Touted As Gossip Girl Of The Regency Era, ＆Bridgerton＊ Aces High With Diverse Cast & Matriarchs
Taking place in the early part of the 19th century, the show follows eight siblings in the Bridgerton family, four boys and four girls, as they seek the loves of their lives. Revolving mostly around Daphne, the eldest Bridgerton, she is shown to officially enter the competitive marriage market. This entails balls and galas where young women are introduced to young men. Interested parties later visit the girl＊s home to be interviewed and examined ...Read More
Shonda Rhimes seldom goes wrong with her vision. For the uninitiated, she is the creator of Scandal and Grey＊s Anatomy, two of the biggest TV series known to binge-watchers. Chris Van Dusen and Shonda＊s eight-episode drama series Bridgerton was released on Christmas.
Bridgerton is an adaptation of the first book in a successful series of eight Regency romance novels by Julia Quinn.
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What is Bridgerton all about?
Taking place in the early part of the 19th century, the show follows eight siblings in the Bridgerton family, four boys and four girls, as they seek the loves of their lives. Revolving mostly around Daphne, the eldest Bridgerton, she is shown to officially enter the competitive marriage market. This entails balls and galas where young women are introduced to young men. Interested parties later visit the girl＊s home to be interviewed and examined by their families for suitability.
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Daphne kicks off her debut with a bang when she impresses the hard-to-please Queen Charlotte during her very first appearance. After hits and misses, Daphne forms an alliance with Duke Hastings aka Simon. Theirs is a relationship of convenience where on one hand, the Duke isn't interested to get married but is trying to brush off the interested women and Daphne on the other hand, wants to attract the best possible matches by showing off a Duke on her tow. Apart from the Bridgertons, another prominent family that＊s in the mix is Featheringtons.
Bridgerton is being hailed as the Gossip Girl of the Regency Era
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Apart from the Viscounts, Dukes and Lords, another very prominent yet unseen character is Lady Whistledown. Just like Gossip Girl, she operates only in text not in person. She publishes gossip in her paper and keeps a check on everything in the fictitious town of Regency London＊s high-society Ton. While Kristen Bell was the voice of Gossip Girl, Lady Whistledown is the voice of Julie Andrews.
Instead of getting downright vicious, she is respectful yet exposes some of the intimate secrets of influential people. Everyone is hooked on to her gossips and at the same time speculations are always rife as to how she gathers all this information and what＊s the identity of the gossip-provider.
However, Bridgerton is much more than the high-school drama. It＊s royal and much more refined.
Bridgerton＊s multiracial cast stands out and provides a refreshing change from white supremacy
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One of the hallmarks of a Shonda Rhimes production is a sprawling multiracial ensemble cast. Be it sexy lawyers or Seattle doctors, all ethnicities are represented on the screen in the world of Shondaland. In fact, there＊s also a legit mention in one of the episodes by Duke Hastings＊ mentor Lady Danbury, who recites a poetic dialogue about the power of love to him. She says,
"Look at our queen. Look at our king. Look at their marriage. Look at everything it is doing for us, allowing us to become. We were two separate societies divided by color, until a king fell in love with one of us. Love, Your Grace, conquers all."
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Besides her and the Queen, there are several other characters who rightfully represent people of color.
The most memorable thing about Bridgerton isn＊t the steaming sex, good looking lead couple or interwoven plotlines, it＊s the older women - The Matriarchs.
Older women of Bridgerton aren＊t just gossip mongers who are only interested in other people＊s lives. They are more than overbearing mothers and social butterflies. They have distinct personalities and varied interests, and it＊s them who ultimately strengthen the show＊s central theme of marriage.
Dowager Viscountess and Daphne＊s mama Violet Bridgerton and Baroness Portia Featherington are respective matriarchs of the Bridgerton and Feathrington families. It＊s their views and teaching about marriage that drive the main characters.
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On one hand Violet, now a widow, married for love and hopes that all her children get just that, on the other hand, Portia is shown in a loveless marriage and is hell bent on securing well-off matches who can provide for her three daughters. While Violet remembers all the good memories with her late husband, Portia chastises hers for gambling away all the dowries of her daughters.
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Both of them have contrasting personalities but the one thing in common is their pure love for their children, even Portia who is every bit scheming and uncouth in her ways.
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Apart from Lady Danbury, who is a widow enjoying her life to the fullest, Queen Charlotte is battling loneliness by keeping herself entertained with the latest gossip of the season. Her husband＊s failing mental health has made her distant where they cannot even hold a simple conversation over dinner.
She craves the vicarious romance she observes in their high society, because her own romantic life has hit rock bottom. She constantly tries to meddle in matches and keeps herself updated with the potential matches＊ progress.
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Bridgerton also gives a realistic take on marriage. It shows life after ＆happily ever afters＊. It shows that even in the 1800s when life was presumably less complicated, matrimony was no easy feat.
The best thing about the show is that it does not end with a happy wedding. It shows life after that diving straight into the complications that follow after the ceremony. Marriage is the central point for all characters but it isn＊t just for the romance that it promises, but for safety, security and status. The older characters are often seen imparting words of wisdom on matrimony.
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Not just that, it even sheds light on importance of sex education or lack there of, in the Regency Era of England. Daphne tearily accuses her mother for not preparing her for physical intimacy before marriage.
Through the lens of older women characters, Bridgerton showcases a full panorama of what marital life really means.
Don＊t be surprised if you hear classical versions of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Maroon 5 or Shawn Mendes＊ songs, it＊s very much the same popular numbers but with a royal twist to it.
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The lavish Regency parties which take place throughout the show have bewitching orchestras, pianos and trumpets but instead of Haydn and Mozart quartets, you might be surprised to hear some recent chartbuster hits albeit their orchestral classical versions.
The result is an interesting blend of ancient and modern. These are some of the songs you might recognise:
Girls Like You 每 Maroon 5
Thank U, Next 每 Ariana Grande
In My Blood 每 Shawn Mendes
Bad Guy 每 Billie Eilish
Wildest Dreams 每 Taylor Swift
If you want to welcome 2021 with hope and positivity, give Bridgerton a chance, you might be taken for a pleasant surprise.
Bhavya Sadhwani heads Indiatimes OTT section - Binge. She calls herself an entertainment ninja and OTT content sucker. She loves to write on web series, movies, documentaries, reality shows and everything else that releases on digital platforms. She forms a special bond with those who share her love for cringe content.
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