'Bridgerton', Pick One: Love, Mourning, Gossip

“Dearest gentle reader,” has it hit you yet? Or are you still awaiting Lady Whistledown’s society paper for the grand revelation that the much-loved 'Bridgerton' is, willy-nilly, rather like 'Cinderella' meets 'Gossip Girl'?

No offence, but call a spade a spade — 'Gossip Girl’s' Blair Waldorf or the ever-scheming Dan Humphrey would certainly pull off far better gossip-mongering than the beautiful ladies in 'Bridgerton'. Talk about 'Cinderella' — well, a drama of today is hardly a match for the classic that was once every woman’s dream love story. Some things, after all, age like fine wine; others… not so much.

Let’s get into the basics first. In no way do 'Bridgerton' and 'Gossip Girl' not share similar narratives, with the former often referred to as the “Regency Gossip Girl”. Both shows, primarily appealing to female audiences, clearly have an edge with the gossip factor — because, come on, we all enjoy a good gossip session now and then. But is Lady Whistledown an inspired concept, or merely borrowed brilliance? Well, that is for the "ton" to decide. Personally, when it comes to gossip, I would still vote for a journey into Serena and Blair’s chaotic lives — juicy, modern, and deliciously dramatic.

As interesting as every other season of the show has been, Season 4 — despite being noticeably rushed — flowed rather smoothly. While many questioned Benedict and Sophie’s story as being a little too inspired by 'Cinderella', the idea of a man who had never been serious in life suddenly finding love in a maid did strike a chord. Benedict won the hearts of every hopeless romantic who secretly hoped that even the most carefree rake might someday fall head over heels. Watching him agree to leave behind a life of comfort for a maid — who, conveniently enough, later turns out to be from a respectable house — certainly had viewers smiling. Fairy tales, after all, do thrive on convenient revelations. Could it have lasted longer? Well…maybe?

Now, come to Season 4. With Benedict Bridgerton and Sophie Baek — apologies, Sophie Gun — oh wait, Sophie Bridgerton — finally married, all one could wonder was how the much-anticipated episodes would fare. Unfortunately, not only were there a number of rushed moments, there was also an uncertainty brewing over the love story, strangely enough, right beside a funeral. Take Francesca’s love story arc, for instance, which coincided with Sophie’s life revelation — two weighty storylines awkwardly squeezed together like guests at an overcrowded ball.

What exactly is the point of a historical romance drama if one is not allowed to properly grieve with a favourite character because another character’s love story simply could not wait another season? Or perhaps the death of the innocent Francesca’s husband did not deserve an entire episode — because, no matter how one looks at it, that part of Season 4 carried the utmost emotional gravity for almost every viewer. It felt like being in two places at once: you either grieve or you celebrate a union; you either sit with Francesca’s sorrow or allow Benedict’s romantic frustrations to strike a hopeful chord. The show, unfortunately, seemed determined to have its cake and eat it too.

And to top it all, the makers summed up Sophie’s turning point in life in a mere few minutes — no drama, no pomp, no suspense, no dire stakes whatsoever. She was inside and outside of prison as quickly as a child escaping a dentist’s cubicle. Even the villainous Lady Araminta, who by the way did an excellent job, was defeated within ten minutes, despite spending years cultivating cruelty worthy of a proper antagonist. The entire season felt rushed — undoubtedly so — like a carriage racing through the plot without stopping to admire the scenery.

That said, where on earth is Daphne? I mean, even Kate returned all the way from India — even if it was just for seconds on the screen. Her baby Edmund also made his debut, yet Daphne’s very mention seemed like too big a deal for her own family. And let’s not forget: Daphne and Simon’s love story was, by far, among the most loved — and arguably the best episodes of the series so far.

Wait, have I mentioned Lady Violet yet? Oh, I haven’t. What about Penelope’s resignation? And, and — Cressida’s return? Lady Danbury’s farewell? As overwhelming as even listing these moments sounds here, the makers somehow decided to include everything and everyone all at once — resulting in what could have been a cherished season collapsing into one rushed, unclear, and rather short-lived series of affairs.

In the end, one cannot help but feel that 'Bridgerton' tried to do too much, too quickly – and as the saying goes, when you chase two rabbits, you catch neither.