Is “Bridgerton” Inclusive?
Dearest gentle reader,
Netflix’s diamond of the century, Bridgerton, is a global phenomenon that requires no introduction. All four seasons, plus the Queen Charlotte spin-off, burn in their own unique ways.
But, according to this author, is the writing actually inclusive?
Let’s award each a peerage title together. Starting with baron, viscount, earl, marquess, and finally, the illustrious ranking of duke!
**CW: Mentions of sexual assault/rape of a character. Major Show Spoilers Ahead. No Book Spoilers.**
Fifth Place | Baron: Penelope and Colin’s Season 3.
This season does so much right, from showing a plus-sized love interest, expanding our perception of mean girls like Cressida, and showing the strength of unconventional/quieter connections like Francesca and John.
For Francesca and John, it was refreshing to see a new and beautiful portrayal of not only an interracial couple, but also a neurodivergent-coded one. A Black man getting to be quiet, calmer, piano-loving, and attractive is so lovely. Francesca getting to share both the quiet and the music she loves with a like-minded individual was so exciting
However, Season 3 fails to remedy major issues between the star couple, Penelope and Colin:
Colin never truly apologizes for making fun of Penelope. He only offers a throwaway apology that’s done within seconds, implying he’s not the same person he was when he made that comment.
Penelope betrayed not only Eloise but also numerous girls in the Ton. Her literary success hinged on her profiting off the misery of fellow girls/women in a time in which being a girl was (just as it is now) so socially precarious- a concern Eloise rightfully raised in previous seasons. However, the depth of this issue is swept under the rug in favor of Penelope getting her happily ever after. No true change or sacrifice on her part required.
The audience is made to sympathize with Cressida only for all her autonomy being stripped away, and sent off to live with an aunt who appears to hate her. This ending is presented as the “mean girl” getting what she deserves, a trope that often ages poorly and lacks nuance.
One of the first intimate scenes between two women is at a brothel for Colin’s paid entertainment, a trope that is objectifying. Not only is there a lack of sapphic/WLW representation and when women are depicted to be intimate, it’s often void of love or consideration and is instead consumption by the straight male gaze. A guy’s “lesbian fantasy.”
Fourth Place | Viscount: Charlotte and George’s spin-off.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story captures the romance that set off the alternate historical setting of Bridgerton. The love story that made all the other racially diverse romantic couples possible in this version of Regency London. However, four concerns keep it in fourth place:
Power Dynamics
I love Charlotte and George, but there are moments when he screams at her and asserts his control over her. Given his mental health, a degree of understanding and compassion must be given. However, it says something that the only lead Black woman to date is given a romance where she is screamed at, threatened, and abandoned by a white man who frequently reminds her that he is her superior and his will is law.
Charlotte’s brother
The relationship between Black men and Black women is full of so much nuance. For Black women, the Black men in our lives can either be our first protectors or our first bullies. Bullies, as in, the first people in our lives who tell us we are perceived as less than or unwanted before the rest of the world does. And yet, given the solidarity between Black people due to the shared oppression, even these “bullies” are allies. The media tends to disproportionately depict Black men as negative presences within Black women’s lives. Bridgerton feeds into this, as Charlotte’s brother, Adolphus, is not a safe place for her in any way. He seems ready to sell her to the highest bidder.
Queer suffering
Charlotte and George’s love was powerful enough to rewrite racial barriers in this alternate history, which is why the stigmatization of queer love within the same universe screams so loudly. Brimsley and Reynolds are the first committed queer canon couple in the entire Bridgerton universe. And yet, it’s unclear on screen if one of them is even still alive or if they’re finding a way to be happy together through the separation their jobs impose. Where is Reynolds?
The most alarming: Lady Danbury’s assault
Lady Danbury is raped repeatedly throughout her marriage. She wants nothing to do with her husband sexually. It’s extremely traumatic to watch, and yet the tone is slightly comedic. A Black man is attacking a Black woman on screen over and over again, and the background music suggests that viewers are expected to laugh or groan commiseratingly.
That’s not even getting into the minstrel show makeup they put on Lady Danbury’s much older husband.
Third Place | Earl: Sophie and Benedict’s Season 4
Let’s make one thing clear, Yerin Ha (Sophie) did an amazing job. A better actress could not have been picked for the lead of this season. Additionally, Benedict has always been my favorite Bridgerton. However, the larger story around these two left something to be desired.
Maybe it was the fact that we knew so little about Sophie at the start of the season (ahem—why start a Cinderella story at the ball?). Or maybe it was because Benedict was acting so grumpy and out of character during the first episode. Either way, the first meeting between Benedict and Sophie felt… forced. Sparkless. Try-hard. And of all things, rooted in her being, “not like other girls.” Yikes.
