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Bridgerton Thoughts -
Jun. 5th, 2024 01:23 pm I'm not in a fandom right now - haven't been part of one for a very long time. But I have gotten swept up in the enthusiasm around Bridgerton. I've been rewatching all seasons so far as I await the second half of season 3. It's been interesting.
The last time I spent this must time rewatching a series of episodes was in my Sherlock days, but Bridgerton episodes are nothing like Sherlock episodes. The dialog is MUCH slower and more comprehensible (I spent a lot of hours in my youth reading exactly this type of regency romance novel, so I am very familiar with the tropes) and this is also not a show about genius drug addicts, their adrenaline-junkie best friend and other assorted clever criminals and family members.
Rewatching episodes so close together really highlights the Penelope and Colin storyline that has been running strong the whole way through. In many ways, Penelope is a very sad character and I can appreciate more why she flexes her influence on society through her writing alter ego when people so overlook, take for granted or even openly deride her. The end of season 2 and beginning of season 3 was a really lonely painful arc where she loses her best and probably only friend (Eloise), is derided by the object of her longstanding affections (Colin) who she stops writing to over the next year on his travels and then returns for a third season with her mother and everyone else resigned to her spinsterhood/unwedability.
Another really tragic character is Marina, who really carried all the heartbreak of a lost love and the contempt and scorn her family and society during season 1. Season 2 shows her to have accepted a life of stability and security without hope of love and with a determination not to look back to the past when she did have love. The more times I watch her storyline, the sadder I feel.
It's also seeing other characters become even more themselves. Antony just seemed overbearing and annoying in the first season when he was making terrible decisions on behalf of his sister's marriage prospects. But what became tremendously clear in season 2 was just how much of an emotional person he was and how much trying to make a practical and non-emotional decision always blew up in his face and led to extra drama. I think Antony is the most emotional and most extra of all the Bridgerton children despite being the responsible eldest son who had to step into his father's role so relatively young.
The more I rewatch, the more hilarious and charming Benedict is and the irritating Daphne is. Daphne actually grates and although she has a few masterful scenes, I find her prim correctness too basic for my tastes. I don't miss her at all in season 3 and I'm glad that less Daphne screen time means more screen time for others.
There are some other characters in the third seasons so far that I'm not excited about. I've never really cared about the Mondriches, though I think they are meant to represent a family moving up in society and having a more critical view of the upper classes as they navigate the change in the social position. In other words, they are something of a stand-in for the audience and allow for a critical look at the nonsense.
Lady Danbury eats up every scene she is in and I wish there was more of her in season 3. I LOVE seeing her manage the queen and at the same time go head to head with Kate and everyone else who thinks they know things. She also has the best dresses across all the seasons.
The last time I spent this must time rewatching a series of episodes was in my Sherlock days, but Bridgerton episodes are nothing like Sherlock episodes. The dialog is MUCH slower and more comprehensible (I spent a lot of hours in my youth reading exactly this type of regency romance novel, so I am very familiar with the tropes) and this is also not a show about genius drug addicts, their adrenaline-junkie best friend and other assorted clever criminals and family members.
Rewatching episodes so close together really highlights the Penelope and Colin storyline that has been running strong the whole way through. In many ways, Penelope is a very sad character and I can appreciate more why she flexes her influence on society through her writing alter ego when people so overlook, take for granted or even openly deride her. The end of season 2 and beginning of season 3 was a really lonely painful arc where she loses her best and probably only friend (Eloise), is derided by the object of her longstanding affections (Colin) who she stops writing to over the next year on his travels and then returns for a third season with her mother and everyone else resigned to her spinsterhood/unwedability.
Another really tragic character is Marina, who really carried all the heartbreak of a lost love and the contempt and scorn her family and society during season 1. Season 2 shows her to have accepted a life of stability and security without hope of love and with a determination not to look back to the past when she did have love. The more times I watch her storyline, the sadder I feel.
It's also seeing other characters become even more themselves. Antony just seemed overbearing and annoying in the first season when he was making terrible decisions on behalf of his sister's marriage prospects. But what became tremendously clear in season 2 was just how much of an emotional person he was and how much trying to make a practical and non-emotional decision always blew up in his face and led to extra drama. I think Antony is the most emotional and most extra of all the Bridgerton children despite being the responsible eldest son who had to step into his father's role so relatively young.
The more I rewatch, the more hilarious and charming Benedict is and the irritating Daphne is. Daphne actually grates and although she has a few masterful scenes, I find her prim correctness too basic for my tastes. I don't miss her at all in season 3 and I'm glad that less Daphne screen time means more screen time for others.
There are some other characters in the third seasons so far that I'm not excited about. I've never really cared about the Mondriches, though I think they are meant to represent a family moving up in society and having a more critical view of the upper classes as they navigate the change in the social position. In other words, they are something of a stand-in for the audience and allow for a critical look at the nonsense.
Lady Danbury eats up every scene she is in and I wish there was more of her in season 3. I LOVE seeing her manage the queen and at the same time go head to head with Kate and everyone else who thinks they know things. She also has the best dresses across all the seasons.
