Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 Review: Despite A Bumpy Start, Benedict’s Romantic Journey Is A Total Fairy Tale

Dearest gentle reader, another Bridgerton season is upon us as Benedict (Luke Thompson) finally steps into the spotlight. For the past three seasons, the second-eldest Bridgerton sibling has graced the series with his cheeky sparkle, adding both levity and steaminess via his bon vivante lifestyle.

However, in season 4, most of Benedict's siblings have been married off, and he thus can no longer escape his mother's insistence that he put himself on the marriage mart. Fortunately, he meets the woman of his dreams at Violet's (Ruth Gemmell) masquerade ball early in the social season. Unfortunately, she races off before Benedict can discover her identity, and thus begins the quest to find the Lady in Silver.

Of course, we learn that Benedict's mystery woman is none other than Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), a lowly maid who crashes the ball to enjoy a Cinderella-inspired night out. When the clock strikes midnight, Sophie goes back to working for the cruel Lady Araminta (Katie Leung) only to discover that it's not so easy returning to reality once you've explored a fantasy. But many obstacles lie ahead of Benedict and Sophie's happily ever after.

Benedict’s Prince Charming Arc Feels Forced, But His Chemistry With Sophie Is The Ultimate Cinderella Story

With its romanticized Regency setting, gorgeous gowns, decadent balls, and of course, its swoon-worthy romances, Bridgerton already feels like a fairy tale. So, making season 4 an overt homage to Cinderella feels like such a natural pairing that it's a surprise the show hasn't done this with other fairy tales before.

The problem is that season 4's fairy tale influence clashes with its convention-flouting male lead. Benedict became a fan-favorite Bridgerton character precisely because he defies societal and genre norms. His season 3 storyline sees Benedict engage in a passionate dalliance with the uniquely independent Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New), and explore his sexual fluidity when they open up the relationship to include Paul Saurez (Lucas Aurelio).

It's rare to see an ethically non-monogamous relationship depicted in a mainstream romance show, and Benedict was the perfect character to anchor that storyline. However, this makes his role as the conventional Prince Charming to Sophie's Cinderella feel incredibly shoehorned in Bridgerton season 4.

The season's central romance immediately gets off on the wrong foot in the first episode. Everything hinges on Benedict's first encounter with the Lady in Silver, but their excruciatingly long stolen moment is at best bland and at worst cringeworthy.

At one point, Benedict actually says, "You're not like the other ladies," making a scene that is supposed to feel magical turn into a pumpkin. This is not the Benedict Bridgerton we've fallen for over the course of three seasons, and the failure of such a pivotal scene hardly makes it credible that this rake of a second son would completely abandon who he is in pursuit of a random woman who entertained him at a party.

Fortunately, Sophie not only serves as Bridgerton season 4's Cinderella, but also its Fairy Godmother. As soon as we get to know the real her, she fits into Bridgerton's world like, well, a glove. Like the Bridgerton leading ladies that came before her, she is resourceful and independent, yet vulnerable and passionate; she guards her heart, but will pursue her reckless desires if the pull is strong enough.

The biggest way Sophie "isn't like other ladies" — we're never letting you live that down, Benedict — is that she's not high-born. In this regard, season 4's Cinderella motif works splendidly, as it allows Bridgerton to explore issues of class in a way it never has before. This isn't just confined to Sophie's storyline either — allow me to lead the charge in petitioning Netflix for a Bridgerton servants spinoff.

Whatever chemistry Benedict lacked with the Lady in Silver, he more than makes up for when the real Sophie crosses his path, and it's at this moment that Bridgerton season 4 really starts cooking with gas. With Sophie, Benedict can be entirely himself, but also the ideal romantic hero. He yearns when we want him to yearn, and he exquisitely toes the line between being Sophie's protector when the situation calls for it and respecting her independence when it doesn't.

Each Bridgerton season explores a time-honored romance trope. Season 1 was fake dating, season 2 enemies-to-lovers, season 3 friends-to-lovers, and with season 4, we have both secret identity and forbidden romance. Thus far, Bridgerton season 4, part 1 has knocked forbidden romance out of the park, but struck out with secret identity. Let's hope that part 2 can play to the season's strengths while fixing its mistakes.

Violet Bridgerton Is The Diamond In A Season Of Bland Subplots

While each Bridgerton season centers on its core romance, there are also plenty of spicy and salacious subplots, usually reported on by Lady Whistledown. Of course, last season, Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) was unmasked as the anonymous gossip writer, and sadly, my fear of this diminishing Lady Whistledown's relevance came true.

Penelope is still writing her scandal sheets, but they're completely devoid of scandal — a change that will be as frustrating to viewers as it is to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). What's worse is that Penelope's Whistledown subplot isn't the only storyline that's lost its zest. The once-reliably feisty Eloise (Claudia Jessie) may still defy Violet, but this is the most passive we've ever seen her. Even her heart-to-hearts with Benedict lack their usual depth.

Bridgeton deserves heaps of acclaim for the premium it places on its mature female characters. However, despite their significant screentime in season 4, Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury's (Adjoa Andoh) friendship subplot grinds the story to a halt. Rosheuvel and Andoh's performances are as strong as ever, but their scenes are too dour for this electric pair. On the plus side, this subplot looks to be livening up for season 4, part 2.

Alas, even in a dull social season, a diamond always emerges, and season 4's is Violet Bridgeton. Her flirtation with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) heats up even more this season, and it's so refreshing for Bridgerton to put a spotlight on middle-aged desire and lust. For all its boundary pushing in terms of spicy sexuality, most of Bridgerton's racier scenes involve younger characters, so this is a fantastic shake-up.

Violet and Marcus's subplot isn't the only one steaming up the screen in Bridgerton season 4. Newlyweds Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and John Stirling (Victor Alli) are looking to liven up their sex life, and though the series' well of storylines involving sexually naive highborn ladies is running a bit dry, this subplot's ending in Bridgerton season 4, part 1 shows a lot of promise going into season 2.

As Violet and Francesca's storylines demonstrate, Bridgerton season 4 is strongest when it sticks to what the show knows best (ie, female desire) and fumbles when it ventures into uncharted waters (ie, an outed Lady Whistledown). However, perhaps like with Benedict and Sophie's romance, it's just taking season 4 a while to find its subplots' footing. Let's just hope it finds its way into a glass slipper.