I loved watching Birgerton, so it was definitely enjoyable to talk all bout it. Besides talking about all the aspects that we loved, we also talked about the messages that Brigerton presented.  I definitely did not think about Birgerton’s implications on race and gender when I was watching it, so it was really interesting to look at the series in a different light than a romance tv-series. The discussion brought up really interesting views on Daphne and Simeon’s relationship. When I watched the series, I viewed their relationship and actions in rose-colored glasses.

I attended the table talk “Breaking Down Bridgerton” to have a discussion with my peers about the show after binging it over the winter. It was interesting to hear others’ thoughts on the show in its unique approach to the period drama. Some of the most interesting things to me were about how they portrayed race and sexuality in the show. We talked a bit about the seemingly colorblind casting, but others, similar to myself, took issue with the cheap way the show tried to explain this casting to the audience. It was also interesting how they portrayed sexuality for women in the show as compared to other period dramas like Downton Abbey and Pride and Prejudice. We talked about whether this portrayal was realistic and how modern influence played into its portrayal in the show. Many thought it seemed accurate as to how this would have been in real life in that time period. I’m not sure if it was entirely accurate but I also don’t know much about that time period. Overall, the show was very entertaining and it was nice to talk about with other people who also binged the show over the break.

Over the past winter break, I engaged in many relaxing activities, many of which included media consumption. The British show Bridgerton was one of the TV series that I had the pleasure of watching. I am an avid fan of period pieces and this one did not disappoint. Due to the small number of episodes, I was able to finish the show over a few days, which means that, despite highly enjoying it, I did not take the time to fully appreciate and analyze the show. This Rose Scholars event allowed me to test my knowledge of the show through a very amusing Kahoot game, which proved that I still had a very clear memory of the show’s main points. However, one thing that I learned at this event was the fact that the show is based on an 8-book series, each covering a different Bridgerton sibling. Some of the most important points of discussion that came up were the portrayal of race, sex education, and class struggles within the show. In terms of race, it was very insightful to break down the concept of “forced diversity” and if this was the case in Bridgerton. All in all, I am looking forward to the next season covering the story of a different sibling.

After attending a Bridgerton discussion which was practically a “book club” except with a tv series, it became clear to me that the series Bridgerton was more interesting than I thought. I was in a difficult place because I had heard of the show but had never had the time to watch it yet but as everyone was engaging in leading conversations about the drama that went on in the show, I was just itching to want to binge watch the show now. After the discussion, I immediately watched the first two episodes and I was definitely not disappointed with what I have seen so far. Overall I am thankful that I attended the discussion on Bridgerton and I look forward to finishing the rest of the series hopefully not too soon for the sake of my health.

The show Bridgerton, produced by Shonda Rhimes, was released on Netflix during winter break. The show is eight episodes long and is set during the Regency era and it follows the Bridgerton family along with other members of the community. I immediately began watching the show because it felt like a fusion of Gossip Girl and Pride & Prejudice. I watched all eight episodes in one night and proceeded to rewatch it once more to catch anything I missed the first time. I enjoyed attending the table talk because it allowed me to hear other people’s opinions on the show. One point of discussion was the very diverse cast of Bridgerton. When we think of British royalty, we typically don’t think of people of color, but in the show Queen Charlotte was played by a black actress, Golda Rosheuvel.  We all appreciated the diverse cast because it showed a world where color didn’t matter, but an interesting point of discussion was how we felt the show portrayed the fact that color didn’t matter. Viewers are told that color doesn’t matter because the King fell in love with a black woman and “love conquers all.” Most of us thought that this was unnecessary and made the show a little too cliche. I thought that they didn’t have to explain why color didn’t matter in the show because the “love conquers all” explanation seems too simple and by leaving any explanation out, it would emphasize how the show is in another timeline. We also discussed the theme of purity and how women were expected to be pure while no one cared that men were having intercourse. This theme is unfortunately still around today as women are often judged for the amount of skin they show or how many sexual partners they have had.

Overall, I enjoyed watching the show because it allowed me to escape our current world. I recommend it to anyone if they have some free time!

I absolutely loved this show when it came out. I watched all of the episodes in one night. I cried, I laughed, I was happy, and I was angry. Even though I really enjoyed the show I found myself looking for more. I started reading articles that had been written on the accuracy of the show and the diversity in the cast. I found so much historical information that I still was not really quite sure if it was true or not.

When I saw this event I did not even look at the other events I signed right up! I really enjoyed the discussion and everyones perspectives. We came to the decision from other articles that had been read, that even though the show was not necessarily based on true events, there was some historical accuracy there. The discussion allowed me to talk and finally have some of my questions answered!

I really enjoyed this event because when I watched the series I didn’t necessarily pay the closest attention to what was happening. It was more of a show that I put on in the background while I unpacked all of my clothes in my dorm room. One of my takeaways from this talk was how the show portrayed how little women knew about sexuality and sexual intercourse. Women were kept “pure” in every way that they could while men had pretty much free rein over their lives. While everything seemed really blown out of proportion in the show, I feel that it was probably accurate because women today can still feel the effects of the past. 

Even though we are moving towards women fully taking back sexuality, there is sometimes still a(n unnecessary) stigma when women are outwardly in touch with their sexuality. Several of my female friends have told me how their parents won’t allow them to go in their male friends’ bedrooms because of the negative message it would send, while the same parents have little to no restrictions on their sons. A bit of a double standard still, but nowhere near as bad as it was for women in the 1800s and I’m very thankful for that.

I did not expect much from Bridgerton. While I am somewhat familiar with the books, I expected the Netflix adaptation to make the period romance into a soap opera rather than a faithful adaptation. Yet, I was pleasantly surprised with the liberties the show took to speak to a modern audience. The colorblind casting of the actors and how the show navigated social identities was refreshing. Often times it feels like the media is forcing diversity instead of embracing it, but Bridgerton did it with subtly. During this Monday evening chat there were differing opinions about female powerlessness. Socioeconomic status seemed to relate to the freedom a woman had to live her life, and many of us thought high society was a restrictive lifestyle. Who daughters married was a direct reflection on the family and their siblings future prospects. The same did not hold true for the middle and lower classes. Were all women really powerless? The lack of education, inability to go anywhere or speak one’s mind without consequence, and other factors suggest so. However, with female characters in the show exemplifying how women could escape these barriers (albeit with much effort) and to some extent determine their future, women of that period were not helpless. What was their power was their courage. For a modern woman like myself, it was difficult to swallow the hurdles the main women had to confront, but I enjoyed Bridgerton for how it handled these outdated modalities. While it is a fictional take on history, it is an entertaining one that had a lot to say beyond what I could cover in a single blog post. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in historical media or just looking for a show to binge watch. You will not regret it.

I wanted to attend this discussion to see other people’s opinions of the very popular show Bridgerton and hear about if we made the same connections between this show and others. I enjoyed Bridgerton and it reminded me of the other series Downtown Abbey which is one of my favorite series. It is also a period, romantic drama series that follows an affluent family and the decision they make- as well as any staff that work for them and their surrounding neighbors. The way everyone interacts together can be seen in the familial dynamics, as well as especially through the male and female characters. They are having to portray the women in the house as having to obey the males and have them as protection. It was interesting to see how the actors got into their characters and went about acting out those particular dynamics. I enjoyed the discussions we had about the series- and how it tied in with other shows such as The Crown or Downtown Abbey, and it was nice to talk about a shared interest with other people in Rose.