Netflix’s Bridgerton divides viewers and sparks controversy over male rape scene
‘It’s just historical Gossip Girl’: Netflix’s Bridgerton frustrates viewers with its ‘lacklustre’ plot, ‘wooden’ acting and controversial male rape scene (but some fans ‘can’t wait’ for season two)
- Shonda Rhimes’ latest show, Bridgerton, aired on Netflix on Christmas Day
- The raunchy eight-part series, set in Regency London, has left fans ‘addicted’
- However, others have slammed the show’s thin plot, saying it doesn’t compare to BBC period dramas of the 90s such as Pride and Prejudice
- On social media, others have accused the show of ‘ignoring’ issue of male rape
- A scene in episode six of the show sees Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) refusing to stop having sex with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page)
It might be the most talked about show of the festive season, but Netflix’s Regency drama Bridgerton has faced criticism from viewers over its ‘wooden’ acting and ‘boring’ plot.
Just days after all eight episodes were released on Christmas Day, many viewers have branded it a ‘historical Gossip Girl’, lamenting the lack of interesting action and accusing the show creators of ‘wasting’ a talented cast.
And a controversial sex scene in the sixth episode has seen accusations by some that the show ignores male rape. The scene sees central character Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) refusing to stop having sex with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) despite his requests to.
The scene has sparked a deluge of comments on social media, with many saying that the issue of male rape is simply ‘glossed over’.
However others are happy to look past the criticism and focus on the ‘eye candy’ and say they’re eagerly await a second season.
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The raunchy eight-part series, set in Regency London, has left fans ‘addicted’ but others have slammed the thin plot and ‘wooden acting’ branding it a ‘historical Gossip Girl’
Controversy: In the sixth episode, central character Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) is seen refusing to stop having sex with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) – pictured – despite his requests for her to
One viewer criticised the inclusion of the scene in episode six, saying: ‘This is not romantic, this is spousal/marital rape’
The plot follows central protagonist Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) on London’s matchmaking scene; Daphne pictured with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page)
The series is made by US TV producer Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland, which produced Grey’s Anatomy and How To Get Away with Murder, and follows Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family, as she makes her debut onto London’s competitive marriage market.
The show boasts a star-studded cast, including Julie Andrews’ as a narrator.
Some viewers have expressed their exasperation at the storyline though, saying a lacklustre plot is masked by lavish costumes and a score that includes pop songs re-worked in a classical way.
@secretfilmpod wrote: ‘Bridgerton is such a let down, which is a shame because the casting is superb. But they really couldn’t think of a better plot than (spoilers) the age old let’s-pretend-we’re-in-love-oops-we’ve fallen-in-love? #Bridgerton’
@WinniesSoul said the show simply didn’t match up to 90s BBC period dramas including Pride and Prejudice. Posting a photo of their BBC DVDs, they wrote: ‘Okay, I finished #Bridgerton yesterday. It was … entertaining but I grew up with masterpieces like these soooooo … no. Just no.’
Fans have also compared it to 90s show Gossip Girl, which sees a New York private school hit by a scandalous gossip blog, with many suggesting it’s just a period drama take on exactly the same story.
Daphne Bridgerton locks her body onto the Duke’s in episode six, despite his protestations
Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix debut has set pulses racing with a mixture of sultry moments, scandal and shock. And while some loved the series – set in Regency London – others were left with awkward viewing after tuning in to watch with their parents thinking they were expecting a family friendly festive show. Sex scene from the show is pictured
There has been strong reaction to the depiction of Daphne refusing to stop having sex with the Duke despite his protestations.
@christophicates wrote: ‘Holding a partner down to force sexual completion and conception while they object is rape. Rape as a quirky plot device is unacceptable.’
Writer defends depicting George III’s wife Queen Charlotte as black – despite historians’ scepticism
The author of the books which inspired Bridgerton has backed the decision to cast King George III’s wife as black.
Queen Charlotte is played by British actress Golda Rosheuvel, 49, in the new period drama, which has been compared to the enormously popular Downton Abbey.
