Image via Netflix
Published Jan 29, 2026, 3:01 AM EST
Carly Lane is an Atlanta-based writer and critic who has been with Collider in some form or fashion since 2021. She considers herself a television nerd, diehard romance/sci-fi/fantasy reader, and nascent horror lover. Her fondness of books is only eclipsed by the towering TBR that her shelves can't possibly contain.
She is the author of A REGENCY GUIDE TO MODERN LIFE: 1800s ADVICE ON 21ST CENTURY LOVE, FRIENDS, FUN AND MORE, published through DK Books (an imprint of Penguin Random House) and currently available wherever books are sold.
Sign in to your Collider account
Since first premiering on Netflix in 2020, Bridgerton has taken the world by storm (though one could argue it was perfectly timed to do so with its initial holiday drop), but it's also become a bit of a cultural phenomenon in its own right. The day before preparing to write this review, I spotted series-branded Dove body wash in the aisle of my local Target, as obvious a sign as any that Bridgerton has become more than a show at this point; it's a brand. Despite all the collabs and tie-in products that bear the familiar Shondaland series' logo, however, the arrival of a new season — and the promise of a new love story along with it — is always highly anticipated, with the backdrop of Regency-era England conveniently doubling as a welcome escape.
I'll admit that I didn't originally have high expectations for the return of Bridgerton this year, even though I've found things to love about all three seasons that have aired to date, from irresistible tropes to standout performances (Nicola Coughlan is the heart and soul of this franchise, and I won't hear any argument to the contrary). If anything, my doubt didn't lie with the show itself, but with the believability that its latest romantic hero could measure up to what preceded him. While Luke Thompson's Benedict Bridgerton is technically the second son of the titular family, he's the fourth member to earn their own love story, on the heels of his siblings Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), and Colin (Luke Newton).
However, as any longtime Regency romance reader will tell you, second sons have a well-earned reputation for steering clear of deeper commitment, and Benedict, up until this point, has displayed no indication of wanting to properly settle down. The show itself has hardly had the opportunity to build Thompson up as a leading man, either, especially while needing to devote attention to other romances. The success of Season 4 would rest not only on his shoulders but also on whoever was cast to completely upend Benedict's world. Thankfully, Bridgerton's latest return brings with it a breath of fresh air in newcomer Yerin Ha, whose character, Sophie Baek, allows the story to expand its scope beyond the wealthiest members of the ton. While Season 4, adapted from author Julia Quinn's novel An Offer From a Gentleman, certainly draws inspiration from the classic Cinderella fairy tale, the upstairs/downstairs love story that gradually unfolds between its two leads turns Bridgerton into an even better version of itself.
What Is 'Bridgerton' Season 4 About?
As previously mentioned, Benedict Bridgerton (Thompson) has no intention of settling down anytime soon, having favored a more non-conforming lifestyle over the show's past three seasons — though, despite his previous affairs, he visibly balks at the idea of being thought of as a "rake" (aka, a Regency-era bad boy). However, his mother, Violet (Ruth Gemmell), has never been the type to let any of her children deter her from a potential matchmaking opportunity, and the Bridgertons' upcoming masquerade ball provides the perfect atmosphere for her oldest unmarried son to find a potential bride. Benedict rolls in late with a poor excuse for a costume, expecting another unmemorable night before he encounters a mysterious woman in silver. Their time together is admittedly brief, but she leaves a lasting impression on him — as well as one of her gloves, once she flees their private interlude at the stroke of midnight.
With nothing more than the details of their conversation to go on, Benedict finds himself obsessing over this beautiful stranger, determined to unmask her once and for all, but tracking her down within the ton might actually be impossible — because she isn't a high-ranking member of society. Benedict's woman in silver is actually Sophie Baek (Ha), a maid who'd only snuck into the Bridgertons' masquerade to enjoy how the other half lives for a night. By the next morning, she's reverted to doing household chores and tending to the every need of her stepmother, Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung), as well as her stepsisters, Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei). For Sophie, her encounter with a handsome, well-dressed gentleman was a bold transgression that she'll never be able to repeat, especially since her stepmother is already looking for any excuse to kick her out of the house.
The other close and extended members of the Bridgerton family have their own unique problems to deal with. On the heels of publicly revealing herself as Lady Whistledown, Penelope (Coughlan) is admittedly very content in her marriage to Colin (Newton), but struggles to balance her commitments to her family with Queen Charlotte's (Golda Rosheuvel) personal demand for gossip. Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) is the next sibling of marrying age, but her distaste for the social season leads her to clash with her younger sister, Hyacinth (Florence Hunt), whose aspirations of making her debut are actually genuine. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) seems happy with her new husband, John Stirling (Victor Alli), but secretly struggles to achieve a certain pinnacle during their more intimate moments. Bridgerton family matriarch Violet has been experiencing feelings for a potential new suitor in Lady Danbury's (Adjoa Andoh) brother, Marcus (Daniel Francis), and wrestles with whether to finally indulge in a romance of her very own.
An Upstairs/Downstairs Romance Changes 'Bridgerton' for the Better in Season 4
It's not inaccurate to dub Bridgerton comfort-food viewing, especially when taking the setting into account. Not only is historical romance, by its very nature, rooted in a fantasy construct removed from most of the era's harsher realities, but there is something incredibly appealing about being immersed in a world that bears very little resemblance to our own at the moment. However, amid the backdrop of fancy balls, elegant period clothing, and Vitamin String Quartet covers of contemporary songs (of which there are still plenty), Bridgerton has largely overlooked most of the background characters whose efforts make the social season possible. That all changes with Season 4 when the servants finally earn an increased focus, with some even stepping into the foreground of the story for the first time. Sophie is already in a different position from any other Bridgerton lead we've met so far, having grown up outside the ton for most of her life, but she also acts as a window into a completely different part of this world, which doubles as a refreshing change of pace for the show.
