HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

''Bridgerton'' is an American
historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
- romance
streaming television Streaming television is the digital distribution of television content, such as TV shows, as streaming media delivered over the Internet. Streaming television stands in contrast to dedicated terrestrial television delivered by over-the-air ae ...
series created by
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
for
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a ...
. Based on the
book series A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their pub ...
by
Julia Quinn Julie Pottinger (née Cotler; born 1970), better known by her pen name Julia Quinn, is a best-selling American author of historical romance fiction. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages, and have appeared on ''The New York Times'' B ...
, it is Shondaland's first scripted show for Netflix. It revolves around the eponymous Bridgerton family and is set in the competitive world of
Regency era The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 1810 and, by the Regency Act 1811, ...
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
's ton during the
social season The social season, or season, refers to the traditional annual period in the spring and summer when it is customary for members of the social elite of British society to hold balls, dinner parties and charity events. Until the First World War ...
where marriageable youth of
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
and
gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...
are launched into society. The first season debuted on December 25, 2020, to generally positive reviews, with 625.49 million hours viewed it became the most-watched English-language series on Netflix at the time of its premiere before being overtaken by its sophomore season. ''Bridgerton's'' second season became the most watched English-language television series on Netflix at the time with 656.16 million hours in its first 28 days of release. It premiered on March 25, 2022, with generally positive reviews and debuted number one in 92 countries on the platform. It was also the most viewed show on
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...
television screens for three weeks per
Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
. The show's record-setting second season, which surpassed season one in viewership, cemented ''Bridgerton'' as a franchise per ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
.'' The series as a whole gave the romance genre its own
cinematic universe A shared universe or shared world is a fictional universe from a set of creative works where more than one writer (or other artist) independently contributes a work that can stand alone but fits into the joint development of the storyline, chara ...
with the female gaze front and center according to ''Slate''. Before the first season aired, the show was already in
pre-production Pre-production is the process of planning some of the elements involved in a film, television show, play, or other performance, as distinct from production and post-production. Pre-production ends when the planning ends and the content st ...
for a second season which was officially announced in January 2021. By April 2021, the series was renewed for a third and fourth season.


Premise

Set against the backdrop of the
Regency era The Regency era of British history officially spanned the years 1811 to 1820, though the term is commonly applied to the longer period between and 1837. King George III succumbed to mental illness in late 1810 and, by the Regency Act 1811, ...
, the eight close-knit siblings of the noble and powerful Bridgerton family – Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory and Hyacinth – navigate London high society in search of love, surrounded by friends and rivals alike.


Bridgerton family tree


Cast and characters


Main

* Adjoa Andoh as Lady Danbury, the sharp-tongued, insightful
doyen Doyen and doyenne (from the French word ''doyen'', ''doyenne'' in the feminine grammatical gender) is the senior ambassador by length of service in a particular country. In the English language, the meaning of doyen (feminine form: doyenne) ha ...
ne of London society *
Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy ...
as the voice of Lady Whistledown, the author of a scandalous society newsletter * Lorraine Ashbourne as Mrs. Varley, the Featheringtons' housekeeper * Simone Ashley as Kate, Viscountess Bridgerton (née Sharma) (season 2), a spinster recently arrived from India *
Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor. Known for his comedic, dramatic, and musical roles on stage and screen, he is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award and a nomination for a Evening Standard Theatre Award. Ba ...
as Anthony, 9th
Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...
Bridgerton, the eldest Bridgerton son and head of the family * Ruby Barker as Marina, Lady Crane (née Thompson) (season 1; guest season 2), a Featherington cousin from a rural
gentry Gentry (from Old French ''genterie'', from ''gentil'', "high-born, noble") are "well-born, genteel and well-bred people" of high social class, especially in the past. Word similar to gentle imple and decentfamilies ''Gentry'', in its widest c ...
family * Sabrina Bartlett as Siena Rosso (season 1), an opera singer and Anthony's former lover *
Harriet Cains Harriet Cains (born 17 September 1993) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Jem Walker in the BBC Three series '' In the Flesh'' and Philipa Featherington in Netflix's historical romance drama '' Bridgerton''. Early life an ...
as Philippa Finch (née Featherington), the middle Featherington daughter * Bessie Carter as Prudence Featherington, the eldest Featherington daughter * Charithra Chandran as Edwina Sharma (season 2), Kate's younger half-sister *
Shelley Conn Shelley Deborah Conn (born 21 September 1976) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Lady Mary Sharma in the hugely successful Netflix series '' Bridgerton'', as Isabella in the film ''Love Sarah'', as Dr Elizabeth Sh ...
as Lady Mary Sharma (née Sheffield) (season 2), Kate's stepmother and Edwina's mother * Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington, the youngest Featherington daughter and close friend of Eloise * Hannah Dodd (season 3; formerly Ruby Stokes, recurring season 1–2) as Francesca Bridgerton, the sixth Bridgerton child and third daughter * Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Basset (née Bridgerton), Duchess of Hastings, the fourth Bridgerton child and eldest daughter * Ruth Gemmell as Violet, Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton, mother of the Bridgerton children * Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton, the eighth and youngest Bridgerton child *
Martins Imhangbe Martins Isoken Imhangbe (born 7 July 1991) is a British-Nigerian actor. He made his debut in theatre, earning an Ian Charleson Award nomination for his performance in the 2018 production of ''Richard II''. As of 2020, he plays Will Mondrich in ...
as Will Mondrich (season 2; recurring season 1), gentleman's club owner, retired boxer, and confidant of the Duke of Hastings * Claudia Jessie as Eloise Bridgerton, the fifth Bridgerton child and second daughter * Calam Lynch as Theo Sharpe (season 2), an apprentice at the printing shop used by Lady Whistledown who befriends Eloise *
Ben Miller Bennet Evan Miller (born 24 February 1966) is an English actor, comedian, and author. He rose to fame as one half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller. Miller is also known for playing the lead role of DI Richard Poole in the first two seri ...
as Archibald, Baron Featherington (season 1), the patriarch of the Featherington family * Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton, the third Bridgerton son * Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings (season 1), one of London's most eligible bachelors * Golda Rosheuvel as
Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...
* Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton, the second Bridgerton son and an artist * Will Tilston as Gregory Bridgerton, the seventh Bridgerton child and youngest son * Polly Walker as Portia, Dowager Baroness Featherington, the matriarch of the Featherington family * Rupert Young as Jack, Baron Featherington (season 2), the new head of the Featherington family


