Okay so I was thinking for awhile to do a franchaela tattoo because I love them, but I have absolutely zero idea of what to do- I was thinking of waiting for their season anyways to see if any symbol could fit them but still I'm curious-
Does anyone thought about it and have ideas? Or already have one? I am taking any ideas!
I hope this post is okay I'll delete it if not
I used a TikTok trend and assigned Bridgerton characters to each lyric based on their personalities, storylines, and sometimes even how they're perceived by the fandom.
Slide 1: characters who carry immense pressure, grief, or responsibilities and are expected to keep going no matter what.
Slide 2: characters who feel misunderstood, unseen, or different from what others expect them to be.
Slide 3: characters who are often underestimated, overlooked, or seen as "not the main choice" despite how important they are.
I hesitated for Eloise because she would fit slide 2 and 3 in my opinion, for Michaela we haven't seen much of her yet but based on the book storyline and what we have seen so far I think slide 1 fit her.
I didn't put the love interest of Eloise, Hyacinth and Gregory et because we haven't seen them on the show yet (or not enough).
Feel free to disagree and share where you would place them!
Happy Pride Month! 🌈
Since it's Pride Month, I wanted to make a few discussion posts looking back at some of Bridgerton's most prominent queer characters and the conversations surrounding them.
The goal isn't to accuse anyone of homophobia, biphobia, or bad intentions, nor is it to claim that every criticism of a character is rooted in bias.
Instead, I'd like to look at some of the most common debates in the fandom, compare them to what we actually saw on screen, and discuss whether certain reactions might have been influenced by factors beyond writing alone.
I thought Benedict would be a good place to start, as he's arguably one of the most discussed and divisive queer characters in the fandom so far.
A quick warning before I start:
This post ended up being much longer than I originally intended. 😅
So if you make it all the way to the end, thank you! And if not, I completely understand.
With that said, let's talk about Benedict.
One of the most common criticisms I saw during Season 3 was that Benedict received "too much screentime" despite it not being his season.
What makes me curious about this criticism is that when fans calculated screentime for Season 3, Benedict was not actually one of the most prominent characters. Depending on the calculation, he ranked below characters such as Eloise, Portia, and even Cressida.
At the same time, many other Bridgerton characters have received substantial screentime outside of their own seasons:
- Anthony had major storylines before Season 2.
- Penelope had important storylines throughout Seasons 1, 2, and 3.
- Eloise has consistently received significant development every season.
So I wonder:
Was the issue really the amount of screentime Benedict received?
Or was the issue the specific story being told during that screentime?
I've also seen some fans argue that Colin deserved as much screentime in Benedict's season as Benedict had in Colin's season.
Looking at the actual numbers, does that argument still hold up?
Because looking at fan screentime calculations, Colin actually had more screentime than Benedict in both Seasons 1 and 2. Then, of course, Season 3 was Colin's own season, making the gap even larger overall.
This is part of why I find the "Benedict takes up too much screentime" criticism interesting.
If Benedict consistently had less screentime than Colin before either of them became leads, why did Benedict's presence become such a frequent topic of discussion?
And if Benedict was only around the eighth most prominent character in Season 3, why did the perception develop that he was dominating the season?
Another comparison I find interesting is Eloise.
Eloise has been one of the most prominent Bridgerton siblings since Season 1, despite her own season still being years away. Looking at overall screentime rankings after Seasons 1-3, she is significantly higher than Benedict and has consistently received major storylines each season.
Yet I don't remember seeing nearly the same level of discussion about Eloise having "too much screentime" or "taking attention away from the main couple."
To be clear, I'm not saying Eloise receives too much screentime. I actually think her continued development makes sense for her character.
What I find interesting is the difference in fandom perception.
Why does significant screentime for some supporting Bridgertons feel natural to viewers, while significant screentime for others becomes controversial?
Is it about the character themselves? The story being told? Audience expectations? Or something else entirely?
