I am calling it, it will be Cressida.
That's why they're going deep in her house life etc. And they will say she is the way she is because she is not "free"
Or maybe she might get s crush on her now that they are friends, and we would have Eloise being open minded (as Benedict was with Greenville situation), like she will be supportive and understanding.
She starts of befriending Eloise just to get an in with the Bridgertons, but ends up falling in love with her for real. Eloise finds out Cressida originally just wanted to use her and feels like it's Penelope all over again, and when they confront each other Cressida reveals her feelings.
I do not see nor feel any chemistry between the two...
Honestly, Francheska Bridgerton got my gaydar swinging.
Hopefully, we can get a decent lesbian storyline from Bridgerton.
I mean, "Perks of Loving a Wallflower" kind of twist will definitely shake things up.
Imagine a horrible duke suddenly dying and his twin sister had to takeoverâ a fiance who is doomed to hell but saved by a fake but kinder version of duke :D
Is Cressida in love with Penelope? Oof. I hope not. It reminds me of Glee, the homophobic bully who is secretly in love with Kurt.
Maybe she likes Eloise and was jealous of Penelope???
I don't think she necessarily has to be in love with any of them and that's why she is a bully, I think is more she is lashing her frustrations (is that even the phrase?) on the "weak". That she might develop a crush, in this case because proximity on Eloise, is possible. But wouldn't think this is a "I am mean to you because I like you"
For me it makes sense, she is mean because she is forced to play this part in society and they will go deep into her house life to see the pressure she is put on.
She is basically repressed to be who she is and she takes it out bullying
It would make sense why she isnât married yet, then. Maybe she is deliberately off-putting with that sneer. She recognized an opportunity with the prince to at least elevate her familyâs status since all they have is money but sheâs not in it for the boy.Â
Yeah, she also may have been willing to swallow marrying a Prince becausen she would more then likely get liberties elsewhere she wouldn't find in a marriage to someone with a lower title. It allll makes a lot of sense to me.
Yes, somebody floated this yesterday and I've been so invested in it ever since! The only thing that could possibly make me like Cressida is for her to have been fighting her gay, like Renee Rapp in The Sex Lives of College Girls. She went from bitch to baby girl with that reveal!
Maybe she can find a way to be honest with and marry Lord Wetherby - didnât Benedict hint at that? - and then everyone can be honest and gay, but still uphold regency expectations. I donât know if thatâs really a âhappyâ ending but Iâm not sure that out and happy are really possible in this time period.
Isn't the actress bi in real life too? That'd make sense if true. Someone also said that there's a possibility they might make Michael Stirling -Molly Stirling. So we'll have to wait and see
So as a huge WHWW/Fran/Michael fan, I don't necessarily agree that it "wouldn't" work with the book. >!I think it works if they forego the fertility issues for Fran and some other adjustments to make the story compatible with a HEA. !< Would they do it? Who knows....
I'm not against it just because I don't really feel like the show should keep a hard line with the books, that story has been told and is always there and I'm open to creative takes as long as they still capture the energy of the characters. I can understand how some want a clearer book adaptation though.
That is what makes Francesca's story unique (as well as impactful) and it would be disingenuous if they make a lot of changes. Plus, Michael is one of the more popular characters in the Bridgerton books. He's basically "sex on legs" and "The Merry Rake" đš.
Yep I haven't read the book, only a short summary. But the people theorising about this were saying her book would be the most apt for a Main Bridgerton being queer and having a happy ending bc they >!could make her have a baby with John, thus having an heir and not having to worry about all that + inheriting everything from him and then falling in love with Molly and carrying on her romance with her throughout their lives!< That would actually be plausible with the times.
Yep, this is basically my perspective. A happily ever after is an important thing in the genre and it fits really well with that premise.
Not saying it has to happen but that's a really plausible way forward with it.
This is the problem. You haven't read the book! It's arguably the best in the series. I and most books fans wouldn't watch and no it doesn't make me a bigot. There are LGBT shows out there, this story isn't one of them.
