Warning: Bridgerton book spoilers.
Bridgerton season 2 is shaping up to be a fun second installment in the Regency era romance series, but the show’s best story might not be told until season 5. The Netflix series seems to be following the general structure of Julia Quinn’s bestselling novels, each of which tells the story of one member of the eponymous family falling in love. Season 1 adapted the first book, The Duke and I, focusing on Daphne and Simon Bassett, and season 2 will adapt the second book, The Viscount Who Loved Me, focusing on Anthony Bridgerton. If that trend holds, season 5 should be particularly interesting.
The fifth book in Quinn’s series, To Sir Phillip, with Love, follows the Bridgeton family’s second-oldest daughter, Eloise. In the novel, Eloise has a courtship with the eponymous Sir Phillip, the widower of Marina Thompson, who dies from health complications after trying to drown herself. It’s a grim start to a romance and one that might not work so well in the Netflix adaptation given a few changes to the story. Marina was already made a much more important character in Bridgerton season 1, and it’s unlikely that she’ll be killed off randomly down the line.
Regardless of Marina’s fate, Bridgerton has a lot of potential when it comes to Eloise’s own romance. Because her character is so staunchly anti-marriage, writing a convincing love story for her will be an interesting challenge. There are a lot of inherent problems with the gender dynamics of the Regency romance genre, and Eloise does a great job in season 1 of bringing those to light. Bridgerton has done a strong job so far of playing to the strengths of its genre, but Eloise’s upcoming story can completely subvert them in season 5 in new and creative ways.
Why Eloise’s Story Is Bridgerton’s Best Future Chapter
Beyond her more progressive worldview, Eloise is also one of the most fun and compelling Bridgerton characters, in general. Claudia Jessie’s performance was one of the standout parts of season 1, and it should only get better as the story focuses more and more on Eloise. Because the Netflix series has already changed so much about Eloise’s future story by altering Marina and Phillip, there are several possibilities for where Bridgerton season 5 could go. Phillip could remain her love interest, albeit in an altered story, or she could wind up with someone else entirely. Or maybe she won’t get married at all, which would make season 5 even more interesting since it would challenge viewers who would expect a “happily ever after” ending. No matter how her romantic story plays out, Eloise challenging the Ton’s status quo and seeking to force change against the tide will make for compelling viewing. It’s just a shame it’s likely not to happen until after Bridgerton season 3.
Eloise’s Story In Bridgerton Season 2 Explained
Bridgerton season 1 ended with Eloise being pressured to finally join the world of high society by being “out”, and therefore eligible for marriage. Eloise’s season 2 story continues that story, with her forced to exist within acceptable society and to keep up appearances. The season also offers a chance to see Eloise wrestling with herself as she’s previously rejected all “coming out” traditions, and now must find a way to reconcile her identity with the will of her family and high society as a whole. On top of that, Eloise’s tenacious search for Lady Whistledown continues despite the Queen having her own plans for unmasking the writer. All of that being said, Bridgerton‘s season 2 focus is primarily on Anthony Bridgerton’s story, and while that means less time for Eloise in the spotlight, she is one of the more prominent figures. And even with those considerations, Eloise’s Bridgerton season 2 story will still be just as much fun to watch as she was in the first season.
Can Bridgerton Season 2 Survive Without Simon & Daphne’s Story?
Each season of Bridgerton is set to focus on one of the Bridgerton children, as the books are, and the primary narrative that season 1 weaves is that of Daphne and Simon. Rege-Jean Page was the breakout star as Simon in Bridgerton season 1, as he portrayed the complex character in his “fake relationship turned real” with Daphne Bridgerton. Their story was compelling and drove the narrative forward with the will they or won’t they aspect, as both Daphne and Simon had to work through their own issues to eventually get married and sire a child together. Following the style of the books, Bridgerton season 2 inevitably features less of Daphne and none of Simon, prompting concerns ahead of release as to whether or not the show could possibly survive with Kate and Anthony’s relationship at the forefront. Luckily, Kate and Anthony’s budding romance is just as good, and immediately justifies the decision to switch lead characters every season. If every one is as good as the first two seasons of Bridgerton, there will be no reason for concerns.
Bridgerton has already done a good bit to tweak the tropes of the romance genre, and it will likely continue to do so through the next few seasons. However, season 5 holds the most potential in that regard because of how different Eloise will be as a romantic lead. Regardless of her fate, the promise of her leading the story in Bridgerton season 5 is incredibly exciting.
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