Queen Charlotte spoilers follow.
Welcome back, dear reader. Much has changed since our last visit to The Ton yet, by and large, these changes have been most delectable indeed.
Ahead of Queen Charlotte's unveiling, Digital Spy put quill to paper in a review that highly commended Netflix's first Bridgerton spin-off, proclaiming that "it lives up to its promise and then some".
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A bold claim, if we do say so ourselves, but not one entirely without merit. As coronations go, this has been a highly successful one. Not only does Queen Charlotte add some intriguing new fodder for viewers and readers alike, the spinoff goes one better and actually improves things at the palace, much like Charlotte herself.
Chief among these changes is the prequel's desire to finally dig into race and explore how the equality usually taken for granted in Bridgerton actually came about in the first place. Strides for inclusion are also made in another key area too, but with some big caveats, as is often the way in circles such as these.
Queen Charlotte's introduction to society positions the show as a royal love story with all the usual drama and scandal you might expect. If we were to speak on such matters, we would perhaps draw one's eye to the love shared between two queens of a different kind that first came to our attention towards the start of episode two. Thirteen minutes in, to be exact.
We are nothing if not precise in our observations.
Up until this point, Brimsley and Reynolds (#Remsley) are simply portrayed as servants who assist their queen and king, respectively, in all manner of affairs. But then, towards the start of episode two, the pair suddenly assist each other instead in a rather physical manner. You know. They put the Pope into Rome. They ride a dragon upon St George, if you will.
Anyone who's spent but a moment in The Ton will be no stranger to amorous congress. And to paraphrase Lady Violet Bridgerton herself, the gardens are in full bloom this season, but never before has this franchise blown the grounsils with two men on screen. Not properly, anyway.
Up until this point, there has been barely a whisper of, dare we say it, homosexuality in Bridgerton. The closest we've come, so to speak, was back in season one when Benedict made friends with a closeted gay man who openly discussed his desire for men, and why he had to hide these desires within a straight sham marriage.
Scandalous, we're sure you'll agree. But what's even more scandalous is that season two ignored this plot thread, and indeed, homosexuality as a whole, with a second run that somehow ended up being even straighter than the first. And that was already quite a low bar indeed.
Throw in that queer-baiting trailer from the first season and it wouldn't be improper to suggest that Bridgerton's relationship with queerness has been rather concerning, particularly when you bear in mind how integral horizontal refreshment is to the show's appeal. Ignoring queer love up until now has stung this viewer even more than the bee that took Lord Edmund from us far too soon.
On the face of it then, Brimsley and Reynolds's cheeky rendezvous is long overdue and very much welcomed.
Bridgerton's sizeable queer fandom has finally been given the same kind of sex scene that straight viewers have long taken for granted, and the carnal lust of this encounter isn't toned down or shied away from either. #Remsley can barely contain their passion for each other in those tight, tight breeches.
But that's all they have really. When they're not piercing the hogshead, all Brimsley and Reynolds have in common is their respective masters, who they just talk about endlessly. Even during coitus, the happiness of their masters is still prioritised over their own.
Now, this does ring true to a point. As live-in servants of such a high rank, #Remsley wouldn't really have lives of their own beyond the Crown. And crucially, the relationship between their royal majesties does directly impact their love too.
As Brimsley and Reynolds point out in episode six's bath scene, the success of their union would mean success for their own as well, bringing the two couples together permanently under one roof.
It's no wonder then that #Remsley enjoy a good natter over royal affairs, but that's all they have, unfortunately. Aside from this bath, and a brief but moving dance at the end, Brimsley and Reynolds are barely people. Instead, they're just there to serve the plot and set things in motion for other, more important characters who just so happen to be straight...
Perhaps one could be more forgiving if #Remsley were given some kind of resolution by the end but, as it stands, the only queer people of any import in The Ton are still just thinly drawn side characters who watch the leads enjoy far more interesting lives from the sidelines.
That's not to say Brimsley and Reynolds shouldn't be celebrated. Julia Quinn's original book series didn't include any same-sex romances of note until the final story, On the Way to the Wedding, and the main show hasn't fared much better.
Still, it's hard to believe Reynolds when he said, "Great love can make miracles," if his own love isn't treated as great in its own right.
So yes, dear reader. Queen Charlotte has done wonders for The Ton in regards to both race and sexuality, but until a queer love story is treated as truly great here in all regards, there will still be plenty for us to criticise and gossip about.
Not that we would ever deign to gossip.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is now available to stream on Netflix. Bridgerton seasons 1-2 are streaming now on Netflix, and season 3 is in production.
The Wit and Wisdom of Bridgerton: Lady Whistledown's Official Guide by Julia Quinn
After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