(Screenshot of a fan on reddit putting the time of each characters are above. It doesn't count S4 because I didn't find anything beyond S3 time screen)
Another thing that stood out to me was how frequently people brought up STIs when discussing Benedict and Sophie.
Bridgerton has featured several rakes:
- Simon
- Anthony
- Colin (even tho that could be debated, he still had experiences with women before his season with Penelope. Tho I will argue not as much as the other leads)
Yet I don't remember seeing the same volume of discussion about STIs when people talked about Daphne, Kate, or Penelope ending up with those characters.
Why do you think this conversation became so prominent with Benedict?
Is it because audiences have become more aware of historical realities?
Or is there something different about the way viewers perceive a bisexual male character compared to heterosexual male characters?
A reaction I saw surprisingly often after Season 3 was:
"I thought Benedict was gay. And will end up with a man"
Wanting more gay representation is completely valid.
But Benedict's storyline explicitly showed attraction to women as well as attraction to a man.
So I'm curious:
Why do you think so many viewers interpreted him as exclusively gay?
At what point does disappointment that a character isn't gay become bisexual erasure?
And how do fandom spaces generally handle bisexual representation compared to gay or lesbian representation?
Benedict has always been portrayed as unconventional, artistic, and resistant to traditional expectations.
Those traits existed long before Season 3.
Yet it feels like criticism of Benedict as immature, directionless, or unable to commit became much louder once his sexuality became a larger part of his storyline.
Do you think that's true? If so, why?
And if not, can you remember seeing these same criticisms at the same level before Season 3?
I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives. Please keep the discussion respectful.
Happy Pride Month! 🌈
Since it's Pride Month, I wanted to make a few discussion posts looking back at some of Bridgerton's most prominent queer characters and the conversations surrounding them.
The goal isn't to accuse anyone of homophobia, biphobia, or bad intentions, nor is it to claim that every criticism of a character is rooted in bias.
Instead, I'd like to look at some of the most common debates in the fandom, compare them to what we actually saw on screen, and discuss whether certain reactions might have been influenced by factors beyond writing alone.
I thought Benedict would be a good place to start, as he's arguably one of the most discussed and divisive queer characters in the fandom so far.
A quick warning before I start:
This post ended up being much longer than I originally intended. 😅
So if you make it all the way to the end, thank you! And if not, I completely understand.
With that said, let's talk about Benedict.
One of the most common criticisms I saw during Season 3 was that Benedict received "too much screentime" despite it not being his season.
What makes me curious about this criticism is that when fans calculated screentime for Season 3, Benedict was not actually one of the most prominent characters. Depending on the calculation, he ranked below characters such as Eloise, Portia, and even Cressida.
At the same time, many other Bridgerton characters have received substantial screentime outside of their own seasons:
- Anthony had major storylines before Season 2.
- Penelope had important storylines throughout Seasons 1, 2, and 3.
- Eloise has consistently received significant development every season.
So I wonder:
Was the issue really the amount of screentime Benedict received?
Or was the issue the specific story being told during that screentime?
I've also seen some fans argue that Colin deserved as much screentime in Benedict's season as Benedict had in Colin's season.
Looking at the actual numbers, does that argument still hold up?
Because looking at fan screentime calculations, Colin actually had more screentime than Benedict in both Seasons 1 and 2. Then, of course, Season 3 was Colin's own season, making the gap even larger overall.
This is part of why I find the "Benedict takes up too much screentime" criticism interesting.
If Benedict consistently had less screentime than Colin before either of them became leads, why did Benedict's presence become such a frequent topic of discussion?
And if Benedict was only around the eighth most prominent character in Season 3, why did the perception develop that he was dominating the season?
Another comparison I find interesting is Eloise.
Eloise has been one of the most prominent Bridgerton siblings since Season 1, despite her own season still being years away. Looking at overall screentime rankings after Seasons 1-3, she is significantly higher than Benedict and has consistently received major storylines each season.
Yet I don't remember seeing nearly the same level of discussion about Eloise having "too much screentime" or "taking attention away from the main couple."
To be clear, I'm not saying Eloise receives too much screentime. I actually think her continued development makes sense for her character.
