For four seasons now, Bridgerton has been a place where people who love romance can use their Netflix subscription to indulge their desire to watch swoon-worthy scenes, root for their favorite couples, dive into the many heartwarming moments, watch some seriously sexy sex scenes and just generally enjoy folks falling in love. However, after watching the fourth set of episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, I can see that something really amazing is happening with the female characters on the series, and it truly is my pinnacle when it comes to TV viewing!
Bridgerton Has Always Had Lots Of Great Female Characters
Now, don’t get me wrong, Bridgerton has always had wonderful female characters. Who can forget what a revelation Queen Charlotte felt like when we first saw her, right? No one can deny that the regal character has given us some of the best and brightest moments across four seasons (and a spinoff), but she’s not alone.
From Violet gently but sternly shepherding her kids through the marriage mart, to Lady Danbury fashionably controlling nearly all that she surveys, to Penelope secretly making big money as Lady Whistledown and Eloise doing away with tradition (so far) to keep her status as a single woman, the ladies on this series have always been ones to watch. In fact, I think Eloise’s willingness to proudly do her own thing has really taken root, and led to some very cool things for many of the female characters we see in Season 4.
Bridgerton Season 4 Shows A Lot Of Women Going For What They Want, And I’m Loving It!
As I was watching the new season, I didn’t really think I was going to get much more than Sophie and Benedict’s love story, but there’s a pretty clear through-line aside from that which develops across the first part of the season.
Not only is Sophie finally tired enough of being denied the life her father wanted for her to the point where she sneaks into the Bridgerton masquerade ball, but a lot of other women are figuring out what they need to be happy and going after it. Even better, this is happening all across society, with women from various socioeconomic backgrounds and different age groups all taking part.
For instance, Mrs. Varley (who works for Lady Featherington) and several other servants in the ton leave their longtime employers behind to work for people who will treat them better and offer more money. Violet Bridgerton has been without a romantic relationship since her husband died, but in Season 4, she decided to “have tea” with Lord Marcus Anderson, and wooooeeee! That tea was HOT!
Along those same lines, Francesca told her husband that she wasn’t satisfied with their sex life, which was clearly difficult for her, but now they have a plan to make sure she reaches her “pinnacle” each and every time they get busy.
We also, shockingly, saw Lady Danbury tell Queen Charlotte that she’s ready to step back from her position in court. And, when the queen wasn’t having it, despite their long friendship, Danbury simply chose another confidant for her by suggesting Alice Mondrich as her replacement lady in waiting in the hopes that the queen will soon change her mind. And, we even saw young Hyacinth stand up to Eloise for her desire to marry and follow that traditional path as soon as she can.
Basically, it’s been a thrill to watch the women of Bridgerton stand up for what they want and do everything they can to make sure that they live the lives they desire and on their own terms, and I cannot wait to see more of it in Part II!