Recurring

* Molly McGlynn as Rose Nolan, Daphne's loyal maid and confidant * Joanna Bobin as Lady Cowper, Cressida's mother *
Jessica Madsen Jessica Shirley Madsen (born 11 April 1992) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Clarice in the horror film ''Leatherface (2017 film), Leatherface'' (2017) and Cressida Cowper in the Netflix period drama ''Bridgerton'' (2020–). ...
as Cressida Cowper, a gossip-mongering and Daphne's rival debutante * Jason Barnett as Jeffries, the Bassets' butler * Hugh Sachs as Brimsley, the Queen's gossip-mongering secretary * Geraldine Alexander as Mrs. Wilson, the Bridgertons' housekeeper *
Kathryn Drysdale Kathryn Drysdale (born 1 December 1981) is an English actress. She gained prominence through her roles in the BBC sitcom '' Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps'' (2001–2009) and the films '' Vanity Fair'' (2004) and '' St Trinian's'' ( ...
as Genevieve Delacroix, a high society
modiste A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. N ...
and dressmaker * Simon Ludders as Humboldt, the Bridgertons' butler * Julian Ovenden as Sir Henry Granville, an artist who befriends Benedict * Oli Higginson as Footman John, a Footman in the Bridgerton household often working for Eloise


Guest

* Jamie Beamish as Nigel, Baron Berbrooke, Daphne's suitor *
Caroline Quentin Caroline Quentin (born Caroline Jones; 11 July 1960) is an English actress, broadcaster and television presenter. Quentin became known for her television appearances: portraying Dorothy in '' Men Behaving Badly'' (1992–1998), Maddie Magellan in ...
as Lady Berbrooke, Nigel's mother * Freddie Stroma as Prince Frederick of Prussia, the Queen's grandnephew * Amy Beth Hayes as Lady Trowbridge, the hedonistic widow of an earl *
James Fleet James Edward Fleet (born 11 March 1952) is an English actor of theatre, radio and screen. He is most famous for his roles as the bumbling and well-meaning Tom in the 1994 British romantic comedy film '' Four Weddings and a Funeral'' and the dim- ...
as
King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great B ...
* Céline Buckens as Kitty Langham, a general's wife * Chris Fulton as Sir Phillip Crane, Marina's husband, a baronet * Daphne Di Cinto as Sarah Basset, Duchess of Hastings, Simon's mother * Richard Pepple as the Duke of Hastings, Simon's father * Pippa Haywood as Mrs. Colson, the housekeeper at the Hastings' country estate * Emma Naomi as Alice Mondrich, Will Mondrich's wife *
Anthony Head Anthony Stewart Head (born 20 February 1954) is an English actor and singer. Primarily a performer in musical theatre, he rose to fame in the UK in the 1980s following his role in the Gold Blend couple television advertisements for Nescafé, ...
as Lord Sheffield, Lady Mary's father and Edwina's grandfather * Shobu Kapoor as Lady Sheffield, Lady Mary's mother and Edwina's grandmother *
Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series ''The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's ''Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in ''Bridgerton ...
as Edmund, 8th Viscount Bridgerton, father of the Bridgerton children


Episodes


Series overview


Season 1 (2020)


Season 2 (2022)


Production


Development


Season 1

On July 20, 2018, Netflix announced that
Shonda Rhimes Shonda Lynn Rhimes (born January 13, 1970) is an American television screenwriter, producer, and author. She is best known as the showrunner—creator, head writer, and executive producer—of the television medical drama ''Grey's Anatomy'', it ...
, through her production company Shondaland, would produce the screen adaptation of the bestselling novels of the ''Bridgerton'' series by
Julia Quinn Julie Pottinger (née Cotler; born 1970), better known by her pen name Julia Quinn, is a best-selling American author of historical romance fiction. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages, and have appeared on ''The New York Times'' B ...
, while
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
would serve as showrunner. Quinn explained on '' The Tamron Hall Show'' that when she heard from her agent that Rhimes was interested in adapting her novels, she "almost fell off of erstool", and quickly agreed to the offer. Season 1 of the show adapted '' The Duke and I'', the first book of Quinn's series. Van Dusen said in a Shondaland article: "I think eriod showsare considered a bit traditional and conservative. With ''Bridgerton,'' I wanted to take everything I loved about a period show and turn it into something fresh, topical, and relatable."


