Netflix Erasure of Kate Bridgerton with "Just Anthony" highlighted

Netflix have not responded to any requests for comment on this.  

Update:  Netflix Tudum have updated their article, however, instead of updating the article with the inclusion of Kate Bridgerton (Simone Ashley) in the first paragraph they have merely removed the writer's name and given the byline to 'Tudum Staff'.  While I understand that this was potentially done to protect the writer from harassment, (I understand some fans have posted her linkedIn details and have said they contacted her through that), I believe that this has made Netflix look worse. I am not saying the writer deserves harassment becasue she does not, however, by removing her name and replacing it with a generic 'Tudum Staff' Netflix have made it appear that Netflix are protecting a white (or lighter skinned) woman whilst still diminishing and erasing a darker skinned woman of colour. 

I am not saying Netflix were wrong in trying to protect a freelance writer that does work for them, but if they listened enough to understand fans were angry with the writer why not fix their glaring omission in the first paragraph?  As it stands Netflix have still tried to erase, and diminish, a woman of colour on an article where White women are given equal standing to their screen partners.  Netflix need to do better. 

On 29 August this article was published on the Netflix Tudum site celebrating Jonathan Bailey's best moments as Anthony Bridgerton, including three moments from season 2 that included his onscreen love interest played by Simone Ashley.  The fact that these three moments were included, yet in the introductory paragraph Simone Ashley, and her character Kate Bridgerton (formerly Sharma) was not mentioned. Of itself it is not egregious considering that the article was about Jonathan Bailey, but the author included mention of Simon and Daphne, and Penelope and Colin, so that when it came to season 2 the author referred to "just Anthony Bridgerton" the exclusion of Kate (and Simone Ashley) was obvious, and seemed very deliberate.  The author clearly framed the season 1 and season 3 leads as equal in their stories, but for the season 2 protagonists the author dismissed Kate's importance to Anthony's story and love story.  That she eventually included Kate in a later paragraph does not redeem the author, but rather reinforces that the author - and by extension Netflix - does not value Kate's (and Simone's) contribution to the story of season 2, with Kate being mentioned almost as an afterthought.  

Screenshot of Netflix Tudum Article

If this was a one off situation then it probably would not have garnered quite the same notice in the fandom, but the exclusion of Kate as a character, and Simone Ashley as an actress, is an ongoing issue with both Netflix and Shondaland, leading many to believe that both Netflix and Shondaland have (at best) a problem with Kate (or Simone), or (at worst) have an active dislike of - or contempt for - Kate as a character (or Simone as an actress). Neither perception is good for Netflix or Shondaland. To continually exclude Kate from articles on Bridgerton, especially when directly connected to Anthony, and to continually exclude Simone Ashley from promotional materials, makes their claims of diversity and representation ring hollow, she is after all the Viscountess Bridgerton and was the season 2 lead. The continual exclusion of Simone Ashley (and Kate) from promotional content reinforces the perception that neither Netflix nor Shondaland prioritise representation of women of colour, or specifically the representation of South Asian women of colour. But worse, the continual exclusion of her by Netflix and Shondaland leads to other media outlets excluding her - or at least diminishing her importance in the show when compared to white counterparts. 

Image Credit: Netflix

One example is this article by gossip site Just Jared, where they are discussing the returning and new cast for Bridgerton season 4. In this we see that of the main cast members returning Kate is the only one that does not have a character description from Netflix, suggesting that Netflix does not care enough about Kate to include a character description for her. It should also be noted that there is no surname for the character of Kate provided, whilst the other returning leads (who are all white), have surnames listed for their characters. What does this say about how Netflix views the first women of colour lead in Bridgerton? Once is a mistake, twice is a pattern and three times is a choice, and to exclude, or diminish, the only dark skinned South Asian lead in Bridgerton is a choice that Netflix make over and over again. In doing this Netflix, and Shondaland, continually alienate and anger fans, most women of colour and many of South Asian heritage, they are telling these fans that they are not important, and that for them the South Asian representation is not important, further it tells everyone that Netflix prioritises white characters, and white stories over that of South Asians, meanwhile they will still use their South Asian Viscountess in promotion to entice those fans. Netflix's actions suggest that for them representation is superficial and meaningless. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The appeal of Bridgerton is the love stories, but you cannot have a love story with only one partner, so to omit one of the two partners in a love story diminishes the growth of both partners in the story. In the opening paragraph of the Tudum article, the author not only erased Kate as being important to the season 2 love story, but diminshed Anthony's arc by lessening the contribution of his screen partner, something she did not do for other lead couples. The fact that Kate is played by a dark skinned South Asian woman indicates a wider issue where women of colour - particularly dark skinned women of colour - are treated as incidental in the storytelling rather than essential to it, something that we see over and over when it comes to Kate Bridgerton. 

Image Credit: Netflix

The author's wording may have been intended as a clever way to show that Jonathan Bailey's performance as Anthony was the focus of the article, it did not come across that way to many reading the article. By referencing the season 1 and season 2 couple as a pair, each equal in their stories, the "just Anthony" line worked more to suggest that Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate was unimportant in Anthony's story. We cannot talk about Jonathan Bailey's portrayal of Anthony without discussing Simone Ashley's portrayal of Kate, but this is what Netflix did, and has done, while using Kate (and Simone Ashley) to promote to the demographic that she represents, which diminshes the claims of diversity and representation in Bridgerton by Netflix and Shondaland. 

Note: I requested comment on this article from both the author of the article and Netflix, neither have responded. 

Bridgerton Costumes: Colours of Spice vs Old Hollywood Glamour

One of the more divisive aspects of Bridgerton season 3 was the costumes and overall look of the season, which came in for criticism in a number of fan spaces from Reddit, to X, to TikTok and beyond. Whilst the costumes moved further from the aesthetic of season 1 and season 2 into a more fantastical realm of heightened drama, for some it is the costuming of the Viscountess Bridgerton that stood out in terms of how vastly different it was from season 2. In season 2, the then, Kathani 'Kate' Sharma was dressed in a lot of deep colours and jewel tones evoking her Indian heritage, but in season 3 her costumes were more muted in colour, and there was less silk used for her clothing. But it is not her costumes on their own that causes concern when we look at Kate's costumes in season 3, but the way that the season 3 costume designer, John Glaser, spoke on the inspiration for Kate's costumes when compared with the inspiration for Penelope, Eloise and Francesca. 

