What to Watch Verdict
Bridgerton's second outing takes time to get going as it leans into lust-filled longing, but it is still incredibly entertaining.
Pros
- +
*The chemistry between Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley as Anthony and Kate.
- +
*The Bridgerton family dynamic.
- +
*The Eloise/Penelope conversation in the finale.
- +
*It is good to escape to this world again.
Cons
- -
*It takes too long to get to the heated romance.
- -
*Edwina is a bit of a thankless role.
- -
*Some distracting elements about a certain absence.
*WARNING — This post contains spoilers for ALL of Bridgerton Season 2, including the end!*
Bridgerton season 1’s debut on Christmas Day 2020 set hearts racing with its fiery depiction of the typically buttoned-up Regency era. Jane Austen this was not and the Shondaland adaptation of Julia Quinn’s historical romance best-seller offered a fresh perspective that turned the series into a global sensation.
The Anthony Bridgerton-focused events in Quinn’s second book, The Viscount Who Loved Me provide the foundation for Bridgerton season 2 but book fans will notice some big changes to the journey as the oldest Bridgerton sibling (played by Jonathan Bailey) embarks on in his bid to find a wife.
Unlike sister Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), Anthony is not driven by finding a love match and he repeatedly uses 'amiable' to describe what attribute is most important in a wife. The tragic events of what happened at the Bridgerton family country estate are shown through flashbacks in the emotional third episode, which adds layers to this story. It has been a decade since his father died from a bee sting and Anthony took on the role of Viscount. He watched on helplessly as his father died and his heavily pregnant mother Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell) was consumed by grief.
However, it isn’t all sorrow as the Bridgerton family dynamics are explored further. Often the series is at its strongest during moments of levity through sibling teasing — artist Benedict shines in this department — and the Pall Mall game in the third episode is a hoot. It also shines when Daphne and her mother refuse to let Anthony head down a misguided path without offering their opinions first.
The hot and heavy antics of the first season are dialed back as breathy yearning takes hold that isn’t quite up to the intensity of the Daphne/Simon love affair. While I am on the subject of the Duke, those hoping that breakout star Regé-Jean Page was keeping a cameo secret will be sorely disappointed and while the throwaway comment about him being at home suffice early in the season, his absence at the big wedding is a distraction. Not only is his brother-in-law getting married but Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) is hosting the ceremony, and I was expecting a surprise appearance during the sixth episode, but alas.
Moving on as I haven’t even mentioned Anthony’s love interest, or should I say two love interests. It is Kate (Simone Ashley) and Edwina Sharma’s (Charithra Chandran) first social season, and Edwina hits dizzy heights early on when the Queen names her the Diamond — in part because Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) challenged her to do something different. Kate sees it as her duty to ensure Edwina and their mother Lady Mary (Shelley Conn) is set for life and this means finding a man with a title to satisfy Lady Mary’s estranged parents the Sheffields.
Lady Mary married someone who considered beneath her station (plus he already had daughter Kate), but she chose love over reputation and moved away to India. Mary is a cautionary tale of sorts, but rather than a negative it speaks to the fairy tale romantic elements. However, this world is also predicated on property and titles with independence coming at a cost. Kate’s lies are motivated by the limitations of this world and this theme is threaded throughout the choices made by Bridgerton’s women.
Kate’s independence is apparent from the moment she bursts on the screen riding a horse without a chaperone. This also provides the meet-cute with Anthony but pleasantries are lacking. It is the classic enemies-to-lovers dynamic and from the jump, Bailey and Ashley’s chemistry sizzles.
Of course, Anthony sets his sights on the Diamond because Edwina is a sweet young lady and not at all combative like her sister. One issue with how this plays out is Anthony and Kate clearly have all the chemistry but an obstacle is required and Edwina is said obstacle. Edwina’s agency is sacrificed and it takes too long for her to realize what is going on — and in the middle of a wedding for maximum drama. Kate and Anthony spend a lot of time sharing lust-filled looks and panting into each other’s mouths but the big first kiss doesn’t occur until the end of Episode 6. Yes, the sex scenes are very hot in the last two episodes, and the yearning is a fun change of pace, but we don’t need this much withholding in a series that defies Austen-like conventions.
Longing is the overall theme of the season whether Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) pining after Colin (Luke Newton) or Eloise (Claudia Jessie) who has found her intellectual match in an unexpected place.
With the latter, it goes without saying that Theo (Calam Lynch) is easy on the eye. Unfortunately for Eloise, he isn’t from high society and her recurring secret rendezvous become public knowledge when Lady Whistledown writes about Eloise’s antics. Yep, the same Lady Whistledown that is her bestie Penelope.
Penelope spends all season trying to stay one step ahead of Eloise and the big reveal at the end of Season 1 meant that this friendship was never going to be the same, which proved to be true. Eloise is still hunting for the gossip maven and Penelope turns to Madame Delacroix (Kathryn Drysdale) to help with the subterfuge. Seeing the inner workings of Penelope’s schemes is fun, but some tension has been lost by her unmasking.
The true heartbreak of the second season takes place in the finale when Eloise finally puts all the pieces together and confronts her BFF about this ultimate betrayal. Penelope claims she outed her fraternizing with Theo to protect her (the Queen did think Eloise was Lady W), but even though she did it out of love it doesn’t make up for the other lies. Coughlan and Jessie hit every devastating note and it is hard to see how they will come back from this.
Schemes are in the Featherington blood and Penelope's mother Portia (Polly Walker) briefly tastes the good life thanks to a ruby scam with the new Lord Featherington. It is a triumphant moment when she chooses her daughters (and the acquired wealth) for the chance to travel to the US with him.
Family is at the heart of this season whether it is Kate and Anthony putting family duty ahead of personal happiness, or the always magnetic Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) opening her home to the Sharmas. While the story (okay, the heat) takes longer to get going, spending time in Bridgerton's colorful version of the past and experiencing Anthony and Kate's love match is still a good time.
