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? I have some thoughts on that which I will post closer to the date of 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.  

Bridgerton: Is the heart of the show being removed?

During the first half of this year I plan on doing a series of posts connected with each season as I complete a rewatch of all three seasons, these posts will cover aspects of the show - both serious and lighthearted - as well as other things connected to the production, including historical context (the first of these posts is available here), promotion, representation and storytelling.  Before I begin with the season 1 specific posts this post will look at the initial messaging provided on what the show would be about, and whether, after three seasons, Shondaland have maintained this vision.  

Image Credit: Netflix

In July 2018 Shondaland announced they were developing a series for Netflix based on the Bridgerton books by Julia Quinn.  In an official announcement via Deadline Bridgerton was listed among other planned Shondaland projects for Netflix.  The original blurb about the show read: 

" Based on Julia Quinn's best-selling series of novels, this smart feminist take on Regency England romance unveils the glittering, wealthy, sexual, painful, funny and sometimes lonely lives of the women and men in London's high society marriage mart as told through the eyes of the powerful Bridgerton family." 

Following the initial announcement that the show was in development the next major news on Bridgerton was in June 2019 when it was announced that Julie Andrews would be voicing Lady Whistledown.  In the announcement of Julie Andrews's casting in Backstage magazine, the outline of the Bridgerton series was given as "...following the twists and turns of high society, the series follows the powerful Bridgerton family over a story lasting eight novels".  This article also stated that they were in the process of casting for the show, suggesting that Julie Andrews was the first actor cast for the series, which was confirmed in an article from Variety on the casting of Julie Andrews.  The Variety article goes on to provide more information about the series as detailed below: 

"The Bridgerton series is set in the world of Regency London high society. From the glittering ballrooms of Mayfair to the aristocratic palaces of Park Lane and beyond, the series unveils a seductive, sumptuous world replete with intricate rules and dramatic power struggles, where no one is truly ever on steady ground. At the heart of the show is the powerful Bridgerton family. Comprised of eight close-knit siblings, this funny, witty, daring and clever group must navigate the upper ten thousand’s marriage mart in search of romance, adventure and love."

Based on these announcements the original vision for Bridgerton was to have the Bridgerton family at the heart of the series with all the stories coming back to them in some form. So what happened to this vision of a Regency romance with the titular Bridgerton family at its heart? It could be that when Rege Jean Page did not sign on for more seasons the writers were left with a gap in their storylines in season 2 so tried to fill them a bit with unrelated storylines, and of course when Jess Brownell took over and changed the protagonists of season 3 from Benedict and Sophie to Colin and Penelope this vision appears to have completely derailed. 

Image Credit: Netflix

We saw the return of Daphne in season 2, albeit without Simon, allowing for some Bridgerton family scenes, the storylines outside of the main story for Kate and Anthony (and the adjacent storyline with Edwina) there were very little storylines that connected back into the Bridgerton family, with the main Featherington storyline of the fraud and Ruby mine scam wholly unconnected. This contrasted with the main Featherington storyline in season 1 that connected back to the Bridgertons via the Marina and Colin relationship. Moving on to season 3 it appears the writers really aren't interested in developing the Bridgerton family or their relationships. Despite setting much of Colin's story in Bridgerton House there was a noticeable absence of many of the family members, especially The Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton as well as Daphne with her two children, reducing the number of Bridgerton family scenes to the detriment of the season. 

Recently we have learned that Jonathan Bailey has only been on set for a week or two for season 4, with only a scene with the Bridgerton brothers mentioned (though which brothers is unknown as Luke Newton has been filming in Rome). Meanwhile Simone Ashley has not been confirmed as being on set, leading some to speculate that The Viscount and Viscountess may not even appear onscreen together, with others speculating The Viscountess won't be in the season at all. Adding to the lack of information regarding filming for Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley we have had it confirmed that Phoebe Dynevor was not asked back for season 4, despite her being keen to return for some scenes with the family, making it clear that the vision for the show is markedly different to what was promoted in the beginning.

Image Credit: Netflix

 

Bridgerton is no longer a show that centres on the titular family, but rather is clogged with secondary and original characters that serve very little, if any, purpose in the storyline of the Bridgerton siblings, often at the expense of good character development for the Bridgerton family and their spouses, such as with the little character development for both Colin and Penelope during season 3. Further, the focus on melodrama, as opposed to telling a good romance story, has some fans questioning if the writers, showrunner or any of the producers have read and understood the source material. 