Season 2

Before the first season aired, the show was already in
pre-production Pre-production is the process of planning some of the elements involved in a film, television show, play, or other performance, as distinct from production and post-production. Pre-production ends when the planning ends and the content st ...
for a second season which was officially announced in January 2021. It is focused on Anthony and based on the book '' The Viscount Who Loved Me''. On April 13, 2021, creator Van Dusen revealed on Twitter that the series had additionally been renewed for a third and fourth season.


Season 3

Unlike the first two seasons which followed the order of the book series, the third season will focus on Colin, based on Quinn's fourth novel '' Romancing Mister Bridgerton''. Jess Brownell would serve as writer and showrunner for the third and fourth seasons, replacing Van Dusen.


Casting

Unlike the series of novels, ''Bridgerton'' is set in an alternate history with a
racially integrated Racial integration, or simply integration, includes desegregation (the process of ending systematic racial segregation). In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity ...
London where people of color are members of the '' ton'', some with titles granted by the sovereign. Creator
Chris Van Dusen Chris Van Dusen is an American television producer and screenwriter. He is the creator and executive producer of the television series ''Bridgerton'', and served as showrunner for seasons one and two. Van Dusen worked on ''Grey's Anatomy'' from ...
was inspired by historical debate over the 1940s African ancestry claims of Queen Charlotte "...to base the show in an alternative history in which Queen Charlotte's
mixed race Mixed race people are people of more than one race or ethnicity. A variety of terms have been used both historically and presently for mixed race people in a variety of contexts, including ''multiethnic'', ''polyethnic'', occasionally ''bi-eth ...
heritage was not only well-established but was transformative for Black people and other people of color in England." Van Dusen says the series is not " color-blind" because "that would imply that color and race were never considered, when color and race are part of the show."


Season 1

On June 19, 2019,
Julie Andrews Dame Julie Andrews (born Julia Elizabeth Wells; 1 October 1935) is an English actress, singer, and author. She has garnered numerous accolades throughout her career spanning over seven decades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy ...
was cast as Lady Whistledown, whose voice-overs explain much of the series' action. In addition, Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page were cast to play the leads with
Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor. Known for his comedic, dramatic, and musical roles on stage and screen, he is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award and a nomination for a Evening Standard Theatre Award. Ba ...
, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh and Polly Walker co-starring.


Season 2

On January 21, 2021, it was announced that
Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor. Known for his comedic, dramatic, and musical roles on stage and screen, he is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award and a nomination for a Evening Standard Theatre Award. Ba ...
would be reprising his role as Anthony and would be the center of the show's sophomore season. The following month, Simone Ashley had been cast as Kate. On April 5, 2021, Charithra Chandran joined the cast as Edwina, Rupert Young joined to play a new character, with
Shelley Conn Shelley Deborah Conn (born 21 September 1976) is an English actress. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Lady Mary Sharma in the hugely successful Netflix series '' Bridgerton'', as Isabella in the film ''Love Sarah'', as Dr Elizabeth Sh ...
cast as Kate and Edwina's mother Mary, and Calam Lynch cast as Theo Sharpe. On May 28, 2021,
Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series ''The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's ''Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in ''Bridgerton ...
joined the cast as Edmund Bridgerton, the late patriarch of the Bridgerton family. Page did not return for the second season despite being asked to come back as he only signed a one-year deal and wanted to explore other opportunities outside the show. In addition, the plan has always been for each season to focus on a different Bridgerton sibling and their quest for marriage, and his character is insignificant in the succeeding novels.


Season 3

In April 2022, Bailey and Ashley were confirmed to return for the third season as Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton, exploring their married life and duties as heads of the eponymous family. The following month, Hannah Dodd was cast to replace Ruby Stokes as Francesca Bridgerton for the third season. Stokes exited the show due to scheduling conflicts. Chandran will not reprise her role as Edwina for the season. In July 2022, Daniel Francis,
Sam Phillips Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis ...
, and James Phoon were cast in undisclosed capacities for the third season. In October 2022,
Hannah New Hannah New (born 13 May 1984) is an English actress. She is known for her starring role on the television show '' Black Sails'' in which she plays Eleanor Guthrie, the owner of a saloon in Nassau, and also for her role as Rosalinda Fox in '' T ...
joined the cast as Lady Tilley Arnold.