For Penelope the costume design team looked to old Hollywood icons such as Lauren Bacall as inspiration for her look in season 3, in this article in People magazine in June 2024, John Glaser is quoted as saying: “When you look at photographs from Old Hollywood, the people just look great. Their hair looks great, they look great, but you don't really remember what they're wearing because it's all about their face and who they are,”. In this same article John Glaser talks about the Audrey Hepburn inspiration for Eloise's costuming throughout seson 3, with much inspiration drawn from the 1964 film My Fair Lady. Penelope and Eloise's looks are not the only ones inspired by old Hollywood icons however, Francesca's look was also inspired by the Golden age of film, specifically by legends Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn. It is at this point we should note that all three of these characters are white, why is that important might you ask? Well it is to do with how John Glaser discusses the inspiration for Kate's looks in comparison to the inspiration for Penelope, Eloise and Francesca. 

Image Credit: Netflix

Whilst Kate was not discussed in the People article referenced above, in this interview with Vogue John Glaser does discuss the inspiration for Kate's costumes in season 3. As we have seen the costumes were heavily influenced by old Hollywood, which makes it rather jarring when we see that for Kate John Glaser says: "There were subtle Indian references in Season 2, but we were much more blatant about it this time." From some of the reactions I have seen online from Desi fans this comment about Kate's costumes was met with surprise - and disbelief, however, this is not the most egregious part of his response to the question about Kate's costumes in season 3, he went on to say: "...we went for earth tones, more natural colors, the colors of spice.". This may not seem to be overly harmful on the surface, but this language used by John Glaser when talking about Kate feeds into negative tropes, and the idea of 'exoticisation' of non-white, specifically Indian, women. To give the benefit of the doubt it is possible that John Glaser thought he was honouring and celebrating Kate's Indian heritage, however, the language used is the language of othering. While the looks for the white characters were described through well known Hollywood icons, Kate's look was described using exoticised imagery of flavours and colours.

Image Credit: Netflix

What is interesting is if we compare the language used by John Glaser in relation to Kate's costumes to that used by Sophie Canale, the costume designer in season 2. When discussing the costumes for the Sharma's in general (and Kate specifically) Sophie Canale emphasised the way she rooted their costumes in their Indian heritage through the colour, the fabrics, and the embroidery designs. Sophie discussed how she wanted to pay tribute to the Sharmas Indian heritage which she did through the fabrics and the use of Indian embroidery and jewellery, evoking and paying tribute whilst keeping the Regency silhouettes and not making the costumes a caricature of Indian attire. Colour was the other way that Sophie Canale honoured the Indian heritage of the Sharmas by using bright, bold colours that are often associated with Indian dress. 

The difference between season 2 and season 3 for Kate's costuming is more than just the aesthetics of the costumes, it is around the discourse and how the two different costume designers discussed the inspiration for the costumes. In season 2 Sophie Canale talked in terms of cullture and heritage, as well as talking about the narrative function of Kate's costumes, all done without leaning into tropes or exoticised imagery. John Glaser on the other hand discussed Kate's looks in a way that othered her, set her apart reinforcing that Kate is different to the white characters. This discussion, and the language used by John Glaser highlights an unconscious (or maybe conscious) bias, and it highlights how he saw Kate as being apart from the other Bridgerton women, not really part of the Bridgerton family, despite her being The Viscountess Bridgerton. 

John Glaser's comments about Penelope, Eloise and Francesca versus his comments about Kate demonstrate how it is not only the aesthetic that matters when it comes to representation, but also the discussion. 

Sources: 

https://people.com/bridgerton-season-3-costumes-inspired-by-real-people-exclusive-8659368

https://www.vogue.com/article/bridgerton-costume-designer-talks-season-3

https://people.com/style/bridgerton-costume-designer-sophie-canale-interview-exclusive 

https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/film-tv/a39467332/bridgerton-season-two-costumes

Bridgerton Season 4: Release Date Speculation

Bridgerton season 4 is set down to release in early 2026, and as we come closer and closer to 2026 many in the fandom are turning their thoughts to when in 2026 season 4 may release, and - just as importantly – when might Netflix announce the release date.  There are some potential clues as to when the release date may be for season 4, clues that suggest the release date will be announced in the not too distance future – maybe even this week!

So what are the clues that hint at when the possible release date will be?  Below I will look at each of the signs, and then end with my prediction of both a release date and potential announcement date.  

Season of Love: Season 4 has been teased with the tagline ‘Season of Love’, hinting that the promotion will lean into the idea of a season of love. That is not to say that other seasons have not been seasons of love, but I this hints as to the idea of a season of love being the central theme of the promotion for the season, in the same way that spring was the central theme for season 3, including a play on the ship name Polin with a tie in to an allergy medication for 'Pollen' season. 

Valentine’s Day Fan Event: This year Netflix held an online Valentine’s Day fan event for season 4, this was streamed live from London. These fan events have been held for previous seasons, the first one being in 2022 for season 2 just over a month before its release in March. In 2023 a Valentine’s Day fan event was held for Queen Charlotte which released in May of that year, and another event was held in 2024 ahead of season 3’s release. It should be noted that the Valentine’s Day event for season 4 included the release of a number of stills as well as a behind the scenes video.

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

Netflix Upfronts: This is slightly different to previous seasons as this is the first year that content for Bridgerton has been released for the upfronts, meanwhile nothing was released for Tudum – in fact Bridgerton was not even represented at Tudum this year, the first time since the 2021 Tudum.  For the upfronts Netflix released a sneak peek and some more stills whilst confirming that Bridgerton had been renewed for season 5 and season 6. 

TV Tie in Book: The book with the cover to tie in to the series is currently slated for release in January. For previous seasons the book has been released within weeks of the series being released (note that it was delayed for both season 2 and season 3). If the release date remains as it is currently then that could be an indicator of the release date.  

These factors all suggest that the release of season 4 will be timed to capitalise on Valentine’s Day in February, however, there is a possibility that the window for the release of part could be mid-January – mid-February, but what are the most likely dates for a release?  Below are what I believe are the most likely dates for part 1 to be released. 

• 15 January 2026: Assuming Netflix releases on a Thursday as this is the closest Thursday to the currently listed release date for the book.  But is it too close to the release of the final of Stranger Things?  
  
  
• 12 February 2026: Again, making the assumption that Netflix will be releasing on a Thursday, then this date is possible as the Thursday before Valentine’s Day 

Thursday is the most common day recently for Netflix Originals to be released on, but we have seen a shift in this to other days, for example Wednesday season 2 released on a Wednesday, so what if Bridgerton season 4 was to release on a day other than a Thursday, what could be the most likely release dates? 

• 14 January or 11 February 2026: Either of these dates could be a possibility if Netflix chooses to release season 4 on a Wednesday as they are the the days before the possible Thursday release dates above. 
  