With very little Kate and Anthony in season 3 Bridgerton felt as if it had lost its heart, and this will only continue to worsen as Jess Brownell works to remove the Bridgerton siblings one by one once they have had their season. 

Historical Context: What is the Regency Period?

This is a rework of a post from August 2023

One of my first posts was a post about the Regency period, and so I have decided to revisit it ahead of a rewatch of all Bridgerton seasons. I have tweaked aspects of this post, but the post will remain largely the same as my original post. 

This post is not designed to be an in depth history lesson, but rather a short and brief introduction to the Regency Period, and what a Regent is. 

What is the Regency Period? 

The Regency is an historical, and political, period of British history that covers the incapacitation of the Monarch, which required a Regent to act in place of the Monarch. This period began in 1811 with the enactment of the Regency Act, and ended in 1820 with the death of King George III when The Prince Regent then ascended the throne as King George IV. 

This time period coincided with the latter part of the British Industrial Revolution (1760-1840), as well as shifts in political and cultural norms with the French Revolution, and following Napoleonic wars influencing these shifts. Fashion was one such aspect of society influenced by the unrest on Continental Europe, with the fashionable of the day adopting simpler styles, and popularising the Empire silhouette, whilst men had fitted, tailored jackets and trousers. 

Image Source: RosyBVM.com

What is a Regent? 

The term Regent is a legal term, and is defined as a person who is appointed to administer a state because the monarch is a minor, absent or incapacitated. It is important to note that a Regent acts in place of a Monarch, and is appointed via an Act of Parliament (legislation), this is not what we would refer to someone acting on behalf of a minor who inherited a title within the peerage. I have seen a lot of misinformation in the Bridgerton fandom saying that Colin is acting as the Regent for his son, who is the new Lord Featherington, however this is not the correct usage of this term and misunderstands what a Regent is. Colin is managing the estate, but he is not acting in place of his son as Lord Featherington, and this was not set out for him via an Act of Parliament. 

In 1811 HRH Prince George, The Prince of Wales, was legally appointed as Regent via an act of Parliament due to the incapacitation of King George III. Under this act The Prince of Wales undertook all of the duties of the monarch, and was the monarch in all but name. 

Image: Portrait of King George IV by Sir Thomas Lawrence via NationalTrustCollections.org.uk

The Regency Act:

Prior to 1937 there was no one Regency Act in the United Kingdom, and legislation was passed on an ad hoc basis as required, such as the 'the Care of the King During His Illness Etc Act 1811', commonly referred to as the Regency Act 1811, which brought into being the official Regency period in Britain. 

The act states that "His Royal Highness George Augustus Frederick Prince of Wales shall have full Power and Authority, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty, and under the Stile and Title of "Regent of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland," to exercise and administer the Royal Power and Authority to the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland belonging, and to use, execute and perform all Authorities, Prerogatives, Acts of Government and Administration of the same, which lawfully belong to the King of the said United Kingdom"

The legislation passed in Parliament, thus suspending the King from his duties as Head of State with The Prince of Wales assuming the Regency, on 5 February 1811. 

The Regency ended with the death of King George III on 29 January 1820 when The Prince of Wales ascended the throne as King George IV. 

Bridgerton Fandom: Shipping of actors leading to bullying, harassment and toxicity

As a romance show Bridgerton requires the viewers to 'ship' the couples, however, occasionally some will take this outside the show and fictional characters, projecting their desire to see the fictional couple's romance play out in real life for the actors. This can go too far, however, with the most extreme of these fans harassing, bullying and stalking the actor or their partners, something that we have seen play out within a subsection of the Bridgerton fandom. 

Image Credit: Netflix

'Shipping' is the act of enjoying, creating, or supporting a particular romantic relationship. The term shipping in this context is derived from the word relationship. Within the world of Bridgerton the viewers and fans need to be invested in, and support the relationships onscreen in order for the success of the show to be sustained, however, as mentioned above, this has gone much further for a small subsection of the more extreme fans of Bridgerton, or at least one couple in Bridgerton. Instead of keeping their focus on the characters, and romance, of Penelope and Colin a small section of fans have projected their desires for Penelope and Colin onto the actors, resulting in some concerning online behaviour.  It is important that we note this is not a consequence of the PR for season 3, but is something that has been prevalent for several years in the fandom, but has been exacerbated by the PR strategy for season 3.

