Bridgerton enthusiasts have eagerly consumed the initial four episodes of the show's fourth series, with anticipation building for the second part scheduled for release on Netflix on February 26th. The season draws its narrative foundation from Julia Quinn's beloved Regency romance novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, focusing on the burgeoning love story between Benedict Bridgerton, portrayed by Luke Thompson, and the servant Sophie, played by Yerin Ha.
Significant Departures from the Source Material
While the Netflix adaptation remains faithful to the core romantic arc, the production team at Shondaland has introduced several notable alterations when translating the book to the screen. These changes range from character background modifications to expanded plotlines for supporting figures. Here is a detailed exploration of the seven most substantial differences between the original literary work and the televised version.
Please note: This analysis contains spoilers for both the Bridgerton novel series and the Netflix television programme.
1. Sophie's Surname and Heritage
The Bridgerton television universe exists within an alternative historical reality, established in the spin-off Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, where people of colour hold estates and noble titles. This inclusive approach has led to thoughtful character adaptations. In the novels, the character is Sophie Beckett. For the series, showrunner Jess Brownell collaborated with actress Yerin Ha to select a new surname that honoured Ha's South Korean heritage while phonetically resembling 'Beckett'. The result was the surname Baek, making the character Sophie Baek in the adaptation.
2. Sophie's Relationship with Her Father
Julia Quinn's novel presents Lord Penwood, Sophie's father, as a distant figure who has minimal involvement with his illegitimate daughter, born from a liaison with a housemaid. Following her mother's death, Sophie is raised by her maternal grandmother before being placed in Lord Penwood's care at age three, where he publicly claims she is an orphaned friend's child.
The television adaptation significantly softens this dynamic. Lord Penwood, played by Arthur Lee, is portrayed as considerably more affectionate and devoted towards Sophie. This makes the subsequent betrayal, when her stepmother Araminta Gun reveals that Lord Penwood's will contains no financial provision for Sophie, all the more devastating for the character.
3. Benedict's Characterisation and Intentions
The screen version of Benedict Bridgerton has been crafted to be more well-rounded and immediately appealing than his literary counterpart. Luke Thompson's portrayal infuses the character with a cheerful, puppy-like enthusiasm that is less pronounced in the book. Furthermore, a critical plot point—Benedict's proposal for Sophie to become his mistress—is handled with greater nuance on screen.
In the television series, this proposal stems from Benedict's misguided but ultimately well-intentioned perspective, given the social constraints of the era. This contrasts with the novel's more problematic portrayal, where Benedict initially views Sophie merely as domestic help and persists in pursuing a forbidden affair despite her clear objections.
4. The Timeline of Lady Whistledown's Revelation
Shondaland altered the sequence of adapting the Bridgerton novels. The fourth book, Romancing Mr Bridgerton, was adapted for television as season three, before the third novel, An Offer from a Gentleman, which forms the basis for season four. This reshuffling has narrative consequences.
In the literary timeline at this point, Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington are not yet married, and Colin remains oblivious to Penelope's secret identity as the gossip columnist Lady Whistledown. While the first television season revealed this secret to the audience, in the books, readers do not discover Lady Whistledown's true identity until the fourth novel, and it is a secret never disclosed to the wider 'ton' or society.
5. Violet Bridgerton's Romantic Subplot
In Julia Quinn's novels, Violet Bridgerton remains a devoted widow, faithfully honouring the memory of her late husband, Edmund, while supporting her children's pursuits of love and happiness. The television series grants Violet, portrayed by Ruth Gemmell, a new narrative avenue. She is permitted a fresh start and discovers personal joy through a romantic storyline with Lord Anderson, a character played by Daniel Francis, which does not exist in the source material.
6. Francesca's Storyline and a Gender-Flipped Character
A significant and deliberate departure from the books involves the character of Michaela Stirling, played by Masali Baduza, who appeared in season three. This character is a gender-flipped version of Michael Stirling from the sixth Bridgerton novel, When He Was Wicked.
This change sets the stage for a same-sex romantic arc between Michaela and Francesca Bridgerton, portrayed by Hannah Dodd. This storyline, anticipated to unfold fully in either season five or six, represents a considerable creative departure from the source material to offer a fresh, inclusive perspective within the Regency romance framework.
7. The Expanded Roles of The Queen and Lady Danbury
Queen Charlotte and Lady Agatha Danbury are peripheral figures in the Bridgerton novels, with their appearances being relatively minor. The Netflix adaptation has successfully expanded their roles, to widespread critical and audience praise. A central plotline in the series involves a significant row and ongoing tension between The Queen and Lady Danbury, portrayed by Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh respectively.
This conflict, which adds substantial political and personal drama to the show, is entirely a creation for the television series and does not feature in Quinn's books, which maintain a tighter focus on the central romantic pairings of each volume.
