Dearest gentle readers,
The holiday season is over, but a different season is just beginning: the Ton’s Social Season. This time around, Benedict Bridgerton has finally decided to join and attempt to find his match after three seasons of soul-searching. Will he find love or heartbreak? My bet is on both. Luckily for us, Netflix released a second trailer on Christmas Day that gave us a glimpse into what he might face.
What We Already Knew
Before we dive into what new information the trailer provided, let’s go over a few of the things we already knew.
This is the fourth season of the beloved period romance series, set to be released in two parts: the first four episodes will be released on January 29, with the remaining four episodes to follow on February 26. A teaser trailer was released in October, and it confirmed that the new season will follow Benedict, who has a ‘love at first sight’ moment with a masked Sophie Baek, a maid whose Cinderella-inspired arc begins when she appears as the “Lady in Silver” at a masquerade–vanishing, of course, before Benedict can learn her true name.
A Few New Clues
🎭 The Masquerade
We already knew that the inciting event of the season would clearly be a masquerade. The new trailer gives us a much deeper look into the event, including how Sophie ends up attending. It seems that it was simply a wish that her friends helped grant by disguising her with a beautiful gown and mask–no fairy godmother needed. But I have to say, I am loving the Cinderella parallels–the glove acting in place of a glass slipper, the clock striking midnight, and Benedict’s search for her afterwards. Not to mention, there was a brief clip of Sophie cleaning up for three women who acted very much like evil step-sisters, which leads me to believe it might be a true Cinderella story, and it all begins with the Bridgerton’s Masquerade.
🎨 Colors Schemes
Obviously, there’s a reason why Sophie is deemed the Lady in Silver. If silver were a common color worn by others at the ball, it wouldn’t be an identifying fact, so that means the color means something. Most of the ton is usually seen in distinguishable colors like pastels, golds, and, of course, the Bridgerton blues. Benedict, however, at the ball was seen wearing all black, which could be a bit of symbolism to show how opposite they are, especially in their social standing. Sophie is an outsider, and socially, she doesn’t belong, so silver sets her apart from everyone, but it also makes her stand out (especially to Benedict).
💘 The Mood
Past seasons have had romances with a strong focus on spectacle, scandal, and a bit of playful banter, but this trailer makes it seem as if season 4 will be different. The tone seems to be one focused on a romance that is less giddy and more of a dreamy longing. Benedict finally finds someone who pulls his interest, but he doesn’t know who she truly is, and when he finds out, it will likely be one that he is told he cannot pursue.
What the Trailer Reveals About the Ton
The trailer opens with Penelope speaking to the queen, who states, “You must begin the proper way!” Penelope then drops the iconic “Dearest Gentle Reader” line, and the hype for the new season began. It was an epic moment, but it was also very telling about how Penelope will be treated now that her secret is out. The Queen seems to accept her for who she is now, which means the rest of the ton will probably fall in line–so it looks like most of her drama is in the past.
Lady Violet Bridgerton is seen multiple times, beginning, of course, with her urging Benedict to find someone to marry and then ending with her holding hands with a male she flirted with last season. After losing her husband many years ago, it seems that she is finally ready to open her heart to love, and I’m happy for her. Her children are all pretty much grown, and it’s about time that she finds some happiness.
This trailer doesn’t show Daphne, Anthony, or Kate Bridgerton, but it is likely they will have brief appearances as they have in the past. Although considering that Jonathan Bailey is the actor who stars as Anthony, and he is now a blockbuster movie star named Sexiest Man Alive for 2025–perhaps he won’t appear at all? But hopefully he will, because who doesn’t love Lord Bridgerton?
Last but not least, let’s talk about Eloise. I don’t know about you, but I have been waiting for her love story since the beginning. Unfortunately, her brother is obviously the focus this season, and the trailer shows small snippets of her making clever comments as per usual as a supportive friend/sister. However, the rumor is that season 5 will finally be her shining moment. Let’s just hope we don’t have to wait until 2028 to see it.
What the Trailer Didn’t Reveal
There isn’t a lot of reaction, ton opinions, or consequences shown. It is almost as if they are simply giving us a preview of the setup of the love story and leaving out all of the juicy drama that unfolds because of it, which makes sense. Obviously, they want to keep us wondering and not give too much away before the initial first few episodes release. My theory is that, in typical Netflix fashion, they are only showing us a few clips from the first four episodes. There is a month in between Part 1 and Part 2, so it is likely they will release an additional teaser/trailer to hype us in the interim.
Let the Countdown Begin
With just a few weeks to go before the January 29th release, the trailer successfully intrigued us readers. Personally, I wasn’t too hyped for Benedict’s season because, as Penelope and Eloise properly call out, he is a ‘rake.’ However, the fairy tale twist has completely changed my mind, as I am now ready for this Bridgerton x Cinderella crossover.
For those of you who don’t want to wait until January 29 to see the first episode. Netflix is hosting a special online premiere for those who RSVP on their Tudum website, allowing for early viewing of the episode and additional content from the cast. RSVP must be complete by January 13, 9:30 p.m. PT / January 14 at 12:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. CET.