The idea of wanting to see favourite actors date, and have a relationship in real life is not new, it has been around as long as the movies themselves, however, sometimes this goes beyond just thinking that the actors look great together or have amazing chemistry. The behaviour that has been invading a small subsection of the Bridgerton fandom is toxic and dangerous for the actors and for those people closest to them in their lives.  The shipping of Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan is one such example of toxic behaviour by fans that ship the actors in real life with some fans chronically stalking Luke and his girlfriend online, as well as following and stalking his friends and family online and the friends and family of his partner online.  These fans are so deep in their belief that Luke should be with Nicola some have moved their obsession from online spaces into real life spaces as well. 

I first became aware of this behaviour during the filming of season 3 when I learned of a small group of fans who were involved in online harassment and bullying of Luke's girlfriend at the time.  The bullying of her became so bad that the fans were harassing her at her work. Jade, his girlfriend at the time, is a singer and musical theatre actress, and during the winter of 2022/2023 she was in a Christmas musical show in London.  During the promotion for the production each of the cast took turns to do a 'Social Media takeover' where they would take control of the official social media accounts for the show. Jade was one of the cast members to do a Social Media Takeover for the show, but during the time she was in control of the account some Bridgerton fans went onto the account and harassed and bullied her for no reason other than she was Luke Newton's partner. This incident led to her shutting down her social media for a time, and it was at this that Luke Newton left twitter. 

Whilst this incident with Jade was awful for her, it was by no means the first, nor was it the last instance of Bridgerton fans harassing and bullying her.  In fact Jade had been targeted by some extreme Polin fans prior to this incident.  There are reports that a small group of the more extreme fans had a WhatsApp group to make fun of her and mock her medical condition (I won't disclose that as I don't know how open she is about it). In addition to this, there were those that would comment on her social media with trolling comments, and make TikToks to bully and mock her. Despite Luke and Jade having broken up she continues to be mocked and bullied online by a small subsection of Bridgerton fans. In one comment I saw the other day one fan suggested that Jade was overreacting to the bullying and harassment she had received and was doing it to try and 'play victim'. This behaviour is nasty and toxic, and this subsection of the Bridgerton fandom are repeating the toxic and bullying behaviour online. 

Luke Newton has a new partner, and like Jade, she is targeted by those in the fandom who see her as an obstacle to Luke and Nicola being together.  Whilst she has not yet been targeted in her professional capacity as Jade was, she is still bullied and harassed on her own social media accounts.  But it is not just on her own accounts that she is targeted, some fans hold lives on X and TikTok that can last for hours where they discuss Luke's girlfriend and make up conspiracies about her, they also dissect every social media post she makes and blame her for any negative press about Luke or Nicola.  The bullying, harassment and nastiness goes further as some on X use derogatory and misogynistic language when talking about her, such as 'slut' or 'cockroach'.  There are fans that have openly stated they will hate on Luke's new girlfriend because she is with Luke and they believe he should be with Nicola, and then there are the ones that believe Luke and Nicola are in a secret relationship and Luke is cheating on Nicola with his girlfriend. Outside of this online toxic bullying, one fan boasted how she tracked down a hotel that Luke was staying in on holiday and called them up to demand information on whether his girlfriend was with him, another stalked him at another hotel he was at in LA and covertly took photos of him and his girlfriend. 

This behaviour shows a disturbing lack of boundaries by fans, as well as a lack of respect for the actors, all so that this small group of fans can project their own fantasies onto Luke and Nicola.  However, this lack of respect and lack of boundaries also extends to the families, partners and friends of Luke especially, to the point that these fans have harassed and bullied two young women because they ship two actors. There are also reports that members of Luke's family have been doxxed, as well as the family of his girlfriend - people who are not in the entertainment industry, not in the spotlight and who don't seek to be so. 

Over the recent months as information about Nicola's relationship has leaked it has been interesting to note that neither Nicola, nor her partner, have received a fraction of the bullying, harassment and toxicity that Luke and his girlfriend has. The anger and hatred of these people appears to be directed solely at the female partner, not the male partner. It is sad that the actors, and those close to them, have to deal with this from those that claim to be their fans. 

