6 Years In, Netflix’s Masterpiece Romance Returns & Delivers Its Best Story So Far

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It’s been nearly two years since Bridgerton last captivated viewers with the dramatic love story of Colin and Penelope, and now the first part of the highly anticipated fourth season has arrived on Netflix. The show once again beautifully recreates a romanticized version of the Regency era, where finding love is just as important as spreading (and hearing!) gossip. This season does shift focus after Penelope’s identity as Lady Bridgerton was revealed, but it smartly avoids completely leaving behind the beloved characters from previous seasons.

While Penelope and Colin’s romantic storyline takes a backseat this season as they find happiness together – which unfortunately diminishes the exciting tension – the show wisely shifts focus to Benedict. His story, based on the beloved novel “An Offer from a Gentleman,” is arguably the strongest in the series. It’s a familiar tale, drawing inspiration from Cinderella, as Benedict falls for a woman disguised as a commoner at a ball. However, Benedict and Sophie’s romance ends up being overshadowed by another developing story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

PROS CONS
Benedict & Sophie’s story is charming Several subplots fall flat
Violet’s “awakening” is the best part of the story (by far) It’s hard not to miss the missing originals
It admirably tries something new Sometimes falls into pantomimey silliness
Hits most of the right notes for longer term fans Hits most of the right notes for longer-term fans

Violet Bridgerton’s Story Steals The Show in Season 4

Benedict and Sophie have a nice connection, and Thompson’s charming rogue is always entertaining, but their romance isn’t as compelling as the three main love stories we’ve seen so far. The story does offer a fresh take on classic romance themes, but I sometimes struggled to feel a strong connection between the characters, even when the story suggested they were deeply drawn to each other.

Benedict has a charming, somewhat aloof quality, much like Mr. Darcy, especially as Sophie sees him. He also gets moments to show a playful, rebellious side. This builds to a captivating offer involving the books, creating tension at the end of the fourth episode – and the first half of this unfortunately divided season. Just when things are really starting to heat up, the story cuts off, which is frustrating.

Honestly, one of the best things about this short season is finally seeing Lady Violet’s story come full circle. We’ve been following her journey – hinted at over several seasons and explored more in Queen Charlotte – as she cautiously considered rediscovering intimacy later in life. And this season? It pays off in a way that’s genuinely delightful and surprisingly funny – it reminded me of a teen sex comedy, but with Violet! The chemistry between her and Lord Anderson is incredible, and she delivers what I think is the single best line of the entire show when he comes to visit. It’s just a really charming and well-earned moment.

The show feels fresh by including the viewpoints of the servants, even within the Bridgerton family, largely due to Sophie’s storyline. While it occasionally flirts with feeling like Downton Abbey, it doesn’t linger there, and it’s interesting to see how those working below stairs live. Still, I often wish we’d return to the lavish balls, grand displays, and the beautiful classical arrangements of pop songs – the best part of this episode was definitely Vitamin String Quartet’s cover of Paramore’s “All I Wanted.”

Not Everything In Bridgerton Season 4 Works As Well

I wasn’t very engaged with the plotline focusing on Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury. It felt like it, along with giving Will Mondrich and Alice more to do, was trying to recapture the tension lost after Whistledown’s identity was revealed. That reveal always presented a challenge for the show, and this season noticeably struggles as a result. The storylines following it just didn’t feel as compelling.

Queen Charlotte’s character has unfortunately moved away from the complex and heartbreaking portrayal we saw in her own series (and occasionally elsewhere when her husband appears). She now feels more like a caricature – spoiled, overly concerned with minor details, and a little over-the-top. The storyline about her romantic feelings and how it affects Lady Danbury isn’t very engaging either.

Francesca and John are back from Scotland and their personal issues provide some humor, though John sometimes comes across as naive. Eloise also returns, but feels a bit disconnected from the main story this time. She’ll likely have a bigger role later, but her current part feels a little underdeveloped.

The story also introduces new characters, including Sophie’s unpleasant stepsisters and their overbearing, critical stepmother (played by Katie Leung, known for her role as Cho Chang in Harry Potter). However, the stepmother isn’t a particularly complex villain, and the stepsisters feel like shallow imitations of the Featherington sisters, who previously filled a similar role much more effectively.

Is Bridgerton losing a bit of steam in its fourth season? Not exactly – it still maintains a high quality and will undoubtedly be popular. However, Season 4 feels like the weakest one so far. It hasn’t started with the same energy as previous seasons, though there are still some excellent and funny moments, and I’m interested to see how the story unfolds (though we have another month to wait!). It just needs a little extra polish to recapture its usual charm.

Season 4, Part 1 of Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix! Have you watched it yet? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-01-29 16:42