  
• 14 February 2026:  This is a long shot for the release date, however, it would fit in well for the ‘Season of Love’ theme, and create a great marketing opportunity.

In my opinion the most likely release date is 12 February 2026 (or 11 February 2026 if they choose to have it released on a Wednesday). This is the date I have believed to be the most likley release date since the Valentine's Day event earlier this year, and have previously mentioned it on my Tumblr Blog. If this is the release date when might it be announced? 

The release date for season 1 was announced approximately 10 weeks before the season released, this is the shortest period between announcing the release date and the season releasing. For season 2 the first anniversary of season 1 was chosen to announce the release date, which was 3 months later. The release date for season 3 was announced in December 2023, 5 months prior to the season releasing, though it is unknown if this was the planned announcement or not as it was inadvertantly posted - then hastily removed - on social media pages, but it is likely that it will be a similar time frame for season 4, thus having the season release date announced about 5 months prior to the release, or even as far out as 6 months. I have two theories as to when they could announce the release date for season 4. 

• 11 September (or a day either side of it): This date will mark the one year anniversary of the announcement of Yerin Ha as Sophie, and it will be 5 months before 12 (or 11) February 2026, and is also a week after part 2 of Wednesday is released, so the biggest release of the year won't distract from the news. 
  
  
• This week. I know, it seems unlikely, but we have seen an increase in Bridgerton posts on Shondaland's Instagram, including 3 in a row this week, so it is possible that they are dropping hints that something is coming, and will extend the timeframe from announcement to release to six months, and announce this week. 

It will be interesting to see if the announcement will come within hours of me posting this, or if it is still weeks - or months - away. Will it be a Valentine's Day release? Or will it be earlier (or later)? 

Bridgerton Fandom: The FYSEE Changing Narrative

This post was prompted by a tweet that came to my attention that claimed season 3 had no Emmy award promotion, but season 2 did, but how did this misinformation come about? The account holder used the fact that there was an FYSEE panel in 2022 and not one in 2025 as the ‘proof’ that season 3 was not promoted for consideration for an Emmy (despite season 3 being included in the 2025 FYSEE event by Netflix). The idea that the FYSEE panel in 2022 was Emmy promotion for season 2 was discounted by the season 3 lead, whether intentionally or unintentionally, when she described it as a 'handover the baton' event at the end of season 2 promotion in a comment on TikTok. This description of the event gained traction within a subset of the fandom and became the narrative they spread at the end of 2024, a narrative they now appear to discount as they make the claims that the event was in fact promotion for season 2 whilst saying that season 3 did not have the same promotion for the Emmy Awards season. 

Image Credit: Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Before examining the changing narrative within the fandom, I will revisit the event in question. Held in May 2022 the Netflix FYSEE event - For Your Consideration - for Emmy voters included a panel discussion for Bridgerton. On the panel were Simone Ashley, the season 2 female lead, Charithra Chandran and Nicola Coughlan, as well as Chris van Dusen, the creator of Bridgerton and season 2 showrunner, Kris Bowers, the composer, and Sophie Canale, the costume designer for season 2. Whilst there were discussions around season 2 with Kris Bowers, Sophie Canale and Chris van Dusen on the production of the season, and discussions with the actresses present, though the focus did not appear to be on the season 2 lead. Many of the questions directed to Simone Ashley were not focused on her as the lead, but her and Charithra Chandran as 'South Asian' representation, which contrasted with the way the host directed questions to Nicola to respond to solo, and how she defaulted to Nicola a number of times during the question and answer panel. The way the panel was conducted sent the message that Netflix's focus was not on promoting season 2 itself, but using it as a way to put the focus on Nicola Coughlan (something that in itself is problematic, but won't be addressed in this post), who used the event to announce herself as the season 3 lead. This announcement at an event that Netflix erroneously presented as being for season 2 led to many of the published articles in the week following being about season 3, not season 2 which Netflix were meant to be promoting for Emmy nomination. In contrast the FYC event for season 3, whilst not including a panel discussion, was focused fully on season 3 for Emmy consideration with many published articles in the months around the FYSEE event focused fully on season 3, and its lead. This disparity has led many to believe that instead of trying to promote season 2 for Emmy nominations Netflix were more interested in promoting season 3, and setting up a 3 year promotion cycle for Emmy consideration. It is the way that Netflix allowed the season 3 lead to take over season 2 promotion that has upset and angered many fans, despite, others in the fandom downplaying the impact of Nicola announcing season 3, and claiming it was about transitioning from season 2 to season 3, something that was reinforced in the latter part of 2024. 

In 2024 a TikTok content creator made a video discussing the season 3 announcement at the FYSEE event in 2022, providing an opinion that it was disrespectful to the season 2 leads generally, and Simone Ashley specifically as she was present at the event. Nicola Coughlan commented on the video with: "Hello! So the event which we announced season 3 was the final one for season 2 and it was a handover the baton moment as it was so lovely that Simone and I could be together for it".  The comment from Nicola confirms that Netflix did not consider the FYSEE event in 2022 as the beginning of Emmy promotion for season 2 (as they did for season 3 in 2025), but rather as the beginning of promotion for season 3, and confirming the view of many fans that Netflix were not interested in promoting season 2 at the event. This comment was picked up by others within the fandom, and became the narrative that they then promulgated, using the comment as an excuse to instigate a bullying campaign against the content creators that spread across platforms from TikTok, to X, to Reddit where the link to the TikTok was widely shared in an effort to instigate more bullying and harassment. This subsection of the fandom also used Nicola's words to shut down discussions from those that would criticise the actions of Netflix, and the failure of Netflix to properly promote season 2. However, this narrative that the FYSEE event in 2022 was a handover of the baton from season 2 to season 3 did not last long, when Netflix failed to hold a panel discussion at the 2025 FYSEE event for season 3. 

During the voting period for the Emmy awards this year a new narrative has emerged among this same subsection of the fandom that claims season 3 received no Emmy Awards promotion while season 2 had an FYSEE event - the same event that only months prior they were saying was a handover of the baton from season 2 to season 3 as per Nicola's comment. This new narrative from a section of the fandom is not confined to one platform, with users on both X and Reddit spreading it, many users being the same ones that were just months earlier saying that it was a handover the baton event. 

Subsections in the fandom changing their narrative to fit the argument du jour is not new, the idea that season 3 had no promotion for the awards season while season 2 had a lot of promotion but wasn't good enough for nominations is just the latest narrative of the day. But what is the narrative they believe? Is it the narrative the fans were pushing towards the end of 2024, or is it the narrative they have been promulgating recently? Most likely it is somewhere in the middle with a healthy dose of alternating narratives depending on what agenda they are wanting to promote, or who they are arguing with in the fandom, or what the majority view is on the day. 

