Season 2 of the Netflix original series Bridgerton concentrates on Anthony, played by Jonathan Bailey, who is a much less compelling hero than Rege Jean-Simon Page’s Bassett.
The second season of Bridgerton features more opulent parties, lovely gardens, people staring adoringly at one another, exquisite costumes being tried on at the Modiste, malicious rumours about residents of the “Ton,” and the enduring mystery of Lady Whistledown’s identity. But since the end of Season 1, the audience and I have become close friends. Penelope Featherington, who dons a cloak and an Irish accent as and when she completes her duties, is the Gossip Girl of the Regency Era.
Rege-Jean Page’s portrayal of Duke Simon Bassett, who seems to have given the historical genre quite the spicy touches in the previous season, is absent from this one. He was really a more interesting character in the programme than Anthony, despite the fact that his Season 1 storyline was built on the conflation of the words “won’t” and “can’t”. Anthony was in fact quite a liability in Season 1, but if he has been elevated to the position of hero this time around, we must accept that.
This season does not feature Rege-Jean Page as Duke Simon Bassett
She seemed to have given the historical genre quite the spicy touches in the previous season. Despite the fact that Anthony’s Season 1 storyline was based on the terms “won’t” and “can’t,” he was really a more intriguing character in the show than Anthony, aside from the obviously obvious lack of sex scenes. Even though Anthony was rather a liability in Season 1, we must accept the fact that he has been given the title of hero this time around.
We now return to the affluent British society that isn’t covered in school textbooks — think Splitsvilla set in the Regency era — where everyone is of marriageable age and all “mamas” are searching for possible suitors for their children. Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), a rough-hewn but ultimately kind-hearted character, is the subject of this season’s pursuits. A little refresher for our protagonist: despite his best attempts, the love of his life realised he couldn’t accept her in public at the end of Season 1, leaving him heartbroken. He is a bitter and resentful viscount in Season 2 who must attend balls and hunt for a suitable bride to marry. We learn more about his past; he was a stressed-out man child who had to take care of a sizable estate after his father unexpectedly passed away.
The show makes a lot of effort to persuade us that he fits the description of Mr. Darcy from Jane Austen. He meets the obstinate Kate Sharma, and they start fighting right away. He doesn’t really seem to comprehend that his conceptions of women are blatantly offensive, thus it’s difficult to resist doing so. She can step into puddles, expose her ankles, and ride horses whenever she wants since “she is not like other Regency females,” as the saying goes. He finds excitement in a lady who, why not, keeps arguing with him. Unfortunately, Anthony is not Darcy; the Austenian character is still out of his league; and he finds it difficult to draw attention to the Bridgerton personality.
Even though Kate and Anthony fight whenever they have the chance, you know that if they were left alone, they would definitely devour one another in a matter of moments. The motif of animosity changing into ardent love is one that the show likes, but although it worked for Simon and Daphne, it falls flat for these two. You have to wait a long time to detect any chemistry in the slow-burning relationship. Since Anthony was competing for Edwina’s affections before the season was halfway through, who has the personality of a fruit fly, there are issues aplenty. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a love triangle forms and repressed impulses erupt.
Penelope’s determination to avoid detection is the main theme of the subplot.
Penelope’s resolve to go unnoticed as Lady Whistledown and observant Eloise’s ambition to spot the scandalous gossip writer amid the crowd are the two primary characters in the more intriguing subplot. I would now want to see more of Eloise, one of the funnier and better-written characters on the show, rather than Daphne or Anthony. Why isn’t a season dedicated to her antics? It would be much more fascinating to create a spinoff that only featured her and Penelope. Since Eloise’s razor-sharp humour gives the programme its flavour, Bridgerton fights valiantly to keep up with herself when she isn’t around.
Because doing so would be both a genuine disrespect to the genre and to the programme, it is never thought of as a historical period-piece drama. For all its worth, the first season was enjoyable to binge watch when you wanted something mellow and breezy. This time, they’re trying to make it cerebral, but it quickly devolves into stuffy drudgery. If you are an avid Shonda Rhimes and the show fan, watch Bridgerton.