it’s unconventional take for a period piece set in England, while others think it is a form of “erasing history.” The majority of the media seems to be appreciative of the color-conscious approach, and the show has been getting good reviews not only for it’s casting, but for the costume design and music as well.
The series had a reported 7,000 different costumes pieces over the course of it’s eight episodes, and people have fallen in love with the elegant aesthetic. While other period romances such as Pride and Prejudice or Sense and Sensibility had more modest costuming, Bridgerton prides itself on its flamboyant gowns in multitudes of colors. As for the music, the Bridgerton soundtrack is filled with classical covers of today’s pop songs, such as “Wildest Dreams“ by Taylor Swift, and “bad guy” by Billie Eilish. The songs add a special touch to the show, modernizing it and setting it apart from any other period piece.
I was initially drawn to Bridgerton because I am a fan of other period pieces, such as “Pride and Prejudice” and “Emma.” What stood out to me about this show was not only the flashy costumes and pop covers, but the strong female leads. Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest sister who is being presented in society, is a very headstrong character. Although she has been training her entire youth for her “coming out” into society, she still holds her values close to her and stays independent while married. Her younger sister, Eloise Bridgerton, is not looking forward to being presented into society at all, and talks about her ambitions to travel the world, which usually get shut down by the societal pressures of the era. The show also addresses how society used to attempt to control women by not giving them any basic sex education before presenting them into society, which resulted in issues further down the line. Prior to watching the show, I hadn’t seen many other period pieces touch on this subject, although it’s an important part of what being presented to society was about for the women being presented.
This series is definitely an escape from reality, which I’m sure many people could use right now, and takes you into a colorful world of romance and drama. I recommend this series to anyone who loves a good scandalous plot, and I am looking forward to the second season of “Bridgerton.”
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