The Terrible Moral Problem of Bridgerton S1 That Becomes Apparent on Rewatch

Summary

• Daphne and Simon's romance is toxic, but it is very exciting to follow.
• Daphne's behavior was demeaning to Simon.
• She imposed her will on him, even though she knew he was sensitive about a certain matter.

Although it's been more than three years since Bridgerton premiered, it's still one of the most popular shows on Netflix. Filled with elegant costumes and steamy sex scenes, the period romance drama instantly won over audiences around the world when it debuted in late 2020. And it's fair to say that the show has been riding the coattails of its initial success ever since.

Focusing on the romance of Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Season 1 introduced us to the now-beloved fictional world and wowed us with its 19th-century aesthetics and thrilling portrayal of courtship and love. Plus, the heat of Daphne and Simon's romance was just too powerful to resist. Upon re-watching, however, you begin to notice many things that make you question the integrity of the characters' story.

A Dismissive Partner

Sure, Daphne and Simon's love arc was exciting. Since they weren't interested in each other at first and faked their courtship to protect Daphne's reputation after the scandalous gossip Lady Whistledown wrote about her, they were a fascinating pairing to follow as viewers could see them gradually develop feelings for each other.

Of course, their more steamy scenes were very welcome, as they built up the audience's anticipation enough. But perhaps our desire to see their relationship enter a new phase made us overlook a very important problem. Daphne was rather dismissive of Simon's desires and fears.

An Act of Abuse

Raised by an emotionally unavailable and spiteful father who was more concerned with continuing his bloodline than caring for his family, the Duke of Hastings had a childhood trauma that resulted in him not wanting children. Remarkably, he was open about this with Daphne from the start, even trying to dissuade her from pursuing him, but she assured him that she would accept him as he was.

Eventually, however, Daphne began to want children and started to persuade Simon to simply put aside his fears and give in to her desires. Later, she even forced him to have sex with her against his will, resulting in her becoming pregnant with Augie – an act considered rape by many Bridgerton viewers.

While Daphne and Simon have become a happy family with a beautiful child, her past behavior should not be overlooked. Rape aside, Daphne violated Simon's trust. He confided in her about his trauma and vulnerability. But instead of helping him process and heal, she forced him to change his mind. Morally speaking, this is more than just questionable… And the saddest part is that it has never been addressed on Bridgerton afterwards.

Bridgerton Season 3 is scheduled to premiere on May 16.