 

IF the 2022 event was, (as is being claimed now), a season 2 Emmy promotion event why were all the articles directly after this about season 3 and Nicola? Why were the season 3 leads announced at this event? Why was the focus not kept on season 2 and the season 2 lead who was present? But IF this event was, (as Nicola said), an event to 'handover the baton' then why are a subset of the fandom trying to claim it was about season 2 promotion? Is it because their expectations on the Emmy nominations was higher for S3 so they now need an excuse to explain why the nominations they were wanting - and expecting - didn't happen? Or are they trying to dilute the terrible optics for Shondaland and Netflix, and for Nicola after she inserted herself in the discussion, around there being very little Emmy promotion for S2? 

Bridgerton Season 5: Eloise or Francesca?

At the Netflix upfronts in Mid May it was announced that Bridgerton had been renewed for seasons 5 & 6. We know that these seasons will be Eloise and Francesca, but the order of these two stories is unknown, however, within the fandom there is already discussion as to who might lead which season.  The popular view appears to be that the show will follow the book order with Eloise being season 5 and Francesca leading season 6. We have seen that the production team are not as concerned with the book order with the swapping the order of book 3 and book 4, Shonda Rhimes also suggested that the books may not necessarily be done in order, which tells us we cannot take as a given that seasons 5 and 6 will be done in book order, something that some fans have picked up on as a small number believe Francesca will be the lead for season 5.

So, who will be the lead for season 5? Below I look at the most compelling reasons for each of the possible season 5 leads.

Image Credit:  Liam Daniel/Netflix

The Case for Eloise

The most compelling reason for Eloise to be the season 5 lead is the book order, and many also point to the fact that Eloise's love interest was introduced in season 1, however, the introduction of Sir Philip in season 1 will not have registered as important for casual viewers or the general audience with the introduction being of significance to book readers.  Keeping with the connection between Eloise and Sir Philip it was noted that some season 4 filming took place in the grounds of West Wycombe Park, which is attached to the West Wycombe estate, the house of which served as Romney Hall, the home of Sir Philip Crane, in season 2.  This filming has led some to believe that this is an indicator that Sir Philip Crane will be in season 4 despite the actor, Chris Fulton, having told a fan at an Outlander Convention that he wasn't in season 4 of Bridgerton.  I would also point out that in addition to Romney Hall West Wycombe Park has been used for outdoor scenes for the Ton, and for scenes at Aubrey Hall, so filming at the location is not an indication it could be for Sir Philip Crane's Estate. 

Another point that many bring up in support of Eloise for season 5 is the so-called 'Pall Mall' theory that arose from season 2 where it was assumed that the season order was determined by the order that the players each got the ball through the wickets in the game of Pall Mall, and whilst that was most likely true, it falls apart with the fact that Kate is the only player to be seen getting her ball through the fourth wicket and season 4 is certainly not Kate's season. It is also possible that the change of showrunner has potentially altered any plans that the production may have originally had for future seasons, thus making any future seasons unknown until announced.  

Finally, another compelling reason for Eloise is that the writers appear to be unable to write good storylines for characters prior to their season, this was very obvious in season 3 when they didn't appear to know what to do with Benedict after season 2 appeared to be setting him up for his season.  There is a risk that this could be the fate of Eloise if we are to wait another two seasons for her story to be told.  

Image Credit: Netflix

The Case for Francesca

During season 4 filming some leaks came out that indicated there would be a death of someone that is close to the Bridgerton Family (Bridgerton House was draped for mourning), which points to the likelihood that John will die in season 4, which opens up the possibility of another season swap and Francesca being season 5 rather than Eloise.  I have seen some argue that the death could be Marina, however, if this is the case then why is Bridgerton House draped for mourning?  The only three characters the Bridgertons would likely be openly mourning in this way are John (or another close family member), or the King or Queen (out of respect for the Monarch or the Consort).  It is hard to pick exactly at what point in the season John may die, but it appears that this occurs approximately half way through the season, which will give the time for some mourning from Francesca ahead of a short time jump and her season occurring - if that is what they are looking to do.

Two smaller, seemingly unrelated, things could also point towards the possibility of a switch between seasons 5 and 6, putting Francesca's story ahead of Eloise's. The first is a series of articles over the last month, using an interview with Julia Quinn. The articles talk about the introduction of Michaela Stirling, and the fan reaction to that, as well as the fan reaction to the swapping of season 3 and season 4, Julia also talks about how she is supportive of the change from Michael to Michaela. This could be a PR campaign to socialise the idea of Michaela ahead of the announcement of the season 5 lead, trying to soften the news - and this is how some have seen this approach. On its own this doesn't seem overly significant, but the season 4 wrap video may have given us another clue. In the wrap video we see the cast - led off by Yerin Ha - enter their trailers in costume and leave in street clothes waving at the camera as they leave, the final cast member is Luke Thompson. What is significant about this is that the penultimate cast members we see are Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza, Francesca and Michaela respectively. For a production that is known for leaving hints and crumbs for the viewers and fans, this could be the final clue as to who will be the next couple, especially as we didn't see Claudia Jessie (Eloise) in the video. 

With the information we have about season 4, from a storytelling perspective it could go either way for season 5, there is compelling reasons for the season to be either Eloise's or Francesca's, what we do know for certain is that nothing is certain with this production. Shonda Rhimes and Jess Brownell have both shown us that they are not bothered by fans opinions, and they are not afraid to swap seasons for their own reasons, which leaves nothing to be guaranteed. 

Bridgerton Promotion: Unequal Celebrations Lead to Bad Optics for Netflix and Shondaland

In 2020 the diverse casting in Bridgerton was framed as a commitment to diverse representation in spaces people of colour are not normally seen - specifically Period Romances. Bridgerton subverted the established norms for Regency romances on TV by casting people of colour in leading romantic roles which in the past had been reserved for white actors.  This was heralded and Bridgerton was widely praised for this casting, however, over the last few years the perception of Bridgerton, and Netflix's, commitment to diversity in the show has shifted.  There is a growing perception that the diversity and representation in Bridgerton is less a commitment and more performative, illustrated by the disparity in how they present the season 3 leads (both white) versus the previous two pairings - more specifically the season 2 pairing. This disparity has again been highlighted by official social media accounts for Shondaland, Netflix and the Bridgerton production all celebrating the first anniversary of the release of season 3 with photos and videos when they did not acknowledge the first anniversary of season 2.  Most noticeably was the NetflixUK social media accounts which posted twice for the first anniversary of season 3 as well as fan weeks and days, but have consistently ignored celebrations for season 2 or the season 2 couple including the recent third anniversary of season 2 which was acknowledged by a small number of official accounts with a very short video.  It is not lost on many fans that the season 3 couple are the only fully white pairing, in comparison to the previous leads, and some wonder if this plays into the disparate treatment, and more specifically the reason the NetflixUK social media team consistently post in celebration of season 3 and the season 3 leads.  