Pictured is Golda Rosheuval as Queen Charlotte sitting in the throne room in the new sex-filled show
American author Julia Quinn, whose book series of the same name inspired the show, has backed the ‘colour-conscious’ casting, saying that ‘many historians’ believe Queen Charlotte had ‘some African background’.
The theory that Charlotte – who was born into an aristocratic German family – had African ancestry is partly based on how she looks in some portraits.
It has also been claimed that she is descended from a mistress of the 13th-Century Portuguese King Alfonso III, who may have been a Moor from North Africa.
However, historian Kate Williams previously said that ‘if we class Charlotte as black’ because of the alleged distant heritage, ‘then ergo Queen Victoria and our entire royal family, [down] to Prince Harry, are also black’.
Speaking in an interview with The Times, Ms Quinn said: ‘Many historians believe she had some African background.
‘It’s a highly debated point and we can’t DNA test her so I don’t think there’ll ever be a definitive answer.’
The Netflix show also casts several other black actors, a decision which Ms Quinn said was made ‘very deliberately’.
‘It was very much a conscious choice, not a blind choice,’ she added.
@KarolinaVega agreed, saying: ‘So Daphne held Simon down while having sex forcing him to give her a baby (very Handmaid’s Tale style)… This is not romantic, this is spousal/marital r*pe, had the roles been reversed woke twitter would be boycotting this trash saying how it glamorizes rape culture. #Bridgerton’
@CMSutton wrote: ‘If the roles were reversed and she wanted him to stop and he ignored her wishes and finished, we’d call that rape. It’s a rape scene. It’s all about consent and power. Read the book or interviews with the author. It used to be very common in the genre, but we hoped for more here.’
MailOnline has contacted Netflix for comment.
While some viewers have loved the series others branded the constant sex scenes awkward, especially for family viewing.
Taking to Twitter, one person wrote: ‘These sexy scenes are not holding back! Happy to see that part of the book is being lived up to!’
While another added: ‘Wish I knew how many sex scenes there were in Bridgerton before I agreed to watch it with my parents.’
The show follows Daphne, hoping to follow in her parent’s footsteps and find a match sparked by true love, and her prospects initially seem to be unrivalled.
But as her older brother begins to rule out her potential suitors, the high society scandal sheet written by the mysterious Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) casts aspersions on Daphne.
Starring in the show as the highly desirable and rebellious Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings is British-Zimbabwean actor Regé-Jean Page, who plays a committed bachelor and the catch of the season for the debutantes’ mothers.
Despite proclaiming that they want nothing the other has to offer, the attraction between Simon and Daphne is undeniable and sparks fly as they find themselves engaged in an increasing battle of wits while navigating society’s expectations for their future.
Netflix say the show ‘is a romantic, scandalous, and quick-witted series that celebrates the timelessness of enduring friendships, families finding their way, and the search for a love that conquers all’.
Within the first twenty minutes of the eight hour long series, Anthony Bridgerton – brother of protagonist Daphne – romps with a beautiful opera singer Siena against a tree.
Speaking to Decider about his role, Jonathan Bailey who plays the nobleman said: ‘When you see his face, he’s looking at his father’s watch — an heirloom — and he’s rutting [Siena] against the family tree. He’s not even looking at her in the eye.’
Fans have already compared it to both hit noughties show Gossip Girl. which sees a New York private school hit by a scandalous gossip blog, as well as ITV drama Downton Abbey which ran for six seasons and saw worldwide success.
Starring in the show as the highly desirable and rebellious Simon Basset, the Duke of Hastings is British-Zimbabwean actor Regé-Jean Page, who plays a committed bachelor and the catch of the season for the debutantes’ mothers.
The Long Gallery at Lancaster House, pictured, serves as one of the rooms in Queen Charlotte’s palace (pictured)
A grand ball is held in Bridgerton, where the two central characters meet. Pictured, actors twirl across the dance floor in Regency costume
Bridgerton creator Chris Van Dusen added that he dubbed the first season the ‘The Education of Daphne Bridgerton’ due to the protagonist starting off knowing nothing about sex, but later is taught to masturbate.
