Bridgerton Season 1 was just foreplay.
The second season of Chris Van Dusen's Regency-era romance series based on the novels by Julia Quinn will premiere on March 25.
In the second season of the show, Viscount Anthony Bridgerton wants to find a wife, but not for love, but for practicality. He wants to find a young lady of London society that is everything a young lady of London society should be. Kate's disdain for Anthony turns imperceptibly and most inconveniently into a burning forbidden love.
The quest to uncover Lady Whistledown leads to new leads for the queen and a detour for the debutante that takes her even further from life as a debutante. All of this is contained in the Bridgerton packaging, with Georgian finery and string quartet pop covers. Everything is warm and vibrant, sun-kissed by colorists and wardrobe designers.
Penelope's (Nicola Coughlan) secrets are catching up with her in "Bridgerton" Season 2. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix
As both leads and newcomers, they dazzle, and like their characters, they bear a heavy burden. Chandran is only a year younger in real life, but he plays the younger Sharma with a convincing and never cloying blend of sparkling optimism and regal disposition. The hair, makeup, and costume departments pull out all the stops for the Sharmas, from Kate's gasp-worthy braid the first time she meets Anthony to Indian jewelry sets that beautifully complement their colorful Regency gowns.
Bridgerton Season 2 has barely any sex, but don't make the mistake of dismissing the joys of this season. It has heaping, smoldering helpings of sexual tension, with Bailey andAshley setting rooms on fire with just a look. Their chemistry is very strong, communicated through intense stares, brushing hands, and distressed breathing. It's horny as hell.
Worry not: It is horny as hell.
Staying away from each other is the only way for these two to not ruin their entire lives. They often end up alone outside, secluded in rooms, or in one case horizontal in the mud, left at the mercy of their uncontrollable desire. It is their favorite thing to do.
The central relationship of Season 2 is more mature and nuanced than the one in Season 1. Anthony feels the pressure from himself and others to live up to the expectations of a viscount when his late father's memory is still fresh. Kate ignores her attraction to Anthony while she seeks a match for Edwina and rebuffs potential suitors. The stakes are maintained throughout eight episodes.
If you light a match between those chairs the whole house will literally explode. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix
Bridgerton Season 2 is not perfect. Early episodes fixate too much on who will be the season's "diamond", a fleeting comment the queen made to Daphne in Season 1 which everyone now treats as "gospel". One can only assume that this is related to the verve with which the Whistledown voiceover says a treat every time. The narrations from Whistledown Papers now function more as a narrator than a text, but they are still delicious.
Benedict, Colin, and Will Mond are all overshadowed by the viscount's tangled web of desire. The stories might have been better served in a later season. They feel like a distant part of the romance. The episodes lose their steam in the middle stretch, repeating the same beats in order to fill eight hour-long installments.
Bridgerton Season 2 strikes gold with Anthony and Kate. The blockbuster debut season was not close. The first season gave us frequent sex scenes between two attractive actors, but the true meaning of sexy was never realized. The taut relationship feels like a Bollywood romance, where characters frequently flirt, fantasize, and declare themselves, but never share so much as a kiss. There are people who will not understand. For those who do, this author promises an unforgettable relationship.
The second season of Bridgerton will premiere on Friday.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
