Netflix Debuts Bridgerton Season 4; Critics Split Over Benedict Arc
First four episodes of Season 4 premiered Jan. 29, with Part 2 due Feb. 26; reviewers praise Yerin Ha and question Benedict's Cinderella storyline.
The GuardianBridgerton season four review – fear not nudity fans, the sex scenes continue apace
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TIME Magazine'Bridgerton' Season 4 Plays It Too Safe
Overview
Netflix released the first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 4 on Jan. 29, with Part 2 of four episodes scheduled to arrive Feb. 26, according to the show's release calendar.
The season spotlights Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, opposite Sophie Baek, played by Yerin Ha, and has reignited debates about queer representation and repetitive plotting, critics said.
Reviewers are divided, with multiple critics praising Yerin Ha's performance as Sophie and other reviewers calling Benedict's Cinderella arc predictable and safe, reviewers said.
Part 1 contains four episodes and the Bridgerton franchise is adapted from eight Julia Quinn novels; this is the series' fourth season, industry sources and promotional materials confirm.
Showrunner Jess Brownell and lead actor Luke Thompson said in interviews they hope the second half, due Feb. 26, will deepen character arcs and respond to audience criticism.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame Season 4 as a disappointing, derivative entry by foregrounding pejorative language ("boring," "deeply frustrating"), elevating a single positive performance, and organizing criticism around a decline narrative. Emphasis on clichés, omission of counterarguments praising adaptation choices, and repeated metaphors (Cinderella, ugly duckling) steer readers toward dismissal.