The world needs more shows like Bridgerton that feature diverse adaptations of romance novels that conclude with happy endings.
Netflix’s Bridgerton has been a global sensation since its premiere on Christmas Day in 2020. After its initial success, the series Netflix renewed the series for four seasons, of which its sophomore release in 2022 resulted in 627.11 million hours viewed, breaking initial records (via IndieWire). Based on the raving historical romance book series by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton follows eight siblings, all named alphabetically, in their quests to find lifelong love matches. The series, developed by Shonda Rhimes, expanded upon the books by adding various new characters, one of whom, Golda Rosheuvel’s Queen Charlotte, will be getting her spin-off, coming in Spring 2023.
While the books have problematic elements to them that don’t hold up in this day and age, the TV series has done a great job of diversifying them. And with the show’s success, it’s more evident than ever that people want to see steady, anthology romances on their screen. Still, none of this is shocking to die-hard romance fans who’ve been consuming the genre for ages to understand its appeal. There’s a reason why many still watch Jane Austen film adaptations today, despite how many exist. Case in point, the world needs more of the romance genre on their screens, and more diverse historical romance could be an astounding cleansing balm alongside dark, heavy TV shows.
More Romance
“Sex sells” is an idea many have heard for various different mediums of entertainment. But in the literary world and on-screen, romance sells as well. One merely needs to look at a New York Times Best Sellers list to see how many romance books are listed. Fan fiction exists primarily to continue telling short-lived love stories (on screen or paper). It also exists because people simply want more romance. It’s a great big world out there, yet fans have tirelessly made it clear that they want to see more relationships on their screens without unnecessary rifts. For instance, trailers often bait and switch with romantic relationships, knowing that the audience consistently craves more.
And Bridgerton is all about romance: each season is supposed to follow a different sibling finding love, which many book series also track in a similar pattern. People want to see their favorite couples get together and, most importantly, stay together. They don’t want to see rifts between their favorite duos for the sake of drama because fans will still be entertained by the drama that occurs while characters are steadily fighting for the love they wanted in the first place. Romance is a part of our world in an organically beautiful way, and happy endings occur. If anything, a global pandemic with lockdowns proved that people crave the company of others more than solitude. More often then not, writers believe that romance would make the series boring when it’s the exact opposite. Romance makes everything better.
Diverse Stories
Specifying Bridgerton of all shows is necessary because the decision to include people of color in Regency-era romances is the show’s most remarkable feat. The inclusion of people of color as well as their cultural backgrounds is what makes Bridgerton captivating. And while we could’ve certainly used more of South Asian culture for the new viscountess, Simone Ashley’s Kate Sharma, seeing a Haldi ceremony, as well as allowing the character to tell us bits of her time in India, is one of the best details in Season 2.
Diverse stories meant to celebrate cultural experiences and humanity as we are in the real world are the kind of television (and film) many want to consume. As great as Austen adaptations are, there’s no denying how overtly white they are. Diversity in the stories we consume makes them richer, more thoughtful, engaging, and authentic. People want to see themselves represented on screen as deserving of love and happy endings. And considering how many shows in the past have killed off their people of color, it’s refreshing to have promising shows like Bridgerton that ensure happy endings.
There Are Many Book Series to Adapt
As one of the highest-grossing genres in the literary world, romance has various sub-genres, one of them being historical romance. And many authors have expansive catalogs under their belt that’d be astounding for adaptations just based on time period alone. For instance, nearly every novel by Beverly Jenkins follows African-American characters and could result in amazing adaptations fans of Bridgerton would undoubtedly adore. Additionally, anthology romances guarantee one couple’s happiness by thoroughly focusing on telling a complete narrative without stretching it out to last for seasons. This way, everyone’s favorite gets their turn to shine with refreshing new stories every year.
Further, Quinn is one of the many renowned historical romance writers with large fan bases and joyful books that center around siblings to adapt like Bridgerton. For instance, Lisa Kleypas’ The Hathaways series follows four orphaned sisters and a brother in matchmaking endeavors. Kleypas also has The Wallflowers and The Ravenels. Sarah MacLean is another extraordinary writer whose heroines typically hold unconventional jobs in a time when they aren’t allowed to do much. (Eloise Bridgerton would get along with many of them.) Each of these books could be taken and made better with diverse casting and inclusive storylines while keeping the happy endings intact.
