Madison Meeks – Editor-in-Chief

Mvm7037@psu.edu

Dear gentle reader, the time has come to count down to the newest season of “Bridgerton”! With this countdown comes a recap of the beloved two seasons of this Netflix series. First, we shall start with the very first season. 

Overview

“Bridgerton” is a British historical fiction-romance series that is based on the historical romance novels of the same name. It is a part of the famous Shondaland franchise with the likes of “Grey’s Anatomy” and “How to Get Away With Murder”. This became the first series in the franchise on the streaming service Netflix. The popular series had received a limited series spin-off based around the character of Queen Charlotte. 

The setting is in the Regency era in London during the social season, when youth from noble families were launched into society to be married. The story follows a noble family called the Bridgertons, whose older children, who range from their 30s to 18 years of age, are thrown into society to be wed during the social season. The family consists of eight children: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth. The story also consists of the storylines of the Bridgertons’s closest friends, such as the childhood friend of Eloise and Colin, Penelope Featherington. 

Season One

The very first season of the historical romance series is based on the first novel called “The Duke and I”. It follows the story of the fourth sibling and the oldest daughter, Daphne, as she is launched into the marriage market to find a husband, but along the way she falls in love. The season starts as the 1813 social season begins, as Daphne Bridgerton is thrust into society to make her debut and receives high praise from Queen Charlotte. She is later revealed to be the social season’s diamond, which is the girl whom the queen endorses and becomes the one that everyone wants. Meanwhile, a mysterious writer named Lady Whistledown starts a gossip and scandal newsletter that starts to circle within the aristocrats and rich gentry, known as the ton of London. Also making their debuts in society are the three Featherington sisters, which include Penelope. The three sisters find out that their cousin Marina Thompson is staying with them through the season. Throughout the season, Daphne’s older brother Anthony, who became Viscount after their father died when they were children, has scared off many of the suitors, who are potential men that she could marry. 

Meanwhile, the Duke of Hastings, Simon Bassett, has returned to London after his father’s death. He is re-acquainted with Lady Danbury, who is an old family friend. She convinces him to join the social season, which ends up setting him on a fake courting plan with Daphne. After she catches the eye of Lord Berbrooke and is promised to him by Anthony, He later leaves London after Lady Whistledown reveals a scandal about him. The Featheringtons find out that Marina is pregnant, but she is unmarried, which at the time was considered improper. She reveals to Penelope that she is pregnant after being with a man whom she loves. But they are not married since he has gone to war, though he still writes to her from the battlefield. While Eloise is obsessing and trying to figure out the identity of Lady Whistledown, her brother Benedict suspects that the writer might be herself. 

As Daphne becomes closer to Simon, she catches the eye of Prince Friedrich, Queen Charlotte’s grandnephew. She is devastated after Simon reveals that he is leaving London early due to Lady Danbury telling him to either propose to Daphne or step aside. Daphne then embraces the prince’s attention. Anthony is also being pushed to find a wife, but he refuses. Lady Featherington, who forges a letter to Marina from George stating that he will not take responsibility for the baby, insists on finding a match for Marina. The match becomes a problem when Colin Bridgerton, Daphne and Elosie’s older brother, Penelope’s crush, and Marina’s early admirer. He finds himself falling into Marina’s trap to get him to marry her because she wants to claim that someone she is married to is the father of her baby. This ploy crushes Penelope, which causes her to fight with both Marina, who reveals Penelope’s love for Colin, and Eloise.

As Prince Friedrich prepares to propose to Daphne, Simon comes to say goodbye and apologize. She runs off into a hedge maze where they have their first kiss, which Anthony finds and demands that they marry. When Simon refuses, Anthony challenges him to a duel. Daphne races off to stop the duel later after discovering Cressida Cowper, who wants the Prince’s affection, had witnessed the moment between her and Simon. Simon reveals that he does not want to marry her because he cannot give her children, but Daphne insists that they marry anyway.

The couple then applies for a special marriage license from the Queen, which will allow them to marry quickly. The Queen refuses the license because Daphne rejected the Prince. But then Simon declares his love for her in front of the Queen in a very romantic speech, and she then permits them to marry quickly. They then marry in a small ceremony. Penelope grows more jealous of Colin’s interest in Marina because she wishes he would look at her with romantic eyes. At the wedding reception, Colin proposes to Marina but is upset when he says he wants a long engagement. The Queen becomes interested in Eloise’s investigation into Lady Whistledown,as the Queen herself wants to take down the writer. Daphne and Simon leave for Clyvedon, which is where they will live as a married couple, but they have to spend their wedding night at an inn. Simon admits to Daphne that everything that he said to the Queen was true and that he loved her after she confronts him about his indifference towards her. The couple then arrive at Clyvedon, where Daphne has trouble with the housekeeper and the local villagers. She is told that she offended the village when she chose not to name a local pig contest. She asks the housekeeper, Mrs. Colson, to help her with her new role as Dutchess. She figures out that Simon lied to her about not being able to have kids, but he does not want any because he was treated poorly by his father. When they sleep together, Daphne assaults him by holding him down so he cannot withdraw. 

Meanwhile, Penelope tries to stop the marriage between Colin and Marina. She tries to tell Colin that Marina is in love with someone else. So, Marina then tells Penelope that Colin will never love her. Then Lady Whistledown reveals to the ton that Marina has been pregnant since before she arrived in London. 

Daphne and Simon have a falling out, which leads her to decide to return to London to assist her family in undoing her brother’s scandal. Simon joins her but tells her that he wants them to live separately if she is not pregnant. She arranges a meeting between Colin and Marina, which then devastates him when he finds that she is using him. Eloise thinks Genevieve is Lady Whistledown and asks for the Featherington name to be restored. After being invited to a party by Lady Danbury, Daphne helps locate Sir George. She finds out that she is not pregnant at the opera. Marina is found unconscious and is found by Penelope after trying to induce labor.

Finally, at the end of the season, Marina leaves with Sir Philip Crane after finding out that he will marry her due to his brother George dying in battle. Daphne and Simon host a ball at their London house. They then make up at the ball after she reveals that she knows about Simon’s father. Anthony announced he had finally decided to marry. Penelope considers professing her love to Colin, but he leaves for Greece. Feathering

Until next time, dear reader, I am not done recapping “Bridgerton” yet, gentle reader. I will return with season 2.

Sincerely, Lady Whistledown.

Photo Credits: Netflix