What I find interesting is the difference in fandom perception.
Why does significant screentime for some supporting Bridgertons feel natural to viewers, while significant screentime for others becomes controversial?
Is it about the character themselves? The story being told? Audience expectations? Or something else entirely?
(Screenshot of a fan on reddit putting the time of each characters are above. It doesn't count S4 because I didn't find anything beyond S3 time screen)
Another thing that stood out to me was how frequently people brought up STIs when discussing Benedict and Sophie.
Bridgerton has featured several rakes:
- Simon
- Anthony
- Colin (even tho that could be debated, he still had experiences with women before his season with Penelope. Tho I will argue not as much as the other leads)
Yet I don't remember seeing the same volume of discussion about STIs when people talked about Daphne, Kate, or Penelope ending up with those characters.
Why do you think this conversation became so prominent with Benedict?
Is it because audiences have become more aware of historical realities?
Or is there something different about the way viewers perceive a bisexual male character compared to heterosexual male characters?
A reaction I saw surprisingly often after Season 3 was:
"I thought Benedict was gay. And will end up with a man"
Wanting more gay representation is completely valid.
But Benedict's storyline explicitly showed attraction to women as well as attraction to a man.
So I'm curious:
Why do you think so many viewers interpreted him as exclusively gay?
At what point does disappointment that a character isn't gay become bisexual erasure?
And how do fandom spaces generally handle bisexual representation compared to gay or lesbian representation?
Benedict has always been portrayed as unconventional, artistic, and resistant to traditional expectations.
Those traits existed long before Season 3.
Yet it feels like criticism of Benedict as immature, directionless, or unable to commit became much louder once his sexuality became a larger part of his storyline.
Do you think that's true? If so, why?
And if not, can you remember seeing these same criticisms at the same level before Season 3?
I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives. Please keep the discussion respectful.
Happy Pride Month! 🌈
Since it's Pride Month, I wanted to make a few discussion posts looking back at some of Bridgerton's most prominent queer characters and the conversations surrounding them.
The goal isn't to accuse anyone of homophobia, biphobia, or bad intentions, nor is it to claim that every criticism of a character is rooted in bias.
Instead, I'd like to look at some of the most common debates in the fandom, compare them to what we actually saw on screen, and discuss whether certain reactions might have been influenced by factors beyond writing alone.
I thought Benedict would be a good place to start, as he's arguably one of the most discussed and divisive queer characters in the fandom so far.
A quick warning before I start:
This post ended up being much longer than I originally intended. 😅
So if you make it all the way to the end, thank you! And if not, I completely understand.
With that said, let's talk about Benedict.
One of the most common criticisms I saw during Season 3 was that Benedict received "too much screentime" despite it not being his season.
What makes me curious about this criticism is that when fans calculated screentime for Season 3, Benedict was not actually one of the most prominent characters. Depending on the calculation, he ranked below characters such as Eloise, Portia, and even Cressida.
At the same time, many other Bridgerton characters have received substantial screentime outside of their own seasons:
Anthony had major storylines before Season 2.
Penelope had important storylines throughout Seasons 1, 2, and 3.
Eloise has consistently received significant development every season.
So I wonder:
Was the issue really the amount of screentime Benedict received?
Or was the issue the specific story being told during that screentime?
I've also seen some fans argue that Colin deserved as much screentime in Benedict's season as Benedict had in Colin's season.
Looking at the actual numbers, does that argument still hold up?
Because looking at fan screentime calculations, Colin actually had more screentime than Benedict in both Seasons 1 and 2. Then, of course, Season 3 was Colin's own season, making the gap even larger overall.
This is part of why I find the "Benedict takes up too much screentime" criticism interesting.
If Benedict consistently had less screentime than Colin before either of them became leads, why did Benedict's presence become such a frequent topic of discussion?
And if Benedict was only around the eighth most prominent character in Season 3, why did the perception develop that he was dominating the season?
Another comparison I find interesting is Eloise.