‘She starts out as this picture perfect, wide-eyed, innocent debutante. She grows into a woman who sheds all the constraints society has held her to, and she finally figures out who she really is and what she’s capable of,’ he said.
Taking to Twitter, fans have shared their shock at the series sexual content, with many accidentally tuning in with their parents on Christmas Day.
‘Just got scolded for not warning my friend against watching Bridgerton with her parents for family time. Definitely my bad,’ said one.
So, how accurate IS Bridgerton? We lift the lid on what is real and fake
Noble men would avoid having children in order to let bloodline die out
One of the key plot points in the drama is Simon’s insistence that he does not want to have children, but historians argue this attitude would have been implausible
TRUE OR FALSE? FALSE! One of the key plot points in the drama is Simon’s insistence that he does not want to have children.
The aristocrat is determined not to become a father because he wants to allow his bloodline to die out due to his own family’s cruelty.
Yet historian’s wildly regard this attitude to be unlikely to have occurred at the time, with historian Amanda Vickery blasting it as one of the most implausible parts of the series.
She said: ‘A peer determined not to have children would be absurd’
Gossipy tabloids would name and shame when reporting the business of aristocratic families
TRUE OR FALSE? FALSE
Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers acts as a gossipy tabloid which reports the scandals and secrets of the aristocratic families in the series.
Amanda, whose book, ‘The Beau Monde: Fashionable Society in Georgian London,’ explores the celebrity culture of the era, said it is factually accurate that the period would have incredibly gossipy.
She said: ‘The newspapers were full of all kinds of saucy details about what people are getting up to.’
Lady Whistledown’s Society Papers acts as a gossipy tabloid which reports the scandals and secrets of the aristocratic families in the series
One publication documented the scandals of London’s upper crust with a feature called Tête-à-Tête.
However, unlike Lady Whistledown’s tabloid splashes where individuals are named and shamed, the papers of the period would have made more effort to disguise the identity of the subjects.
Corsets were so uncomfortable women developed blisters from them
TRUE OR FALSE? TRUE Women in the series can be seen gasping for air when they are pulled tightly into corsets, as well as struggling with blistering around the edges of the under garment.
Costume designer Ellen Mijornick told Harper’s Bazaar that comfort didn’t ‘come into the conversation’ when it came to corsets, adding: ‘It isn’t as comfortable as wearing a sports bra—no how, no way.’
Comfort ‘didn’t come into the conversation’ for actors while they were tugged into tight corsets, according to the serie’s costume designer
Women had little to no knowledge of sex education
Women in the Regency era would have had ‘nothing in the way of a formal sex education’ and would have to conceal any knowledge they had in order to appear pure
TRUE OR FALSE? TRUE Lesley A. Hall, a historian of gender and sexuality, said there would have been ‘nothing in the way of a formal sex education’ during the Regency period, telling the LA Times that mothers were unlikely to have provided any ‘illuminating’ information about sex.
She added: ‘Doubtless her [Daphne’s] mother would have tutored her on the importance of submitting to her husband and producing an heir and a spare.’
Dashing protagonist the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), left, meets his friend Anthony Bridgerton (Johnathan Bridgerton), right, for a drink in Bridgerton
‘Nearly finished Bridgerton, it’s a gorgeous piece of period fluff but don’t watch it with your parents.
‘Do not be fooled by the Regency setting. Do not watch with the parents,’ added another.
Others praised the show for its portrayal of consent on screen.
Bridgerton showing that the removal of a glove, the touch of a hand the, fastening of a button, AND that consent can be SEXY AF,’ said one.
‘ Julie Andrews as the Gossip Girl in a sexy fake-dating / enemies-to-lovers Regency costume drama filled with string versions of anachronistic pop hits…..2020 is good now, actually,’ said another.
‘#Bridgerton is even better than I hoped it would be. Funny and sexy and pulls you along in the story. I’m ALL in,’ said another.
