Glamour. Spectacle. Delight. Season four stands as my favorite chapter of the series to date, a sumptuous retelling of Cinderella that sparkles without losing its emotional core. I adore that Benedict is so effortlessly, unapologetically bisexual, that Violet finally gets her long-overdue moment of passion, and that the show continues to revel in its own opulence without a hint of restraint. Quite simply, it’s television as a decadent dessert course, rich, indulgent, and impossible to refuse.
The radiant Kate (Simone Ashley) makes a triumphant return, her presence alone enough to tilt every scene into something electric.
The back half of the season delivers a cascade of shocks and surprises, along with a note of genuine sorrow following the unexpected loss of a beloved character, one many fans, myself included, had grown deeply attached to. Though this part of the season started at a more measured pace, the story quickly tightens and once again is utterly addictive.
Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) enjoys one of the most satisfying arcs of the season, her sharp wit still intact but now tempered with a deep well of empathy. She remains one of the series’ great comedic engines, yet these episodes reveal just how fiercely she cares beneath the verbal fencing. Francesca Stirling (Hannah Dodd) adds a quietly provocative thread with her intriguingly ambiguous desires, a storyline that simmers rather than shouts.
Still, the undeniable scene-stealer is Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). Wise, resilient, and radiating a kind of soft authority that can hush a ballroom without raising her voice, she anchors the season with remarkable grace. Polly Walker, meanwhile, continues to devour every morsel of screen time as Lady Featherington. But then again, Polly Walker has never met a role she couldn’t turn into a banquet.
I adore this series and am already counting the days until season five.
There will be more Bridgerton soon so…
Stay Tuned!
Life In Cartoon Motion 