After about a month of being on Netflix, Bridgerton is officially the most-viewed television series ever on the streaming platform. The Regency-era romantic drama set during the early 1800s debuted on Christmas Day, becoming an immediate hit. Netflix has already renewed Bridgerton for season 2. Based on Julia Quinn’s series of novels, season 1 centers on the events of The Duke and I, revolving around Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the oldest daughter of the aristocratic Bridgerton family, and the Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page).
Bridgerton explores the complicated dynamic between both characters, as well as their passionate chemistry and love for each other. Through many tender moments, as well as extremely intense conflicts, the season 1 finale finds Daphne and Simon in a finite position with the birth of their child. It also leaves questions unanswered for other characters, most notably Daphne’s brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey). He’s confirmed to be the focus of Bridgerton season 2, which will be based on Quinn’s second novel in the series, The Viscount Who Loved Me.
Per Deadline, Bridgerton is currently the biggest hit for Netflix with a whopping 82 million households viewing the show. This is 19 million more households than what was initially projected, surpassing The Witcher, which was viewed by 76 million households within the same time frame. Netflix celebrated its milestone with a video on Twitter thanking all of the fans for checking out the period costume drama. The video can be seen below:
Interestingly, The Witcher was watched by a higher percentage of Netflix subscribers than Bridgerton, given that when it premiered in December 2019, Netflix had a substantially lower number of subscribers by approximately 33 million. However, Bridgerton has reached an ultimate trajectory that one can only surmise will likely continue to go up with the renewal of the series and the anticipation for season 2. In a year that has been dominant for Netflix, with shows like Lupin viewed by 70 million and The Queen’s Gambit getting 62 million, Shonda Rhimes and everyone at Bridgerton have a lot to celebrate.
It is almost certain all these upticks in viewers are the result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the fact that many have been in quarantine for the better half of the year. However, Bridgerton has rethought the genres of history and romance and has combined that with its ravishing costumes and diverse ensemble of actors, all of which have clearly resonated with audiences. Bridgerton is planning to film season 2 in the spring, and the viewership numbers will certainly set a high bar.
