Bridgerton Season 4 Review – Fear not fans, the sex scenes continue apace | Bridgerton

‘I I’m charting a more adventurous path outside of this community, and in doing so, being true to myself! Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) snores, His flirtatious nose flares up as Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell) looks horrified. “But you still have two sisters who must be married, and their fate depends on the reputation of the family,” she bursts out loudly with maternal indignation. “This requires you to be a gentleman and not…a rake!”

At this point, when faced with such period-specific dissatisfaction, it’s not uncommon for the average viewer to insert her monocle and point to her big-eared version of The Crashingly Inevitable Downton Abbey Comparisons companion. And in many ways, Bridgerton, bless its silly socks, continues to invite such comparisons with open arms. There is fashion. There is a house. There are cakes (pronounced “cakes”, of course, not – “heaven forgives” – “cakes”) and people with angry faces who clear their throats at the news from the provinces. There are scullery maids gossiping and gossiping and footmen with calves like bowling balls scheming to relieve dignitaries of their trousers. There’s a heavy-stringed score that stirs up at times of narrative tension and swells energetically at the sight of a poorly secured tie.

But then the average viewer witnesses a scene in which a mysterious newcomer to society gasps, “It’s midnight!” in the face of her beaming new lover before fleeing a masked ball to return to her secret job as a maid for her evil stepmother. After chastising him, the average viewer would shut up said companion, remove her monocle, and, as is customary, reach for the laudanum. This, unequivocally, is Bridgerton. Any similarities to Downton Abbey – and any other TV series on Earth, living or dead – are purely superficial. The Regency Romp, based on a series of eight novels by American author Julia Quinn, takes place in a world of its own creation. He is, as seen in Season 4, a very, very, very ordinary banana.

Here we are in Mayfair again, hustling as dandies and newbies Le bon ton Get ready for another season of balls, courtship, gossip and bums.

Francesca (Hannah Dodd) returns with her muscular husband Lord John (Victor Alley) from her home in the Scottish Highlands. Flying in the wings is John’s free-spirited cousin, Michaela (Masali Baduza), who brings with her the promise of eyebrow-raising and a secret Savic sauce.

Meanwhile, having established herself at the end of series three as the mysterious gossip lady Lady Whistledown, newlywed Penelope Bridgerton (Nicola Coughlan) now finds herself a favorite of Queen Charlotte (Golda Rocheuvel, her performance uncharacteristically two-thirds of the way up the styrofoam beanstalk at Nantwich Civic Hall). “I’m tired of newbies,” His Royal Highness said to Penelope at Lady Bridgerton’s masked investiture. “Let’s turn our attention this year instead to introducing a leading suitor to spice up the competition!”

Enter the second son, who is as we mentioned previously rake Therefore it should not Be reliable. “Benedict Bridgerton!” Everyone screams in 30-second intervals, shaking their fists at the lecher as he lunges from the scene of his latest conquest like a dog carrying a string of hot dogs. Can his blossoming relationship “across the class divide” with the Cinderella-like Sophie (Yrin Ha) tame him? Or will conniving stepmother Lady Araminta Gunn (Katie Leung) lay a cold spoon on the lovebirds’ blossoming enthusiasm?

As we ponder the possibilities, there’s dialogue (“Like the Greeks, your baton has been passed!”) and exposition—huge slabs of stuff that sit in the middle of scenes and block our view of Queen Charlotte’s unusual wig (this season’s look: a quivering terrier).

Everything is completely bananas. But what’s most important is that she’s honest about it – and her commitment is admirable. The costumes and sets are gorgeous, the Cinderella stuff is surprisingly free of cynicism, and there’s plenty of tenderness in the romance department (don’t worry, fans: the hype continues apace). Although I had previously been resistant to Bridgerton’s charms, I’m now forced to admit that its smooth blend of gritty soap and fantasy wish fulfillment is… watchable. If not, it is very difficult to resist. Curses.

Bring another bottle of laudanum, mother. we will Go to the ball!

Bridgerton is on Netflix now