CLEVELAND, Ohio — If the first season of “Bridgerton” lit a fire in you, season two is more of a slow burn.
The steamy romance that made the lavish period drama one of the most popular and sexiest Netflix shows of all time? Gone. Breakout star Regé-Jean Page dropped out of the series and lead actress Phoebe Dynevor was relegated to recurring status.
But, heavier sigh of relief, this Regency-era tale from executive producer Shonda Rhimes and showrunner Chris Van Dusen remains every bit of soapy guilty pleasure you remember. Come for the fancy balls, costumes and pop songs remixed to orchestral bops, stay for the mysteries, scandals and forbidden love!
The second season begins the same way as the first: at the start of the annual London Wedding Market with Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) preparing to crown this season’s “Diamond”, also known as the most eligible bachelorette of the season. It’s a decision that Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), TMZ the ton, and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) are following closely. The oldest and most serious of the Bridgerton siblings finally seems ready to settle down and find a wife.
Enter Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), a beautiful, kind and well-read young woman who has just arrived from India for the wedding season along with her protective sister Kate (Simone Ashley) and devoted mother Mary (Shelley Conn). Anthony sees her perfectly suited for the role of his viscountess. Their courtship begins, much to the dismay of Kate who, after an exciting first encounter with the viscount, realizes that he doesn’t love her sister and just wants to tick the box.
The two summon each other as enemies and bicker constantly, that is, when they are not busy stealing glances at each other. You don’t need a passing grade in Romance Novel 101 to know where the journey is going. What is required, however, is a lot of patience. Their romance moves at a pace you would expect from two people who put duty, responsibility, and decency above tedious undertakings like love, passion, and honesty. Poor Edwina who deserves so much better.
In the fifth episode of the final season, the Duke of Hastings said these now four iconic words to Daphne: “I’m on fire for you.” The best that season two can offer at the same time is Anthony telling Kate quite matter-of-factly: ” You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires.” But before anything unexpected can happen, she storms off, which she does frequently this season, leaving the viewer alive to faint another day.
This more methodical approach to the central romance gives some of the other characters more breathing room and a chance to shine. Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) is making quite a comeback after being cast as a villain last season. Desperate and left almost penniless after the death of her husband, scheming and clawing for the survival of her and her daughters in London society by any means necessary amid the arrival of a new Lord Featherington gives the series her most entertaining moments of the new season. Walker is clearly having a blast in the role and you’ll be watching too.
Equally surprising is Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) transformation from perceptive wallflower to cold-blooded stir-fry and, gulp, the season’s true villain. Her secret identity as Lady Whistledown puts her on a crash course with best friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie), who is as determined as ever to debunk the town’s gossip. The pursuit leads her to an unlikely and dangerous new relationship. The emotional aftermath is devastating and hits harder than expected, to the benefit of both actresses.
Still, there’s a reason the novel this season is based on is called The Viscount Who Loved Me. The love story between Anthony and Kate is indeed tormented and can turn maddening at times as their actions, or more specifically their inaction, pushes them deeper and deeper into an untenable situation. But it’s never uninteresting. Bailey, perhaps season one’s least convincing Bridgerton, brings complexity and depth to Viscount this time, aided by flashbacks detailing the circumstances of his father’s death. Ashley gives Kate a disarming combination of vulnerability and strength thanks to an uncanny ability to manipulate both her eyes and face, as well as her voice. Their performances are mesmerizing, their chemistry so palpable that when they finally surrender, the result is a crescendo of passion well worth the wait.
It turns out that longing can be just as satisfying as burning. It just takes a little longer.
All eight episodes of the second season of Bridgerton will be available on Netflix from March 25th