Filming


Season 1

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
commenced in July 2019 and wrapped in late February 2020. ''Bridgerton'' was filmed in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
, as well as at various estates and parks around England. Although the series takes place in London, most street scenes were filmed in Bath,
York York is a cathedral city with Roman Britain, Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers River Ouse, Yorkshire, Ouse and River Foss, Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many hist ...
, and Chatham. The grounds of
Wilton House Wilton House is an English country house at Wilton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, which has been the country seat of the Earls of Pembroke for over 400 years. It was built on the site of the medieval Wilton Abbey. Following the dissolution ...
were used for Hyde Park and the grounds of Somerley were used for
Hampstead Heath Hampstead Heath (locally known simply as the Heath) is an ancient heath in London, spanning . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band ...
. Garden scenes were filmed at Painshill near
Cobham Cobham may refer to: Geography Towns or districts * Cobham, Kent, England * Cobham, Surrey, England * Cobham, South Australia, a former town in Australia * Cobham, Albemarle County, Virginia, United States * Cobham, Surry County, Virginia, U ...
and the Commissioner's House in Chatham. Filming locations included Ranger's House in
Greenwich Greenwich ( , ,) is a town in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is situated east-southeast of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwic ...
(standing in for the Bridgerton House in London exterior); Halton House at
RAF Halton Royal Air Force Halton, or more simply RAF Halton, is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom. It is located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire. The site has been in use since the First World ...
(Bridgerton House interior, Featheringtons' interior); Wilton House (Simon's Hastings House, Clyvedon estate interior, St James's Palace throne room);
Syon House Syon House is the west London residence of the Duke of Northumberland. A Grade I listed building, it lies within the 200-acre (80 hectare) Syon Park, in the London Borough of Hounslow. The family's traditional central London residence h ...
and
Badminton House Badminton House is a large country house and Grade I Listed Building in Badminton, Gloucestershire, England, which has been the principal seat of the Dukes of Beaufort since the late 17th century. The house, which has given its name to t ...
(Hastings House);
Castle Howard Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, within the civil parish of Henderskelfe, located north of York. It is a private residence and has been the home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for more than 300 years. ...
(Clyvedon estate); Coneysthorpe (Clyvedon village);
Hampton Court Palace Hampton Court Palace is a Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. The building of the palace began in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, the chief ...
and
Lancaster House Lancaster House (originally known as York House and then Stafford House) is a mansion in the St James's district in the West End of London. It is close to St James's Palace, and much of the site was once part of the palace complex. This ...
(
St. James's Palace St James's Palace is the most senior royal palace in London, the capital of the United Kingdom. The palace gives its name to the Court of St James's, which is the monarch's royal court, and is located in the City of Westminster in London. Alt ...
); Holburne Museum (Lady Danbury's estate);
Hatfield House Hatfield House is a country house set in a large park, the Great Park, on the eastern side of the town of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England. The present Jacobean house, a leading example of the prodigy house, was built in 1611 by Robert C ...
(Featheringtons' interior);
No. 1 Royal Crescent No. 1 Royal Crescent is the first building at the eastern end of the Royal Crescent in Bath, Somerset, and is of national architectural and historic importance. It is currently the headquarters of the conservation charity, the Bath Preservation T ...
(
Grosvenor Square Grosvenor Square is a large garden square in the Mayfair district of London. It is the centrepiece of the Mayfair property of the Duke of Westminster, and takes its name from the duke's surname "Grosvenor". It was developed for fashionable ...
);
Queen's House Queen's House is a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1635 near Greenwich Palace, a few miles down-river from the City of London and now in the London Borough of Greenwich. It presently forms a central focus of what is now the Old Ro ...
and Somerley (
Somerset House Somerset House is a large Neoclassical complex situated on the south side of the Strand in central London, overlooking the River Thames, just east of Waterloo Bridge. The Georgian era quadrangle was built on the site of a Tudor palace ( ...
); and Dorney Court (coaching inn). Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens no longer exists in its entirety. The production team recreated it for Lady Danbury's ball by combining the remaining parts with
Castle Howard Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, within the civil parish of Henderskelfe, located north of York. It is a private residence and has been the home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for more than 300 years. ...
and Stowe Park. The banqueting room at the Guildhall, Bath was used for another ball as well as the Great Hall at Leigh Court in
Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lor ...
. Anthony Bridgerton and Simon Basset meet in the real-life Reform Club on Pall Mall in central London. The scene in which Lady Featherington takes Marina to the slums was filmed at
Chatham Dockyard Chatham Dockyard was a Royal Navy Dockyard located on the River Medway in Kent. Established in Chatham in the mid-16th century, the dockyard subsequently expanded into neighbouring Gillingham (at its most extensive, in the early 20th centur ...
in
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
.
Boxing Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermine ...
scenes were also filmed here in addition to
Normansfield Theatre The Normansfield Theatre is a Victorian era building in Teddington, England. The theatre is on the site of Normansfield Hospital, which was a self-sufficient Victorian hospital complex run by Dr. John Langdon Down. The hospital was where he c ...
in
Teddington Teddington is a suburb in south-west London in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. In 2021, Teddington was named as the best place to live in London by ''The Sunday Times''. Historically in Middlesex, Teddington is situated on a long m ...
. Theatre scenes were filmed at the
Hackney Empire Hackney Empire is a theatre on Mare Street, in the London Borough of Hackney. Originally designed by Frank Matcham it was built in 1901 as a music hall, and expanded in 2001. Described by ''The Guardian'' as ‘the most beautiful theatre in ...
. A café in Bath, Pickled Greens, was used as the site of the Modiste shop and the Bathrooms at No.5 store on Trim Street became the site of Gunter's Tea Shop. The costuming was led by Ellen Mirojnick and involved over two hundred people and five months of preparation to create 5,000 costumes.


