Netflix’s Period Drama Bridgerton Continues to Trend

by Noah Chenoweth, Entertainment Editor

Published Feb. 18, 2021

Netflix’s Bridgerton is a show that made its debut on Dec. 25, 2020, during our winter break away from classes. While the show has been out for almost two months, it continues to rank high on the trending tab on Netflix and talked about across social media platforms.

So, what exactly makes this show interesting and unique to watch? The show is a historical romantic drama that follows eight siblings of the Bridgerton family as they look for love and happiness in the London high society during the early nineteenth century.

“Diamond on the First Water” is the first episode of the season, which introduces two central characters. Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset make their way through the gossip and drama amongst their respective social circles. The show is adapted from a series of novels of the same name, written by Julia Quinn. The book series originally started in the early 2000s.

The show uses modern music and trends. In the first episode, there is a classical rendition of Ariana Grande’s song “Thank U, Next,” played during a ball scene. And a classical adaptation of Maroon 5’s song “Girls Like You” in the same episode.

Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton and Regé-Jean Page as Simon Basset in "Bridgerton.” Image/(Liam Daniel/Netflix/TNS)

The show is less concerned with historical accuracy and instead infuses the old with the new. Bringing 19th century London to life in a way that differs from other period dramas that have come out in recent years. The show itself has also inspired recent TikTok and Twitter trends, with many creators using corsets and other outfits in their videos to match the aesthetic of the show. The show also features sex and drama that is more familiar to other shows in the genre, but this also helps modernize the time. Bringing the characters and their dramas closer to 2021 than any other show has before. Bridgerton features a fully diverse cast of characters played by actors from all different backgrounds. This helps bring in fans who might otherwise have felt left out or uninterested by the premise of the show.

Junior Enyalee Goveo, a fan of the show appreciates the blend of history and music used in the show. “I enjoy seeing the customs of the particular era and the way things operated. I also enjoyed the scandal because everything in the time period has a far greater effect for something as simple as a kiss and it makes you wonder what extreme consequences will occur because of it,” said Goveo.

“The music is actually a portion I noticed immediately. I thought it was creative and exciting to see modern songs used for the banquets and balls. I felt it helped me resonate with the show more since music is such a large part of how people communicate and relate to one another these days. Especially since they were particularly well-known songs,” added Goveo.

Junior Ishary Lopez is another viewer of the show. “I really liked it, especially it being instrumental.” Ishary found the show not through social media but instead from scrolling through Netflix. “At first, I was kind of iffy because I’m not really into the whole princess thing,” said Lopez.

Both Goveo and Lopez would recommend the show.