In case you haven’t heard, Julia Quinn’s incredibly popular Bridgerton series is being adapted into a television series on Netflix! If you haven’t already, you can watch the teaser trailer here.
If you’re unfamiliar with the Bridgerton series, here’s what you need to know: it’s a series of 8 Regency romance novels, with each book focusing on a different sibling in London’s elite Bridgerton family. There are four sons, and four daughters—and each takes their own scandalous and steamy journey on the way to finding true love.
Coming to Netflix on December 25th, this adaptation is exactly the present we deserve for dealing with everything that happened in 2020. Keep reading to discover why.
1. It’s being produced by Shonda Rhimes.
Shonda Rhimes, the acclaimed creator of hit television shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Private Practice and How to Get Away with Murder, is absolutely the perfect person to bring Julia Quinn’s books to life. We’ve been addicted to everything else she’s made—the woman has a natural flair for drama, romance and storytelling—and we’re sure this won’t be any different. And of course, Shonda’s version of Bridgerton is going to feature colorblind casting, bringing a dose of diversity to London’s 19th-century elite class—and to the romance genre in general.
Related: 5 Black Romance Movies That Belong on Everyone’s Netflix Watch List
Photo Credit: Netflix2. Lady Whistledown is being voiced by Julie Andrews.
One of the best twists of the Bridgerton series is a gossip columnist known as Lady Whistledown. No one knows who she is or where she gets her information, but she always seems to know everyone’s business—and reveals just enough to keep the ton addicted to her column. We are sure Shonda is going to have a lot of fun with that.
3. There’s going to be a same-sex romance.
Sharp-eyed viewers of the trailer for Bridgerton will notice that one scene features two men in a very passionate embrace. None of the original Bridgerton books feature a same-sex romance, so this is a very exciting update for the small screen.
Related: Boy Meets Boy: 15 Gay Romance Books You’ll Totally Love
Photo Credit: Netflix4. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to 19th century London.
Okay—so maybe the plots won’t be exactly historically accurate. But because filming took place in London and Bath, and the show hired Dr. Hannah Greig, the University of York’s senior lecturer in early modern history, we can be sure that all the Regency-era details will be spot-on, from the lavish production design to the eye-popping costumes.
5. This is likely just the beginning.
There is quite an age difference between the oldest and youngest of the Bridgertons, meaning the books take place over more than a decade. Because of that, we certainly won’t be covering the last two books, It’s in His Kiss and On the Way to the Wedding, as those focus on the youngest Bridgertons.
Based on the casting of the show, we can expect that the first eight episodes will at least begin to explore the plots of The Duke and I and Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, and perhaps To Sir Phillip, with Love.
Related: 8 Romance Books for Fans of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton Series