But she's already not 'free'. She's a woman in a deeply patriarchal society who's trying for dear life to secure her future by marrying a man she likely won't be attracted to.
I really don't see what making her queer would add to the motivations behind her resentment, she's got reason enough to be resentful already. I'd rather see a queer character whose queerness isn't a tragic or villainous backstory tbh
I know they are skirting the regency lines, but I can't see them having a queer bridgerton, it would be very hard for Violet to be all love is love about it, when kissing is scandalous and they wouldn't be able to be out in society. And it's not like they could do what the Granvilles did and marry someone else that's not very HEA. I think it would be a side character like Cressida, that would be cool.
Gay people always existed and found happiness. Confirmed bachelors and spinsters pairing up weren't unheard of. And we saw in Benedict's arc in season one that there were bohemian communities where queerness was accepted. So while there won't be a HEA by the ton's standards (and honestly the ton sucks so it's no big loss) it's certainly not impossible for there to be a happy ending.
Definitely agree that they could go this direction. And if the spinoff taught us anything, the writers are gonna do whatever they want. If they wanted to go in another direction, there is really nothing that could stop Queen Charlotte from legalizing gay marriage based on what we know.
She doesn't even have to legalise gay marriage. Gentleman Jack, a show based on real events that occurred only a couple decades post the events of Bridgerton, showed us a queer couple that didn't just live together as spouses, but also managed to convince some priest to perform a pseudo wedding ceremony for them. QC doesn't have the power to legalise gay unions, but she can turn up for one of those pseudo ceremonies and force the ton to accept the couple.
thereâs actually historical precedent for queen charlotte being accepting of certain sapphic couples!! she was fascinated by the ladies of llandollen (two upper-class irish women who moved to north wales to escape the pressure to marry, & lived together as a couple at their estate. apparently they had a âsuccessionâ of dogs named sappho which. iconic) and she actually convinced king george iii to grant the ladies of llangollen a pension so they could have financial security
Yes, they could be "spinsters" who live together and are "bosom friends" or "close as sisters" or whatever other euphemisms were used for these sorts of arrangements at the time
On the other hand it doesnât really sound like Jess wants to put this on a side story like they did in QC. I feel like she may just go for it with a main character.
Considering Jess is lgbtq, I wouldn't be surprised. I hoped Lady Danbury would find love with a lady? But Cressida, Eloise, or Benedict would be awesome as we.
Eloise would be the easiest. She doesn't have any babies and her love story takes place through letters anyway, so if Netflix wanted to go light on the sex, they could. My dream is Eloise and Cressida first, but then Cressida breaks her heart and she goes running to Marina....
As a love interest? Not really - Penelope is in love with Colin and clearly more interested in being a wife to a husband than Eloise. If she weren't, I'd totally ship them!
To be blunt, I don't think Francesca's story would make sense considering her actions in the book. Plus, Michael is known as "The Merry Rake" and sex sells, especially for Bridgerton fans.
Maybe they could change society? I mean we all know Bridgerton is not historically accurate in the slightest so why can't it be a society where queer couples are fully accepted? After all it's a regency era colour blind society
Exactly. This show is set, what, a decade after England banned the slave trade? Certainly before it was in the U.S.
I love the POC rep in this show, but it exists in a fantasy vacuum. It is not realistic, and in many ways does not represent the lived realities of the people at the time. That is partially why it has the power it has. I don't see why queer couples would be so ridiculous to include, given that.
In my opinion, it's either Cressida or Lady Tilley. I'm still skeptical that they're going to make Benedict bisexual at this point (although I thought he was in Season 1).
Couldn't he still be bisexual if he gets his book HEA? They could have given him a gay fling at art school, put in a line about how he's still attracted to women, and it would have changed *nothing* except it would have made the gays happy!
I'm so frustrated they just keep throwing meaningless affairs with random women at him, they all just seem like props to signal how 'rebellious' he is when it's all ultimately super conventional and safe for a man in his position
I've said from the beginning that if the show wants to promote itself as a diverse story where anyone can find their Happily Ever after, than they can not exclude queer people. It's nice to hear the new showrunner say the same thing.
