Before Bridgerton season 2 was released, the focus was on whether it would be better than season 1. Having watched season 2, the question is now, does it live up to the novel it’s based on, The Viscount that Loves Me? The answer, unfortunately, is no; it doesn’t!
Let me begin by saying I love Shonda Rhimes. I’m so happy she’s making the Bridgerton TV series as screen adaptations of Regency romances are long overdue.
Disclaimer – I am someone who doesn’t like when screen adaptations diverge too much from the novel because that usually doesn’t go well. But I understand that this season needed altering; otherwise, it would be too similar to season 1.
Novel two is a fan favourite for many Bridgerton readers, so the season was highly anticipated. If you’ve seen other reviews of Bridgerton season 2, you’ll know that it didn’t go down well with many people, especially readers. Having rewatched some episodes, my review will definitely be kinder than my initial reaction. Let’s dive into what worked well with Bridgerton season 2 and what we could have done without.
What Worked Well
The Chemistry Between Anthony and Kate
The chemistry between Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) was electric. The longing glances across the room and near kisses made me excited to see them finally come together. Their eye contact was so intense that it left no doubt about their attraction to one another. Kate and Anthony’s thoughts and feelings were clear from their facial expressions without needing to utter a word – superb acting.
They had lovely pacing with their witty banter and delivered some exceptional love confessions. However, I hate to admit there were a few times when Simone’s acting made me cringe, and the inconsistency of her accent confused me. But overall, she did do a terrific job portraying Kate, and I can’t wait to see them both in the next season!
Some of the Side Plots and Characters
An emphasis on the word some.
‘Less is more’ would have been the best approach for the show because there was way too much going on at times. But in isolation, I was happy with most of the subplots and the characters.
Unpopular opinion, but I actually liked most of the Featherington scenes. Lady Featherington is a survivor and impressively cunning, so I liked seeing her interactions with the new Lord Featherington. I could have done with fewer scenes, but generally, I’m not mad at it.
I actually preferred Edwina’s character in the TV series over the novel. She’s confident and has more backbone; she was dropping words of wisdom after she realised Kate and Anthony had feelings towards each other. I hope we get to see her find love in the next season.
There were so many phenomenal scenes:
- The scene where a confused Mad King George stumbled into the room, leaving a usually controlled Queen Charlotte frozen in shock and embarrassment, was touching. Edwina came to the queen’s rescue, comforting the King and easing the tension. It was bittersweet to realise how much love the King loved Charlotte and then realise the pain she must feel that he is unwell.
- Violet had a couple of great scenes, ranging from funny to heartbreaking. The flashback where she is grieving the loss of her husband and tells Anthony she is doing her best is so heartfelt that I felt her grief at that moment. There was no doubt Violet had lost the love of her life.
- The way Jonathan dropped his head into his hands after Violet informed him Kate was awake following the accident had my heart-melting. I had to reload this scene a couple of times because it was too good to only watch once. Jonathan did the character of Anthony justice – excellent casting!
What We Could Have Done Without
Basically, All Changes to the Plot
In the novel, Kate is stung by a bee, and because that’s how Anthony’s dad died, he reacted by placing his lips to suck the venom out. They are caught by his mother and Lady Featherington, forcing them to marry to prevent scandal. This meant they were married for a good chunk of the novel, and we got to see them grow closer, overcome their demons and eventually fall in love.
Take a moment and picture the anticipation readers had for the bee scene. Now imagine the disappointment felt when the scene was another near-nothing moment. I wouldn’t have cared so much if another reason forced them to get married. For instance, if they slept together and Anthony proposed out of duty like he did later in the show, but this time Kate accepts due to the risk of pregnancy. That would have allowed the show to continue with the novel’s storyline but be different enough from season 1. Instead, Anthony proposed to Edwina, one of the writers’ worst changes.
What made this change all the more frustrating was that it meant we didn’t see Kate and Anthony together half as much as we should have. We were also denied the love-making scenes we expected. This doesn’t seem to be an issue for most reviewers, but I’m not afraid to admit, I appreciate those scenes. Even though the one sex scene was top-notch, quality over quantity isn’t always enough.