Season 2

Production on the second season began in March 2021. In May 2021, it was reported that the
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead is a Royal Borough of Berkshire, in South East England. It is named after both the towns of Maidenhead and Windsor, the borough also covers the nearby towns of Ascot and Eton. It is home to Windsor ...
refused permission to build a film set for the second season in
Sunninghill Park Sunninghill Park was a country house and estate of about directly north of Cheapside, in the civil parishes of Sunninghill and Ascot and Winkfield, adjoining Windsor Great Park in the English county of Berkshire. The early 19th-century house ...
near Windsor, despite royal approval. On July 15, 2021, production on the second season was paused for 24 hours when a crew member tested positive for
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quickl ...
, but resumed the following day. However, on July 17, production was halted indefinitely following a second positive test. Production resumed in August 2021. Production for the second season wrapped on November 20, 2021. New filming locations for season 2 included Wrotham Park (standing in for the Bridgertons' country home Aubrey Hall); West Wycombe Park (Aubrey Hall interior and the Crane estate); Wrest Park and Ivinghoe Beacon (the Orangery and Aubrey Hall grounds); the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club (
Royal Ascot Ascot Racecourse ("ascot" pronounced , often pronounced ) is a dual-purpose British racecourse, located in Ascot, Berkshire, England, which is used for thoroughbred horse racing. It hosts 13 of Britain's 36 annual Flat Group 1 horse races a ...
);
Old Royal Naval College The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as being of "outstandin ...
;
Windsor Great Park Windsor Great Park is a Royal Park of , including a deer park, to the south of the town of Windsor on the border of Berkshire and Surrey in England. It is adjacent to the private Home Park, which is nearer the castle. The park was, for ma ...
(woods scenes);
Goldsmiths' Hall Goldsmiths' Hall is a Grade I listed building at the junction of Foster Lane and Gresham Street in the City of London. It has served as an assay office and the headquarters of London's goldsmith guild, the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, one ...
(Buckingham palace throne room); and
Wilton's Music Hall Wilton's Music Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Shadwell, built as a music hall and now run as a multi-arts performance space in Graces Alley, off Cable Street in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is one of very few surviving musi ...
(feminist meeting place). The real St James's Church is in the series. The art display at
Petworth House Petworth House in the parish of Petworth, West Sussex, England, is a late 17th-century Grade I listed country house, rebuilt in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and altered in the 1870s to the design of the architect Anthony Sa ...
was used for the museum scene, with
Royal Artillery Barracks Royal Artillery Barracks, Woolwich, is a barracks of the British Army which forms part of Woolwich Garrison. The Royal Regiment of Artillery had its headquarters here from 1776 until 2007, when it was moved to Larkhill Garrison. History In 1 ...
used as the exterior. The finale ball was filmed at Basildon Park.


Season 3

The third season began principal photography in July 2022.


Music

American composer and pianist Kris Bowers composed and arranged the score for the series. Bowers wrote and composed the first season's soundtrack, featuring nineteen songs. Musicians recorded the score remotely from their home studios during the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...
.


Season 1

The first season featured orchestral covers of contemporary popular music, which director and executive producer Julie Anne Robinson said was inspired by the use of classic rock songs in the 2001 film ''
A Knight's Tale ''A Knight's Tale'' is a 2001 American medieval adventure comedy film written, co-produced and directed by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, a peasant squire who poses as a knight and competes in tournaments, win ...
''. Songs featured included
Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
's " Thank U, Next", Maroon 5's " Girls Like You",
Shawn Mendes Shawn Peter Raul Mendes (; born August 8, 1998) is a Canadian pop singer. He gained a following in 2013, when he posted song covers on the video sharing platform Vine. The following year, he caught the attention of artist manager Andrew Gert ...
's " In My Blood" and
Billie Eilish Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell ( ; born December 18, 2001) is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single " Ocean Eyes", written and produced by her brother Finneas O'Connell, with who ...
's " Bad Guy", all four of which performed by Vitamin String Quartet. Also included are
Celeste Celeste may refer to: Geography * Mount Celeste, unofficial name of a mountain on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada * Celeste, Texas, a rural city in North Texas ** Celeste High School, public high school located in the city of Celeste, ...
's " Strange" performed by Bowers, and
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
's " Wildest Dreams" performed by Duomo. Bowers also included modern interpretations of classical music, such as
Bach Johann Sebastian Bach (28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ''Brandenburg Concertos''; instrumental compositions such as the Cello Suites; keyboard wo ...
's Cello Suite No. 6 in D major from Peter Gregson's '' Recomposed by Peter Gregson: Bach – The Cello Suites'' and
Vivaldi Antonio Lucio Vivaldi (4 March 1678 – 28 July 1741) was an Italian composer, virtuoso violinist and impresario of Baroque music. Regarded as one of the greatest Baroque composers, Vivaldi's influence during his lifetime was widespre ...
's '' The Four Seasons'' from
Max Richter Max Richter (; ; born 22 March 1966) is a German-born British composer and pianist. He works within postminimalist and contemporary classical styles. Richter is classically trained, having graduated in composition from the University of Edinbur ...
's '' Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi – The Four Seasons''. The first season also included JPOLND's "The End" which has a "swingy melody but intense lyrics".


Season 2

In the second season, covers include
Nirvana ( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colombo. ...
's " Stay Away" and
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two Billboard Hot 100, ''Bil ...
's "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, ''Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced by ...
" by Vitamin String Quartet, Madonna's "
Material Girl "Material Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album, '' Like a Virgin'' (1984). It was released on November 30, 1984, by the Sire label as the second single from ''Like a Virgin''. It also appears sligh ...
", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham" from the soundtrack of the film of the same name and
Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums. His debut studio album, '' I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
' "
How Deep Is Your Love How Deep Is Your Love or How Deep Is Your Love? may refer to: * How Deep Is Your Love (Bee Gees song), "How Deep Is Your Love" (Bee Gees song), 1977, covered by Take That * "How Deep Is Your Love" (Keith Sweat song), 1987 * How Deep Is Your Love ( ...
" by Bowers. Also included are
Alanis Morissette Alanis Nadine Morissette ( ; born June 1, 1974) is a Canadian-American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting, Morissette began her career in Canada in the early 1990s with two ...
's "
You Oughta Know "You Oughta Know" is a song by Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, released as the lead single from her third studio album, '' Jagged Little Pill'' (1995) on July 6, 1995. After releasing two studio albums, Morissette left MCA Records Canada and ...
" and
Pink Pink is the color of a namesake flower that is a pale tint of red. It was first used as a color name in the late 17th century. According to surveys in Europe and the United States, pink is the color most often associated with charm, politeness, ...
's " What About Us" by Duomo,
Harry Styles Harry Edward Styles (born 1 February 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and actor. His musical career began in 2010 as a solo contestant on the British music competition series ''The X Factor''. Following his elimination, he was brought ...
' " Sign of the Times" by Steve Horner,
Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to t ...
's "
Diamonds Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, ...
" by Hannah V and Joe Rodwell and
Miley Cyrus Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
' "
Wrecking Ball A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a crane, that is used for demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1950s and 1960s. Several wrecking companies claim to have invented the wrecking ball. An e ...
" by Midnight String Quartet. To promote the show, Morisette appeared in a video performing "You Oughta Know" with Duomo. When discussing the music of season two, music supervisor Justin Kramps explained that "even for these songs that are just huge songs that everyone knows,
n instrumental version N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...
still breathes new life and brings them to a new audience, and in a different way. Pop is where we start, because it fits the style of the show, and it's often using these super-recognizable songs that just add a lot of joy, which is what pop does in general."


