The central romances in Bridgerton have always been heterosexual (or heterosexual-presenting, in the case of Benedict, played by Luke Thompson), but the upcoming Season 5 is set to shake up the tradition. Following a first look at its leading couple, Netflix announced during its recent upfront presentation to advertisers that the series will return next year.
Putting Francesca (Hannah Dodd) and Michaela Stirling (Masali Baduza) into focus, the eight-episode outing marks a departure from the period drama’s two-year release cycle and its first same-gender lead romance to date. The official synopsis is as follows:
“The fifth season of Bridgerton spotlights introverted middle daughter Francesca. Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons. But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.”
While the show is based on Julia Quinn’s novels about the love lives of eight siblings in the titular family, the character of Michaela replaces the male “Michael” from the source material. Bridgerton was renewed for Seasons 5 and 6 in May, with the fourth season releasing in two parts between January and February of this year — following in the footsteps of its predecessor, which also aired as two instalments — and exploring the love romance between Benedict and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha). Season 3 starred Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), after Season 2 centred on Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). The first season, premiering in 2020, followed Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page).
Following Season 5 of Bridgerton, Eloise Bridgerton, Gregory (Will Tilston), and Hyacinth (Florence Hunt) will be the remaining Bridgerton siblings yet to tell their love stories. The upcoming outing returns in 2027, and production is underway in the UK.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