Eloise has been one of the most prominent Bridgerton siblings since Season 1, despite her own season still being years away. Looking at overall screentime rankings after Seasons 1-3, she is significantly higher than Benedict and has consistently received major storylines each season.
Yet I don't remember seeing nearly the same level of discussion about Eloise having "too much screentime" or "taking attention away from the main couple."
To be clear, I'm not saying Eloise receives too much screentime. I actually think her continued development makes sense for her character.
What I find interesting is the difference in fandom perception.
Why does significant screentime for some supporting Bridgertons feel natural to viewers, while significant screentime for others becomes controversial?
Is it about the character themselves? The story being told? Audience expectations? Or something else entirely?
(Screenshot of a fan on reddit putting the time of each characters are above. It doesn't count S4 because I didn't find anything beyond S3 time screen)
Another thing that stood out to me was how frequently people brought up STIs when discussing Benedict and Sophie.
Bridgerton has featured several rakes:
Yet I don't remember seeing the same volume of discussion about STIs when people talked about Daphne, Kate, or Penelope ending up with those characters.
Why do you think this conversation became so prominent with Benedict?
Is it because audiences have become more aware of historical realities?
Or is there something different about the way viewers perceive a bisexual male character compared to heterosexual male characters?
A reaction I saw surprisingly often after Season 3 was:
"I thought Benedict was gay. And will end up with a man"
Wanting more gay representation is completely valid.
But Benedict's storyline explicitly showed attraction to women as well as attraction to a man.
So I'm curious:
Why do you think so many viewers interpreted him as exclusively gay?
At what point does disappointment that a character isn't gay become bisexual erasure?
And how do fandom spaces generally handle bisexual representation compared to gay or lesbian representation?
Benedict has always been portrayed as unconventional, artistic, and resistant to traditional expectations.
Those traits existed long before Season 3.
Yet it feels like criticism of Benedict as immature, directionless, or unable to commit became much louder once his sexuality became a larger part of his storyline.
Do you think that's true? If so, why?
And if not, can you remember seeing these same criticisms at the same level before Season 3?
I'm genuinely interested in hearing different perspectives. Please keep the discussion respectful.
Happy pride month everyone!
I forgot the name of the man Benedict slept with in S3 so I did not put him, and I couldn't remember de name of the painter lover either. But happy pride month everyone ! 🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈🏳️🌈
Exactly the title. What drew you to watch it? Was it because you read the books and liked them? Because you like romance or regency era?
Is it because of some actors being in the show?
Just curious as to how you all started to watch bridgerton and why you like it!
Something I found really interesting about the use of Fields of Gold by Sting for John and Francesca during their last scene alone together (see image) is the actual meaning of the song itself.
Sting has spoken before about writing the song after moving into a house surrounded by barley fields in England, and the song reflects that atmosphere: warmth, stillness, memory, peace, and intimacy. The lyrics are romantic, but not in a loud or passionate “love at first sight” kind of way. It’s a very quiet, mature kind of love : the kind built in soft moments, comfort, companionship, and simply existing beside someone you deeply cherish.
What makes the song beautiful is that it almost feels timeless and universal. It can absolutely be interpreted as romantic love, but it’s written in such a gentle and human way that it also captures emotional intimacy more broadly: safety, tenderness, feeling understood, creating memories with someone, and wanting those moments to last.
The song constantly focuses on presence and memory rather than intensity. It’s less:
“you changed my world instantly”
and more:
“I loved the life we shared together.”
And honestly, that fits Francesca and John perfectly.
Their relationship is built on quiet understanding. Silence is never uncomfortable between them. They don’t need grand speeches or dramatic passion to feel connected. Francesca repeatedly feels overwhelmed by society and expectations, and John is one of the only people who naturally brings her peace instead of pressure.
That’s why I think Fields of Gold is such a meaningful choice for them specifically. The song represents a love rooted in comfort, gentleness, emotional safety, and treasured moments : a love that may look quieter from the outside, but is still deeply real and deeply felt.
