Netflix’s Bridgerton has returned with its fourth season, and this time the Regency drama is tackling one of society’s most enduring taboos: women’s sexual experience. While the series has long been celebrated for its steamy encounters among London’s elite, season four shifts focus to the inequality between men and women when it comes to knowledge of intimacy.
Francesca’s Struggle
Newlyweds Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) and John Stirling (Victor Alli) face challenges in their marriage as they navigate intimacy. Francesca, kept in ignorance like many upper-class women of the era, begins questioning why men are allowed experience while women are denied it.
“It was really nice to see Francesca leaning on her female counterparts to get that information,” Dodd told BBC News. “It’s this unfair thing where men are allowed to have experience and women are not.”
The storyline highlights the honesty of relationships, showing how couples must push beyond their comfort zones to communicate openly.
Neurodivergent Representation
Francesca’s character has also resonated with autistic fans. While not explicitly written as neurodivergent, her need for quiet spaces and struggles with societal conventions have sparked representation conversations.
Dodd explained: “To acknowledge feeling slightly different to your siblings and how society is going about… it’s really important that everybody sees themselves represented on that screen.”
Benedict’s Cinderella Romance
Beyond Francesca’s journey, season four spotlights Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), who falls for newcomer Sophie (Yerin Ha) during a masked ball. Their Cinderella-style romance introduces viewers to the servants’ quarters, a world previously unseen in Bridgerton.
“We’ve never seen the downstairs world before,” Ha said. “It shows the real problems those characters face and how they navigate them.”
New Faces in Mayfair
The season also welcomes Katie Leung as Lady Araminta Gun, a wicked stepmother figure. Leung, best known as Cho Chang in Harry Potter, reflected on joining Bridgerton: “It’s 20 years since Harry Potter, and my priorities have shifted. I feel more at ease, and more comfortable.”
Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury Tested
Core cast members Golda Rosheuvel (Queen Charlotte) and Adjoa Andoh (Lady Danbury) continue to anchor the series. Their friendship faces strain when the Queen refuses to let Danbury take a holiday, fearing she cannot manage without her. Andoh explained: “Women do a lot of facilitating. But taking the time to ask, ‘What do I like? What do I want?’ is important. You’re not always available—you have your own thoughts and feelings too.”
Release Dates
Part one of Bridgerton season four premiered on 29 January, with part two set to arrive on 26 February. With its mix of romance, taboo-breaking storylines, and fresh talent, the series continues to reinvent itself while staying true to its core themes of love, power, and societal expectation.
