1900th century high

Ever since I was a little girl, I have admired dramas, entangled love stories, and embellished dresses. And yes, I'm a romantic all the way. If like me, you can't get enough of Pride and Prejudice, you adore British accents, daring plot twists, and history, you have come to the right place.

A few years ago, a friend of mine suggested that I watch Downton Abbey. To be honest, I was skeptical at first because I had never seen a period drama, and even though I absolutely worship dramas, I was afraid that the TV version of my beloved novels would not make the cut. To my amazement, I was greatly surprised, and so there began my love story with period dramas.

I hold Downton Abbey in a special place in my heart, as it introduced me to what is now my favorite genre of series. I cried, laughed, and fell in love with every aspect of this show: the costumes, the cast, the story, the setting... That is why I have had trouble finding a production that outdoes Downton Abbey—or that at least comes close to it.

So when I came across this new Netflix show called Bridgerton I had many doubts and reservations, but I decided to embrace the uncertainty, spoil myself and watch yet another period drama. The Bridgerton series gives off a Pride & Prejudice mixing Gossip Girl type of vibe. And to be honest, what a sublime combination. I also relished every aspect of this show, and it was a much-needed breath of fresh air for me. So here are some of the many elements that make this show the perfect successor of Downton Abbey.

A little bit of history first...

Downton Abbey - my favorite period drama on the planet - is a show set in the early 1900s. It follows the lives of the distinguished Crawley family who flaunt a high status within Britain's upper-class social groups. Furthermore, it details the day-to-day lives of the Crawley family's servants, who occupy the downstairs division of the house. The drama comes from the characters trying to navigate their quickly evolving, post-Edwardian world.

The series uses actual historical events such as the sinking of the Titanic as its starting point, and it then filters them through the characters' responses. The drama comes from the characters trying to navigate their rapidly changing, post-Edwardian world.

What is Bridgerton?

Bridgerton is a Netflix show based on the Bridgerton series of romance novels by Julia Quinn. Each novel centres on one of the eight Bridgerton siblings: Anthony, Benedict, Colin, Daphne, Eloise, Francesca, Hyacinth and Gregory. The first book, titled The Duke & I, is the primary focus for season one of this series. So, while all of the siblings are seen and there are overlapping storylines, the experience of Daphne Bridgerton and Simon, the Duke of Hastings is featured the most.

The drama centers on the Bridgerton family: Lady Bridgerton, her four sons, and her four daughters. It is set in the Regency era in England, when these eight close-knit siblings of this influential and powerful family strive to find love and status, all while facing disputes, the gossip-queen Lady Whistledown, and a whole lot of drama.

What makes Bridgerton so great?

It goes without saying that a good period drama will have some scandal and intrigue, and Bridgerton takes drama to a whole other level. Highlighting family feuds, heartbreak, and unwanted attention; it's all revealed with the help of Lady Whistledown - the one responsible for delivering juicy gossip every day to the village. That makes the series be narrated like Gossip Girl, which gives it another perspective that I found quite entertaining and engaging. In addition, all the suspense and passion in the show kept me at the edge of my seat at all times, and the fact that the characters were so charming made me relate feel with them - even a little too much sometimes.

My favorite aspect of the show is that it is female-centric. In the time period in which these types of shows take place, the female point of view was nothing but irrelevant and forgotten; and in many period dramas, that shows through a little bit. However, Bridgerton stays true to the period—in the way the female characters are seen by society— while giving the viewer feminism and many progressive thoughts and attitudes in the main characters. For instance, Daphne goes through a journey of self-awareness, the discovery of her sexuality, and empowerment; which is something that I loved to watch. Moreover, Daphne's little sister battles the stigma and fights for a chance to educate herself in an era in which females were supposed to stay home taking care of their children. Bridgerton effortlessly and classily covers many subjects that were - and even are now - considered taboo or shameful, which is everything I could ever want in a show, as it inspires viewers to do the same and reconsider several things.

