Bridgerton Season Two Delivers a Delicious Slow Burn Love Story That's Worth the Wait
Bridgerton is back.
No three words were ever so anticipated by the thirsty fans of Netflix’s biggest show. After a long wait, the juicy historical romance drama from Shondaland has returned to our screens, to the great satisfaction of the escapism-starved masses. Season two, which follows the eldest Bridgerton sibling Anthony, trades the sex and charm of season one for an angsty slow burn that proves to be just as fun. In an effort to one-up the sensational first season of Bridgerton, the show’s strategy was to create an entirely new atmosphere. And it paid off.
The latest season of Bridgerton follows Viscount Anthony Bridgerton as he seeks a wife and makes plenty of mistakes along the way. He sets his sights on Edwina Sharma, whose overprotective older sister Kate Sharma butts heads with him at every turn. What ensues is a romance that courts scandal like it’s foreplay.
Where season one played on the ever-alluring romantic fantasies of Regency London, season two dares to entice the forbidden in this intriguing sophomore season. The stakes are higher, the gossip is more damning, and the drama couldn’t be more addictive. The season’s leads—Jonathon Bailey as Anthony Bridgerton and Simone Ashley as Kate Sharma—carry the show with their undeniable chemistry that walks the fine line between hate and love. Their slow burn romance will drive you delirious, and the back-and-forth will leave you frustrated beyond belief. More than a couple of times, these characters are TSTL (too stupid to live), but the drama they deliver is, as the kids would say, chef’s kiss.
While we’ve traded an enchanting love story for a delicious slow burn, some things have stayed the same. The sets, costumes, and music continue to boast the best from the show’s production team, and the supporting characters remain integral parts of the overall story. In a matter of eight episodes, season two has managed to flesh out its supporting characters far more than season one ever did. It was a pleasant surprise to witness the humanization of Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and the back story of Lady Violet Bridgerton. Meanwhile, all the Featheringtons (old and new) have managed to become more than gaudily-dressed fillers in the overall plot. Season two also dropped carefully-placed nuggets for the future seasons of the show (Benedict’s story is up next).
But it’s the newest additions to the cast that steal every scene. The captivating Simone Ashley is joined by her on-screen sister Charithra Chandan as Edwina Sharma and their on-screen mother Shelley Conn as Mary Sharma. The sisterhood and mother-daughter relationships between the Sharmas is worthy of their own spin-off. In truth, this season explores the relationships outside of the main couple just as much as it explores the infuriating push-and-pull between Anthony and Kate.
The angst, the yearning, the slow burn—this season might be missing the overt sexiness of the first season, but it makes up for it with its slow-paced seduction. If you’re in the mood for delayed gratification, then torture yourself with season two of Bridgerton.
Bridgerton will start streaming on Netflix on March 25.
