The Rise of Bridgerton and What It Says About Us

By Alexandra Borik '23

Amidst the lockdowns and quarantines following the COVID-19 holiday season, many people’s first few weeks of 2021 had one common theme: an obsession with everything Bridgerton. Netflix announced that 82 million households watched their original series in the first 28 days, crowning Bridgerton as the most-watched Netflix original series ever. What soon followed was booming demand for any item that could take us into the United Kingdom Regency Era world, from antique furniture to afternoon tea sets and patterned tablecloths. But what did this enormous rise to popularity say about us as viewers and how did Bridgerton provide the perfect escape while starting another abnormal year in the pandemic?

As we spent many of our days isolated from others and had to drastically redefine our normal social interactions, a solution presented itself in living vicariously through our favorite television characters. Bridgerton allowed for just this as it follows the love interests of a proper socialite during the festivity-filled, “marriage-matching” season. We see the main character Daphne being fitted for ornamented dresses, attending a different ball every night, and of course, meeting her partner, the Duke. Even more entertaining, the volatile relationship between Daphne and the Duke kept audiences on the edge of their seat, especially when the two had heated discussions over bearing heirs to the throne. Without a mask in sight, Bridgerton allowed us to escape into a world so different from our own (3 months future me here to fully say I’m ready for a vaccinated girl summer). The elaborate fashion pieces and the endless string of steamy scenes allowed the viewer to indulge in those elements of life we've had to hold off on for some time during this ~different~ Covid-19 dating landscape.

The United Kingdom Regency era almost serves as a utopia compared to our world today. While social class systems are still present in the show, race is not portrayed as historically accurate but rather, refreshingly historically inaccurate with the incredible Golda Rosheuvel playing Queen Charlotte. In the scope of today’s political climate, the POC representation was a great step towards the change that needs to be had in the entertainment industry. This modernity can also be heard in the classical soundtrack being composed of modern-day pop songs of Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, and more. An aesthetically beautiful setting coupled with the modernity of race relations and pop music gives Bridgerton the best of both worlds.

Just one episode of the fashion, opulence, and romance of Netflix’s Bridgerton is enough to forget a day full of mind-numbing zoom calls. If you have not already indulged, the show is a must-watch, and you can take that from myself and 82 million other viewers. The best part is that once you’re done you can move onto the original books written by Julia Quinn, The Bridgertons… or wait patiently for the next season in 2022.