Release


Season 1

The eight episodes of the first season of ''Bridgerton'' began streaming on Netflix on December 25, 2020.


Season 2

A preview of a scene from season 2 aired during Netflix's September 2021 ''
TUDUM Tudum: A Global Fan Event, also known as Netflix Tudum or Tudum Festival, is a pop culture event that covers Netflix's original films and television series. Held for the first time in January 2020, the event is presented by Maisa Silva and brin ...
: Extended Talent Panel,'' which was followed by first look stills. On February 14, 2022, the first teaser trailer for the second season was released. A world premiere was held at
Tate Modern Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It ...
on March 22, 2022, in London, England prior to the season's eight episodes being released on March 25, 2022. Due to a three-month commitment as the lead in the acclaimed
West End West End most commonly refers to: * West End of London, an area of central London, England * West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England West End may also refer to: Pl ...
play ''
Cock Cock or cocks most commonly refers to: * Cock (bird) or rooster, a male of any bird species * Cock (slang), a slang term for the penis Cock or cocks may also refer to: Names * Cock (surname) * Cocks (surname) Places * Cocks Glacier, Ross Dep ...
'',
Jonathan Bailey Jonathan Stuart Bailey (born 25 April 1988) is an English actor. Known for his comedic, dramatic, and musical roles on stage and screen, he is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award and a nomination for a Evening Standard Theatre Award. Ba ...
had missed "press, talk shows, FYC events, and even the
Met Gala The Met Gala, or Met Ball, formally called the Costume Institute Gala or the Costume Institute Benefit, is an annual fundraising gala held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. It is popularly ...
" as part of the show's promotion.


Reception


Critical response


Season 1

For the first season, the
review aggregator A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wan ...
reported an approval rating of 87% based on 99 reviews, with an average rating of 7.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Sumptuous design, soapy drama, and a sterling cast make ''Bridgerton'' a delightful treat."
Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...
gave the series a weighted average score of 75 out of 100 based on 34 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Kristen Baldwin of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
'' gave the series a B+ and wrote, "''Bridgerton'', it seems, is a wonderful diversion for those who love '' Pride & Prejudice'' but wish it had more stairway sex."
Richard Roeper Richard E. Roeper (born October 17, 1959) is an American columnist and film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times''. He co-hosted the television series '' At the Movies'' with Roger Ebert from 2000 to 2008, serving as the late Gene Siskel's success ...
of ''
Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago T ...
'' gave the series four out of four stars and called it "A show that will give you that unmistakable binge twinge and have you activating that "Next Episode" time and again, until there are no more "Next Episodes"." '' British GQ'' described ''Bridgerton'' as a cross between ''
Downton Abbey ''Downton Abbey'' is a British historical drama television series set in the early 20th century, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes. The series first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV on 26 September 2010 and in the United States on ...
'' and ''
Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six ...
'', but noted that it "may just end up being another disappointment" and "it could have been brilliant." Salamishah Tillet of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' said "Bridgerton provides a blueprint for British period shows in which Black characters can thrive within the melodramatic story lines, extravagant costumes and bucolic beauty ..without having to be servants or enslaved." Erum Salam of '' Cosmopolitan'' wrote "I kept wanting more. I wanted more explanations of how race factored into this society..." Carolyn Hinds from ''
The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper Sunday editions, published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group, Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. ...
'' stated "''Bridgerton'' has been praised as a racially diverse show set in the Regency Era". '' Vanity Fair'' Caroline Framke describes the sex in the series "isn't altogether shocking material for Shondaland to mine for its first drama series absent broadcast restraints." The first season's 6th episode drew criticism with regard to the non consensual nature of Simon and Daphne's lovemaking, which amounted to
marital rape Marital rape or spousal rape is the act of sexual intercourse with one's spouse without the spouse's consent. The lack of consent is the essential element and need not involve physical violence. Marital rape is considered a form of domestic ...
. The episode depicts Daphne, while having sex with Simon, changing her position to be on top, not letting Simon pull out of her when he climaxes despite his objections. Described as one of the toxic plot points of their relationship, it further drew scrutiny due to the fact that the deceit was never addressed as sexual assault in the series. Critics pointed out that it failed to acknowledge the difficulties of male victims of rape, and the further fetishisation of black men in media.