This is not saying the official accounts cannot celebrate the first anniversary for season 3, but rather it is saying that the failure to celebrate other leads and other seasons has led to an obvious disparity in the visibility of previous couples versus the season 3 couple.  What the official accounts don't do says as much as what they do, and in this instance what they didn't do was give the pairings that included a non-white character equal attention to that of the pairing where both characters are white. This is not a one off situation either, it is part of a pattern of favourable treatment towards the season 3 leads over others in the show in terms of promotion, celebration and storytelling.  

Images via Netflix

As mentioned above, NetflixUK posted twice to celebrate the first anniversary of season 3, coming after they posted twice this year for 'Polin Day', a fan driven recognition of the day that Penelope and Colin meet in the book.  It is important to note that acknowledging Polin Day is not part of the marketing strategy for Bridgerton, but rather something that the NetflixUK social media team have made the decision to do, whilst they ignore fan driven weeks or days for other couples in the Bridgerton Universe.  Polin are the only couple that NetflixUK have posted about fan driven dates/weeks for, including when it was not their season, and they are also they only couple that NetflixUK accounts posted prolifically for their first anniversary.  So what is the difference between Polin and the other couples?  Polin are a fully white couple, and whether they intend to or not NetflixUK have sent a clear message with their focus on Polin in this way.  NetflixUK are saying that in their opinion Polin are the only couple that are worth celebrating and worth recognising regardless of who the season leads are.  But NetflixUK are not the only official account to be sending this message, they are just the most obvious about it.  

Image Credit:  Netflix

There are some that will no doubt argue the previous season anniversaries have been recognised, but as this is focussing on how the official accounts celebrated the first anniversary, let's look at how the previous season's first anniversaries were recognised.  For season 1 the first anniversary, 25 December 2021, was used to announce the release date for season 2.  Perhaps it could be considered fitting to use the first anniversary for season 1 to celebrate the continuing Bridgerton story.  But when we consider the season 1 first anniversary in comparison to the first anniversary for season 3, it seems to be a very minimal effort.  The season 2 first anniversary is a completely different story altogether, it wasn't used to celebrate the continuance of the show, nor was it used to celebrate the second season, in fact there were no posts from any official account for it.  One crew member did post a celebration, but very quickly removed the post as if he was asked to take it down, thereby removing all trace of a celebration of the season 2 first anniversary.  From the perspective of a fan, or viewer, the optics are not looking good for Netflix or any of the official accounts.  

Image Credit: Netflix

The season 3 anniversary post comes as a Netflix Tudum article about season 4 was updated and reposted.  The article originally had Kate listed as Kate Sharma in the returning cast, whilst both Francesca and Penelope were listed as Stirling and Bridgerton respectively.  This is despite Francesca and Penelope having married in the show a season after Kate.  The article sent the message that, for Netflix, the white female characters are more important, and more deserving of respect, than the woman of colour characters, something that fans picked up on and were vocal about.  It is interesting to note that after I sent Netflix an email asking for comment on some of the points I have included in this post, including the optics around that article, Netflix has updated the article to list Kate as Kate Bridgerton, we will never know what drove Netflix to update the article eventually, was it the online backlash or was it something else? 

Image Credit:  Netflix

For a production that uses diversity and representation as a marketing strategy, and point of difference, it is fair to question if their representation and diversity is performative rather than substantive.  The consistent failure of Netflix, Shondaland and the Bridgerton production to celebrate the previous couples that include a person of colour, whilst consistently celebrating Polin, tells fans - specifically non white fans - that their representation is less important and less worthy of continual celebration and recognition.  

I realise that some will view a couple of social media posts, or a character's name in an article, as something small and nothing to get upset about, and they will do all they can to minimise the issue, but this shows a lack of understanding of the issues being raised.  What the official accounts write and what they post, is important because it reflects what the marketing teams at Netflix and Shondaland have chosen to highlight, and how they have chosen to reflect the Bridgerton brand, not as diverse but rather as centred around a white pairing. This is not a new issue, this is just the latest example of Netflix showing favouritism towards Polin, but each time they post they are telling viewers that the non white characters are not important, not worthy of ongoing celebration.  

Despite Bridgerton initially subverting the view of period dramas with diverse casting and presenting people of colour in leading romantic roles, the actions of Netflix, Shondaland and the show’s official social media accounts lead to questions on their commitment to diversity and representation. The stark contrast in how the official accounts have celebrated the all-white season 3 couple compared to the mixed-race couples of previous seasons speaks volumes, not just by what they posted, but also through what they did not post. These disparities, whether intentional or not, send a clear message that undermines their proclaimed commitment to diversity and representation, suggesting that perhaps the diversity we see in Bridgerton is more performative than substantive. If Netflix, Shondaland and the Bridgerton production are sincerely committed to the ideal of diversity and representation on the show and truly value inclusion, they must show it in both words and actions, they must be more equitable in how they promote and celebrate each season's couples. 

Netflix were approached for comment, but have not provided any as yet.  

Bridgerton Season 4: The First Clip

The Netflix Upfront was held on Wednesday afternoon US Eastern Time and as part of their presentation they released the first official clip of Benophie, which was unexpected.  I certainly expected this to be released during Tudum at the end of the month, so getting it today was a great surprise.  The clip was from the Masquerade Ball, which we know is the majority of the first episode.  

Video Courtesy of Netflix

In the clip we see Benedict walking into the Masquerade Ball, hosted by Violet, and immediately he is noticed, and targeted, by the debutantes present, then he spots a young lady in silver (Sophie) looking up in wonder, at this point his expression noticeably changes from one of determination to a softer look, showing him captivated with her. What is noticeable at this point is how the music goes from hard, fast and deeper sounding to lighter and softer, more musical, when he sees Sophie. If this is the Benophie theme then I am in love with it already, I can't wait to hear it more during the season. Benedict looks up to see what has captured her attention, and sees the Chandelier and then looks at her again in wonder. 

