Netflix's lavish period drama Bridgerton has triumphantly returned for its highly anticipated fourth season, once again immersing viewers in a world of opulent costumes, heady romances, and thrilling societal intrigues. However, amidst the glittering balls and whispered scandals, the series presents some truly terrible dating advice for young ladies navigating the treacherous waters of Regency-era love.
A Misguided Matriarch's Counsel
As the new season unfolds, the wicked Lady Araminta Gun, portrayed with delicious malice by Katie Leung, offers her marriageable daughters profoundly flawed guidance. She encourages them to set their sights on Benedict Bridgerton, the black sheep of the illustrious family played by Luke Thompson, despite his notorious reputation. "There are rumours of rakish behaviour," she cautions, "but everyone knows reformed rakes make the best husbands." This counsel proves spectacularly misguided, revealing Lady Gun's poor judgement of character.
Benedict's Unconventional Lifestyle
Benedict's idea of a quiet evening involves consuming an entire bottle of gin, engaging in furniture-throwing antics, and retiring with multiple companions—whom he euphemistically refers to as "acquaintances" when discovered naked and face-down by his mother, Lady Violet Bridgerton, portrayed by Ruth Gemmell. His more raucous nights follow similar patterns, though his bedfellows are frequently male. As revealed previously, Benedict identifies as pansexual, a delicate term indicating his openness to romantic encounters with individuals regardless of gender.
A Cinderella Story Unfolds
The season's narrative introduces a potential catalyst for Benedict's reformation in the form of Sophie Beckett, played by Yerin Ha. This mysterious gatecrasher at Lady Bridgerton's spectacular masked ball captures Benedict's attention completely. Half-intoxicated and still recovering from an assignation at the infamous Hellfire Club, he becomes instantly smitten by the enigmatic interloper.
When Sophie confesses her inability to dance, Benedict offers private lessons—an offer that, unusually for him, contains no hidden meaning. He begins by teaching her an extravagantly florid curtsey, so elaborate that one might suspect he previously instructed the Duchess of Sussex. As midnight strikes, Sophie flees the ball, leaving behind a single white silk glove and revealing her true identity: she is merely Lady Gun's maid-of-all-works.
This revelation transforms their encounter into a classic Cinderella narrative, with Benedict as Prince Charming and Sophie as the oppressed heroine. Lady Gun likely serves as the wicked stepmother in this modern fairy tale retelling, proving that the oldest stories often remain the most compelling.
Historical Etiquette Thoroughly Ignored
Beyond its questionable romantic guidance, Bridgerton consistently disregards authentic Regency ballroom etiquette. According to the early Victorian handbook Blunders In Behaviour Corrected, the characters violate nearly every established rule of proper conduct. The manual explicitly states that ladies should never converse with gentlemen before dancing, considering it "a sign of ill breeding" to sit with one's partner for any length of time.
Additional rules dictate that a lady must not cross a room or speak to friends unless accompanied by a gentleman, and that after dancing, a man should not "burden his partner with his society." Fortunately for viewers, these strict conventions are routinely ignored throughout the series, allowing drama and romance to flourish where rigid propriety would have stifled all narrative momentum.
Spectacle Over Substance
The season's opening masked ball represents a breathtaking spectacle of choreography and ambition, worth watching even for those unfamiliar with the Bridgerton universe. Queen Charlotte, portrayed regally by Golda Rosheuvel, presides over the festivities while Penelope Bridgerton, played by Nicola Coughlan, whispers delicious gossip in her ear. The event showcases the series' signature blend of historical fantasy and contemporary sensibility.
Ultimately, while Bridgerton provides sumptuous visual feasts and addictive storytelling, viewers would be wise to seek love lessons elsewhere. The series demonstrates that rakish behaviour and broken etiquette make for far more entertaining television than proper courtship ever could, reminding us that sometimes the worst advice creates the best drama.