Bridgerton: Where the show's writers failed Kate and Anthony

For a show that prides itself on diversity, Bridgerton has repeatedly failed in providing good writing and storytelling for its more diverse characters, something that I plan to look into in more depth at a later date, however, today I am going to do a short overview post on one such situation.  This post will look at the failures in the storytelling for Kate, and by extension Kate and Anthony as a couple, predominantly looking at the missed opportunities on the part of the writers, both in season 2 and in season 3.  

Image Credit:  Netflix

Kates Past

I believe this is one of the biggest failings in storytelling from the production. 

Whilst we see some very good character development for Kate in her season, mostly due to the incredible acting of Simone Ashley as opposed to good writing for her character, we are still none the wiser about what actually shaped her and made her become the character we see in the beginning of the season, whilst we see what shaped Anthony through the use of flashbacks telling his story.  I realise that some may argue that we learned of Kate's past through dialogue, but whilst we learned a few snippets in this manner we didn't see the impact the big life events had in moulding her character. This is a huge failing in my opinion.  

Season 2 set up Kate and Anthony to be mirrors of each other, with their experiences in life meant to reflect each others.  However, this mirroring was never fleshed out in the storytelling.  We saw one side of the mirror that was Kate and Anthony, almost as if the mirror was blacked out and there was no reflection, leading to the situation where the viewer had to infer the reflection (something which social media discourse tells us many failed at). As indicated above, brief mentions of Kate past were present, and we could see the way that Kate was treated by her half sister, her stepmother, and her stepmother's parents, however, nothing showed us how they got to that point.  We were told about their perceived relationships, but this was rarely done from Kate's perspective, and so it was set up for Kate to be a bit part in her own season whilst they focused on other characters.  

One thing that highlighted the way that Kate's past was treated in her own season, compared to other characters, was the flashback given to Penelope, who would be the protagonist of season 3.  This flashback for Penelope gave us a glimpse in to her recent past and was perhaps something that could have been saved for Penelope's season instead of including it in Kate's season when we didn't find out anything about Kate's past - recent or otherwise.  In fact we know more about Penelope's past BEFORE her season than we ever found out about Kate's past DURING her season.   The line in episode 5 where Kate says "My mother had a name" resonates, of course her mother had a name - but what was it?  We never find out that name, in fact we know nothing about Kate's mother except that she was dead and that Kate had her wedding bangles.  We know Penelope's mothers name, we know Simon's mothers name, so why is Kate the only Bridgerton spouse (so far) where we don't know the name of their mother?  

It isn't just Kate's mother's name, there is a lot about Kate's mother, and Kate's father, that shaped who she was as a character, but the show failed to tell us for the sake of melodrama, and spending more time than was needed on the Featherington family.  By the end of season 2 it feels like we knew more about Penelope's background, history and family life than Kate's and this is unacceptable for a lead of a season.  

What makes this worse for many is that Kate is a dark skinned South Asian woman of colour, she has been used by the production to highlight the diverse casting and position themselves with this point of difference in the world of historical romance, but in the season when she was the female lead the writers gave more prominence to telling the background of the white season 3 lead.  I feel that this is one of the most egregious failures of the Bridgerton production. 

Wedding

The very first post I wrote and posted on Tumblr spoke about why a wedding for Kate and Anthony made sense.  I discussed why a wedding made sense for Kate and Anthony's story, and this is something that I still believe to be the case. A wedding to bring these two characters together towards the end of their season would not have been only about providing fan service, nor would it have been about showing a wedding in a romance, but it could have shown a very important aspect of the relationship between Kate and Anthony going forward, cementing their commitment to each other, as well as to themselves, after spending so much of their lives living for other people. 

Over and above the idea of this commitment, a wedding for Kate and Anthony would be a chance to show, and not only tell us, Anthony's promises from throughout the season.  In episode 2 at Lady Danbury's soiree we see Anthony say to Edwina that 'pretty words are well and good, but they are useless unless backed by action', and then in episode 8 we see Anthony say to Kate that he wants a life that suits them both.  A wedding for Kate and Anthony could link those two statements, giving action to Anthony's words and showing us his intent and promise as opposed to just telling us about them.  Whilst for some fans a wedding may not be seen as important, or something that is needed in the show, I would argue that for Kate and Anthony's story it was important to show that Anthony truly wanted to see them have a life that suited them both through action.  How better to do that than show them beginning their life together with a culturally fused wedding that included Indian elements with a traditional Church of England wedding.  So, a wedding for Kate and Anthony that included Indian elements as well as traditional English elements would, in my view, be putting action to Anthony's 'pretty words' of wanting a life to suit them both.  

