...
By Alyce Collins
Senior Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Dearest gentle reader, the ton is filled with excitement and curiosity following Netflix’s latest drop: Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1. The horse-drawn carriages, corsets and masquerade balls are back in full swing in the first four episodes of the hit Regency era romantic drama.
While previous series focused on the romantic travails of Daphne, Anthony and Colin Bridgerton, this time around it’s their sibling Benedict’s turn to take the spotlight. Season 4 sees Benedict, played by Luke Thompson, meet a mysterious new love interest, played by Yerin Ha, but there’s an intriguing class divide at play.
Part 1 was released on January 29, and the reviews are already coming in quicker than the debutants at one of Queen Charlotte’s extravagant balls.
Read More on Entertainment
...
What Have the Critics Said?
Rotten Tomatoes—83 percent Tomatometer: Part 1 of Season 4 “excels at selling a fantasy,” which although predictable at times, is still just as “sweet, steamy and engrossing as ever.”
Independent—3 stars: “The latest season of Bridgerton is reliably pleasant to watch. Bridgerton deploys its familiar formula for a fourth time and—shockingly—achieves much the same result: a sexy American soap opera in bonnets and bodices.” While the season is enjoyable, the reviewer can’t help but suggest that it feels like “AI slop.”
Variety—The main characters have a “restrained courtship” that makes for a somewhat “lackluster romance,” according to this reviewer. They wrote: “Familiar faces pop in and out, and viewers are introduced to several new characters who will undoubtedly put their own stamps on the franchise.”
Digital Spy—3 stars: “While there are no stakes in the will-they-won't they aspect of this romance (we don't need to see part two to know that they will, as is the Bridgerton formula), investment in their season four journey comes from the way Ha and Thompson commit to their hopelessness.”
Time Magazine—"Even as I hope we see a more nuanced depiction of Benedict’s sexual fluidity in the second half of the season, there’s no question that Thompson and Ha have exceptional chemistry. Bridgerton remains an enjoyable romance. I just wish it had the courage to, as Benedict so self-righteously puts it, chart a more venturesome course—and give its hero a chance to do the same.”
USA Today—2 stars: “Season 4 could have been an open door to something new, even though the writers were hampered with less than ideal source material. Instead, it's tiresome and slow-going between rare moments of real heat and intrigue. When the Queen laments that there is no good gossip to be had, I can't help but agree. Has Bridgerton lost its edge for good?”
Telegraph—2 stars: What was once a “breath of fresh air,” the series is now steering towards straight up “cheesy, cringey and crass.” The two-star review suggests that Netflix’s Regency drama is now “just Cinderella with sex.”
Guardian—3 stars: “The costumes and sets are exquisite, the Cinderella stuff is startlingly free of cynicism and there is much tenderness in the romance department. Though previously resistant to Bridgerton’s charms, I am now forced to concede that its puddingy mix of clunking soap and fairytale wish-fulfillment is…watchable.”
When Is Part 2 Released?
Following the release of Part 1, viewers will have to wait to see how Benedict and Sophie’s love story will unfold, as Season 4 Part 2 will be released on February 26.
What Is a Ward?
There seems to be one question on the tip of everyone’s lips after watching Part 1 (and no, it isn’t where is Anthony Bridgerton). Many have been left wondering what in fact is “a ward?"
The term gained prominence in Episode 2 when Lord Penwood’s character refers to a young Sophie as his “ward.” Is it an insult, a term of endearment, or some new lingo that’s worth learning for an upcoming dinner party?
Fear not, because Merriam-Webster explains that a ward is a person or thing that’s under guard, protection or surveillance. This could pertain to a minor or someone under the protection of a court (possibly due to mental illness).
In this context, Lord Penwood is referring to Sophie as his ward to stake his claim over her and make it known that he is her legal guardian.
Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 is available to watch on Netflix now.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines