Bridgerton’s Women Won’t Be Boxed In — And That’s the Point

Bridgerton didn’t just waltz into 2020 with big gowns and bigger feelings. It also quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) handed much of the agency to its women. That’s what keeps me watching: the show constantly lets its female characters make messy choices, claim power, and push back on rules that were built to box them in.

The women who drive the story

Daphne Bridgerton

Daphne starts out looking like the textbook Regency diamond: primed for a perfect match and a perfect life. But even in season 1, she yanks the wheel on her own narrative. When Anthony tries to hand her off to a man she doesn’t love, she shuts it down — including a very satisfying punch to Nigel Berbrooke. Still, as the show expanded, Daphne became the least compelling of the bunch for me; she isn’t as rebellious or growth-driven in later seasons as some of the other women, and that makes her feel a little static by comparison.

Eloise Bridgerton

Eloise wants nothing to do with being a debutante. She talks about university, work, and writing when everyone else is measuring waistlines and marriage prospects. It’s refreshing — and also complicated. Eloise can get trapped in her own worldview. She’s dismissive when others, like Cressida, are cornered by the same system she hates, and she torpedoes her friendship with Penelope in season 2. That kind of moral messiness is exactly the knot I hope the show keeps pulling on.

Kate Sharma

Kate arrives sharp-witted, stubborn, and laser-focused on protecting her family. Her banter with Anthony is all sparks and steel, but underneath it is duty: she’s prepared to stay unmarried if it secures her sister’s future. She even tries to bury her feelings as Edwina’s engagement to Anthony barrels forward. That selflessness is core to Kate’s strength — and the reason she eventually gets the life she deserves.

Penelope Featherington

Penelope’s glow-up isn’t just about a corset and a carriage. She goes from overlooked wallflower to a woman who engineers her own fate. As Lady Whistledown, she takes the pen, the power, and the consequences, proving she doesn’t need a ballroom spotlight to be the most influential person in the room.

The show’s favorite tug-of-war: reputation and desire

Bridgerton is obsessed (in a good way) with the double standards around women’s sexuality. The rules are clear: women must be spotless, especially before marriage, or their lives shrink to nothing.

Daphne feels that pressure the second her relationship with Simon heats up. Every whisper about her reputation matters, because one misstep can derail her future. Marina Thompson gets the blunt end of that reality: she’s pregnant out of wedlock, and society slams the door. Her value, her marriage prospects, her entire standing — all dragged down by rules that never seem to hit men as hard. It’s a Regency problem that still looks uncomfortably familiar now.

Even Portia Featherington — often painted as a scheming obstacle — reads differently when you zoom out. She’s operating inside a machine built to limit her. Her frantic push to secure marriages for her daughters isn’t pretty, but it is logical in a world where women’s safety and status are tied to the men they land. Flawed? Absolutely. But also a survival strategy.

Why it works (and why I’m still hooked)

Bridgerton isn’t content to make its women ornaments or obstacles. They’re architects — ambitious, imperfect, contradictory, and always more than one thing at once. That’s why the show is more than a swoony period fantasy. It keeps poking at how women navigate systems that weren’t built for them, and how they find ways to bend those systems anyway.

Looking ahead, I’m expecting season 4 to keep that energy: complicated choices, evolving friendships, and women refusing to be defined by a dance card.

Bridgerton cheat sheet

• Show: Bridgerton
• Seasons: 4
• Showrunner: Jess Brownell
• Based on: Julia Quinn’s novels
• Main cast: Ruth Gemmell, Luke Thompson, Jonathan Bailey, Nicola Coughlan, Claudia Jessie, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Newton
• Network: Netflix
• IMDb: 7.4/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
• Season 4 release (US): Part 1 on January 29, 2026; Part 2 on February 26, 2026

Your turn

What do you want most from season 4 — more Eloise chaos, more Penelope power plays, or something wilder? Tell me what you’re hoping they tackle next.