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You would think that a Regency-era drama that has a plot straight out of Cinderella is TV gold—well, almost. Everyone’s favourite Bridgerton, including mine, Benedict, had already captured the audience’s heart with his pure and progressive outlook that juxtaposed against the regency era regression. However, unfortunately, Bridgerton’s biggest problem is the show itself, having set the standard so high with Daphne and the Duke (I burn for you!) and Kanthony (you’re the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires) ‘s electric chemistry and sexual tension! But for Benedict fans, we are still keeping our hopes high for the second half, where the plot will unfurl, but I have some opinions for the first half, so stick around for what worked and what didn’t for Bridgerton Season 4!
So, what happens in the first part of Bridgerton Season 4?
Season 4 begins with Benedict (Luke Thompson), the second Bridgerton with a rakish reputation, disappointing his mother, Violet (Ruth Gemmell), yet again with his debauchery. Doyenne of the Ton and literally the only person who can stand up to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), Lady Agatha Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) wants to go back to her native country and escape society, but the queen won't let her. Benedict is invited by Violet to attend the season-opening masquerade event, which she is organizing. At the ball, Benedict sees a beautiful masked woman and is smitten. She flees before the unmasking, leaving behind a glove (not a slipper) and a heartbroken Benedict who searches high and low for the lady in the silver dress. Benedict is invited by Violet to attend the season-opening masquerade event, which she is organizing. At the ball, Benedict sees a beautiful masked woman and is smitten. She flees before the unmasking, leaving behind a glove (not a slipper) and a heartbroken Benedict who searches high and low for the lady in the silver dress.
We learn that the woman in the ball gown is Sophie, played by Yerin Ha, who is a maid for the Countess of Penwood, Lady Araminta Gun, played by Katie Leung. After Lord Penwood died, Araminta banished Sophie, who was his illegitimate child, to be a maid of all labor. Araminta has two daughters from an earlier marriage: Rosamund (Michelle Mao) and Posy (Isabella Wei). Since the debutantes have failed to impress, the queen has decided that Benedict is the season's most eligible bachelor. Eloise (Claudia Jessie), the fifth Bridgerton, has decided not to marry and is saddled with chaperoning her younger sister, Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) through all her various etiquette and dancing lessons. Married to the Earl of Kilmartin (Victor Alli), Francesca (Hannah Dodd), the sixth Bridgerton, has problems in her marriage.
The romance between Benedict and Sophie is at the centre of this season, with Thompson and Ha sharing a crackling chemistry. Even the subplots are interesting in varying degrees. Despite being a daring narrative, Francesca's quest for sexual fulfilment within her marriage is uninteresting. The friendship between the queen and Danbury is poignant, while Violet’s “I am the tea” declaration to Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) is sweet and affirmative.
Bridgerton Season 4 makes up for Polin, but not much!
So we all agree that Bridgerton season 3 Polin was just not it! THE Lady Whistledown a.k.a Penelope Featherington, had the best arc arguably, which is friends to lovers, but between Colin’s wooden acting, zero chemistry, confused character arcs, and zero yearning (Colin needs a lesson from Anthony ‘Yearning’ Bridgerton), Bridgerton season 3 was the lowest rated season yet. So I have good news! Season 4 makes up for Polin. There is chemistry, partly because the characters have that vivacious energy written in their arc, and c’mon, who does not want to see Benedict Bridgerton in open flared white shirts riding horses! We love Sophie because she is not a subservient Cinderella; she dominates every scene with a mind of her own and makes decisions for herself, something quite defiant in the era that the character is in. But that’s it. Although we love Benedict and Sophie as individual characters, and there is no denying that there IS chemistry, it just pales in comparison to what we’re used to (read: Kanthony’s enemies to lovers arc).
I loved the Downton Abbey take this season, where we see the point of view of conflicting classes in Mayfair, where the income inequality is stark, something very close to the reality in which we live. But this is what confuses the audience! On one hand, the plots are full of nuance, intelligent writing and metaphors, and on the other hand, the audience is supposed to believe that Benedict cannot find or recognize Sophie, who was just wearing an eye mask FYI, at the ball where they first meet! We could have spent time navigating their chemistry and dissonance because of their conflicting social classes, but we spent an entire episode on finding Cinderella!
Luke Thompson, who was always in the background of the Bridgerton family orchestra, delivers! Even though her character is flawless Yerin Ha, who is making her debut in the saga, is an interesting heroine. Their romance may not be as steamy as Daphne and the Duke, played by Phoebe Dynevor, but Bridgerton has always been more showy than subtle (with unspoken desire and unrequited attraction). The show's makers are in tune with their viewers' desires, and they deliver: a dashing aristocrat, a (seemingly) impossible love story, flouncy dresses and three-piece suits, and tea, of course!
Clutching our scones and dipping our teas for the second part of season 4!
In the end, Bridgerton Season 4 is neither a misstep nor a triumph—it’s a season caught in its own inheritance. Benedict and Sophie give us sincerity, softness, and flashes of longing, but the show’s greatest enemy remains its past brilliance. When you’ve already given audiences Daphne’s burning restraint and Kanthony’s feral yearning, anything gentler feels muted by comparison. And yet, there is promise here: in the class politics, in Sophie’s agency, in Benedict’s quiet ache. Season 4 doesn’t sweep you off your feet—but it keeps you seated, watching, hoping the second half finally lets desire breathe.