Scripted

A former paint factory in Uxbridge, on the outskirts of West London, is home to the most audaciously ambitious, visually stunning costume drama of recent years. Bridgerton, the first Netflix series to debut from Shondaland’s exclusive multi-year development deal with the streaming platform, upends costume drama traditions in a romantic, scandalous take on Regency England.

Launched on Netflix on Christmas Day, Shonda Rhimes’ soapy, sexy new romance immediately occupied the first position in the ranking of the most popular streaming content in the world on Netflix. Although Netflix is yet to announce a second series, the sheer success of the show indicates that at least one more season is on its way.

The series is based on Julia Quinn's homonymouns book series, which center around the wealthy and titled Bridgerton family in the high society but scandal-ridden world of Regency-era London, beloved for its inversion of longtime romantic tropes with refreshingly modern values.

Netflix’s eight-part series focuses primarily on the love affair between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dyenevor), London’s newest and most pursued debutante, and Simon Bassett (Regé-Jean Page), the rakish Duke of Hastings. The proceedings are laid out by a Gossip Girl-esque narrator, Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), the unseen, but all-knowing author of a salacious society page. And while this initial season of Bridgerton centers on Daphne and Simon, the eight Bridgerton books follow the escapades of all eight Bridgerton siblings—giving Netflix plenty of material for potential future seasons.