North American producer is among the most commented subjects on social networks
Shondaland, a producer of Shonda Rhimes , is facing yet another trial by fire this weekend. Creator of Grey’s Anatomy and other hits like Scandal and Station 19 , the American now awaits the repercussion on Bridgerton , her new series and the first produced for Netflix . The eight-episode production was launched on Friday (25) on the streaming platform.
Bridgerton’s story adapts the book The Duke and Me, the first in a series of nine volumes written by the American Julia Quinn. At the center of the plot set in 19th century regency England is Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the oldest daughter of the Bridgerton family.
Insecure, but focused on her personal life, she has just joined London high society to find a good husband and pursue her search for true love. The mission becomes complex from the moment her brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), begins to discard all suitors, especially the attractive Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page).
The art direction and the soundtrack, formed by instrumental re-recordings of hits by Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift , are some of the highlights of the production, as anticipated by the Netflix teasers.
Reception
Apparently, the new venture of Shondaland will maintain the tradition of captivating its fans. Since the launch, still in the early hours of Friday, social networks have praised the new work of the producer: the name of Shonda and the tag #bridgertonnetflix appear among the most commented terms on Twitter.
“Really, what a series! Saving the end of 2020 by telling the story of Julia Quinn’s book”, thanked one user. “The perfect garden scene. Identical. Every detail, every speech, action gesture. Thank you, Shonda”, praised another person, about a specific scene, thanking him for his fidelity. “Shonda, you’re going to pay for therapy for me,” joked a third.
Expert critics were also amazed at Bridgerton’s end result . The site Rotten Tomatoes gets 97% approval from critics on Friday. In the survey with the general public, the percentage drops to 83% – an index considered high on the platform.
Even before the premiere, specialized television sites had already watched and praised the production. The sense of escapism provided by the series was one of the most common compliments. ” Bridgerton is a jolt of joy and romance at the end of a year that, for most of us, was lacking,” defined the London Evening Standard.
The female struggle was also another characteristic praised by the experts. Lorraine Ali, of the Los Angeles Times, praised the evolution of the characters throughout the plot, as ” Bridgerton can delight above all in overturning the historical realities of female repression with a detailed narrative of Daphne’s sexual awakening.”
Similarities and differences
The difference between Bridgerton and Shonda ‘s other works is evident: this is the first time that she has produced and got involved with some period series. In addition, the script also has some characteristics that will end up referring to other productions – all because of the way the producer adapted the work of Julia Quinn.
One of the characters he causes in the series is Lady Whistledown, a mysterious woman who walks through the British aristocracy talking about gossip about couples and gala attendees. In the series, she appears as a voice off and, by the text’s content, will make viewers remember Gossip Girl, a TV hit between 2007 and 2012. The narration is by Julie Andrews. The difference is that the audience will be able to find out who the woman is at the end of the season, a dilemma that has dragged on for eight episodes.
Another good aspect of the production is how the racial issue was left aside: whites and blacks live together normally, even though it is a story set in the 1800s. Shonda should earn points for this adaptation, making the plot a little more modern and diverse.
Watch the trailer:
Amelia Warner
Amelia Warner writes all the Latest Articles. She mostly covers Entertainment topics, but at times loves to write about movie reviews as well.
