Warning: This piece contains spoilers.

Dearest Gentle Reader: It has come to my most attentive notice that this midterm season is hereby interrupted by the return of Netflix’s crown jewel, Bridgerton, which graces our screens with its fourth instalment. While young McGill students sharpen their minds in the hopes of succeeding in their upcoming examinations, they may find respite in this hit television series, which follows the lives of the Bridgerton family in a reimagined Regency-era England. An adaptation of Julia Quinn’s third novel from the Bridgerton series, An Offer from a Gentleman, the first part released on Jan. 29 with the second arriving Feb. 26. The fourth season explores the blossoming romance between second son and notorious rake Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), the illegitimate daughter of a nobleman who is forced to become a maid by her evil stepmother.

In this reimagined Cinderella story, the beloveds meet at a masquerade ball where Benedict falls hopelessly for Sophie, who is, well, not like other girls. Dissatisfied with society women, whom he deems dull and uninteresting, Benedict has traded his faith in true love for short, passionate, and meaningless encounters. He finds, in Sophie, the infatuation for life that he has been secretly yearning for in a partner, whilst pretending to be a free-spirited bachelor. Unaware of her identity and social standing, he develops romantic feelings for her, which she reciprocates. Yet he cannot pursue her openly, since she is a maid and he, a gentleman.

For the first time, Bridgerton explores the upstairs-downstairs divide between the noble ton and the servant’s working class. Masters need servants to sustain their lifestyle, whilst servants depend on the masters for a living wage and employment. This season delves into the servants’ lived reality, class dynamics and the interdependence between those above and below. Bridgerton highlights how depersonalized that system is and how it keeps the lower class at the mercy of the upper class, exemplified notably when a young maid is treated in an untoward manner by a supposed gentleman, or in the uproar and confusion that the ton experiences because of the Maid Wars. Further, it exposes the unfairness of the fate of children born out of wedlock, who are kept out of society on account of their status as ‘illegitimate.’

This peek behind the curtain is a breath of fresh air, providing a new perspective by centring the narrative on the lives of servants for once. Both Sophie’s story and her romance with Benedict are authentic and a welcome departure from the last season. Ha’s acting is genuine and honest, and her chemistry with Thompson is refreshing. She revealed during her appearance on Royal Court, the YouTube show hosted by internet sensation Brittany Broski, that she worked closely with showrunners to reimagine the role of Sophie, making her more authentic to her heritage. Most notably, she changed Sophie’s family name from Beckett to Baek. As the first East Asian lead of Bridgerton, she shines beside her co-star as a relatable character who deals with real-life problems whilst retaining her individuality. This comes across most notably when Sophie refuses Benedict’s offer to be his mistress despite her attraction to him. She has too much self-respect to debase herself in such a way and teaches Benedict a well-deserved lesson. 

Now, the ton feverishly awaits the next chapter of this season’s captivating drama. Lest we forget the people who make their lifestyle possible and hope that a happy ending soon befalls Ms. Baek and Mr. Bridgerton, who yearns to reunite with the lady in silver that he met at the ball. Until then, this author wishes you great success in your midterms and hopes that you find peace and wellness despite the cold and busy season.