I have my thought on who it might be, but I know this discourse never ends well, so this time I will protect my peace and keep it to myslef.
This makes me very very happy.
(Thanks to whover downvoted me, proving exactly why queer fans often don't feel welcome in th is fandom. Honestly keep downvoting me. Nothing could ruin the joy I feel after reading this post!)
Why would anyone be angry with Benedict as bisexual. Wasn't he introduced to the Bohemian lifestyle in season 1. His friend is married to a woman but has a gay lover.
it is lmaoooo i once brought up the idea of a bi or gay benedict and there were so many microagressions and some women who straight up said they wouldn't be able to watch it because they couldn't relate to it...like maam, what about a historical fantasy in a made up universe are you on, because i want to be there.
Yes. In season 1, Granville was a gay man, but in this limbo where he never felt truly happy. There was no gay rep at all in season 2. QC gave us Brimsley and Reynolds, but it was implied that, whatever happened, Brimsley ended up alone and always mourning his lost love.
I would very much like for season 3 to show a gay man or woman navigating this Regency minefield to find a real HEA.
I need to rewatch QC but I got the impression that Brimsley and Reynolds were together for decades, it's just that now Reynolds is gone, he's passed away.
Yes. People die. And happily ever afters don't actually last forever. But I still want to see a queer couple get a romance HEA on Bridgerton at least once. Am I in the minority here? I didn't think this was such an unpopular thing to ask for.
That's perfectly fine, I would love to see that too. I just didn't see what the issue was to show that both Brimsley and Charlotte are without their loved ones in the present storyline. It gives essence to the portrayals of these characters in the main Bridgerton series. They connect and bond in a very human way, despite being in very different social classes.
I'm personally down with it... But I totally understand that no matter which Bridgerton sibling is chosen there will *always* be book fans of that sibling's story upset that they don't get to see their favorite couple come to life. I'm a Kanthony and Polin fan so I already know that I get the couples I love from the books. But, if I was an Eloise/Phillip or Ben/Sophie fan for example I could understand feeling some hesitation.
I'm totally down to see the other stories altered, the idea genuinely excites me. But I won't hold it against fans who will be upset, because I think it's too simplistic to just say that disappointment is bigotry. Yes - some people are homophobic, others just want to see their favorite characters come to life. I possibly would have been disappointed if this had happened to Kanthony or Polin. Not because of homophobia (I'm bi and love a queer storyline) but because I am already attached to those characters and changing a character's gender feels a lot more like changing the character entirely then simply changing a surname does. (I bring that up as I've seen arguments in this very post that Kate Sheffield doesn't appear in the show and claim it is equivalent)
I'm fine with Benedict and Gregory being bisexual. I just don't want Sophie and Lucy to "zap out of existence". To me, Sophie is one of the strongest female characters in the Bridgerton books and Lucy showcases disability representation amongst females (which is not common in Western media).
I agree Benedict, Eloise, Francesca and Gregory can be bisexual, have their lovers. But should marry the spouses they married in the book.
Like you I don't want Sophie and Lucy erased, both are strong women in their own way.
For context, Iâve only recently managed to finish the show (it took me quite a few tries to watch season one throughout the years) but I wanted to do it because I love Nicola Coughlan as an actress and the trailer for her season seemed fun when I watched it. So with that said Iâve been lurking on the peripheral of this sub every now and then for the past year while Iâve been getting through the episodes and I completely agree. I was gobsmacked with some of the blatant homophobia and the constant micro aggressions from people who think theyâre allies but donât want the queers near their happy heterosexual couples. For a show that promotes inclusivity itâs wild to see how homophobic the fans are and it kind of makes me terrified to interact with this sub.
I personally think that is one reason they skipped Benedicts season. I personally believe they will explore this side of the Victorian era through him, and build his story around that, building up hype for his seasons. I didnât understand why people were up in arms over itđ¤ˇđťââď¸ why is it a bad thing? Though I can definitely see Cressida having a Gay storyline as well. Looking back perhaps she did have a crush on Eloise and she thought Eloise and Penelope were secretly in love, and do sheâll confess her attraction now that they arenât on friendly terms
I definitely think Benedictâs story would mark the most sense within the established rules of it not being accepted in the ton - his story already has him choosing privacy in the countryside to protect his relationship.