Most of Bridgerton's current working class initially seems content in their roles — the Bridgertons' housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson (Geraldine Alexander), for example, clearly has no intention of leaving to work for another family, but the same doesn't necessarily hold for Mrs. Varley (Lorraine Ashbourne), who works for the Featheringtons across the street. With all of Portia's (Polly Walker) daughters having moved out to start families of their own, Lady Featherington is left somewhat adrift with only her housekeeper as a confidant, but Varley increasingly refuses to remain content with so-called "gifts" like Portia's hand-me-down dresses when what she really wants is a raise in pay. Their storyline also parallels the rising tensions between Lady Danbury and the Queen, as more cracks in the longtime friends' relationship begin to show after Agatha expresses interest in pursuing her own life beyond royal service.
Related
Things are even worse for Sophie by comparison, admittedly, when her stepmother starts to suspect that she's been behaving outside the boundaries of propriety for a servant, which also leads to one of the biggest surprises of Bridgerton Season 4. Katie Leung gives a devastatingly complex performance as Lady Araminta Gun that reveals new layers over the first four episodes provided for review and culminates in one of the season's most dynamic scenes. Sophie and her stepmother's relationship is defined by the same shared grief, despite Araminta refusing to acknowledge it, but Leung's strength in the role elevates the character beyond the mere villain stereotype that defined the classic fairy tale inspiration. Sophie's stepsisters aren't quite as fleshed out in the first half by comparison, but a surprising turn for the family by the end of Episode 4 hints at even more for them when Part 2 drops next month.
'Bridgerton' Is the Best It's Ever Been in Season 4 Part 1
Image via NetflixAfter three seasons to date, expectations for Bridgerton are undoubtedly higher than ever, and a split-season release strategy may not endear any new viewers, but the truth is that the first four episodes are among the best the series has ever produced, thanks in large part to a new leading lady. Yerin Ha is luminous as Sophie Baek, balancing sincere naivety about the ton's inner workings with clear-eyed cynicism about society's limitations on her class. Her journey this season is a push and pull between what's expected of her and the glimmers of hope she allows herself to have about the possibility of something more, and it's plain to see why Benedict falls for her without knowing any of the most relevant details.
As for Thompson, he reveals new layers to Benedict that were only hinted at in previous seasons, and plays a version of the character that is certainly more sensitive, if no less painfully oblivious, than his book counterpart. Yet he's arguably at his best when the show allows him to lean full-tilt into rakish romance hero territory, from a lake scene that might top Anthony's Season 2 swim to a naughty move that puts Colin carefully fixing Penelope's dress after Season 3's carriage scene to shame. Unsurprisingly, that also means that Thompson is at his best in Season 4 when he's sharing the screen with his new co-star. Benedict and Sophie keep running into each other after the masquerade, but he has no idea who she really is; this allows Thompson and Ha to create a charming dynamic that builds in both romantic tension and yearning, to the point where Benedict stops thinking about his woman in silver and starts to entertain the idea of pursuing a relationship that flies in the face of everything conventional.
In the past, Bridgerton has struggled to balance the season's main romance with every supporting storyline in its orbit. Fortunately, Season 4 continues to build on the improved strategy that last season successfully developed, devoting ample time to who Benedict and Sophie are individually as well as their evolving dynamic, which is only helped by the fact that each episode is over an hour long. That might border on a bit too lengthy for some viewers, but since the show is also devoted to laying the romantic foundation for its next two seasons, it's a choice that serves the majority of Bridgerton's cast in the long run while ensuring fan-favorite book scenes get the attention they deserve. There's also a welcome focus on several other couples in addition to the season's main pair; Francesca and John, for instance, represent a different lens into intimacy after marriage, while Violet's decision to take her relationship with Marcus to the next level throws a more mature romance into the mix. Still, with the show's ensemble only growing every season, some characters have been pushed into the background with little to no development of their own, which might signal that it's either time for them to formally exit or adopt a more significant role in the overall story.
Despite any minor drawbacks, Season 4 is already raising the bar for Bridgerton thanks to a compelling new lead in Yerin Ha, a bigger spotlight on one of the most underappreciated classes in the Regency series' society, and a continued dedication to prioritizing the primary reason viewers keep tuning in time and time again: the seemingly insurmountable journey to a happily ever after. There's no telling yet how Benedict and Sophie's romance will play out in the season's last four episodes, but Part 1 leaves things off on a tantalizing note that will likely leave viewers desperate for more.
Release Date December 22, 2020
Network Netflix
Directors Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson
Writers Abby McDonald, Sarah L. Thompson, Daniel Robinson, Oliver Goldstick, Leila Cohan-Miccio, Azia Squire, Sarah Dollard, Eli Wilson Pelton, Janet Lin
-
Luke Thompson
Lady Violet Bridgerton
-
Ruth Gemmell
Benedict Bridgerton
Pros & Cons
- Yerin Ha is absolutely luminous as Season 4's new leading lady Sophie Baek.
- Luke Thompson unveils welcome layers for Benedict this season, and is arguably at his best when he gets to lean fully into romantic hero territory.
- The season's upstairs/downstairs romance allows for an increased focus on the working class, resulting in a welcome expansion of Bridgerton's world.
- Season 4 does a better job of balancing the main love story with other supporting storylines.
- Katie Leung is one of the season's biggest surprises, adding dimension to what could have easily been a one-note villain.
- The show's continually growing ensemble results in some characters feeling underdeveloped.
English (US) ·