Bridgerton is back! A year and three months after the first season had us totally hooked, we are once again reunited with the Bridgerton siblings for another eight action packed episodes of drama.
Based on a series of books by historical romance author Julia Quinn, the TV show tells the story of the Bridgerton family and their life amidst high society in Regency era London. The show is centred around ‘the season’ — a period of social events where the latest young ladies (known as debutantes) attempt to find a husband. Mixing with other families of similar social status and wealth in the ‘ton’ (that’s town to you and me), naturally the drama is rife. This is only accentuated by the musings of Lady Whistledown (voiced by none other than Julie Andrews), an anonymous newsletter columnist who reports on every detail of the gossip and stirs up much of a scandal.
While the setting and plot may all sound rather old fashioned, the contemporary music (think Ariane Grande on strings), steamy sex scenes and feminist undercurrent make for a very modern period drama. In fact, it’s often dubbed as Gossip Girl meets Pride and Prejudice. Unsurprisingly, the first season was a mega hit. It became Netflix’s fifth-biggest original series launch of all time and reached number one overall on Netflix in 76 countries. The much-loved concept is the genius of television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes. Most known for her work on Grey’s Anatomy, her production company Shondaland are also behind the other recent Netflix hit, Inventing Anna.
Here’s everything you need to know about season two. Warning: there’s some spoilers here.
This season is all about Anthony
Season one focused on Daphne’s love story, the oldest Bridgerton daughter played by Sunday Riley’s First-Ever Brand Ambassador, Phoebe Dynevor. However, season two is all about Anthony. The oldest of the Bridgerton household and one of the ton’s most eligible bachelors.
Rhimes has previously said that each season will revolve around a different Bridgerton sibling which is good news for us fans who want more of the good stuff. “There are eight Bridgerton siblings, and as far as I’m concerned, there are eight Bridgerton seasons. And maybe more,” Rhimes told Variety.
We learn more about the Bridgerton backstory
While we already knew about the death of the Bridgerton’s father — hence why Anthony has a role as a head of the house — in this season we discover more about his tragic death. In a series of flashbacks, we see how Edmund Bridgerton was killed by a bee sting. In the upsetting scenes we see Anthony at the scene of the accident and Violet Bridgerton’s devastation in the aftermath.
A new family takes centre stage
The Sharma family plays a vital role in this season. Lady Sharma and her two daughters Kate and Edwina have returned to London after a period living in India and certainly shake things up. Edwina is named the diamond of the season (the top choice for marriage) and Anthony goes about making her his wife. However, things aren’t so simple when Edwina’s older sister Kate steals his attention.
Lady Whistledown’s cover nearly gets blown
While as viewers we all know who the real Lady Whistledown is, for the residents of the ton it’s all still a mystery. One that many society members aren’t too pleased about. Eloise, one of the Bridgerton daughters, makes it her mission to find out once and for all who is spreading the gossip but in doing so ends up in quite the mess herself. As the season closes out, the role of Lady Whistledown is very much up in the air…
The theme this season is head versus heart
At the crux of it Bridgerton always comes back to love. While this was a period of traditional customs and arranged marriage, all the characters are looking to find real romance and connection. However, this isn’t easy when you have societal pressures and family commitments to deal with. “The main narrative arc of this season is this question of head versus heart, or duty versus love, and which one wins,” creator Chris Van Dusen told USA Today.
It’s influencing our fashion and beauty choices
Much like any big Netflix show, the Bridgerton effect is seeping into our culture in ways we wouldn’t necessarily expect. Take fashion for example. Thanks to the OTT looks spotted on the show, ‘Regencycore’ is trending. While donning a ballgown for a casual date night might seem a little far fetched, detailing like puff sleeves and empire line waists are much more wearable. Accessories like pearls, elaborate hair slides and even gloves are also proving popular.
When it comes to beauty it’s all about the lit-from-within skin, sleek updos or loose curls, a pop of subtle blusher and a matte lip.
Have we got you excited? All of Bridgerton two is streaming on Netflix now. Don’t binge it too fast…