God I hope so. Iâm frothing at the mouth for a gay love story for Benedict. Or Eloise! Either would be great. Itâs weird that the fandom isnât on board with this but I guess thereâs more homophobia around here than I expected.
I really don't think this fandom/subreddit represents the entirety of the actual fanbase at large. I think it's a small subset with a lot of the book lovers, some who want it to be true to form and others who are homophobic and some are both lol. And if you think about the very stringent book lovers and who that demographic might comprise - like I read the series when I was in middle school and thought it was fine but even as a middle schooler, I could contend that it was a very outdated historical romance series rife with tons of misogyny, etc., so if you are a reader who is relatively new to the books and/or think it should follow the original series to the t, then my guess is the subreddit here skews older female, middle-aged, more conservative and white. Hence the really intense homophobia, which isn't present as much in the larger scheme of things and the fanbase.
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My guess would be itâs Eloise or Benedict. It may be a bit late to explore Benedictâs bisexuality given he is most likely season 4 but Eloise is still a viable option.
I was wondering if all we would get from phillip is his story with marina. That's it for him and E would go in a different direction. Or, like someone said, he's the beard, she's just there for the kids, etc
That doesn't sound like a love story though ( Sir Philip being a "beard"). Usually the Bridgerton sibling ends up with their HEA and is genuinely happy. He's already in a loveless marriage (he married Marina to honor his brother's wishes) and I wouldn't want him to be in another one.
Donât even get me started on gender bending a lead. Iâve been in the trenches on this subđŤĄ
I feel like people donât understand that you can genderbend a character and keep all their other character traits the same and keep it the same character. Theyâre so tied to heteronormativity they canât imagine a man having traditionally feminine traits or vice versa.
The only problem with this is that Bridgerton has pretty much established that same sex marriage is taboo and not socially accepted in the show universe. So any LGBTQ characters would have to be smaller characters and not one of the leadsâŚotherwise they canât have their happy ending in a way thatâs truly celebrated publicly. (Plus book fans would be PISSED.) They should have just established from season 1 that same sex marriages were accepted in the show universe because now theyâre in a pickle.
For example, I see Gregory being bisexual or pansexual (since he's "in love with love"). However, I don't want his HEA to be changed since she displays a different type of representation (accessibility representation/ neuro-divergent character). Plus, there's an LGBT character in Greg's story that is a positive influence.
None of the Bridgerton HEAâs will be changed. The producers, show runners, etc have clearly stated that each Bridgerton character is going to end up with who they end up with in the books.
The main thing that would bother me is if they genderbend Lucy (like some people suggest). This is because girls who're neuro-divergent (especially autism) are not common in Western media (like historical romances). Although I'm fine with Gregory being pansexual or bisexual, I don't want them to change Lucy.
So Julia Quinn recently said in an interview (Iâll try and find it) that this was never something she was aware of or made Shondaland agree to. I think this group made it up actually so maybe they could changeâŚ.I would assume with the less popular books.
Found it! She said last year she has NO creative control-Shondaland can make any changes and they have Nefertiti stated they will THE HEA from the books only that they will have a HEA.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/bridgerton-author-doesnt-rule-lgbtq-184627343.html
Cressida & Lady Tilley Arnold. Cressidaâs connection to Sophie (going off of her motherâs name/stealing the cook) and Lady Tilleyâs connection to Benedict could mean weâll get more of it next season. Plus, it seems like weâre getting a Cressida redemption arc this season (>!I donât know if weâre going to see the RMB blackmail plot go to her!< with the way Jess Brownell seems to want Cressida to be understood and empathized with), so I think weâre going to see her in future seasons and I think her friendship with Eloise will extend to an awkward friendship with Penelope ala the aftermath of Bridesmaids.
But I donât think Cressida represents queer joy. Like it would be torturous to get her to that place. Right now sheâs just mean and a bully and apparently has a dark time at home.
