Bridgerton season 2
Anthony Bridgerton seeks a wife in the London social season.
It adapts the second novel, The Viscount Who Loved Me, and centers on Anthony Bridgerton, the eldest sibling, portrayed by Jonathan Bailey. Critics responded positively, highlighting Bailey’s acting and the strong chemistry between the lead characters.
Quick Facts
- Season number
- 2
- Showrunner
- Chris Van Dusen; Jess Brownell
- Network
- Netflix
- First aired
- 25 March 2022
- Episodes
- 8
Facts from the source article.
Production
The season centers on Anthony and adapts the book The Viscount Who Loved Me. In April, creator Van Dusen confirmed on Twitter that the series had also been picked up for a third and fourth season. Simone Ashley was cast as Kate the following month. In April, Charithra Chandran joined as Edwina, Rupert Young as a new character, Shelley Conn as Mary, Kate’s stepmother and Edwina’s mother, and Calam Lynch as Theo Sharpe. Rupert Evans was cast in May as Edmund Bridgerton, the late Bridgerton patriarch. In May, the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead denied permission to build a film set in Sunninghill Park near Windsor, even though royal approval had been given. Production paused for 24 hours on July 15 after a crew member tested positive for COVID-19, resuming the next day. It was halted indefinitely on July 17 after a second positive test, then resumed in August. Filming wrapped on November 20. New locations for season two included Wrotham Park as the Bridgertons’ country home Aubrey Hall, West Wycombe Park for interior and Crane estate scenes, Wrest Park, Ivinghoe Beacon, and Ashridge for the Orangery and grounds, the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club for Royal Ascot, the Old Royal Naval College, Windsor Great Park for woods, Goldsmiths’ Hall for Buckingham Palace’s throne room, Wilton’s Music Hall for a feminist meeting place, St James’s Church, Petworth House for a museum scene, Royal Artillery Barracks as an exterior, and Basildon Park for the finale ball.
Music
Season two's soundtrack featured orchestral covers of pop hits, including Vitamin String Quartet's takes on Nirvana's "Stay Away" and Robyn's "Dancing On My Own," along with Bowers' version of Calvin Harris' "How Deep Is Your Love." Other tracks included Madonna's "Material Girl," a piece from the film "Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham," Duomo's renditions of Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" and Pink's "What About Us," Steve Horner's cover of Harry Styles' "Sign of the Times," Hannah V and Joe Rodwell's version of Rihanna's "Diamonds," and Midnight String Quartet's take on Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball." To promote the season, Morissette performed "You Oughta Know" with Duomo in a video. Music supervisor Justin Kramps noted that instrumental pop covers fit the show's style, breathing new life into familiar songs and reaching a fresh audience.
Reception
The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of 78% based on 95 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10. The website's critics consensus stated, "The risqué thrill may have faded, but Bridgerton remains a compulsive episode-turner in this delightful sophomore season." Metacritic gave the series a weighted average score of 70 out of 100 based on 32 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series an A−, writing that the season was "more clever, moving, and emotionally complex than the first." The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Hahn described the season as "older and wiser" than its predecessor's "rampant horniness," with an effective central romance that prioritized "a meeting of minds." Peter Travers of ABC praised the season for digging deeper into the emotional lives of its characters and continuing colorblind casting. Alison Herman of The Ringer commented that Season 2 had plenty of eroticism in the crackling chemistry and relentless self-denial of Anthony and Kate's dynamic. Emma Clarke of The Independent argued that the lack of physicality made the season sexy. Scott Bryan of the BBC wrote that the season serves as an antidote to static, labored period dramas, adding that it feels modern and refreshingly accessible.
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