Yet, despite these initial concerns, Benedict and Sophie’s relationship and chemistry transformed into pure gold once they got a chance to be alone together at the cottage. Banter. Second glances. Second considerations. Tension. Ease. Push. Pull. However, despite this success, the season still had five diversity concerns:
Benedict Judging All Women
Benedict is one of the most open-minded gentlemen of the Ton. He has always supported both his sister Daphne, who aligns with expectations, and Eloise, who fights them. So, it came as a great shock when he suddenly denounced all young women in society as dull and lacking personality just because he hates their desire for marriage.
Benedict’s Sexuality Takes a Backseat?
When Benedict tells Sophie about his sexuality, and she shows unconditional acceptance, it’s an absolutely beautiful moment that made me feel so happy for him. However, in comparison to past seasons, Season 4 ironically addresses Benedict’s sexuality the least. Given that so much of Benedict’s alienation is rooted in his artistic pursuits and sexuality, setting him apart, as well as his tensions with his mother’s traditional expectations, I had hoped that his season would have focused on his being able to share his truth with either his mother or Eloise, not on Sophie’s social class.
Sophie’s Evil Stepmother, Two-Dimensional Stepsisters, and Gay Best Friend with No Life of His Own.
Numerous elements from Sophie and Benedict’s romance are inspired by both Cinderella and The Little Mermaid. However, that doesn’t explain why so many of the characters in Sophie’s life feel two-dimensional. Her stepmother is demonized and lacks any compelling motivation or depth. Sophie has a best friend (Alfie) who is queer-coded and seems to lack any identity beyond helping her (gay fairy godfather?). Her stepsisters are just mean and secretly nice to her, respectively, with no identity beyond that. Cultural identity was missing as well, which was disheartening towards the first East Asian family on the show.
Did Lady Danbury Just Say She Wants to Go Back to Africa?
As someone who is second-generation, I’m all for someone appreciating their motherland and connecting with their roots. However, Lady Danbury has never shown interest in leaving her prized position within the Ton or her estate that she both fought for and survived marital SA/rape to keep. Is the show trying to kick her off with a sudden burning desire to return to Sierra Leone (a beautiful country, which was never actually referred to by name outside of Queen Charlotte)? Is that the only way they could think to create tension for this magnificent Black woman
Francesca Cheating on John?
As a queer woman, it disheartens me to witness how the show used Season 4 to rapidly poison what was such an unconventionally quiet but exceedingly beautiful romance between Francesca and John, to suggest that something greater was brewing between her and his cousin Michaela. Why did the creators snuff out such a powerful and unexpected bond to cobble together a cheating scandal? I’m all for a sapphic romance (I for one ship Eloise and Cressida), but because Francesca and Michaela’s romance started before John was gone, it feels problematic. Masali Baduza (Michaela) is doing a phenomenal job with what she’s been given, though, and shame on anyone sending her hate.
And as for Violet and Marcus, well, they were never expected to last. Marcus (a Black man) was used as a catalyst for Violet (a white woman)’s self-discovery. To quote Jurassic Park, “[they] were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.”
Second Place | Marquess: Kate and Anthony’s Season 2
Anthony and Kate’s season made us fall in love with the uptight and impossible eldest Bridgerton brother. Simone Ashley (Kate), Charithra Chandran (Edwina), and Shelley Conn (Mary) are three amazing South Asian British actresses who shone through every second of being in the spotlight.
The only major issue holding this back from first place:
Sibling bonds are crucially important in collectivist cultures. There are just certain things that should never be said, and to witness Edwina use the fact that Kate is biologically her half-sister as an insult was abhorrent. While Edwina’s desire to be acknowledged as an independent person is sympathetic, it was alarming to watch her verbally attack Kate and diminish her sacrifices as manipulation. It was a slap in the face to older sisters in so many POC households, who disproportionately bear the weight of parentification.
Also, would it not have been better to work in a concrete love interest for Edwina throughout the season?
First Place | Duke: Daphne and Simon’s Season 1
Daphne and Simon’s season shook the world with a diverse spin on Regency romance. From the beauty of an interracial couple written with respect, love, and chemistry to a Black lead being embraced across the world in an alternate history where so many would wrongfully argue he doesn’t belong, Season 1 was a moment for the history books. And even its side couples, like Alice and Will, were Emmy-worthy.
Despite being Duke rank, though, even Season 1 has its challenges:
A non-consensual scene takes place between the leading couple, Daphne and Simon, where Daphne forces herself on Simon. Many fans have accurately labeled this as marital rape, and SA scenes between the leading couple are not what romance fans sign up for.
There is something to be said about a husband lying to his wife about medical information she deserves to know, and is aware society has robbed her of access to. Information that may have altered her decision to choose him in the first place. This in no way excuses Daphne’s behavior, but it is an additional concern.
Congrats to all five seasons and their amazing strengths! Looking forward to the next four seasons.
Shanice Felix is a Black, first-generation, Haitian American, queer woman. By day, she puts her B.A. in Film and Media Studies to the test by working as a freelance editor and beta/sensitivity reader, helping creatives tell the stories that make their hearts sing. By night, she fangirls over her favorite books, movies, anime, and fanfics. Don’t get between her and a new chapter update on Ao3. BlueSky @shanicefelix.bsky.social