Bridgerton
BOXSET
Historical accuracy may not be high on the agenda and anachronisms abound, but for sheer sumptuous entertainment, this gloriously camp Regency romp from Netflix is hard to beat.
Based on the bestselling novels by Julia Quinn, the eight-part series, which opens in London in 1813, follows the fortunes of Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the eldest daughter of the aristocratic Bridgerton family as she is launched onto the competitive marriage market.
As she is paraded around various balls and gatherings by her widowed mother Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) in pursuit of a suitable match, Daphne meets the extremely eligible, but rakish, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). Sparks fly. There is an obvious attraction between them, but in the best tradition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, they are wary of each other and engage instead in an entertaining battle of wits.
Meanwhile her older brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), head of the family, vets her various suitors and is so strict about his requirements that Daphne is afraid she might end up having to marry the dreadful Lord Berbrooke (Jamie Beamish). Something has to be done...
Julie Andrews provides the wry voiceover as the unseen Lady Whistledown, the author of a much pored-over scandal sheet, who comments on the action of the soapy storyline.
If you don’t scrutinise the plot and characterisation too closely and refrain from wondering why period dramas in which women have little or no agency are still so popular, it’s an absolute hoot. Just go with the flow, embrace some muchneed escapism and enjoy.