To be frank, I was a bit sceptical about watching this season of the famous series. The promos and trailers all look promising but what was really not motivating me enough to watch this latest season was too much familiar love story between the lead pairs or rather a love triangle. Actually similar storylines have played and replayed so many times by Bollywood that this adaptation felt like an extended version of it.
But I am happy to admit that I was wrong about it; well, at least partially. What begins on the familiar notes of finding a spouse in London’s high society turns into Bollywood meets Buckingham version of the familiar love triangle. However, the treatment, backstories and the final episodes surely make it a worthwhile watch.
This season begins with Viscount Bridgerton declaring that he is ready to enter into matrimony and looking for a suitable girl as a viscountess. It’s no surprising that many a society girls are vying for his attention and would love to become a member of the illustrious Bridgerton clan. But Anthony wants none other than the season’s diamond- so named by the Queen herself, Edwina Sharma.
Edwina is the newest entrant into the Mayfair social scene since she was born and brought up in India. Now her mother and sister have brought her to London for finding a suitable groom to get married. However, it’s easier said than done. Because all the potential suitors have to meet certain criteria set up by her sister- Kate Sharma. Although, a step-sister Kate is more like a mother figure to Edwina and after their father’s untimely demise she has stood in for the family responsibilities.
That’s made her somewhat mature beyond her years and all but Kate has convinced herself that love and marriage are not for her. She is on the way to be an old maid and thus, she has decided to be an independent woman living on her own in India. But fate has something else planned which results in tying destinies of two families together by connecting three hearts to each other, albeit at a different level.
What transpires from then on is worth watching on the screen itself as there are lots of twists and turns in this complicated love story. As our lead suitors are bound by their duties and responsibilities towards their families, the water gets more muddied. Till the very last moment when all the dots are connected and this love story finally reaches its culmination.
What is remarkable about this season is that it tries to portray the main characters in more realistic ways by providing them solid backgrounds and thus, making these characters multi dimensional rather than caricatured or contrived as in the previous one. This makes us understand the mental framework of them and make a sense of why they did what they did.
Talking about substantial improvements in characterisation, we come to the Featheringtons. Unlike the first season where we hardly get any details about them except Lady Whistledown, this season puts a lot of focus on them. The way Lady Portia comes into her own and helms the reins of her falling house is definitely something to watch out for. This has made me all curious about how their relationship with their more prestigious neighbours will be played out in the coming season.
All in all, this is a season worth watching and definitely raises expectations from the upcoming season. It’ll be interesting to watch out all the drama and specially that resulting from the personal equations between main characters.
If you love all those old fashioned slow-burn love stories with enough drama and emotional appeal pulling your heartstring, then this season is a definite hit for you. Go for it, you might fall in love!
