Spoilers ahead for “Bridgerton” season four.

Dearest gentle reader, “Bridgerton” is back — finally. After making fans wait almost two years for their next fix of the regency romp, there was quite a scramble to the television once those coveted first four episodes dropped. Only a few days later, viewers are, for the most part, pleased with what they watched. 

Netflix released the first part of “Bridgerton” season four, based on the historical romance novel series by Julia Quinn, on Jan. 29. The show centers this season —both the English social season as well as the TV show’s — around Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson), the second son of the mighty Bridgerton clan. 

Benedict has been known in previous seasons for his free-spirited and artistically-inclined personality, combined with an aesthetic appeal that needed none of the ‘Bridgerton glow up’ the show often gives its leading men when their spotlight season arrives. Since he’s been so beloved since season one, the producers and writers knew they could not mess this one up. 

Only four episodes out of the full eight have debuted, as Netflix continues with their two-part release model used on season three in 2024, much to fans’ chagrin. Part two will make its fashionably late waltz onto screens across the world on Feb. 26.

This season’s diamond of a leading lady is Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), who comes from a different background than the other women of the show — she is a maid. Befitting the Cinderella-esque narrative structure of this season, Sophie, born the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman, is forced into servitude by her stepmother Araminta Gun (Katie Leung). She escapes to the Bridgertons’ masquerade for one magical night. There, she encounters Benedict and they share a few endearing moments, setting off his search for the “lady in silver” for whom he does not even have a name. 

Ha’s performance imbues the show with a fresh wonder as she invites the audience to take in the beauty of balls and fine dresses alongside her, since they are so different from her day-to-day reality. The rags-to-riches plot is done with an intention and nuance that gives Sophie’s life as a maid its due exploration, allowing it to read as genuine rather than overdone. 

The latter two episodes take a different fairytale trope, becoming reminiscent of “The Little Mermaid,” with Benedict’s mind constantly on the almost dream-like lady from the ball, without realizing she is, in fact, right in front of him. Sophie has a run-in with Benedict as he defends her from her lecherous boss at the house in the countryside where she works, causing him to be injured, and her to save him. 

When Benedict is recovering in his own cottage in the countryside, some interactions between them have an imbalanced air due to their class difference. As the episodes progress and they end up back in London, with Sophie working for his family, their conversations tend to run in circles without making too much progress. Despite this, they do provide the yearning and slow burn romance that viewers crave. Thompson’s performance makes it impossible not to root for Benedict, and Ha’s portrayal of Sophie’s struggles between her position as a maid and her heart’s desire hits an emotional chord. 

In terms of musical ambience, the soundtrack of season four hits a confident stride with its pointed pick of pop-gone-classical covers. “Enchanted” by Taylor Swift plays in the second episode in a full orchestral arrangement, sweeping viewers up along with it. Throwbacks such as Paramore’s “All I Wanted” are adapted by Vitamin String Quartet for the show, and a perfectly placed rendition of “Bad Idea Right?” by Olivia Rodrigo concludes the fourth episode.

These songs continue the beloved tradition of adapting pop songs and turning them into classical renditions, which started in season one. The soundtrack continues to work with the show to provide fans the fun treat of seeing modern songs be used in a historical context. 

The side plots are paced much better this season, supporting the leading couple while providing enticing drama for audiences to invest in. Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), having revealed her identity as the gossip columnist “Lady Whistledown,” is now constantly at the side of the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel), giving her the latest gossip. Her appearances are more satisfying than they were in her own social season, as the main criticism of the third installment of the show was the lack of screen time for her and fellow lead at the time, Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). 

Bridgerton family matriarch Violet (Ruth Gemmell) begins a relationship of her own with her love interest from last season, Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis). Meanwhile, Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and her new husband John Stirling (Victor Alli) return to the city after spending the summer at the Stirling family home in Scotland, experiencing their first season together as a married couple. 

One of the side plots in the last seasons that once appeared disconnected was that of the Mondrichs, an originally working class couple from season one that, over the course of the show, entered into high society. In season four, they finally find a place in the story, as Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) has championed Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) to become a lady in waiting for Queen Charlotte. 

Danbury’s position and character arc is surprising; she has asked Queen Charlotte for permission to leave London after the season’s end. Given how integral she is to society and how beloved she is by fans, it will be interesting to see if she does leave and how the show will look without her ever-shrewd presence.  

From how part one ended, part two promises to have endless intrigue and romance in store. The leading couple’s relationship has reached a crossroads. Unexpected arrivals cause uncomfortable realizations, and possible shifts in society might leave the ‘ton’ changed forever. Feb. 26 seems eons away when left on such a cliffhanger, leaving fans to wonder why the season did not come out all at once, or at least weekly like “The Summer I Turned Pretty” in 2025. 

Whatever the reasoning and despite the frustration, part two will hopefully wrap up these plots while laying the groundwork for season five. Though, no matter how season four does end up, that fifth installment has already been confirmed, alongside a sixth season.

It is certain to this author that “Bridgerton” has, in fact, returned to redeem itself from last season’s mishaps. In the midst of the salacious scandals beloved by the ‘ton,’ our leads might finally find something real between them — one must only wait and see.