Sorry, Kanthony Fans: Bridgerton Season 1 is Still Superior
Unpopular opinion: Bridgerton's first season still holds the key to my heart.
Hear me out. Yes, Kate and Anthony had incredibly steamy chemistry, and their twin struggles with familial responsibility were pretty moving. There's a lot of great stuff in Season 2, but honestly… there were also some weird stumbles in there.
Queen Charlotte, so delicious in the first season, seems to be moving in repetitive circles this second time out (take snuff, trill the word "diamond", hiss about Lady Whistledown, rinse, repeat).
Fan favorite Eloise, who really doesn't want her life to revolve around a romantic interest, spends a lot of this season… running away to talk with a romantic interest. And Colin Bridgerton, never the most swoon-worthy character, turns into an outright bore. This is the guy we're supposed to want Penelope to end up with? (Also – sorry Luke Newton, but the little beard was gross).
Here are three major reasons why the sophomore Bridgerton season can't match the original.
1. That Wedding
In the books, Kate and Anthony are forced to become engaged when some mamas catch them alone after the bee sting incident. (Also, in the books Anthony had his mouth on Kate's bosom because he was trying to suck out the bee venom … so to be fair Bridgerton made some pretty good changes there).
It was smart not to echo the "caught in a compromising position and forced to marry" beat from Season 1, but letting Edwina and Anthony get all the way to the altar was just absurd. Honestly, the entirety of Episode 6 ("The Choice") is just a cringefest.
Both Kate and Anthony are acting so stupidly, poor Edwina gets humiliated for no good reason… yikes. Bridgerton is a show that a lot of fans watch over and over, but this particular fan skips over "The Choice" on rewatches. I never want to feel that much secondhand embarrassment again.
2. No Regé
Okay, maybe it's not fair to take points away for this, but… there was no Regé-Jean Page (aka The Hot Duke) in Season 2. So. Enough said.
3. Lady Whistledown
Bridgerton let the cat out of the bag awfully early when it revealed the identity of everyone's favorite scandal-sheet writer. Season 1 was driven by the mysterious and mercurial Lady Whistledown, whose writing kept the plot moving while also providing intrigue for the audience.
While the revelation of her identity was a terrific ending for Season 1, it also let a lot of steam out of the story. There was a lot of fun to be had watching Penelope actor Nicola Coughlan utilize her natural Irish accent, but other than that the Lady Whistledown business mostly felt like padding this season. And there was a lot of padding. Every episode of Season 2 just felt slightly too long.
Do you agree or disagree? Either way, if you're like me, you can't wait for Season 3. Here's hoping that Colin's gross little beard stays away, and Penelope gets a decent hairstyle for once.