The second half of “Bridgerton” Season 4 begins just shortly after Part 1 ended. Still reeling from the heated kiss she shared with Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) on the back stairwell of the Bridgerton House, Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) can’t even bask in the moment. Instead, the lady’s maid is feeling deflated about his request that she become his mistress. This is a less-than-enticing offer for 21st-century lovers, but for Regency-era women, it’s especially off-putting. Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews) and the events of Episode 5, “Yes or No,” illustrate just how unsexy the position of “mistress” was in the time period. While “Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 1 felt like a knock-off of “Cinderella,” the remaining episodes are much stronger, stepping beyond the fairy-tale trope to address passion, loss and what’s at risk for high-society women who fail to secure a good match in the marriage market.
Benedict and Sophie remain at the core of the season, but the women orbiting them make Season 4 one of the series’ standouts. In the Season 1 finale, fans learned that Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was behind the Lady Whistledown gossip pamphlet, and used her writing as an escape from life as an unnoticed wallflower. However, when her true identity was revealed to the public in Season 3, her passion for the work was stripped away. Now that she’s a wife and mother, it’s clear how much she’s evolved and wants to focus on other things. As Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) inches closer to her own debut (though it’s slower coming than she would like), “Bridgerton” highlights how vital it is for women to marry well, and what’s more, for the Bridgerton daughters to find a love match. A recital given on Hyacinth’s behalf at Bridgerton House begins to open the youngest Bridgerton’s eyes to the importance of compatibility and happiness, and not simply finding a husband.
Conversely, this season also opens the doors to the Stirling House. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is intent on emulating her mother, Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), as the perfect wife to her husband John (Victor Alli). Yet the arrival of John’s cousin and best friend, Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza), shows Fran that there may not be a single perfect way to live. Moreover, Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) tries to find her footing in Queen Charlotte’s (Golda Rosheuvel) orbit, while Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) struggles to balance her close-knit friendship with the queen and her own personal desires.
The bulk of my criticism of “Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 1 focused on the muted romance between Sophie and Benedict. Thankfully, Part 2 rectifies the issue by bringing forth the yearning, longing and desire between them that were sorely missing, and the couple’s relationship finally gets the lusty zeal fans have been waiting for. A large part of this shift is due to Benedict’s character development. During the first half of the season, he seemed unsure about himself, wearing his duties as the second son like a badge of shame. However, as the season evolves, he comes into his own, boldly stepping up for the woman he loves and even being vulnerable enough to share his fluid sexuality with Sophie. Additionally, fans of Julia Quinn’s novels will be delighted by the season finale, “Dance in the Country,” which includes a tantalizing scene ripped directly from the pages of her book “An Offer From a Gentleman.”
“Bridgerton” Season 4 Part 2 also captivates by giving the most villainous character depth. Sophie’s stepmother and former employer, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), aka Lady Penwood, comes back into focus, along with her two daughters, Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and Posy Li (Isabella Wei). Though she is still ferocious and cunning, showrunner Jess Brownell highlights this twice-widowed woman’s journey in a world where women are only seen as relevant as the men they are attached to.
The final chapters of “Bridgerton” Season 4 are beautifully detailed, allowing the characters (from various seasons, hint, hint) we’ve grown to know and love to expand, grow and change drastically — all while setting the series up for the remaining four love stories. It’s baffling that Netflix continues to slice some of its biggest series into two parts, especially since it interrupts the pacing of the romances in “Bridgerton,” especially this season. Yet, when everything comes together in the end, it’s clear Part 2 is well worth the wait.
All episodes of “Bridgerton” Season 4 are streaming on Netflix.
variety.com
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