The Season 4 Twist That Could Redeem Bridgerton's Season 3 Misstep

Bridgerton Season 4 is creeping closer, and the fandom is doing what it does best: spinning up theories big enough to power a carriage. The buzziest one right now? A workaround for that Season 3 switch that swapped Michael Stirling for Michaela Stirling and sent a chunk of book fans into meltdown.

The twin theory, explained like a normal person would

In Julia Quinn's novels, Michael Stirling is the man who eventually ends up with Francesca Bridgerton in 'When He Was Wicked.' The Netflix show took a hard left and introduced Michaela Stirling (played by Masali Baduza) at the end of Season 3, reframing Francesca's future as a queer love story. That reveal landed with a thud for a lot of readers who were waiting for Michael and the slow-burn grief-to-love arc tied to Francesca's first husband, John.

The new fan theory tries to split the difference: keep Michaela in the series and then, later, reveal she has an identical twin brother named Michael. The logic is simple: Michaela stays as representation that matters to plenty of viewers, while Michael shows up to calm the readers who wanted the book dynamic intact. Clean? Not really. Possible? On this show, absolutely. Likely? As of right now, there is zero sign the creative team is planning that twist. But the theory is gaining steam anyway.

Why the 'Franchaela' switch upset people

Some context helps if you only half-remember the books or skipped Francesca's entirely:

• In the novel 'When He Was Wicked,' Francesca's husband John dies. Michael Stirling, who has loved her from afar, becomes the center of her story after that loss.
• Fans argue the show didn't give Francesca and John's relationship room to breathe before introducing Michaela, so the emotional foundation felt thin.
• Another point of frustration: in the books, Francesca returns to the marriage market largely because she wants to be a mother. Readers who love her arc say flipping Michael to Michaela complicates that motivation in a way the show hasn't addressed, which makes the character's internal logic feel off.

So when the series rolled out Michaela instead of Michael in the Season 3 finale, backlash hit fast: online petitions, long threads, and plenty of side-eye. Cast and crew have defended the decision, but the rollout felt rushed and tonally mismatched to a lot of viewers, and that sentiment hasn't really cooled.

Where Season 4 is likely headed

All signs point to Benedict getting the spotlight next, while Francesca's love life simmers in the background. If the show is going to pull a twin rabbit out of a hat, it hasn't tipped its hand yet.

Meanwhile, a very real honor for Lady Danbury's powerhouse

Off-screen, there's some good news. Adjoa Andoh, who plays the endlessly watchable Lady Agatha Danbury, has been made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to drama. She received the honor from Prince William at Windsor Castle in December 2025. Andoh, 62, has been at this for more than four decades, with credits across TV ('Doctor Who,' 'Casualty'), theater, and, of course, Netflix's Regency juggernaut.

"I feel great imposter syndrome because I like what I do and drama's the world I live in. I feel very honoured to receive the honour from Prince William. I think he's doing amazing things for homelessness and for young people."

At the ceremony, she also talked with the Prince of Wales about homelessness, tied to her work with the charity St Mungo's supporting young people.

Bridgerton Season 4 will arrive on Netflix in two parts: Part 1 on January 29, 2026, and Part 2 on February 26, 2026. Until then, keep the theories coming. Just maybe pencil the twin idea in, not ink it.