By: Bintou Secka
Synopsis
The Netflix original series is an American television drama series created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shonda Rhimes. The show is based on Julia Quinn’s novels set in the competitive world of Regency-era London’s town during the season when young women become debutantes and are presented at court to find a match.
The first season of the show focuses primarily on the love story of Daphne and the Duke Simon. In the first episode, we are introduced to the families that live in Grosvenor square.
Firstly the Bridgerton family, there are a total of eight children. In the first episode, the main focus is placed on the first three children Anthony, Daphne, and Eloise. Anthony is the eldest son. He is unmarried and having a secret relationship with someone of a lower class.
The first glimpse we get of Anthony gives a strong impression of his character. We see him behind a tree having sex with his secret girlfriend minutes away from his sister’s Debutante Ball.
Daphne Bridgerton made an unforgettable entrance in episode one. She looked as beautiful as a pearl on the seafloor when she appeared at the top of the steps, ready for the day she has been waiting for all her life.
From the first time the viewers were introduced to Eloise, we could gather that she was different from her sister. She had no interest in upholding her appearance. She was not thinking of marriage and lastly she had a deep passion for education.
Review:
There are different aspects that make Bridgerton successful. Chris Van Dusen did an excellent job at creating a rom-com that allows us to see the love story between Daphne and Simon up close, and at the same time includes a hint of comedy within the show.
An example of this is the incorporation of the Queen’s outrageous scene in the bath when she came out naked in front of her servants just to find out the town gossip.
A pro of this show is how diverse the cast is despite the very White 19th century London society setting that we are familiar with.
Chris Van Dusen created a show that is funny, romantic, knowledgeable, historic and diverse. One of the main things that deserves to be praised in this show is the beautiful melancholic soundtrack.
Using contemporary songs such as Ariana Grande’s “Thank U, Next” and adding an acoustic twist was brilliant. With its take on modern songs, It allowed the audience to connect with the show more and added a contemporary sensibility.
The only criticism that can be given to Bridgerton’s first episode is it explored putting young women in a “marriage market.” In addition to this, it portrayed women to be good at only one thing: becoming a wife.