Season 2

For the second season, Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 78% based on 89 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10. The website's critics consensus states, "The risqué thrill may have faded, but ''Bridgerton'' remains a compulsive episode-turner in this delightful sophomore season." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews." Kristen Baldwin of ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cult ...
'' gave the series an A- writing, "With a second season that's more clever, moving, and emotionally complex than the first, this period drama... proves that it's not just a titillating trifle." ''The Hollywood Reporter'''s Angie Hahn echoed the sentiment describing the season as "older and wiser" than its predecessor's "rampant horniness" with an effective central romance that prioritized "a meeting of minds, played out over quick-witted arguments outside
ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially historic ma ...
s and vicious competition during a friendly family game of pall-mall."
Peter Travers Peter Joseph Travers (born ) is an American film critic, journalist, and television presenter. He reviews films for ABC News and previously served as a movie critic for ''People'' and ''Rolling Stone''. Travers also hosts the film interview prog ...
of ABC praised the season writing, "Kudos to season two for digging deeper into the emotional lives of its characters and continuing the colorblind casting that creates a
utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imaginary community or society that possesses highly desirable or nearly perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book '' Utopia'', describing a fictional island socie ...
in which diversity is so ingrained it's hardly worth a mention." Alison Herman of The Ringer commented that Season 1 is "sexy without quite being erotic" while "Season 2 is the reverse. There's not a lot of sex, but in the crackling chemistry and relentless self-denial that defines Anthony and Kate's dynamic, there's plenty of
eroticism Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, ...
." Emma Clarke of ''The Independent'' argued that, "it is precisely the lack of physicality that makes this season (of the show and of
courtship Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marriage. A courtship may be an informal and private ...
) so... well, sexy." Scott Bryan of the BBC wrote that the season serves as antidote to the "always static, laboured and slow" period dramas, adding that it comes with "real energy, it feels so modern (even though it is set in the past) and even though it feels extravagant, it doesn't feel too highbrow. It is refreshingly accessible." Kevin Fallon of ''
The Daily Beast ''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008. It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' elaborating on Bailey's "exquisite lead performance," wrote that "he has an exceptional ability to carry his angst, pain, and guilt with him without bogging down things into a somber drag." '' The Telegraph s Anita Singh wrote that Bailey "brings more soul to the role of Lord Bridgerton than Page ever did with the Duke," with Randy Myers of ''Mercury News'' adding that Bailey "has a gift at comedic timing." Proma Khosla of
Mashable Mashable is a digital media platform, news website and entertainment company founded by Pete Cashmore in 2005. History Mashable was founded by Pete Cashmore while living in Aberdeen, Scotland, in July 2005. Early iterations of the site were ...
concluded that with "Bailey and Ashley, ''Bridgerton'' Season 2 strikes gold" as they deliver "heaping, smoldering helpings of sexual tension" for "their chemistry is nothing short of explosive."


Audience viewership


Season 1

On January 27, 2021, Netflix announced that 82 million households have watched at least two minutes of the season amounting to 625,490,000 million hours viewed. It was the most-watched original series launch on the service at the time of its premiere, prior to being surpassed by ''
Squid Game ''Squid Game'' () is a South Korean survival drama television series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk for Netflix. Its cast includes Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-soo, Wi Ha-joon, HoYeon Jung, O Yeong-su, Heo Sung-tae, Anupam Tripathi, and Kim Jo ...
'' in October 2021. Caroline Framke of ''Variety'' attributed this huge viewership to "the perfect storm of a perfectly timed premiere (Christmas Day of 2020), providing silly and sexy entertainment after the first terrible year of COVID."


Season 2

Season 2 amassed 193 million viewing hours in its opening weekend, the highest opening for any English-language Netflix series at the time. It also broke the record for most viewed English-language series in a single week at that time, with 251.74 million viewing hours from March 28 to April 3. The first season also re-entered Netflix's top ten in second place. By April 19, ''Bridgerton''s second season had overtaken its predecessor as the most watched English-language television series on Netflix at the time with 627.11 million hours viewed since its March 25, 2022 launch. This viewing numbers went up to 656.16 million by the 28-day mark.
Nielsen Media Research Nielsen Media Research (NMR) is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre, films (via the AMC Theatres MAP program), and newspapers. Headquartered in New York City, it is best known for the Nielsen rat ...
, analyzing the 2.55 billion minutes viewed on United States television screens in the first three days of season 2's availability (double all others across streamers for the week of March 21), characterized ''Bridgertons audience as "diverse and broad". The firm found one third of viewers to be Hispanic or African American and an even split in popularity across the 18–34, 35–49, and 50–64 age groups at 25% each. The only exception was gender parity with 76% of the audience reported to be female. It added 3.2 billion minutes viewed in its second week on top of the chart. It topped the chart for a third week with 1.6 billion minutes viewed.


Historical inaccuracies

Chris Van Dusen has said that the show "is a reimagined world, we're not a history lesson, it's not a documentary. What we're really doing with the show is marrying history and fantasy in what I think is a very exciting way. One approach that we took to that is our approach to race." The Bridgerton family, Lady Whistledown and most of the other characters in the show are fictional. The theory that
Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...
may have had African ancestry has been called an unhistorical assertion by most scholars. In an interview with ''
Insider ''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German pub ...
'' magazine, American historian Marlene Koenig said the show's representation of Regency-era London was more diverse than it was in reality, adding that "diversity as we know what the word means did not exist" in
Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
during that period. Some classical music pieces used in the first season were composed later than 1813, the year of the first season. Examples include Dmitri Shostakovich's Suite for Jazz Orchestra No. 2, which was written in 1938 and " Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" from
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (, also , , ; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario of the Romantic period. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''T ...
's 1881 opera ''
The Tales of Hoffmann ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died i ...
''.


