“Bridgerton” is a costume drama set in Regency-era London. Season 2 of this TV series was released on March 25, 2022. Each season has a different storyline, but viewers expected to see another dramatic affair between two lovers as Season 1 left off with Daphne Bridgerton and Duke Basset heading to the altar.

Season 2 begins with Eloise Bridgerton having her debut. A debut is when a young lady of age presents herself to the public for marriage. Eloise is quite the feminist for her time, making her hate every second of parading around as a “lady.”

At the same time, Anthony Bridgerton is looking for a wife with “good childbearing hips.” After struggling to find the wife of his dreams, Anthony finds Kate (Kathani Sharma) riding a horse wildly and follows after her. Anthony is crass in that he is a former rake. Therefore, he must convince Kate he is worthy of her affections.

Anthony has trauma from when his father suddenly died. He was placed into the “man of the house” position and was expected to take charge. It was saddening watching him struggle during the flashback. There was a moment where Anthony had a panic attack when he thought Kate would die in the same way, and it was very intense.

Kate has her own struggles as the daughter of a man without rank. She came to London to help her half-sister Edwina (Edwina Sharma) marry “an Englishman of nobility.”

Kate is headstrong and wise, making her a good match for Anthony even though he thinks he needs Edwina. Anthony is looking for a viscountess that will lead his family and sisters into success.

Although Queen Charlotte, married to George III, names Edwina as her “Diamond” of the season, the sexual tension between Anthony and Kate shows that Anthony will marry Kate instead of Edwina.

In the background, Lady Whistledown (Penelope Featherington) is trying to keep her identity a secret. If Penelope exposes herself as Lady Whistledown, no one will believe her because she is an underdog and a wallflower. She is treated terribly by her family, but she remains herself in spite of it all.

Viewers will sympathize with Lady Whistledown when Colin Bridgerton, the man she has loved for a really long time, tells her he sees her as a friend. The pathos of this heartbreak is powerful.

I would give Season 2 a rating of four stars, purely because I would have liked to see Anthony and Kate’s wedding. In addition, the first three episodes could have been more engaging. They could have been improved with more scenes portraying the love between Anthony and Kate.

“Bridgerton” Season 2 is a powerful example of the strength of love and passion through the chemistry between Anthony and Kate as they deny their feelings for each other. Alongside the love and passion, there are references to the wallflowers and to the people that are alone, like Penelope Featherington. It will be interesting to see what is in store for Penelope’s future.

Bridgerton Season 2 is available to watch on Netflix.