Truth or Consequences

I think my brain is melting—I really do. Either that, or I’ve become extremely paranoid. I started watching the new season of the Netflix series Bridgerton (at my wife’s request), and it hit me with such a wave of inauthenticity that I could feel the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. I know I’ve written about this before, even using the same show as an example, but bear with me.

If you haven’t seen this abomination, here are a few words about it (and it isn’t the only one out there). Bridgerton is a period drama based on Julia Quinn’s romance novels, set in an alternate version of Regency-era London (early 19th-century England). It follows the lives of aristocratic families, focusing on romance, scandal, and social intrigue among the elite “ton” (high society). The show is known for its lavish costumes, opulent balls, and steamy plotlines, but it takes significant liberties with history to infuse modern sensibilities. Most notably, it employs colour-conscious (or “colour-blind”) casting, portraying a racially diverse aristocracy where Black, Asian, and white characters intermingle as equals in positions of power and privilege—living in a state of liberal ecstasy and comfort.