'Bridgerton' Renewed At Netflix For Season 2
Netflix's Bridgerton is one of the streamer's biggest hits, not just in 2020, but of all time. According to the streamer's reporting, the show on track to hit 63 million views in the first month of release, making it the fifth-biggest series of all time, up there with Stranger Things and The Queen's Gambit. With such massive numbers for the Regency-set romance series, it was only a matter of time before Season 2 became official.
Netflix went all in on the announcement, framing it as a missive from Lady Whistledown. The ton's favorite gossip sheet announced it could reveal the "incomparable cast" of Bridgerton would be heading to London to begin filming Season 2 in "Spring of 2021." The announcement included no release date for the new season, nor did the missive reveal much in the way of spoilers. But if history is any guide, Season 2 will follow the books and delve into Anthony's story.
Check out the announcement:
Season 2 expects to bring back most of the main cast from Season 1, starting with Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne, and Regé-Jean Page as her husband, Simon. All of the other Bridgertons are also expected to return, including Jonathan Bailey as Anthony, Luke Thompson as Benedict, Claudia Jessie as Eloise, Florence Hunt as Hyacinth, and Ruth Gemmell as their mother, Lady Violet. It's not clear how much Luke Newton, who plays Colin, will be in Season 2, as he'll be overseas, not unlike Francesca (Ruby Stokes) was in Season 1. The Featheringtons will also be back. Polly Walker's Lady Portia will be working to protect her unmarried daughters Penelope and Prudence (Nicola Coughlan and Bessie Carter) from whoever becomes their new guardian now Lord Featherington is dead. Hopefully, Phillipa (Harriet Cains) escaped into marriage with that nice cheese-loving fellow in time.
Though the announcement does not confirm it, fans assume Julie Andrews will continue as the voice of Lady Whistledown, and both Adjoa Andoh and Golda Rosheuvel will return as Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte, respectively. Other characters, such as Ruby Barker's Marina Thompson and Martins Imhangbe's Will Mondrich, who were original creations in the first place, are more up in the air. Like Colin, Marina may sit out next season, now that's she's left to get married. Will threw the title fight towards the end of Season 1, but he's still good buddies with Simon. However, he may be a marked man, especially after what happened to his patron, Lord Featherington.
As for what Season 2 will focus on, fans assume the show will continue to follow the books. The series fleshed out the Bridgertons and the Featheringtons, turning the more individually focused novels into a rollicking ensemble piece. Still, the actual plot hewed surprisingly close to the original first Bridgerton novel by author Julia Quinn, The Duke & I. Despite giving secondary love stories to Daphne's three older brothers, only one of which works out, the story that the series turned on was hers. The eight-episode season made the most of Simon and Daphne's love story, ending with hints that Anthony would be next.
That would follow the books to the letter. The second Bridgerton novel, The Viscount Who Loved Me, is all about Anthony and his discovery that life does not follow strict guidelines, no matter how determined he is to set them. The book begins with him deciding he's getting married, and even to whom, Edwina Sheffield, who is this year's "Diamond of the First Water." No, he didn't check with the young lady ahead of time; why do you ask? He also didn't ask her older sister, Kate, who at 28 is a confirmed spinster, and damned if she'll see her baby sister married off to some high handed jerk of a rake who thinks he can marry by fiat.
Anyone who's read romances will guess what comes next, as Anthony finds himself more consumed with the irritating woman standing in the way of his plans than the younger sister to whom he was supposedly about to propose. One can only hope that a casting announcement for who plays the Sheffield sisters will soon follow in the wake of Season 2's renewal and confirm everyone's theories.
Bridgerton Season 1 is currently streaming on Netflix.
