Dearest Gentle Reader, be warned: this article contains details of the new Bridgerton season that one may desire to watch for themselves. 

Expectations for Bridgerton’s fourth season were not high, as many of its devoted fans were disappointed by the quality of the third. The writing was somewhat sloppy, did not do justice for Colin and Penelope’s love story and various other elements much to be desired. 

As every seasoned observer of the ton expected, Bridgerton’s fourth season features the same breathtaking set, sound and costume design as its earlier installments. With its cast of colorful characters and Cinderella-esque female lead, this season is shaping up to be interesting, to say the least. 

To begin the social season, the Bridgertons put on their yearly masquerade ball, as Lady Danbury no longer hosts the first ball of the season. Franchesca, Lord Kilmartin and Eloise return from Scotland. Colin and Penelope Bridgerton, the stars of season three, welcomed a new baby into the family, the future Lord Featherington. In addition to being a new mother, Penelope is continuing to publish her Lady Whistledown column, but no longer under a pen name. She has taken public ownership of her salacious, extremely popular column. 

Unsurprisingly, Benedict, the male lead of the season, is still a passionate, rakish, artistic gentleman, who believes he could never settle down with one person – until the masquerade, that is. Across a crowded ballroom, he sees a striking young lady in a slivery white gown looking out of place. It is love at first sight. That night, they dance, they make gratuitously prolonged eye contact, they kiss and then the stranger leaves Benedict in the garden, holding a little white glove. 

The most unique part of this season is its focus on working class characters. There is a side story about Lady Featherington’s maid, the Bridgerton family’s staff is pictured, and the audience hears from many characters who previously skirted the spotlight. The female lead, Sophie, is the illegitimate daughter of Lord Penwood. She serves as a maid at the Penwood estate, for her father, who does not acknowledge her, and his wife, Lady Araminta Gun. Following the Cinderella trope, she is a traditional wicked stepmother. Her two daughters, however, are unexpectedly dynamic characters. Upon figuring out that Sophie snuck into a society ball, Lady Gun threw Sophie out of the house, leaving her with nothing. 

The rest of the season follows Sophie and Benedict from the ton to a country estate outside of London, where Sophie has gone to work after she was cast out. They spent time together at the country estate, and in one scene fly a kite together out in the garden. Even as the pair grow closer, Benedict does not realize that Sophie is the masked woman from the ball. She hesitates to tell him, thinking the difference in their status is insurmountable. 

Sophie and Benedict return to the city – both to the same house – one as a lord and one as a servant. However, Sophie may not be in her position for long. To finish off the season, Benedict offered her a job opportunity as his mistress, a job that this author believes is less than palatable.  

For now, all that is left to do is wait in giddy anticipation for part two, coming to a dormitory television near you, on Feb. 26.