The much anticipated second part of Bridgerton season 4 has finally arrived on our screens. With great expectations, viewers find out the fate of leading couple Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).
As episode 4 left us on a cliffhanger, this season reveals that love is entangled with class, rank and social divisions, and that sometimes choosing one’s own happiness is the hardest decision. As our leading couple begin to meet secretly, away from the prying eyes of the ton, we learn they have more than social divisions against them.
This season balances playful moments with solemn ones, as Hyacinth’s recital perfectly encapsulates the awkwardness of a school dance, soundtracked by a classical rendition of Charli XCX’s 360. Meanwhile we see the return of Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) as the new Lady Penwood, redecorating the previous estate of the duplicitous dowager Lady Penwood (Katie Leung) in bubblegum pink.
Episode 7 deals with darker themes, as Lord John Stirling (Victor Alli) passes away, pushing his widow, Francesca (Hannah Dodd), and the Bridgerton Family into a period of mourning. Hannah Dodd’s performance as a grieving widow is incredible, as the show explores fertility issues and the harsh treatment of widows during the Regency era. Francesca relies on John’s cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza), her presumed love interest for her future season.
The final episode is tumultuous to say the least, following Sophie’s arrest, orchestrated by the dowager Lady Penwood, Sophie discovers that her late father left her a dowry, despite being ‘illegitimate.’ And whilst the resolution that Sophie can lie about her lineage feels somewhat anticlimactic, it does provide means for a happy ending between the pair.
But in true Bridgerton fashion, it doesn’t end there, with the season concluding with a letter from the new Lady Whistledown, following Penelope’s relinquishing of her gossiping quill. So, as we wait for season 5 dates to be announced, I have a feeling that “we are going to have so much fun” rewatching past seasons.
Photo by Art Institute of Chicago on Unsplash.