Cultural impact

Fashion and interior design trends influenced or made popular by the series have been dubbed "Regencycore" or "the Bridgerton effect". ''Lyst'' reported an increase in searches for items such as corsets, headpieces, and elbow-length gloves after the series' premiere. The series' female leads Daphne and Kate were also linked to a popularity in the colours sky blue and lilac respectively. In 2021,
Abigail Barlow Abigail Barlow is an American singer-songwriter from Birmingham, Alabama. Her album ''The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical'', co-written with, and produced by, Emily Bear, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2022. She is also know ...
and Emily Bear wrote a concept album based on characters and situations in season 1 of the series titled ''
The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical ''The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical'' is a concept album by Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear based on season 1 of the Netflix series ''Bridgerton''. They developed the songs on the album on TikTok in early 2021 in a series of live sessions, during wh ...
''; it won the 2022
Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album The Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album has been awarded since 1959. The award is generally given to the album producer, principal vocalist(s), and the composer and lyricist if they have written a new score which comprises 51% or more play ...
. After the two presented the songs from the album live in concert at the
Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
in July 2022, Netflix sued them for copyright infringement. To ring in the second season, an official "Queen's Ball" was held in
Washington DC ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
,
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...
,
Montréal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the second-most populous city in Canada and most populous city in the Canadian province of Quebec. Founded in 1642 as '' Ville-Marie'', or "City of Mary", it is named after Mount Royal, the triple- ...
, and
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wor ...
, with similar events and experiences taking place in
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
and
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...
.
Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's Inc. is an American luxury department store chain; it was founded in New York City by Joseph B. and Lyman G. Bloomingdale in 1861. A third brother, Emanuel Watson Bloomingdale, was also involved in the business. It became a divi ...
put together a ''Bridgerton''-themed pop-up collection and tea bar, displaying real costumes from the series in the U.S. for the first time in its 59th Street windows. After season 2 featured the main characters playing pall-mall, a lawn game considered to be the precursor to
croquet Croquet ( or ; french: croquet) is a sport that involves hitting wooden or plastic balls with a mallet through hoops (often called "wickets" in the United States) embedded in a grass playing court. Its international governing body is the W ...
, retailer
John Lewis John Robert Lewis (February 21, 1940 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and civil rights activist who served in the United States House of Representatives for from 1987 until his death in 2020. He participated in the 1960 Nashvill ...
reported a 90% rise in sales for croquet sets. There was also a notable increase in internet searches and purchases of
tiara A tiara (from la, tiara, from grc, τιάρα) is a jeweled head ornament. Its origins date back to ancient Greece and Rome. In the late 18th century, the tiara came into fashion in Europe as a prestigious piece of jewelry to be worn by women ...
s and corsets after season two's premiere. Walking tours of the filming locations of the series have also been created, including an official one by Netflix.
Castle Howard Castle Howard is a stately home in North Yorkshire, England, within the civil parish of Henderskelfe, located north of York. It is a private residence and has been the home of the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for more than 300 years. ...
also has an exhibition titled ''Castle Howard on Screen: From Brideshead to Bridgerton'' on location which opened in May 2022. The 33rd season finale episode of ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer Simpson, Homer, Marge ...
'' on May 22, 2022, featured Marge and her friends watching a period drama called "Tunnelton" with a Lady Whistledown-sounding narrator, and a character emerging drenched from a lake, like Anthony in the fifth episode of the second season.


Limited prequel series

In May 2021, Netflix ordered a limited prequel series from Shondaland which will focus on young Queen Charlotte, a character who does not appear in the ''Bridgerton'' novels. Rhimes will write the spin-off and serve as executive producer alongside Betsy Beers and
Tom Verica Tom Verica (born May 13, 1964) is an American actor, director, and producer, best known for his role as Sam Keating in the ABC drama ''How to Get Away with Murder'' (2014-2020). He also played Jack Pryor in the NBC critically acclaimed drama '' ...
. Rosheuvel, Andoh, Gemmell, and Fleet will reprise their roles, while India Amarteifio,
Michelle Fairley Michelle Fairley (born 1964–1965) is an actress from Northern Ireland. She is best known for playing Catelyn Stark in the HBO series ''Game of Thrones'' (2011–2013). She has since appeared in the USA Network series '' Suits'' (2013), the Fo ...
, Corey Mylchreest, and Arsema Thoma were cast, together with Connie Jenkins-Greig who will play young Violet. A novelization of the series written by Rhimes and Quinn will be released by
Avon Books Avon Publications is one of the leading publishers of romance fiction. At Avon's initial stages, it was an American paperback book and comic book publisher. The shift in content occurred in the early 1970s with multiple Avon romance titles rea ...
in 2023. In April 2022, it was reported that production designer Dave Arrowsmith was fired from the series following allegations of abusive behavior and bullying on set. In September 2022, Netflix announced that ''Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story'' would be the title for the series and also released the first look.


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* *
Official season 2 premiere screenplay
{{Netflix original current series 2020 American television series debuts 2020s American drama television series 2020s American romance television series 2020s romantic drama television series American romantic drama television series Cultural depictions of George III English-language Netflix original programming Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series Television shows set in London Television shows filmed in England Television shows shot in London Television series impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic Television series set in the 1810s Television series by Shondaland Television shows based on American novels Rape in fiction Rape in television Works about marriage