A review: Bridgerton

 

In Praise of Bridgerton!

When I finished binge-watching Bridgerton, I wanted to post something but refrained. In these divisive times, though, I think it more than appropriate to comment on this show and my impression of what I just watched for a solid eight (8) hours straight. Oh, My, Goodness! These are my own opinions not influenced by other critics, so here goes…

I love movies, especially period pieces. There always seems to be something to learn, and I can’t get enough. Being a history buff, I am a stickler for details. For me, history should be told spot on, not equivocated over; otherwise, it comes across as a cheat or an insult to intelligence.

Suffice to say, I am not a fan of revisionist history. Let the facts remain without change or shown as politically expedient – thank you very much. As the saying goes, ‘we are bound to repeat the mistakes of the past if we learn nothing from them.’ Therefore, history is the best teacher, which serves as a guide to progress us forward. We must never forget.

When I heard about Shonda Rhimes executive producing for Netflix, I was intrigued and couldn’t wait to see what she would bring to the franchise. After all, Shonda has been successful on the small screen with Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, so I couldn’t wait to see this latest project. I had heard of the Bridgerton series of novels, but Harlequin type romances hold little interest for me…but that’s just me.

HOWEVER, Bridgerton, the Netflix series is another thing altogether. When the first episode began, my first thought was, ‘oh no, not another one of those revisionist historical tales where blacks are portrayed as unrealistic prominent persons in history among a mostly homogenous white narrative.’ Much like Lin-Manual Miranda’s depiction of Aaron Burr in Hamilton. Yes, this is true, but boy, was I so wrong!

Let me explain.

Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, royal consort (wife) to British King George III, was spot on. She is described as having a ‘true Mulatto face,’ but her portraits don’t show that aspect specifically but certainly hint at such. Whether she was of mixed-race is debatable, but I liked that Shonda did not shy away from this possible historical fact. This might have been the impetus for propelling the diversity in the cast of actors in this project, and I could not be more pleased with the outcome.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that watching love stories where mixed-race couples are depicted can feel awkward for some. Why is that? It’s not as if we don’t see this every day. This milestone was passed in Britain long ago. In the United States, thanks to the 1967 landmark case: Loving v. Virginia, it’s become normal and so much in the mainstream that no one cares. Nor should they; after all, love knows no color. So why is it uncomfortable to watch on the big or small screen for some reason? I think it’s because the producers try too hard, making it come off as false and/or artificially contrived. As if they’re forcing us to accept it because they believe we can't, which is furthest from the truth.

So, I found myself wondering why this wasn’t the case in watching Bridgerton.

The deftness used in handling the racially diverse character narrative in the Regency period of Britain is astounding. As Executive Producer, Shonda Rhimes has managed to fade the obvious racial component of interracial love into a delightful romp where social mores rise above race. Where customs are religiously observed, and class is much more important. We are swept away by the story, not the characters’ race, and this is as it should be. It works because the issue of race is not relevant to the core of the story.

And isn’t that nice?

The ‘story’ reigns supreme. However, this is not a color-blind society. On the contrary, when race is mentioned, it is very understated or dismissed altogether as a non-issue. The interactions of the characters and their lot in life are what drives the story. The chemistry between Simon Basset, Lord Hastings, and Daphne Bridgerton is electric. Not that Rege-Jean Page isn’t worth swooning over. My God, he positively channels Aidan Turner of Poldark fame, giving him a run for his money. Phoebe Dynevor has just the right ‘high society girl next door look’ and pluckiness that most women can relate to and root for her happiness. So many other delicious and intriguing characters drive the story forward, but it’s the mesmerizing performance of Nicola Coughlan’s Penelope Feartherington that broke my heart. The narrative voice of Julie Andrews, as Mrs. Whistledown, is downright perfection.

Who doesn’t like a good piece of gossip to set the stage for your day?

Ignoring the mechanics of production, script, and pace of dialogue, for a sec., I was blown away by the cinematic effect, the local color, costuming, and just the right amount of pathos to keep you wanting and knowing more. If there is a criticism, I would say that there is a bit too much bodice-ripping, for my taste, but I can overlook that. After the first night of the Honeymoon…I get it. One can only smoke so many cigarettes afterward.*

But, back to the subject at hand.

Aside from the riches and social positioning, how much of these characters can we see in ourselves as we go about our daily life challenges of living and raising our children? Or, positioning ourselves favorably among our friends, hiding secrets and shouting out our accomplishments, struggling to find love and have the best life possible? These issues are age-old, and I haven’t once mentioned race as a factor.

How much can we emulate from Bridgerton by not talking about race or making it more of an issue than it should be? I must add that the focus of this post is not to belabor the issue of race and the myriad of issues it brings. But, these days, we see the issue of race thrown at us from every aspect of our lives as a story we should live every day, which can be exhausting. 

I say enough already. 

We see each other for who we are and could care less, which is the brilliance of Bridgerton. It is so refreshing to see diversity of characters blend so well without the angst of race getting in the way. So much of our culture is blended, and that’s a good thing. Yes we are different, but the race component fades when we see each other as just people. I know this is contrary to what we hear in the media these days; in fact, this post has gone on far too long about race as it is.

But maybe that's the point. 

Damn it, Shonda’s done it again. But, what more could I expect from a Shondaland production. After all, it was Shonda Rhimes who brought us the success of Scandal. Where without apology, the affair between the President of the United States and his White House Communications Director sizzled most nights, outside of foreign intrigue, and we couldn’t wait for more. 

Like Scandal, I can’t wait for Season #2 of Bridgerton.

*Disclaimer: This in no way is a statement to advocate smoking. 

~ DaMarie

Photo Courtesy of Kate Hliznitsova