There’s no debate about Netflix’s current crown jewel. Bridgerton, Shondaland’s first scripted series for the streamer, is once again dominating the conversation — and the charts. The first half of Season 4 dropped last week, and millions of viewers immediately tuned in for the Cinderella-style romance between Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).
Not everyone is thrilled with the new season — it currently holds the lowest audience score of the series on Rotten Tomatoes — but popularity has never been Bridgerton’s problem. The show shot straight to the top of Netflix’s U.S. and global charts, with its only real competition coming from Fallout. Critics, meanwhile, have been kinder. Collider’s Carly Lane gave Season 4, Part 1 an 8/10, praising its improved balance between romance and supporting storylines.
New data from Samba TV only reinforces just how massive the show remains. During the live-plus-three-day window, Season 4, Part 1 pulled in 6.4 million households — a 52% increase over Season 3, Part 1. Even more impressive? Most viewers watched at least three of the four episodes. That kind of retention is basically unicorn-level in modern streaming.
Is ‘Bridgerton’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review stated that Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1 marked the series at its strongest yet, reinvigorated by a compelling new romance and a broader view of Regency society. Luke Thompson’s Benedict finally stepped confidently into the spotlight, but it was newcomer Yerin Ha who truly elevated the season as Sophie Baek, a working-class heroine whose perspective expanded the show beyond the wealthiest members of the ton.
Despite any minor drawbacks, Season 4 is already raising the bar for Bridgertont hanks to a compelling new lead in Yerin Ha, a bigger spotlight on one of the most underappreciated classes in the Regency series’ society, and a continued dedication to prioritizing the primary reason viewers keep tuning in time and time again: the seemingly insurmountable journey to a happily ever after. There’s no telling yet how Benedict and Sophie’s romance will play out in the season’s last four episodes, but Part 1 leaves things off on a tantalizing note that will likely leave viewers desperate for more.
The Lincoln Lawyer and Bridgerton are currently streaming on Netflix, while Bosch and Bosch: Legacy currently stream on Prime Video.
- Release Date
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December 22, 2020
- Network
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Netflix
- Directors
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Tom Verica, Tricia Brock, Alex Pillai, Alrick Riley, Bille Woodruff, Cheryl Dunye, Sheree Folkson, Julie Anne Robinson
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Luke Thompson
Lady Violet Bridgerton
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Ruth Gemmell
Benedict Bridgerton
