Their fake-courtship-to-real-lovers arc is the engine of the season. What made it work wasn't just the chemistry (though, my goodness, the chemistry ). It was the negotiation of power. Daphne learns she isn't just a pawn; she learns how to play the game. Simon learns that his vow to spite his father is actually a cage. Their fight in the rain? The apology in the gallery? The "I burn for you" speech? The Shondaland Twist: Race and Power The most brilliant decision of the season was its "color-conscious" casting. In this version of Regency England, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) has granted people of color titles and power. Lord Danbury is a Black marquess. The Duke is a Black duke.
But let’s be honest—Season 1 wasn’t just “pretty people in pretty clothes.” It was a cultural grenade wrapped in a waltz. Here is why we are still talking about Daphne and the Duke. At its heart, Season 1 follows Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), the perfect debutante with an impeccable reputation, and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), the Duke of Hastings who swears he will never marry.
Rating: 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 (5/5 Bees)
What was your favorite moment from Season 1? The boxing match? The wedding? The confrontation in the rain? Let me know in the comments.
Warning: Contains spoilers for Bridgerton Season 1.
When Bridgerton dropped on Netflix on Christmas Day 2020, the world was desperate for an escape. We were tired of sweatpants, sourdough starters, and Zoom fatigue. And then, like a glittering carriage pulling up to a muddy street, Shondaland delivered exactly what we needed: sugar, spice, and everything scandalous.
By not ignoring race, but reimagining it, the show created a fantasy that feels radical. It allows a Black woman (Lady Danbury) to lecture a white aristocrat on privilege. It allows a dark-skinned Duke to be the most desired man in London. It doesn't erase racism; it slays the dragon by simply saying, "What if we just... didn't?" Julie Andrews voicing a vicious, anonymous gossip columnist was a stroke of genius. Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers are the 1813 equivalent of a viral TikTok exposé.
