It follows the close-knit siblings of the noble and influential Bridgerton family as they navigate the highly competitive social season; where young marriageable nobility and gentry are introduced into society.

On July 20, 2018, Netflix announced that Shonda Rhimes, through her production company Shondaland, would produce the screen adaptation of the bestselling novels of the Bridgerton series by Julia Quinn, while Chris Van Dusen would serve as showrunner.

[19] Quinn explained on The Tamron Hall Show that when she heard from her agent that Rhimes was interested in adapting her novels, she "almost fell off of [her] stool," and quickly agreed to the offer.

[30] Unlike the series of novels,[31] Bridgerton is set in an alternate history with a racially integrated London where people of color are members of the ton, some with titles granted by the sovereign.

[37] In addition, Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page were cast to play the leads with Jonathan Bailey, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Newton, Claudia Jessie, Nicola Coughlan, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Ruth Gemmell, Adjoa Andoh and Polly Walker co-starring.

[44][45] In April 2022, Bailey and Ashley were confirmed to return for the third season as Viscount and Viscountess Bridgerton, exploring their married life and duties as heads of the eponymous family.

[52][53] In September 2024, Katie Leung, Isabella Wei and Michelle Mao joined as Araminta, Rosamund, and Posy, while Hugh Sachs and Emma Naomi have been upgraded to series regulars.

[78] The first season featured orchestral covers of contemporary popular music, which director and executive producer Julie Anne Robinson said was inspired by the use of classic rock songs in the 2001 film A Knight's Tale.

[79] Songs featured included Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next", Maroon 5's "Girls Like You", Shawn Mendes's "In My Blood" and Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy", all four of which performed by Vitamin String Quartet.

Also included are Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" and Pink's "What About Us" by Duomo, Harry Styles' "Sign of the Times" by Steve Horner, Rihanna's "Diamonds" by Hannah V and Joe Rodwell and Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" by Midnight String Quartet.

"[83] In the third season, covers include Gayle's, "abcdefu," by Vitula, BTS' "Dynamite," Sia's "Cheap Thrills," Billie Eilish's "Happier Than Ever," and Coldplay's "Yellow" by Vitamin String Quartet, Nick Jonas' "Jealous," by Shimmer, Taylor Swift's "Snow on the Beach" by Atwood Quartet, Pitbull's "Give Me Everything," Demi Lovato's "Confident", and Ellie Goulding's "Lights (Stripped Down)" by Archer Marsh, Ariana Grande's "POV" by Strings from Paris, Imagine Dragon's "Thunder" by Thomas Mercier, and Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" by Duomo.

[94] At a Valentine's Day Event on February 14, 2024, the season's episode titles, exclusive photos and a first look footage were released alongside a panel attended by Rhimes, Brownell, Quinn, and cast members: Coughlan, Newton, Rosheuvel, Andoh, Jessie, Thompson, and Imhangbe.

"[108] Salamishah Tillet of The New York Times said "Bridgerton provides a blueprint for British period shows in which Black characters can thrive within the melodramatic story lines, extravagant costumes and bucolic beauty [...] without having to be servants or enslaved.

I wanted more explanations of how race factored into this society..."[110] Carolyn Hinds from The Observer stated "Bridgerton has been praised as a racially diverse show set in the Regency Era.

[103][119] Kristen Baldwin of Entertainment Weekly gave the series an A− writing, "With a second season that's more clever, moving, and emotionally complex than the first, this period drama... proves that it's not just a titillating trifle.

"[120] The Hollywood Reporter's Angie Hahn echoed the sentiment describing the season as "older and wiser" than its predecessor's "rampant horniness" with an effective central romance that prioritized "a meeting of minds, played out over quick-witted arguments outside ballrooms and vicious competition during a friendly family game of pall-mall.

"[125] Kevin Fallon of The Daily Beast elaborating on Bailey's "exquisite lead performance," wrote that "he has an exceptional ability to carry his angst, pain, and guilt with him without bogging down things into a somber drag.

"[128] Proma Khosla of Mashable concluded that with "Bailey and Ashley, Bridgerton Season 2 strikes gold" as they deliver "heaping, smoldering helpings of sexual tension" for "their chemistry is nothing short of explosive.

The website's critics consensus states, "The hot goss in London remains juicy as ever in Bridgerton's third season, which benefits tremendously from Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton's endearing chemistry.

[105] Aramide Tinubu of Variety praised Coughlan and Newton's chemistry noting that while they have always had a "beautiful rapport," "there is something about seeing the bond between Colin and Penelope transform from comfortably platonic to yearning and passionate that elevates this journey.

"[132] Further, Opie found that "Season 3 ends with the show's strongest episodes yet" and that Bridgerton has cemented itself as "the rare Netflix success story that's just as well made as it is widely watched.

"[138] Angie Han of The Hollywood Reporter noted that "while the latest chapter faithfully delivers on everything we’ve come to expect from this world [...] it’s also the first in which the formula feels more familiar than thrilling.

[153] By April 19, Bridgerton's second season had overtaken its predecessor as the most watched English-language television series on Netflix at the time with 627.11 million hours viewed since its March 25, 2022, launch.

[155] Nielsen Media Research, analyzing the 2.55 billion minutes viewed on United States television screens in the first three days of season 2's availability (double all others across streamers for the week of March 21), characterized Bridgerton's audience as "diverse and broad".

[209] To ring in the second season, an official "Queen's Ball" was held in Washington DC, Chicago, Montréal, and Los Angeles,[210] with similar events and experiences taking place in London and Johannesburg.

[224][225][226] Netflix tripled its brand partnerships for season 3, and the Queen's Ball expanded to a dozen cities in addition to an afternoon tea event at the Lanesborough in London.

The Wrap called Bridgerton fans a "ripe testing group" for this international merchandising and live-experience strategy from Netflix, comparing it to the likes of Disney and Universal franchises.

[80] Historians have pointed out inaccuracies in clothing, such as the show using corsets to represent the oppression placed on women in society instead of supportive undergarments they were considered as in the Regency era.

"[241] When Simon Basset rejects the idea of pursuing Daphne Bridgerton, Lady Danbury explains that love conquers all, using Queen Charlotte and King George as an example of how their marriage had changed society.

[28] Rosheuvel, Andoh, Gemmell, and Fleet reprise their roles, while India Amarteifio, Michelle Fairley, Corey Mylchreest, and Arsema Thomas were cast,[244] together with Connie Jenkins-Greig, who plays young Violet.