Before Gregory Gets His Season, Bridgerton Will Have To Break Netflix’s Most Difficult Record - Made with Clipchamp
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00Bridgerton is undoubtedly one of Netflix's biggest shows right now, but the period drama
00:17has a big barrier to break if it wants to cover all the Julia Quinn novels.
00:21The adaptation series became a success instantly after its Netflix release, capturing audiences
00:26with its creative approach to period dramas, merging a modern twist with classic on-screen
00:31chemistry.
00:32So far, each season of Bridgerton has masterfully adapted one of eight books, but with Netflix's
00:36continuous record of cancelling shows prematurely, Bridgerton's eight-season goal seems like
00:41an uphill battle.
00:43Netflix is quickly becoming infamous for its growing graveyard of cancelled shows, and
00:47while it's mostly known for its collection of one-season originals, Bridgerton's ambitious
00:51eight-season projection has never been completed by a Netflix show before.
00:55Even shows like Stranger Things, which arguably pushed Netflix into the global mainstream,
01:00have planned narratives that end long before eight seasons.
01:03The streaming company has proven time and time again that it values a show's statistics
01:07over its storytelling, and Bridgerton has a lot to accomplish if it's going to maintain
01:11the success of both.
01:13Netflix's longest-running original show ended after seven seasons, Bridgerton needs eight.
01:18Bridgerton needs to show that it can retain its status as a global phenomenon.
01:21Currently, Netflix's longest-running original is Grace and Frankie, the Emma-nominated sitcom
01:26about two women becoming friends after their respective husbands fall for one another.
01:31Grace and Frankie ran for seven seasons, one less than Bridgerton's requirement, and a
01:35large part of that success was the show's starring actors.
01:38Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin are legendary actresses who dominated Hollywood in the 70s and 80s.
01:44So having the pair reunite for Grace and Frankie pulled in an older demographic that Netflix
01:48wouldn't usually reach, filling a niche in the streaming market.
01:52Even Bridgerton's popularity doesn't make the eighth season a shoe-in, as Netflix's
01:55obsession with creating new material has even led the streaming site to cancel popular shows
02:00that are still relevant – for example, BoJack Horseman, despite being fortunate enough to
02:05have a concluding narrative, is one of the many relevant shows that Netflix cut down
02:09before reaching the planned projection.
02:11Bridgerton needs to show that it can retain its global phenomenon status if it wants to
02:15keep later seasons off the chopping block.
02:18Bridgerton has changed the order of the books but still needs a few more seasons.
02:22All because of its praised one-sibling-per-season structure.
02:25The Bridgerton on-screen adaptation has naturally diverged from the source material, adjusting
02:29the order of the siblings' romances and altering events of the novels, but the show has stayed
02:34true to the books with its one-sibling-per-season structure.
02:37If the show is to continue this narrative parallel, Bridgerton must reach an eighth
02:41season, completing Gregory's arc and concluding the story.
02:44Bridgerton could make an economical choice in its continuation and choose to combine
02:48the novels in later seasons, but that would likely upset fans who appreciate the depth
02:52of each story and could reduce their viewership.
02:55Bridgerton has an advantage in the novel's pre-existing fanbase alongside the show's
02:59established phenomenon status, but a large part of any Netflix renewal is the ability
03:03to continuously bring in a new audience.
03:06If the show is going to break the Netflix record, it will need to be consistently raising
03:10its own bar each season.
03:12Bridgerton's deliberately stylized elements were undoubtedly a major factor in reaching
03:16their current success, but the show will have to balance staying true to Quinn's beloved
03:20books alongside delivering fresh and noteworthy content.
03:23Can Netflix's Bridgerton realistically cover all of the Julia Quinn novels?
03:28Viewer retention isn't the only concern for Bridgerton.
03:31With Bridgerton's new showrunner, Jess Brownell, claiming the show won't return until 2026,
03:36it appears that production constraints could be one of Bridgerton's biggest problems.
03:40Each season of Bridgerton has been highly anticipated, but making fans wait two years
03:44for only eight episodes will likely impact audience momentum.
03:48Unfortunately, viewer retention isn't the only concern for Bridgerton.
03:52If seasons continue at this production rate, a planned Bridgerton season 8 wouldn't be
03:55released until 2034, putting fan-favorite characters at risk of aging out and being
04:00recast.
04:01It's not all bad news though, as Netflix has heavily invested in Bridgerton throughout
04:05the years, keeping the show well-marketed and even creating the award-winning spinoff
04:09Queen Charlotte.
04:10Since the last season started building toward Francesca's story, the creators are likely
04:15thinking ahead, which may even reduce production time in the future.
04:19Whether Bridgerton succeeds in its goal is down to its ability to remain culturally relevant,
04:23and judging by its current status, a possible season 8 isn't too far-fetched.