While it is true that Downton Abbey is considered one of the first period dramas to break molds and showcase a more progressive way of thinking, Bridgerton takes that to a whole new level. While in the former issues like sexual orientation, race, class, and gender were acknowledged, in Bridgerton these are expressed and addressed through a 21st-century lens, which makes it ten times more attractive for more juvenile generations.

Another aspect that caught my eye — and that haters will claim that is historically inaccurate—is the fact that co-star Regé-Jean Page (which plays the role of Simon Hastings) is a biracial British-Zimbabwean actor, and that the Queen itself is played by a Guyanese-British actress. I feel like that tells you everything you need to know about this show and its goal of showcasing more diversity and breaking the habit of only employing colored people for the role of servants or slaves in these types of dramas. We live in a multicultural world, and I feel like even though the show stayed true in the sense that Britain may not have been very multicultural in the 1900th century, normalizing people of different ethnicities in positions of power is something that should be regarded as very positive. In that sense, Bridgerton strives to think outside of the box compared to Downton Abbey; and while the latter references racial issues, it doesn't make them a key feature in the series as Bridgerton does.

The only disappointment that I had with this show was the costumes. I am a huge fashion nerd, and Bridgerton cannot compete with Downton Abbey's outfits. Despite the clothing not comparing to my favorite show, I will say that they were very well-made too, and the color schemes and styles were gorgeous. Besides, according to the director, all the characters wore different outfits in each of the events and days portrayed in the show, which is truly impressive. Co-star Phoebe Dynevor declared in an interview that they had over 7.500 lavish dresses and costumes for all the cast, which is mind-blowing.

One thing that I didn't expect to see and that positively surprised me where sex scenes and how sex-positive the show is. In Downton Abbey, all sex-related things were kept PG; however, in Bridgerton, many courtship scenes were filmed in beautiful scenery but show a little bit more skin. That, however, does not make them less classy, as the way they are filmed made them feel intimate, elegant, and relatable - as relatable as lingerie and bedrooms from the 1900th century can be. Bridgerton shows its young and inexperienced characters struggle to figure out what sex is and how it works in a way that even many years later is still understandable, which keeps you empathetic and expectant at all times.

Another element that I really enjoyed—and that caused cringe to many others—is the music. The show adapted numerous well-known pop songs to be performed in a violin quartet, ranging from Taylor Swift to Ariana Grande's top hits. And while many say it is not high-class and kills the mood for the dances, I found that it was a charming twist and a fabulous way to engage the younger generations. I constantly found myself making up lyrics and screaming them at my TV when some of my favorite songs came on screen.

I think that it goes without saying, but one of my ultimate favorite aspects of this show is the plot. As I said, it has the indistinguishable and essential traits of a period drama - love, drama, feuds, heartbreak, and royalty - but it is innovative in so many aspects. I fell in love with the characters, their stories and struggles, and the narrative overall. I mean, I finished the show in only two days!

Downton Abbey and Bridgerton are two very different shows but they are quite similar at their core. Both are perfectly suited for the period drama lovers, enthusiasts of love and romance, sexy British accents, and a new approach to the 1900th century.

While watching this show I cried, cringed, chuckled, and was left in wonder, and I would not change it for the world. It opened my eyes as to the different approaches that the same topic can take, and it left me delighted after seeing this new female-centred approach.

What if I love Bridgerton?

If after you watch Bridgerton you still crave more, I have three extra recommendations that will keep you content.

If you relish British accents, high society, and political drama, The Crown will keep you at the edge of your seat. This amazing show combines fiction and fact to take the viewers through the iconic reign of Queen Elisabeth.

For the fans of 1900th-century dramas, if you want to take a look at the deepest thoughts and ventures of the American poet Emily Dickinson, Dickinson is for you. This show details the poet's struggle to have her voice heard in a patriarchal society, all while exploring gender inequality norms and expectations.

Although it is not a period piece, if you could not get enough of the drama, the fashion, the music - and of course, the gossip - Gossip Girl is the way to go. This drama centered in New York unveils the lives of a group of teens who are intimidated by a much younger Lady Whistledown called Gossip Girl who exposes their deepest darkest secrets.