This clip has no dialogue between Benedict and Sophie, and really doesn't appear to show a lot on the surface, but there is a lot of subtext in what we see. For Sophie, she is entranced with the Chandelier, she is taking everything in and seems in awe of the Chandelier, we see little else from Sophie as all her attention is on what she is looking at, but her wonder and her captivation is clear to see. I think in this we see a little more of Benedict's emotions, but I think the ones he has looking at Sophie call back to the poem he gave to Anthony in Season 2:  What is it to admire a woman? To look at her and feel inspiration. To delight in her beauty. 

I think for Benedict what we see her is a combination of him delighting in her beauty, which is amplified with the innocence in her wonder at the Chandelier, and feeling inspiration. I am not saying he feels inspired to paint, but rather an inspiration to see things differently, to view the house he grew up in with new eyes and see its beauty more, look at it with a different perspective - another call back to seaosn 2 when Benedict told Anthony to look at things with a new perspective. I think this is what could start him on the road to painting again, we know that Sophie is the one that brings him back to his passion, and this moment we see in this clip could be the spark that sets it all in motion. 

But if the clip has been given to us with the upfronts, what could be in store for Tudum? 

Bridgerton: Is another Spin Off in the works?

Recent Instagram posts from Tom Verica and Shondaland has fuelled speculation that there might be another Spin Off coming, this time focussed on Polin and/or the Featheringtons, though some have suggested it could be about young Violet and Edmund. So what were these posts that created this storm of speculation in the fandom? Tom Verica posted two stills from season 1, the first of him with the Featherington women, and the second of him with Queen Charlotte, and he captioned it with: Little colourful S1 @bridggertonnetflix throwback w the OG Featheringtons and THE Queen. Big things coming. 😉 Just you wait. He then tagged Nicola Coughlan Polly Walker, Bessie Carter, Harriet Cains and Golda Rosheveul. Shondaland posted several hours later, this time a Polin Reel with the caption: it always gets better ❤️ #Bridgerton

Image Credit:  Netflix

But why do these posts in particular have fans thinking there could be another spin off? We have to delve into the comments section on both posts for context on the fan speculation. On Tom Verica's post Connie Jenkins-Grieg - the actress who played young Violet in Queen Charlotte - replied with a heart which led some to believe it could be a Violet and Edmund Spin Off. Meanwhile, on the Shondaland post, the social media team were liking posts that referenced a Featherington or Polin Spin Off, which has many fans taking this as confirmation that there is going to be a Spin Off for Polin and/or the Featheringtons. In addition to these posts Tom Verica was recorded by a fan saying some news is coming when asked what he was teasing. All of these factors combined do suggest that any news is most likely unconnected to season 4, and  potentially is centred around the Featheringtons. With three spin off possibilities - Polin and/or the Featheringtons, season 2 of Queen Charlotte, or an Edmund and Violet origin story - what is the most likely, and what will any of these possibilities say about Shondaland and Netflix?

Image Credit:  Netflix

Edmund and Violet Origin Story

This is a popular idea among many Bridgerton fans, the idea of seeing video and Edmund's love story that had such an impact on the family is tantalising, however I believe this is the least likely option for any new spin off. Julia Quinn has been open in the past she has no desire to write Edmund and violet's story because we already know how it goes, and move importantly how it ends. Further, both Jess Brownell and Shonda Rhimes have indicated that they have a distaste for sweet love stories and happy couples. My final reason for not believing that it is the story of Violet and Edmund being teased is due to the mages and reel used on the social media accounts for Tom Verica and Shondaland, as I believe if they were teasing a series about Edmund and Violet they would have used images or a reel of violet and Edmund. I think we can safely assume that Edmund and Violet will not be the subject of any new series in the Bridgerton Franchise. However, in saying all of that a Spin Off centred on Violet and Edmund will show a commitment by the production to telling the story of the titular family, and will allow opportunities for the other Bridgerton couples to be brought into it if it is told in two timelines similar to Queen Charlotte. 

Image Credit:  Netflix

Queen Charlotte Season 2

It has been suggested that Tom Verica was teasing a second series of Queen Charlotte as the pictures he posted both included Queen Charlotte. This theory was further 'confirmed' with the comment from Connie Jenkins-Grieg on the post. I am not sure that there will be a second season of Queen Charlotte as the initial limited series concluded the story well, but also the initial series did not do as well as was expected not reaching the same number of viewers as the main Bridgerton series and quickly falling down the list of most watched shows, even with a new Bridgerton series released last year.many viewers found the series to be too dark and weren't invested enough in the romance or the drama. A second season of Queen Charlotte will potentially send a message that the production are more interested in their original characters in the series rather than the characters from the books, it also risks more criticisms of Shonda's liberal interpretation of European history and a real historical figure. 

Image Credit:  Netflix

Featherington and/or Polin Spin Off

Assuming that the post on Tom Verica and Shondaland's Instagram accounts are connected, and they are teasing a new spin off then it makes sense it will most likely be focussed on the Featheringtons and/or Polin, as they were the main focus of the posts. Would a spin off focussed on the Featherington family, or even Polin, make sense? I am sure Shondaland think it will be wildly popular, but for a show that marketed its diverse casting for a historical romance, as a major point of difference, the decision to do a spin off focussed on a established white family that has been a major part of the main show could seem to contradict this marketing.  Further, if a spin off is announced that is focussed on Penelope and Colin, it may not go down well consideirng Shonda Rhimes had this to say about a Kate and Anthony spin off in 2022:  "I don't know what story would be told. The beauty of this show is that we get to tell a complete love story from beginning to end with a happy ending every season. We don't have to manufacture reasons why a couple can't be together, we let them have their actual happy moment. And so, there are no spinoffs to be had because we'd have to find some reason to break a couple up, and that feels very artificial."  Additionally, if there is a spin off that has a focus on Polin the optics for Netflix and Shondaland are not great, it will again raise questions about their commitment to diversity, and the perceived underlying racism within the production, especially as the season for Penelope and Colin has been completed, and there is no compelling storyline left for them that could justify a spin off series.

Also, if it is a spin off that is beign teased then when would it be announced?  There are three possibilities for an announcement depending on what the spin off is: 

1. The Upfronts:  This is where streamers present their upcoming seasons for advertisers, I think it is unlikely any spin off will be announced at the Netflix upfront on Wednesday as the focus will be on the shows they will be releasing in the next 12 months or so.  We may get a hint as to whether Bridgerton season 4 is to be released in the upcoming year, or whether it will be later in 2026, but that is possibly all that we will get from Bridgerton. 
2. The season 3 first anniversary:  This is the most likely day for any potential spin off to be announced, especially if it is going to feature the Featheringtons and/or Polin.  S3 was the Featherington season, and it makes sense that on its anniversary a Featherington/Polin spin off is announced.  
3. Tudum:  This is a possibility, but seems unlikely as I believe they would not have teased anything this far out.  Tom Verica has confirmed there will be something about Bridgerton at Tudum (I will write on what that may be closer to the event), however, if for some reason an announcement of a spin off is made at Tudum this will not be a good look for Netflix and Shondaland, especially if the potential spin off is about the Featheringtons or Polin.  Tudum is highly expected to be - and should be - about season 4, and if it is used to announce a spin off about the Featheringtons or Polin it will be widely seen as Netflix again hijacking an event for a season with a woman of colour lead in order to promote a white woman, what is worse is that the white woman in question has already been the lead of a season.  