Sources I used for this post and interpretation of Fields of Gold:
- uDiscover Music (includes Sting’s own explanation of the song’s inspiration): https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/sting-fields-of-gold-feature/
- Smooth Radio article about the meaning and story behind the song: https://www.smoothradio.com/features/the-story-of/fields-of-gold-sting-lyrics-meaning-facts-video/
- Wikipedia page summarizing the song’s themes and background: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fields\_of\_Gold
Now that we know there’s a two year time jump between season 4 and season 5, I really hope the show doesn’t immediately make Violet and Marcus serious again.
What made the ending of season 4 work for me was precisely the fact that Violet wasn’t ready for that kind of relationship. Marcus wanted something real, stable, lasting (marriage) while Violet had only just started rediscovering herself as a woman outside of motherhood and grief.
For the first time in decades, she chose herself. And I actually loved that for her.
So if season 5 immediately jumps to “actually never mind, now she wants to marry Marcus,” I honestly think it would undermine the entire point of their breakup in season 4.
Especially because we, as viewers, would completely miss that evolution.
Yes, logically, people change over two years. Violet may very well have continued exploring freedom, independence, or even dating during that unseen period. That’s realistic. But narratively, it would feel strange to go from: “I don’t want anything serious right now” to “Now I’m ready to marry Marcus” without us really seeing that emotional journey.
And the thing is : I’m not against Violet finding love again at all. And I actually adore second love stories, I would even be happy if she remarried someday. But I just don’t necessarily need it to be Marcus specifically.
What I really want is for the show to respect the choice Violet made at the end of season 4 instead of immediately reversing it because of a time jump.
In season 1 we got flashbacks of Simon and his father and lady Danbury, in S4 we got flashbacks of Sophie and her father and Araminta.
Why didn't we get any flashbacks for Pen and Kate?
Anthony is the one that got one flashback when his father died and he is the only Bridgerton so far getting one. Why didn't Kate get one? With the storms for example? Or Penelope when she first met Colin for example? Or when she arrived across from the Bridgerton house?
Maybe flashbacks weren't needed plotwise like it was in S1 and S4.. but it is still disappointing. I do hope we get flashbacks in S5
I personally prefer the books and was curious as to what people on reddit preferred.
The films are also very good but lack something compared to the books in my opinion.
Re-read another book! Now it's Anthony's and Kate's turn!
Overall, I enjoyed this book a lot more than The Duke and I.
The biggest strength for me is the character dynamics, especially between Kate and Edwina.
Their relationship feels genuinely loving, supportive, and playful (much healthier than in the show). I also preferred Edwina here; she has more personality, is less naive, and most importantly… she sees things clearly. (Even tho in love love love Edwina in the show too.)
The whole love triangle is way better handled in the book. Edwina quickly realizes there’s something going on between Kate and Anthony and doesn’t build her life around a fantasy version of him. Unlike the show, where the situation is dragged all the way to the altar, here it feels much more natural and far less frustrating.
Kate really broke my heart throughout the book. The way she sees herself is painful to read, and I appreciated that this insecurity was explored, even if it made me sad for her.
Anthony is also more understandable in the book. His fear of dying young like his father is much more developed, which adds depth to his behavior. That said, I still had issues with some of his actions, especially certain possessive lines or moments where he ignores Kate’s consent. Those scenes really didn’t sit right with me.
What I loved, though, was their banter and chemistry. Their interactions are fun, sharp, and engaging, and I actually felt their emotional connection. The library scene and the moments around Kate’s fear of storms were especially strong and much more intimate and meaningful than in the show.
I also really appreciated how present the Bridgerton family is (and Colin, once again, stealing scenes, I love him so much in the books). The pacing is much better too, I genuinely wanted to keep reading.
That said, I still struggled with some of the intimate scenes. I think Regency settings just aren’t always for me in that regard with the lack of agency and the stakes around reputation make it harder to fully enjoy them.
