Bridgerton: A Soapy New Smash on Netflix

Find out why Bridgerton is a period drama like nothing you’ve seen before

ABC’s loss was Netflix’s gain when Shonda Rhimes—creator of such hits as Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal—signed a $150-million deal with the streamer back in 2018.

The first Netflix series to result from this deal, Bridgerton proved to be an out-of-the-box hit, marking Shondaland’s first attempt at period drama while blending in elements that made those earlier shows so popular.

Created by Chris Van Dusen, Bridgerton is based on Julia Quinn’s bestselling series of novels, set in Regency-era Britain.

The series focuses on Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family, as she makes her debut in London’s competitive marriage market.

Hoping to follow in her parents’ footsteps and find a match sparked by true love and not financial considerations, Daphne’s prospects initially seem to be unrivalled. 

Complicating the scenario is Daphne’s brother Anthony, (a.k.a. Viscount Bridgerton, played by Jonathan Bailey), who begins to rule out her potential suitors. In the midst of this, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown casts aspersions on Daphne. 

Enter the rebellious Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), the most desirable eligible bachelor in all of London. When Daphne and the Duke first meet, they insist they want nothing to do with each other; however, it quickly becomes apparent that their mutual attraction is a force of nature that cannot be stopped.

One key Shondaland element that permeates Bridgerton is diversity, with the show reimagining Britain’s Regency era (1811-1820) as a place where Black and white people co-existed as equals. 

This was no accident. According to Verna Meyers, Netflix’s vice-president of inclusion strategy, this element of the show was something that Rhimes herself insisted be woven into the DNA of the show, both onscreen and behind the camera.

“We’ve got to get folks in front of the camera and behind the camera. [When that happens] you’re going to get something you’ve never seen before. Bridgerton is something we have never seen before,” Meyers told The Guardian. “It’s exciting. It’s interesting, it brings up a lot of conversation, and some controversy,” she said.

That strategy appears to be a winning one. In early January, Netflix estimated that Bridgerton would be viewed by a whopping 63 million households in the first four weeks after its debut on Christmas Day, making the show one of Netflix’s biggest shows ever.

Meanwhile, Bridgerton’s secret weapon is the character of Lady Whistledown, the show’s mysterious and unseen narrator and purveyor of haughty, tea-spilling gossip. 

Borrowing a page from Gossip Girl—in which Kristen Bell voiced the titular Gossip Girl—Lady Whistledown is portrayed by the legendary Dame Julie Andrews, who embraces the catty role with gusto.

Given the show’s popularity, there wasn’t much surprise when Netflix announced Bridgerton will be returning for a second season—making the announcement on Instagram via a missive from Lady Whistledown herself.

“The ton are abuzz with the latest gossip, and so it is my honour to impart to you: Bridgerton shall officially return for a second season,” Lady Whistledown writes. “I do hope you have stored a bottle of ratafia for this most delightful occasion.”

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Given that production on season two is scheduled to begin in the spring, barring any pandemic-related delays, it would be reasonable to expect the second season to arrive with a similar timeline to the first, sometime around Christmas 2021.

The eight-episode first season of Bridgerton is streaming now on Netflix.