Premiere Recap-Bridgerton Season-:No Pressure, No Diamond

Premiere Recap-Bridgerton Season-:No Pressure, No Diamond

Bridgerton is back The Shondaland global phenom created by Chris Van Dusen and based on Julia Quinn’s historical romance novels was once Netflix’s most popular show ever (only recently surpassed by Squid Game).

Its return is highly anticipated, to put it mildly. A lush, colorful, and escapist Regency romp that caters unabashedly to the female gaze, the series seems to have single-handedly subverted our idea of period dramas.

There’s chivalry, but there’s also sex! There’s modern music made classical! There’s melanin

Of course, the first season drew critiques — mostly regarding colorism and a controversial nonconsensual sex scene. But Bridgerton’s most buzzed-about topic was arguably its breakout star Regé-Jean Page.

Once it was announced Page wasn’t returning this season as the dreamy duke who wed Daphne Bridgerton, viewers threatened to boycott the show.

But I’ll be honest: I wasn’t missing him watching the premiere. This season’s cast and story line feel at least equally promising (and I’d argue more!).