The talk of a spin off is only speculation within the fandom at present and unconfirmed, so if not a spin off what could the posts and Tom Verica have been teasing?  There are two other possibilities that it could be: 

1. A release date for season 4:  This is highly unlikely for a number of reasons, first because season 4 has not wrapped as yet, and second because why use Polin, the Featheringtons and Queen Charlotte to promote something for season 4?  
2. First Anniversary of Season 3 Part 1: This will be controversial if the tease is for some big celebration of the first anniversary of Season 3. For the season 1 anniversary the release date for season 2 was announced, but the season 2 first anniversary was completely ignored by the production - and to an extent the cast and crew, with only one member posting something then deleting it after a short period of time leading to speculation he was asked not to post anything. If there is a tease post and then something large to celebrate the season 3 first anniversary then it will reinforce the negative perceptions of the production supporting a pairing that is played by straight white actors and not having the same support for pairings with more diverse actors (eg: a gay man and dark skinned South Asian woman) as leads. 

On the whole, whatever the instagram posts were teasing - assuming they were connected - it will present terrible optics for both Netflix and Shondaland and undermines their claims of being interested in diverse characters and diverse actors as they continue to put their focus on a white family that is not the titular family, and more specifically potentially on a white character that remains the only one to have used a racist slur in the show, and has not been held accountable for it. This can only damage the Bridgerton brand further with some of the fandom, and for Netflix and Shondaland further damage their reputations as inclusive and diverse employers.

Bridgerton Fandom: The excuses and justification for 'Prickly Spinster of a Beast'

In the second episode of season 2 we hear the voiceover of Lady Whistledown (written by Penelope Featherington), say the words 'prickly spinster of a beast' to describe Kate Sharma - now Viscountess Bridgerton.  This phrasing, specifically the adjective beast, in relation to Kate, is extremely problematic, if not overtly racist.  I have discussed the problematic nature of this line previously in this post.  

Image Credit: Netflix

The meaning behind the word beast in this line has divided the fandom, with some viewing it as problematic and racist, whilst others defend the production and writers for including it, and excuse Penelope as a character for having thought of it, written it, and published it.  Many of those in the fandom that excuse the use of beast as a descriptor for Kate, dismiss the views of those that find it problematic, talk over those that have expressed their distaste at the word, in the case of one Reddit user called those that find it racist 'snowflakes'.  This discourse highlights one of many instances of some within the Bridgerton fandom, excusing and justifying of casual racism within the show and by extension sections of the fandom, or at the very least ignoring the underlying racism. 

As a fandom we should be united against the use of such language in the show, especially when we consider the historical use of the word beast in the context of British Colonial relations with India, but we are not. So, why are some fans excusing and justifying the use of an historical colonial era slur?  To be honest no-one knows why some will bend over backwards in attempting to excuse and justify the racist connotations of that phrase or why others will ignore the broader issue of the underlying racism that is seen both in the show and in parts of the fandom, but we can all find their excuses and justifications on a variety of social media platforms.  

Below are some of the excuses and justifications that I have seen put forward explaining why Penelope calling Kate is not a racist insult, each of which is problematic in itself.

1. It was a common historical insult

This is an interesting excuse to use, because Polin fans themselves say that Bridgerton is not meant to be historically accurate when defending some of the more anachronistic choices in season 3.  It seems that this excuse is only for criticism of Polin's season, but when it comes to Penelope using racist language then historical accuracy is important in the show.  

2. It was in the book

During my research for this post, I saw a claim on Reddit that the line came from the book. To confirm if this was true I did a search on the e-book and this line did not appear, and it seems the worst that Penelope wrote about Kate in the book was to say she looked like a 'singed daffodil' when she wore a yellow dress.  But again, even if it was in the book this is no excuse for the line being translated to the show, because again Penelope's fans like to remind the fandom that the show is different from the books when it is raised how prominent the Featherington family are in other seasons. 

3. It is from Taming of the Shrew

This justification is not so black and white.  The Viscount Who Loved Me is loosely based on Taming of the Shrew, however, this does not excuse the writers for Bridgerton using modern racist language as a descriptor for the main female character. Also it is important to note that despite its name, the play does not directly call Kate a shrew, and never calls her a beast, which I believe invalidates that justification.  However, even if in the play Kate was directly called a beast, it still would not justify using that word to describe a woman of colour today, considering the play is almost half a Millenia old, and the playwright has been dead for 400 years.  After all language evolves, and what was acceptable 10, 20 or 400 years ago is not always acceptable today.  

4. Kate would think it is a compliment

Some users on Reddit have made the claim that Kate would see this as a compliment, and that she would love Penelope as a result of this, but would she? In the show which is very much centred on Penelope and fails time and time again to show care for the character of Kate,  this is probably what will happen, however, those that claimed Kate would find being called a beast - which is racist in its implications - a compliment are the same ones that were extremely offended when Penelope was called an 'insipid wallflower' in the very same season, they saw that as one of the worst things anyone could say about her.  This excuse and justification is something that comes across as a way for Penelope's fans to again minimise the use of this language and to pretend that it doesn't hold the racist connotations that this way to describe a woman of colour is inherently racist.    

5. Penelope only prints the truth

This is one of the more disturbing excuses that some of Penelope's fans have come up with to justify what she writes, though it is sometimes interchanged with 'she only prints what she overhears'.  There are some nuances in these excuses and justifications that are deserving of a separate post, but in the context of the specific descriptor of 'beast' for Kate, either of these excuses are not flattering for Penelope as a character.  By claiming that Penelope only prints the truth they are saying that Penelope's truth is that Kate is no better than an animal - or beast - which in itself shows an inclination for Penelope to view her as being less than, whether based on race or a superiority complex is something that should be explored.  However, if it is a case that Penelope just prints what she overhears then her fans are implying that Penelope is not intelligent enough to- or is not moral enough - to differentiate right from wrong, but also this negates the argument that Penelope is a journalist who only prints the truth.