The love triangle is the worse. Anthony courted Edwina in the book, but she never loved him and was happy when he married Kate, relieving her from the pressure to wed wealthy for financial reasons. By the time they reached the altar in the show, I had thought, forget it, they might as well get married. Kate can get with his friend Mr Thomas Dorset and move to India. Side note, where did Thomas disappear to? He was clearly interested in Kate, so why wouldn’t he have pursued it. Now that’s a love triangle I can get behind
The show spoiled the close relationship between Kate and Edwina with the love triangle and Kate hiding her correspondence with the Sheffields. In the first few episodes, they made Kate dislikable with her rude behaviour and blatant disregard for social etiquette. She went a step further than her character in the novel would have gone.
But what’s worse was what the show did to Mary. Mary was robbed big time, and they gave what belonged to her to Lady Danbury. Now don’t get it twisted, I love me some Lady Danbury, but Mary was their mother and should have been the one Kate turned to for counsel. It changed the whole family dynamic, and we missed a lot of their backstory.
The show took away the fears that added some dimension to Kate and Anthony’s relationship. Kate feared storms because she witnessed her mother’s traumatic death on a stormy day, a memory she forgot until she spoke to Mary. Anthony had an irrational belief that he would die before age 38 because that’s when his father died, and his dad was the greatest man he ever knew. There are super sweet moments in the novel where they support each other in overcoming these fear. They took away the depth of their characters and their bond in taking them away. I question why the characters fall in love with each other in the show. Sometimes it felt like lust was the main driver of their relationship, which is never what you want to think when it comes to a love story.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, Julia Quinn wrote a fantastic novel, which didn’t need the level of changes they made. I appreciate it’s a TV show, so change is needed, but they should have stuck more to the source material from the book.
My favourite of the Bridgerton series is Benedict’s story, An Offer from a Gentleman, the next story which should be told. A word of advice to Shondaland:
DON’T CHANGE THE PLOT!
I can just about forgive this season but mess with Benedict’s story, and I’ll lose my head.
Some predict Penelope and Collin’s relationship will be the focus of the next season as the show said it wouldn’t follow the book timeline. I’m not a fan of the rest of the novels after Benedict’s, so any changes will probably be an improvement.
I look forward to seeing what the Bridgerton series has installed for us next because whether we want to or not, we’ll keep coming back for more.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the season. Have you read the books? How does it compare? Is Bridgerton season 2 better than season 1? Share your opinion below and as always, if you like this article, follow the Facebook and Pinterest page.
Further Reading:
10 Interesting Things We Learn From Regency Romances Like Bridgerton
Bridgerton Series 2: Better or Worse than Season 1?
Comments are closed.
Pia
Good review!! I mostly agree with what you said (especially the lady Mary point because not a lot of people talk about it).
Chantelle Asante
Agreed. If they had developed Mary’s character, we might have gotten a flashback to their life in India, which would have been nice. Thanks for your comment!
Ada
What an amazing review of season 2 of Bridgerton!
First of all, I am a big fan of the TV series however I have not read Quinn’s books. I’m so shocked to hear that Kate and Anthony were the ones who were supposed to get married. I would have been annoyed too because it’s such a big change to the story.
Book to TV adaptions never follow original plot lines and Shonderland is known for dramatic and climatic storylines so I do fear the rest of the series will stray away from the books unfortunately.
But the big change may have worked really well on screen because the relationship between Kate and Anthony was so tentative or “forbidden” ( because Edwina loved the Viscount ) that the slow burn enemies to lovers trope was so appealing to watch.
Also I agree with you about Simone’s acting, at the start I found it a bit off-putting and cringy, glad someone else noticed.
Can’t wait to read your next review!
Chantelle Asante
Interesting thoughts! It’s great to hear the perspective of someone who hasn’t read the books. Even though I was disappointed by the season, I want Bridgerton to do well, so I’m glad people like it. I’ve rewatched scenes since my review, and I enjoy it more each time. Re. Simone’s acting, I’m glad I’m not the only one who noticed it.
You’re right about Shondaland; I will watch the next season with no expectations.
Thanks so much for your comment 🙂