WARNING: THIS POST CONTAINS BRIDGERTON SEASON 4 SPOILERS!
I just watched the new Bridgerton season and with the announcement of the next season coming out, I have some thoughts.
I personally really enjoyed season 4, despite the ending being a bit anticlimactic (like seriously if just lying about her being of full noble blood was that easy, all of the tension surrounding the would-be scandal of a noble and a maid getting together was unnecessary). Sophie and Benedict were so fun, and I loved that out of all the siblings, of course it was Benedict who fell in love with a maid with such a complex backstory. Sophie is such a great riches to rags then back to riches character, and you can really see how her past influences the decisions she makes. Her relationship with Violet was peak, I love Mrs. Wilson always and forever, and Sophie befriending Hyacinth and ELOISE was so, so fun.
The side plot of Francesca and John's marriage was so sweet. Francesca finding someone that she could be comfortable around and not have to worry about acting less awkward made me so happy as a neurodivergent person. John was so kind to her, and gave her exactly what she was looking for/needed. I think Michaela coming for a surprise visit was a little... interesting seeing as she had spent their honeymoon with them, but I do love her. I like that when she broke the structure that Francesca had so carefully crafted, she apologized and that Francesca apologized for her actions and that they got to be friends. Michaela brought out a side in both John and Francesca that they hadn't seen of each other before, and it was so nice seeing all three of them get along.
To be honest, I had a feeling that John was going to die since Francesca stuttered when meeting Michaela for the first time. I think John and Francesca were a perfect match, so seeing some sparks between Fran and Michaela pretty much guaranteed his death in my mind, so when it happened I wasn't all that surprised. Seeing Fran grieve broke my heart anyway because she is one of my favorite characters, but watching Michaela lift her spirits again when they celebrated John's life was so meaningful to me. I love the side of Fran Michaela brings out, and I think they could be a great pair too.
This is where my personal gripe comes in: Francesca and Michaela being the center couple of Season 5 is too soon. I know there is a time skip between the seasons, as there is for all of them, both in real time and in-universe, so maybe my opinion on this will change, but right now I feel like John's death is just too fresh in my mind. To make things clear, I do NOT hate Francesca and Michaela. I think they are going to make a great couple, and the gender swap of Michael to Michaela in the series allows Bridgerton to do something unique and creates something of similar tension to Sophie and Benedict's situation. My issue stems from the fact that they are almost discarding John. I know that this also happens in the books, and I know Fran and John weren't supposed to last, but Francesca and John's relationship broke the "love-match" that the Bridgerton's praise, and I thought that them not necessarily being one was so important. I will stand by the fact that John and Francesca were soulmates until the day that I die, so not being able to see Fran work through her grief even more while another Bridgerton's love story is completed is just a little disappointing.
However, some of the things I've been seeing about Francesca and Michaela have been nasty and completely unnecessary. Francesca is allowed to be queer. Whether they make her bi or a lesbian doesn't completely throw away the fact that she clearly loved John, just not in the traditional sense. Again, I stand by the fact that they are soulmates, and being soulmates does not mean you must romantically be in love. Assuming that Eloise is "the lesbian one" just because she doesn't want to be part of the marriage mart is so ridiculous and just enforcing stereotypes. Eloise has expressed interest in men before (Season 2, the newspaper boy!). Her reasons for not wanting to be married are because she doesn't want to become what is expected from wives in the Ton. She wants to read and write and do something "greater" with her life than just be married to the closest man. I am not saying you can't see Eloise as queer, I am just saying that her refusal to be married isn't rooted in the fact that she doesn't like men.
I think its important that Francesca, the softer spoken, more feminine one, likes women. I think it shows that being queer isn't accompanied by the stereotypes people normally associate with it. Michaela and Francesca are going to make a good couple. I only personally wish that there had been another season in between their love story, and that we had gotten more time to see Fran grieve.