BY ELIZABETH EGAN, STAFF WRITER
On March 25, the second season of “Bridgerton” came out on Netflix. The show is based on the “Bridgerton” book series, a #1 New York Times bestseller by Julia Quin. It follows the life of the Bridgertons, a wealthy family of nobility, in the early 1800s. Lady Bridgerton is a widow with eight children and each book follows a different child. Similarly, the first season on Netflix features mainly the eldest daughter, Daphne, while the newest season features the eldest son, Anthony. What does it feature them doing? The show follows them claiming their spouse in the London marriage mart. This sounds like a weird concept, and quite frankly it is. The fictionalized high society London social season is the backdrop for rich socialites to return to the city from their country homes and attend a series of balls and promenades that will, with any luck, end with their child married to the right man or woman.
While this may not appear to be the most compelling plot, the gorgeous scenery, costumes, love triangles, hints of social commentary, and of course, scandals, make it an intriguing watch.
While the two seasons are of similar concept, there is one main difference. Season one goes through the matchmaking process from the perspective of a woman and season two from that of a man. Even though there are more than these two characters, including members of the Bridgertons, the tone of the show differs between the two seasons and it is my theory that the gender of the main character is the reason why. To talk about the whole of both seasons would be a lot to unpack, so I am going to demonstrate the changes in tone from a male to a female lead by comparing the first two episodes of each season.
The first episode of Daphne’s season begins with her getting ready for her debut into society. Similar to what we might know today as a cotillion, although I imagine these are still fairly rare. Everyone is rushing her to get ready, but she takes her time. As one of her sisters points out, “She has been getting ready for this for her whole life.”
The rest of the episode essentially features all the different female side characters as they prepare for what will be their only goal of the season, to get married.
The first episode of the brother’s season still focuses on one of the Bridgerton sisters getting ready, but in a significantly different spirit. The second eldest Bridgerton sister was set to find a spouse in the same season as her significantly older brother. While her older sister, Daphne, emerged ecstatic over her beautiful appearance, her younger sister was upset, wishing instead that she could be reading.
In the first episode of the first season, Daphne is hoping to find a spouse she loves.
In the first episode of the second season, Anthony is hoping to find a spouse that will be the perfect wife and mother, with no love required.
Both learn that in the situation and expectation society has imposed on them, they might have to be a little more flexible.
While Daphne’s season was all about the art of matchmaking in 19th-century high society London, and how to keep a scandal, like being spotted alone in a garden with a man, from ruining your prospects, Anthony’s season allows for a little more substance, which replaces a good chunk of the steaminess of season one.
In just the first episode, Anthony begins to fall for a woman whose primary objective is not to marry, especially someone who views marriage as transactionally as Anthony does.
The first episode also features the town’s gossip columnist calling for the queen to consider not only the beauty and grace of the women of the town as she determines who is the most eligible lady, but also their substance. As the first episode comes to a close, she clearly takes this into account, signaling to the viewer that this season would not be like the last.
