UPDATE: I did not have the source for my first image, I have now updated with the source for that image.
Bridgerton has begun its season 4 era with a small promotional blitz - not too unlike what they did for season 3, but whilst many are welcoming the promotion that the season 4 leads are getting it has also raised questions again around why the season 2 leads did not gain the same level of promotion. Within the fandom the most common excuse that is given for why there was very little promotion of the season 2 leads is covid, but does this stand up as an excuse, or is it a lazy way for some to ignore the obvious disparity in the treatment of the season 2 leads? Personally I do not believe that the covid excuse does stand up, and I do believe that it is an easy (and lazy) way for many to dismiss the very real concerns surrounding the perception of homophobia and colourism from Netflix.
Image Credit: @penguinempress8 on X
The main complaint - and biggest issue - with the promotion of season 2 is how the leads were not promoted properly as leads when compared to the leads of season 1 and season 3 - and even season 4. Yes, covid meant that they couldn't have the big world tour that season 3 got, but covid wasn't the reason the leads were not promoted together as a leading couple in a romance, that every interview with the leads included a third party indicates covid was not a consideration. Also, we have to remember that covid didn't stop other cast members from being promoted together, and it didn't stop there constantly being a third person present in the promotion of the leads.
Image Credit: Ben Weller for British Vogue
Season 1 began filming in 2019, completing production in early 2020, and was released Christmas 2020. Lockdowns in the UK began in March 2020, so Covid didn't impact the filming of Season 1, but as the lockdowns continued through 2020 including one over Christmas 2020, this situation was the perfect storm for Bridgerton to take off and become a sensation, but it wasn't the perfect timing for a lot of more traditional promotion with much having to be done remotely. Whilst the timing of the release meant that all the press was done via Zoom, there was a good mix of press with some interviews involving all the cast and some with just the leads, and the leads themselves were promoted as a leading couple in a romance show. But noticeably among all the media and promotion were a number of BTS interviews with Phoebe Dynevor and Rege Jean Page done during their filming, in these they played trivia games, talked about their characters, talked about scenes and other interactions. In addition to the interviews and BTS interviews Phoebe and Rege also did a British Vogue photoshoot for the December 2020 issue of Vogue. It is likely that the photoshoot was done during the ease on restrictions during the summer of 2020, however, whilst some things were opened up it was still in the midst of Covid and some activities were restricted. This is important to note, as some of the arguments as to why the season 1 leads had a photoshoot but the season 2 leads did not is that season 1 was filmed before covid. The fact it was filmed before covid explains having more BTS interviews, but the covid argument does not take into account that season 1 was released at the height of covid in late 2020 and they still managed to have interviews and a photoshoot with the leads of the season.
Yes, season 2 was filmed predominantly through the Covid period, there were Covid protocols in place, and to an extent that could explain the lack of couple BTS interviews. Well covid could explain the lack of BTS interviews with the leads if there were no BTS interviews with multiple cast members together. It seems strange that the romantic leads were unable to be together for BTS interviews but Nicola Coughlan and Claudia Jessie could do some BTS content at the beginning of filming. The BTS interviews are not the only things that show a disparity in how each of the seasons leads have been promoted, the main poster for season 2 was one of the two romantic leads and a supporting cast member, not a lead, but a second woman appearing on the poster (this is another issue that will be dealt with separately). Posters of the season are the main promotional image for the season, and to not have the romantic leads on the main promotional material for the season is a failure for Netflix. Not only did it send the wrong message regarding the season, it also caused a lot of fan backlash, and is now one of many factors that has contributed to the negative perception that many fans have of the production.
When it comes to season 2 promotion, the suggestion is not that it should have had a world tour like the leads received in season 3, because the reality is that covid would have precluded that happneing, however, covid cannot be an excuse for the lack of promotion for the lead couple, especially when you look at the promotion that season 2 did get. The promotion for season 2 did exclude the leads to a large extent, or at the very least it excluded them being promoted as the leads and more importantly as the leading romantic couple in a romance show. The season 2 leads did have some solo photoshoots, (though I am unsure if they were directly related to Bridgerton or ones organised by their individual teams), however, one of the first main Bridgerton photoshoots to be done was for the Entertainment Weekly cover for the February 2022 issue and completely excluded the leads. The photoshoot in question was done at a London hotel, and involved Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie and Charithra Chandran, and I was told that by someone who works in the hotel that it was done around November of 2021. It is believed that Nicola Coughlan was filming Derry Girls at the time and was flown back from Ireland to do the photoshoot, despite the leads being in London at the time. This photoshoot alone debunks the idea that the leads could not have a photoshoot due to covid, because it has to be asked that if covid was preventing two people who had been working in a bubble together from having photos, why could a cast member be flown into the city from another location and have a photoshoot with 3 other cast members? If covid was the reason for Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey not being able to have a photoshoot, then how was it possible for Nicola Coughlan, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie and Charithra Chandran to have a photoshoot in the same circumstances?
Image Credit: Entertainment Weekly
Another issue for some is that the season 2 leads had no interviews of just the two of them, in fact the only 'couple' interviews for season 2 were for the couple that would later be named as the leads for season 3. Instead of having interviews with the leads only Bridgerton season 2 included a supporting cast member in every single interview the leads did, yes she was an important part of their story, but she was not a lead and she should not have been included in all interviews with the leads. I understand that there was benefit in including the three of them in some interviews, however, it was painfully obvious in some of those interviews that Charithra was a third wheel, she looked uncomfortable and out of place when Simone and Jonathan were discussing Kate and Anthony's story and growth, and this is on the PR team from Netflix putting her in this situation. But the question has to be, how did Covid make it okay for three people to be in the interviews and not the leads only, further, how was it that Covid made it acceptable for the leads of season 3 be interviewed together, but not the leads of season 2?
The idea that Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey have been sidelined for promotion of their season in order to seemingly benefit the season 3 leads is an uncomfortable topic for many in the fandom, and I believe this is why they like to fall back on the covid excuse. For these fans it is easier to believe that covid is the reason for the disparity in the promotion between the season 2 leads and the leads from other seasons as leads because then they don't have to acknowledge that perhaps a straight white pairing benefited from Netflix and Shondaland treating diverse actors badly.
