Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 review: Grounded, class-conscious Cinderella tale where the passion hasn't quite ignited

Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 story:

Benedict Bridgerton, a free-spirited bohemian, takes centre stage in season four of Bridgerton, as he navigates a Cinderella-style romance adapted from An Offer from a Gentleman, by Julia Quinn. The plot revolves around Lady Violet's dazzling masquerade event, when Benedict is enchanted by an enigmatic "Lady in Silver"—really Sophie Baek, a clever lady enslaved to the demanding Lady Araminta Gun. By contrasting Benedict's ideal artistic vision with Sophie's brutal reality, the story explores questions of class and identity as he becomes obsessed with locating the rightful owner of a silver glove that was left behind. In the midst of all the excitement around Queen Charlotte's new "Suitor of the Season" game and her high-stakes wager with Penelope Featherington, the Ton is absolutely buzzing. Meanwhile, Lady Violet discovers a surprising spark with Lord Anderson.

Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 review:

While we have witnessed Cinderella adaptations in popular culture, it is clear that most of them are merely reimagining the iconic fairytale. There are also many memes regarding the fairytale, especially the one where, when the clock strikes midnight and Prince Charming stops Cinderella, she says she can do whatever she wants. That definitely resonated with women today, as it reflects a sense of independence. Finally, there is a Cinderella adaptation that does not include the entire story of Cinderella; however, the atmosphere is quite similar and reflects what might have occurred without any magic.

This time, it's the second, older Bridgerton brother, Benedict (Luke Thompson), who is at the centre of the story. He is the most flamboyant one with no strings attached. Throughout the series, we have often seen Benedict around naked men, women, or both. But giving him a Cinderella twisted story is something you might not see coming. The first episode brings in the ball hosted by the Bridgerton family, and we see a reunion among the siblings, of course barring Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and also Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), who are away with their respective spouses after their love stories got "settled" eventually. 

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However, we see the original characters that made the show interesting back together – Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Eloise (Claudia Jessie). However, things have changed between the best friends; Penelope is now married to Eloise's brother, Colin (Luke Newton), and their life trajectories have become chaotic in both positive and negative ways.

But Penelope is here, and the whole town now knows that she is Lady Whistledown after she outs herself in the finale of the third season. Thus, this increases her pressure from Queen Charlotte to provide gossip regularly. Now that her identity has been revealed, all she can do is seek consent from the people she is writing about, be it her friend or someone in the know.

Meanwhile, talking about the ball, everyone dresses up prim and proper like any other usual day, and this time we see a new family enter the scene. The Penwood family with matriarch Lady Araminta Gun (Katie Leung) and her two daughters, Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and Posy Li (Isabella Wei). They attend the Bridgerton ball to seek a partner for the young girls. However, upon Benedict's arrival at his family's most significant event, he sets his sights on "Lady in Silver" Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). The masquerade ball greatly benefits our Regency-era Cinderella. The first episode unfolds in such a way that you anticipate its inevitable conclusion.

The first part consists of only four episodes, each nearly an hour long, and it felt as though many moments were filled with unnecessary content to maintain the show's continuous vibe after its return nearly two years later. Honestly, it didn't feel that long, and while watching, I just thought we would be back in no time. 

The third season ended with a bang and was suspenseful in every possible way because it was centred on Penelope, aka Lady Whistledown, and the dual identities had to be intertwined into one. In the fourth season, the concealed identity heavily relies on the fairytale romance, making it predictable how the story will unfold.

The smooth transition of Sophie Baek into Benedict's life is the focus of an entire episode. The show takes its sweet time showing Sophie's backstory. Although it's predictable, it does give a positive touch and bring more depth to her character.

Benedict, on the other hand, has always been omnipresent in all the seasons with his antics. But having him be the main character does feel slightly indigestible given his character being totally opposite of his siblings. However, the treatment also creates a strong impression that he is still present without making it obvious that he is the lead in this story.

Bridgerton is known for giving utmost importance to its female characters, allowing them to serve as the perspective and driving the narrative forward. This time, the story focusses on a non-royal person; specifically, she is hired as a housemaid in her own home due to her evil stepmother. 

It's the imposter syndrome, which is the beauty of her character as well as the season. Although she knows that staff quarters is where she doesn't belong, she cannot come out of it. Her mannerisms as well as her likings are all that she can splurge on in a royal living room, having tea in a bone china cup the whole day. 

The ending is not hopeful or straightforward, as one might expect; instead, it places the responsibility on Benedict, which makes complete sense. The series understands its characters so well that they cannot fool the audience by changing their traits overnight. Here, Benedict's true nature is not changed even though he has a heart of gold like most of his siblings. But having them kicked in doesn't become the motto of the first part, at least. 

However, Benedict and Sophie suffer the most from something which many Bridgerton couples didn't over the past three seasons. It's the lack of chemistry! As of now, the series fails to adequately explore the sexual tensions, which should be its primary focus. But that has not been the case for any other couples that have been romantically involved in the series.

Probably too soon to judge the book, but four episodes are definitely a long time for us to root for a couple, right?

The series also takes a prolonged time with other characters, especially Violet (Ruth Gemmell) and her budding love story with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis). It's so important to explore a middle-age love story, and this season it's shown with a palpable chemistry. Moreover, it was liberating to watch Violet embracing her body and also taking charge of how to go about it with her relationship as well. So do Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and her husband, John Stirling (Victor Alli).

Waiting another month for the conclusion, which you may already anticipate, can be challenging due to the characters involved this time. But we have to see if the glove fits eventually or a fairy godmother steps up to play a cupid to Benedict and Sophie.

Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 verdict:

Bridgerton Season 4, Part 1 offers a lush, magic-free reimagining of Cinderella, yet it struggles to find its footing. While Yerin Ha brings a grounded depth to Sophie Baek’s "imposter syndrome," the central romance lacks the scorching chemistry typical of the franchise. It’s an elegant return, but Benedict and Sophie have a steep hill to climb in Part 2.