Whilst a wedding would be putting the action to words, there is one other reason for why not having a wedding was a failure for Kate and Anthony (and their fans) that wasn't included in my first post.  I see that a wedding for Kate and Anthony would show the viewer them committing to each other with love, which would be a completion to their season 2 arc, showing how each of them opened themselves to love and chose something - and someone - for themselves instead of them both just doing what they believed was right for everyone else.  A wedding would also show us that Kate has let go of her trauma and know that she is loved unconditionally and does not need to be useful to anyone to be loved, and similarly we could see Anthony let go of some of his trauma and see him marrying not out of duty but because he was in love.  

So far in this series Kate and Anthony are the only couple that have gone to the altar completely open with their love and their lives, and this was their story arc - learning to become open with themselves and their love of themselves and each other.  This is why I reject the premise that a wedding for Kate and Anthony had no narrative purpose, I truly believe that a wedding for them would close their season 2 arc, and allow for their post marriage story to begin in season 3.  

Image Credit: Netflix

Baby

This is something that is unforgivable in my opinion, and though there are some in the Bridgerton fandom who don't understand (or care) and are saying 'but we saw Kate pregnant' as a reason that us actually seeing the baby wasn't important shows a lack of media literacy in some, as for Kate and Anthony, I would argue, it was very important for us to see a baby at the end of season 3 - more so than seeing one for Penelope and the Featherington girls.  

The first, and most obvious, reason that not seeing Kate give birth and have a baby in season 3 was a failure is the way it exposes the ineptness of the writer's room in being unable - or unwilling - to complete a story arc they started.  The show runner and the writers had Kate and Anthony's whole season 3 story revolve around Kate getting - then being - pregnant, but then they failed to follow that storyline though, basically there was no pay off for the viewers.  I briefly mentioned this as one of the failures of season 3 in a previous post here.  

Kate and Anthony's story in season 3 ended with them travelling to India, however the story arc that was begun for Kate and Anthony was never completed. This exposed the writers, and show runner as failing in the most basic aspects of storytelling that most primary school children know - that a cohesive story has a start, a middle and an ending.  Whether this failure in the storytelling was as a result of contempt for the characters, laziness or incompetence is hard to know, but whatever the reason the show runner has not only failed the characters, but also the viewers, with this incomplete storyline.  

The missed opportunity for storytelling by failing to show Kate having a baby is immense and could have gone beyond showing an impact for Kate and Anthony as characters.  With the obvious use of a birthing scene being used for Anthony's healing, this scene could have also been used to progress Eloise's growth and work towards preparing her for her own season by providing a contrast between Edmund's birth and Hyacinth's birth.  Most importantly an expanded pregnancy storyline, and a birthing scene could have been used to show us some of Kate's past through the use of flashbacks to Kate's birth (and maybe even Edwina's birth), but the storyline itself could have been a way to provide context to Kate as a character, bringing in her mother and showing us more of Kate's past.  For two seasons there has been discussion around Anthony requiring an heir, with emphasis on this in season 2, and the writers just ignored all of that by showing no imagination and using lazy storytelling.  

Aside from the storytelling aspects, by failing to follow through with Kate and Anthony's storyline in season 3 and not showing us their baby, the show runner and writers have solidified the negative perception that many have of the production, especially in relation to the commitment that Shondaland, Netflix and the Bridgerton production truly have to diversity in the show.  It is becoming clearer to many that the characters of Kate and Anthony are being given less, and treated as lesser, than other couples, and it has not escaped their notice that they are the characters played by an openly gay man and a dark skinned South Asian woman.  When a couple that had no indication of a baby in their story arc in season 3 finishes the season with a baby, but the couple whose entire story arc was about having a baby doesn't get a baby, it shows an inequality and a distinct disparity in the way that the showrunner, the producers and the writers see the characters.  

One pairing appear to be loved by the production, with the production appearing to have bent over backwards to have the viewers love them as well, whilst ensuring they get everything that is expected and anticipated in a romance, whilst the other couple have had their major life moments as a couple relegated to being offscreen.  This is something that rankles many fans, and as noted above it hasn't been missed that the couple that are being treated as lesser are the couple played by an openly gay man and dark skinned South Asian woman, whilst the couple that is loved by the production are played by straight white actors.