6. Blame the writers, Penelope isn't like that, it is the writers fault (and variations)

Well yes, it is the writers, but this come back from some pre-supposes that Penelope is a sentient being that exists outside of what the writers write, which simply isn't true.  What we see on screen, what Penelope says and writes, all comes from the mind of the writers, producers and showrunners, Penelope does not exist outside of their imagination and their vision onscreen.  While it is correct that it is the writers that should be blamed for putting those thoughts in Penelope's head, and on her page, in the context of the show it is Penelope that thought of that phrase and wrote it down to be published.  By trying to divorce the words from the character some within the fandom are again finding excuses for Penelope's use of the phrase, and whilst they aren't specifically saying it isn't racist, they are suggesting that the character of Penelope did not write those words, and so even if the words are racist it did not come from Penelope. 

While blaming only some in the fandom for ignoring or excusing the racism is easy, it is not all entirely their fault, as some of them take their cues from production and from Netflix.  Both the production and Netflix have steadfastly ignored the implications of racism from that line, to the point that some fans believe Kate and Anthony were sent to India so that they would not be in the country when Penelope was unveiled as Lady Whistledown at the end of season 3.  Perhaps by ignoring the racism of some of the words the writers have given to Penelope via Lady Whistledown Netflix hopes that the fans will as well - and some are, but others are not. Bridgerton has used the diversity of its cast as a marketing tool, but within the show they ignore racism and create an environment within the fandom that allows some fans to ignore the racism in the show - and in real life. 

Bridgerton Production: The continual disrespect for Kathani, Lady Bridgerton

In 2021 Simone Ashley was cast as Kate Sharma, the main female character opposite Jonathan Bailey's Anthony Bridgerton for season 2 of Bridgerton.  By the end of the season we find out that Kate and Anthony have married (despite not seeing their wedding onscreen), thus making Kate the Viscountess (as called by Anthony in the epilogue scene).  In the very first episode of season 3 Kate is directly called Lady Bridgerton, which makes it baffling as to why in official Netflix articles for both season 3, and now season 4, Netflix has referred to Kate by her unmarried name.  In contrast to this, Penelope was referred to as Penelope Bridgerton in official Netflix media prior to season 3 being relased, and again in official Netflix media for season 4.  This is just the latest in a number of issues with the way that Netflix, the Bridgerton production, and Shondaland, have promoted, written for, or spoken about Kate as a character, and Simone Ashley as an actress.  This subject has become bigger than one post so over this year I will be doing a series of posts looking at different aspects of the disparity in treatment from Netflix, the production and Shondaland between Simone Ashley - and her character of Kate - and the other female leads and their characters. 

Image Credit: Netflix

When the initial cast list was released by Netflix for season 4, Simone Ashley did not appear on it, leading many to believe that she would not be returning, despite having stated that she wanted to return.  This idea that Netflix did not want to have The Viscountess in the show, especially when they failed to complete her story arc in season 3, was mindboggling, but not surprising.  It took Netflix over 4 months before Jess Brownell announced that Simone Ashley was returning at the Valentine's Day event - after Jonathan Bailey  had filmed, which has led to more questions about her appearance in season 4.  Does she have scenes with her onscreen husband? Will we see her baby? Or will we again be left with an incomplete storyline and very little of Kate? Making it seem yet again that Kate is not a member of the Bridgerton family, let alone Lady Bridgerton.  It should also be said that many online noted that Jess Brownell did not look excited, interested, or happy that she had to announce Kate's return to Bridgerton which has left some questioning if she was forced into announcing it, or was she forced into having Kate return?  

Valentine's Day also saw official Netflix articles about season 4 release, and immediately it was noted that the character of Kate was listed as Kate Sharma, not Kate Bridgerton nor as Lady Bridgerton, but rather by the character's unmarried name.  This in itself would not have been a problem if it was not for the fact that the characters of Penelope and Francesca were both listed  with their married names (Bridgerton and Stirling respectively), so why the difference? It is hard to know, but it is not hard to miss that Penelope and Francesca are both white characters, whilst Kate is not, I am not saying that was the reason, but the optics of it are not good for Netflix especially when other evidence is taken into account (that will be discussed in other posts where this one will be referred back to).  Kate was married by the end of season 2, two seasons prior to the one currently being filmed, while Penelope and Francesca both married towards the end of season 3, yet they have the respect of being listed with their married names whilst Kate is still listed with her unmarried name.  To some in the fandom this is dismissed as a minor matter and not a slight, however, what this indicates is that Netflix does not see Kate as a Bridgerton, or even as a main character, and it diminishes her role within the show and the family, while they are saying that the white female characters are more important.  Kate is The Viscountess Bridgerton, but reduced to being an outsider, while Penelope has immediately become a member of the titular family, and that Kate is also a dark skinned woman of colour presents a view of Netflix that contributes to the negative perception about Bridgerton and Netflix that some fans have. 

This could be overlooked as an error if it was a one off, however, this is not.  Netflix, and Shondaland, have shown a pattern of diminishing both Kate as a character and Simone Ashley as an actress (many of which will be addressed through this year), and the author of this article previously wrote an article in 2023 ahead of season 3, initially omitting Simone Ashley as a returning character (though she had been seen on location filming), then adding her but referring to her character by her unmarried name only changing it to Bridgerton after an online backlash and some online publications highlighting this in article.  This was not the only slight against the character of Kate by Netflix or Shondaland , in an article in 2024 on Shondaland's website, a caption for two images names Penelope as 'Penelope Bridgerton' (in an image from episode 2) whilst Kate is named as 'Kate Sharma, sending the message that Shondaland views Penelope as more of a Bridgerton than Kate, who is The Viscountess, whilst Penelope was still a Featherington at that point in the story. I realise that for some the idea of being upset over how a fictional character is discussed may be seen as unimportant, I view it as something that we should be concerned about, as often the entertainment media we consume will reflect the values of those producing the media as well as wider societal values. We, as viewers, will form our view of the organisational culture of companies like Shondaland and Netflix via the media they produce - and that includes the articles they choose to write for their websites, the media releases they choose to send out, and the way they choose to promote their products. 

In these articles Netflix and Shondaland are telling young women of colour - specifically young South Asian women - that they are not equal to their white counterparts and that Netflix (and Shondaland) has no care for them compared to their white counterparts.  For many it is these little details that matter, because if Netflix (or Shondaland) has no care, or interest, in the small details for their South Asian character in Bridgerton, then what care or interest do they have for their South Asian audiences beyond taking their money?  For some of these fans the diversity that Netflix and Shondaland like to talk up and promote in Bridgerton feels very performative as opposed to substantative, and they send the message they don't really care about diversity or their diverse actors.