Why Bridgerton Season 2 Worked and 3 Didn't

Gentle kittens and rakes alike, we continue our deep dive into what makes #Bridgerton work. Having set out our criteria of how we are evaluating this show, how do seasons two and three hold up? I'm going to argue: brilliantly and tragically, respectively.

How Season 2 got the balance of key elements right (spoiler: gorgeous use of #desi inspiration throughout and some of the best yearning on TV), and why Season 3 went off the fuckin' rails. I brought so many screenshots to prove it.

Again, this is not a recap or even a reaction. It is an extended crashout about tropes and aesthetics, with intermittent screaming about why romance needs to BE HOT in order to work. Join me!