The first season of Netflix’s Bridgerton includes numerous aristocratic Black characters like the stylish and elegant Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and the mysterious Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page). It received a lot of acclaim from viewers for its attempts to present a modern take on period dramas. However, there was a lot of debate on the critical analysis of race shown, especially regarding how the show switches the characters’ races. The viewers and critics claim Bridgerton revises history since it is set during a time when colonization and slavery were present.
In the second season of Bridgerton, central character Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) is his family’s eldest son and has a lot of pressure on his shoulders as he enters the marriage market. He intends not to marry for love, opting for a more practical approach to fill the role of a Viscountess with a checklist. Meanwhile, Kate (Simone Ashley), Edwina (Charithra Chandran), and Lady Mary Sharma (Shelley Conn) arrive from India just in time for the new season, thanks to their sponsor Lady Danbury (Andoh). The Sharmas, too, enter the marriage market with the hopes of finding a husband for Edwina. Anthony believes Edwina is the perfect candidate for his future Viscountess; however, Kate finds out about his true intentions and tries to stop their union. As Kate and Anthony go head to head with each other, their feelings grow stronger and more complicated.
By having a South Asian family at the centre of the Regency society, the show expands on the multicultural aspect. Bridgerton pays homage to Indian culture throughout the series such as Kate and Edwina’s costume and jewelery designs. Before Edwina’s marriage to Anthony, the Sharmas gather to smear turmeric paste on the future Viscountess’ arms and face. A Haldi ceremony (turmeric in Hindi), is a pre-wedding event meant to bless the soon-to-be-married couple. While the Sharmas are applying the paste an orchestral version of “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham,” a widely popular song among South Asian households of the 2001 movie of the same name, plays in the background.
While the inclusion of Indian heritage is infused into this world, the show never truly touches on the violent colonial history in India. It’s true that India and England were historically connected, but the show never explains how the ties began. In the 1800s, India was under the exploitative control of the East India Company, a huge presence in the Indian spice trade, a powerful agent of British imperialism in South Asia, and the colonial ruler of India. As a colonial power, Britain controlled the natural resources, deprived the country of its political control, and the company trafficked slaves from West and East Asia, transporting them to India. Colonial history is not mentioned in the season, because this show is a historical revision of the actual colonial violence that took place during that time period in India.
Bridgerton deals with the themes of forbidden love, sisterhood, family, and duty. Kate and Anthony’s arcs parallel each other as they are responsible for a lot of duties in the family. As the eldest child in a South Asian family, Kate takes a more active duty in the family’s finances and well-being after their father passed away. For Anthony, he bears the burden of carrying the family legacy and the expectations of being a Viscount, something that his father Edmund Bridgerton (Rupert Evans) upheld. The pressures from their respective families and the London Regency society’s expectations weigh heavily on their shoulders. As Kate and Anthony try to build a life for themselves, they are trapped in their families and hope not to fall out of the traditions practised by their families years ago. He chooses to marry someone with a more practical approach, to never experience the kind of loss and heartbreak he saw Violet (Ruth Gemmell) go through.
The Regency-era romance plays into the “love triangle” and “enemies to lovers” tropes. When Kate develops feelings for Anthony, she does everything in her power to keep those feelings aside. Anthony does the same too, however, they are unable to stop their feelings from reaching the surface. She knows if she surrenders to these forbidden feelings, her close bond with Edwina will be ruined forever; but when the intense and forbidden romance between Anthony and Kate grows in each episode, their feelings for each other become more apparent. “You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires,” Anthony whispers to Kate when he finds himself unable to free himself from her. There are many intense moments between the two (forbidden) lovers and a burning desire between Kate and Anthony that needs to be unleashed. Bailey and Ashley’s chemistry is undeniably electrifying and the yearning for each other is performed with ease.
Bridgerton has shown many sibling relationships, but the sisterly bond that is put to the test this season is Kate and Edwina. Their bond is one of the most beautiful aspects of the show. It’s refreshing to see them bond and help each other become the women they are. The sisters refer to each other as “bon” and “didi,” Indian terms for elder and younger sister. Kate and Edwina trust each other completely, but this season their bond is put to the ultimate test. Kate finds herself in a complex situation, but as she watches her younger sister fall for the man of her dreams, she cannot imagine breaking Edwina’s heart.
It’s not just the questions in her heart that torments her. After Kate loses her parents, she is left alone to deal with her trauma. Because of that, she runs away instead of confronting her feelings. She finds herself unable to express her trauma to her sister or Lady Mary, who raised her as her child when Kate’s mother passed away. Lady Mary’s love for her children is unconditional, and she always thinks of Kate as her child. Bridgerton shows how both Anthony and Kate deal with trauma and what they had to do after their father passed away. Even though they are devoted to their families, the duty of upholding the legacy and responsibilities is too much for them to bear alone. As Kate and Anthony grow closer, they see just how similar they are and begin to understand each other more than they did before.
Bridgerton is not just about familial love. It presents a variety of love through family and shows the bond between parents and their children, especially how they deal with the loss of a loved one. The second season focuses on Violet’s experiences after Edmund’s death, as well as Lady Mary’s, but focuses more on the former’s loss. As the Bridgerton family matriarch, the audience sees the unresolved generational trauma regarding their father’s sudden death. Anthony has never taken the time to mourn his father’s death properly and prefers to keep those feelings buried deep inside. There are powerful and moving scenes between Violet and Anthony, and Gemmell is given more time to shine this season.
Another important arc in Bridgerton is that of Lady Whistledown, aka Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), who was revealed to be the mysterious gossip reporter at the end of the first season. This season, the audience gets to know more about how Penelope/Lady Whistledown runs the business and her best friend, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), who is curious about finding the true identity of Lady Whistledown. Penelope deals with the stress of keeping it a secret while also coming into conflict with Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), challenging and provoking in every pamphlet. It is equally fun to watch Coughlan play this wonderful and mysterious character, and the dynamic between her and Jessie is as hilarious as in the previous season. Last season’s most highlighted character, Lady Danbury, played by the ferocious and talented Adjoa Andoh, has good and consistent moments this time around. She sponsors the Sharma sisters during this season and spends a lot of time with Violet chaperoning Edwina and Anthony.
Despite the lack of historical context on British Imperialism, it seems that Bridgerton isn’t interested in historical accuracy, which is evident in the first season itself. The period drama genre is mainly dominated by white characters written by white authors, and stories such as The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Green Knight, which are both helmed by British South Asian actor Dev Patel, are set in an alternative universe take on established history. Even though Bridgerton merges Indian culture and representation, just how far does the genre willing to revise history as a form of escapism for viewers?
The second season of Bridgerton is definitely binge-worthy, with a lot of memorable and romantic moments between the two central leads. Its melodramatic central drama and romance culminate with familiar tropes and themes, despite the different storylines. There are a few subplots that are resolved quickly, but season two is packed with beautiful performances, set design, and balls as magnificent as ever. Kate and Anthony’s story earns plenty of pearl-clenching moments, and the audience is sure to enjoy the “lovers to enemies” trope blossoming before their eyes.