---
🎬 Book vs Show
What I preferred in the book:
- Kate & Edwina’s relationship (much healthier and more genuine)
- Edwina’s personality and awareness of the situation
- The love triangle, which feels far more natural and less frustrating
- Mary, who feels like an actual present mother
- Anthony’s fear of death, much better developed
- Kate’s fear of storms and the emotional depth around it
- The banter and emotional connection between Kate and Anthony
- More meaningful family interactions (again, Colin is elite here)
- Lady Whistledown’s presence, which feels lighter and less destructive
What I preferred in the show:
- Some iconic scenes (the lake, the bee scene, the mud fall)
- Certain romantic moments that hit harder visually
- The adaptation of some scenes to be less uncomfortable
- The overall polish and emotional intensity in key moments
---
💭 Final Thoughts
This book worked much better for me than the first one. The characters feel richer, the relationships more believable, and the emotional moments more impactful.
It’s not perfect, some scenes still made me uncomfortable.. but I was much more invested in Kate and Anthony than I ever was in Daphne and Simon.
And honestly, the character dynamics (especially between the sisters) made all the difference.
Reposting this with corrected rankings 👀
I originally included the quarterfinals and semifinals votes, but Eloise Bridgerton didn’t participate in those rounds since she was directly voted into the finals during the Top 5 poll, which put her at a disadvantage.
This version fixes that!
Inspired by a comment asking what the results would look like if we counted all the votes 👀
So here it is!
Here's the top five : (without the quarters finals and semi finals)
Sophie Bridgerton with 1352 votes
Eloise Bridgerton with 1125 votes
Francesca Stirling with 912 votes
Michaela Stirling with 875 votes
Benedict Bridgerton with 734 votes
Here's the top five WITH quarters finals and semi finals (but unfair for Eloise since she was automatically in the finals thanks to the 5 contestant polls) :
Sophie Bridgerton with 2128 votes
Francesca Stirling with 1206 votes
Benedict Bridgerton with 1190 votes
Eloise Bridgerton with 1125 votes
Michaela Stirling with 875 votes
Little reminder of the results of the tournament:
Eloise Bridgerton
Sophie Bridgerton
Benedict Bridgerton
Violet Bridgerton
Francesca Stirling
This doesn’t change the official tournament results. Eloise Bridgerton is still the winner 🫶
This is just a different way to look at the votes.
I would put all 40 characters in here but it would be quite long, if you are interested in one character in particular say in the comment and I will tell you how much they got !
And the winner of the bridgerton tournament is... Eloise Bridgerton!!!!
Thank you all for participating in this, it was fun to do and see everyone's opinion. I am thinking of doing this after each season to see if this change over the years! 💕
Top 5 :
Eloise Bridgerton
Sophie Bridgerton
Benedict Bridgerton
Violet Bridgerton
Francesca Stirling
Quite happy to see Sophie being the only non- born Bridgerton in this :)
I know I already posted that few months ago (it was before S4 aired i believe, or at least between part1 and 2)
But when I see people taking their own interpretations as canon when the actors themselves calls it a misconception about their character.
At the end of the day you'll have your own interpretation of things and we all have, but stop trying to push your interpretation as canon when it's not.
And for all the people saying "Yes she loved him but she wasn't IN love with him" I think this video says it all.
After 1 few weeks here is the final round! And it's between two women I am quite happy.
Pick your favorite character between these two! 💕
Since it's the final, I will let it run for 2 days instead of of one!
Okay so this might be a weird question but I have been confused and need some help.
I am pansexual and dated both men and women before. But since I am pansexual, some friends have said that my relationship with my girl ex was not a "lesbian" relationship since I am not lesbian myself.
And so I am confused, is it really? Like it's a queer relationship for sure, but is it offensive to say it was a lesbian relationship when it is not between two lesbian people?
I wanna make sure I do not offend anyone and use the correct term to describe it.
I just want to make the top 5 favorite characters of this sub! So the person you vote for will be 4 and the other one 5!
Pick your favorite character between these two! 💕
This round will be difficult for us Benophies! The winner will go against Eloise in the final! Choose your favorite character :) 💕