The show “Bridgerton” is extremely popular: it is the second most watched Netflix show of all time, beat out only by “Squid Game” at the top. Even though the show is set in 1800s England, it gives a sense of what life is like today. With the technology, clothes, and transportation from the era, the show has gained a lot of popularity due to it trending on the social media platform Tik Tok, where users love older things because of the aesthetic, clothes, and people. The first season, which was released during quarantine, made viewers desperate for more to binge.  Finally, on March 25, the second season dropped. 

In the 1800s, people of color were often discriminated against or seen as a lower class to wealthy white individuals. However, this show breaks those stereotypes, providing a perspective with a diverse class.  The show also represents a mixed race couple with the king marrying a woman of color. This is important because while it is not historically accurate, in this show, it does not matter. Since it does not matter in the plot, it shows that the show is inclusive in its fiction.. 

The first season follows our main family, the Bridgertons. The family, consisting of a mom, four sons, and three daughters, unfortunately lost their father due to a bug sting. Regardless, the family is respected and live in the richer part of England. 

Despite challenging racial norms, the show’s drama is driven by the expectations of life during the 1800s. A lady’s goal in life is to get proposed to by a man because of her beauty or wealth. A man’s goal in life is to have a successful job and propose to a lady that will raise the children. There is little love when marrying — only wealth, rank, and beauty. 

The main character in the first season was Daphne Bridgerton, the oldest daughter of the family. She discovers the duke, Simon Basset. This meeting sparks love between the two, which was the main storyline for the first season. The season did a good job making it so that those two are the main characters and they are focused on. The second season focuses on Daphne’s brother Anthony. Anthony is now searching for a wife, interviewing all the single women in his area. Yet, Anthony doesn’t find a woman that fits his high expectations.  

Meanwhile, Lady Danbury, a respected woman, brings the Sharma family from India to stay with her. The Sharma family are seeking spouses for their young daughters to marry. One of the daughters, Edwina Sharma, has tried searching for a husband, but she’s not interested in wealth or rank; rather, she wants to fall in love. She found many possible prospects, but her overprotective sister, Kate Sharma, rejects all of them. Even though they are an Indian family getting brought in by a Black woman, the season chooses not to let race drive the dialogue of the show. In my opinion, this is a good thing, because it makes everybody feel included when watching. A critic may say that it is not realistic. I would argue that some shows are not realistic, but still are entertaining, fun to watch, and do well. 

But this all changes once the Queen names Edwina “Diamond” due to her beauty and good word from Lady Danbury. Edwina’s new name brings new meaning, demonstrating that out of all the women wanting to have a husband, the Queen picked her to be the best wife. This catches the attention of Anthony, who then starts talking and hanging out with her. Kate approves of him, but tension soon begins to grow as Anthony and Kate start to fall in love. 

The second season is filled with romance, comedy, drama, and sadness, similar to the first season. I would give the second season a 9/10 because it has everything you would want in a second season. It finds a solution to all the problems of the first season, then creates new ones in the second, and resolves those as well. It makes you want to binge watch it. I highly recommend this for a weekend watch, even if it is long. Audiences will enjoy the diversity and representation of all races in this show, even if the environment is a time when this was not common. 

The second season of “Bridgerton” is now available to watch on Netflix.