The costumes are sumptuous, the romances heady, the intrigues thrilling. But the dating advice for young ladies seeking love on Bridgerton is terrible.
As the frothy Regency costume drama returned for a fourth season, wicked Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung) was urging her marriageable daughters to flutter their eyes at the black sheep of the Bridgerton clan, raffish Benedict (Luke Thompson).
‘There are rumours of rakish behaviour,’ she warned, ‘but everyone knows reformed rakes make the best husbands.’
She’s no judge of character. Benedict’s idea of a quiet night in is to down a bottle of gin, throw some furniture around and go to bed with a couple of prostitutes – or ‘acquaintances’, as he delicately terms them when his mother (Ruth Gemmell) discovers him next morning, naked and (thankfully) face down.
Rowdier evenings tend to follow the same pattern, except his bedfellows are more likely to be male. Benedict, as we discovered last year, is ‘pansexual’ … another delicate term, meaning he’ll have anything that moves.
If any girl can tame him, it might be the mystery gatecrasher at Lady B’s masked ball.
Yerin Ha as Sophie Beckett shares an intimate moment with Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton. Benedict, as we discovered last year, is ‘pansexual’ … another delicate term, meaning he’ll have anything that moves
Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton embraces Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Bridgerton. The costumes are sumptuous, the romances heady, the intrigues thrilling. But the dating advice for young ladies seeking love on Bridgerton is terrible
This spectacular affair was so stunningly choreographed, and so magnificently ambitious, that even if you’ve never seen Bridgerton before, it’s worth watching this opening episode just to marvel at the spectacle.
Half–sozzled and still panting from an assignation at the Hellfire Club, Benedict was smitten by the interloper. When she admitted she didn’t know how to dance, he offered her private lessons which, unusually for him, wasn’t a euphemism.
He began by teaching her a curtsey so floridly extravagant, I suspect he must also have been tutor to the Duchess of Sussex.
As midnight struck, the stranger fled, leaving Benedict holding one white silk glove. Only then did we discover her true identity: she’s Sophie (Yerin Ha), Lady Gun’s maid–of–all–works.
In other words, he’s Prince Charming and she’s Cinderella. Lady Gun, I wouldn’t mind betting, will turn out to be Sophie’s stepmother. The old stories are the best.
If it’s unwise to look for lessons in love from Bridgerton, be wary of trusting its ballroom etiquette, too. According to an early Victorian handbook called Blunders In Behaviour Corrected, the characters broke just about every rule.
Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte flanked by Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Brimsley (Hugh Sachs)
Yerin Ha as Sophie Baek. She is Cinderella and Benedict is her Prince Charming in this modern take on Cinderella
Apparently, ladies should never converse with gentlemen before dancing: ‘To sit with your partner for any length of time is a sign of ill breeding.’
Also, ‘a lady should not leave her seat to cross the room, or speak to a friend, unless accompanied by a gentleman.’ And after a dance, a man must not ‘burden his partner with his society’.
Fortunately, all these rules were ignored, or there would have been no drama at all. As it was, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) was in attendance, with Penelope B (Nicola Coughlan) whispering gossip in her ear.
Who needs etiquette anyway? Rakish behaviour is much more entertaining.