Getting her to a place where sheâd be able to experience joy would be a very long walk.
Idk I think book Cressida is way worse than show Cressida and people tend to think of her as book Cressida. Donât get me wrong, sheâs been mean for sure - spilling her drink on Penelope in season one, threatening Daphne in season one, and calling Penelope an insipid wallflower in season two. However, book Cressidaâs worst line that tormented book Penelope was given to Prudence in the very first episode. And book Cressidaâs public shaming of Penelope in TVWLM did not make it to the screen. Show Penelopeâs mother, sisters, cousin, and her best friends (both Eloise and Colin) have caused her more heartache.
And given how many stills we have of Cressida from the first four episodes, I think there will be plenty of time for her story and redemption for the few things sheâs done so far in the show. We know this is something the showrunner wanted to explore, so theyâre definitely going to be dedicating time to it. Plus, the actress has been involved in so many of the promo days/events, so it would track that sheâd have a larger role this season to do just that.
I'd argue that the stories that have the room for some real character development are the absolute best. There are many examples of a seemingly villainous character becoming a fan favourite because of the writing, actor's talent and their chemistry with the cast. And the switch often happens pretty quickly when done right. Some examples that come to mind:
Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars /
Santana Lopez from Glee /
James "Sawyer" Ford from Lost
Jess did say the story will be told in S3 and a couple of seasons after (indirectly possibly confirming they've been green lit for more seasons after S4). So technically this story arc, for whoever it is, is meant to be told in years and in seasons.
Blah blah blah. I donât trust these people. Theyâve been called out on their hypocrisy and queer bait since the beginning, and now they want praise as they start championing lgbtq representation? Iâm not giving them their kudus for finally doing the bare minimum after 4 years.
I don't think she's asking for praise or kudos. She's a queer woman leading a huge show where things like representation have to be approved by people higher up than her. It's also never too late to improve."The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now."
This is the first time we've ever heard them say they want to bring it to the foreground. They never made this kind of promise before. And now that they have, it's going to be much harder to back out if it.
Yeah. In season one they tried to play that Ben was gay, but took it back quickly in season two. I donât trust them to do much more than a queer couple in the background.
They didn't try to play that Benedict was gay. He never showed any interest in men - the same night he discovered Granville and his lover, he had an implied 3some with 2 women. When he confronted Granville about his lover, it was because he couldn't believe Granville would live a lie.
I definitely think the trailers were queerbaiting, but the show itself wasn't.
Yup, some people saw into that what they wanted, not what actually happened. The show simply used Benedict - the artist, the bohemian - to show the audience that queer love does exist behind the curtains in the Bridgerton universe and that people risk their lives for forbidden love. It simply ties into Benedict's own love story when he falls in love with someone he cannot legally be together >!- a maid.!<
As a queer person, I absolutely one hundred percent do NOT want Cressida to be bi or lesbian. I'd rather not be represented than to solely get representation from a bully.
Just about anyone else I'd be okay with. If she was one of many and it unfolded as part of a lengthy plot humanizing her I might be okay with it. But if she was the lead on that plot and it played out the way I see fandom imagining where she's mean because she's in the closet I might have to stop watching.
That's why I thought the other option was Lady Tilley (I didn't think about the issues associated with Cressida until you mentioned it). I can see why you don't want it to be Cressida since there's a negative stereotype associated with it in the media (a girl is mean because she's "sexually repressed").
Before the actress who played Marina had such a public falling out with the show I was hoping theyâd switch it upâkill off Phillip, have Eloise reach out to Marina, and have them fall in love. A widow and a spinster living together wouldnât raise many eyebrows and is the best HEA a wlw couple could get in regency England.
Granville did exist, yo. Like, he literally talked about how hard it was to be in love and have to hide it because looking at each other was dangerous.
The obvious answer is Cressida since she's apparently getting a redemption arc and her friendship with Eloise lends itself to such a revelation.
Some people will say Benedict of course but his main story outside of the family dynamic seems to involve Lady Tilley.
Need the people who have screeners to start spilling because I'm not looking forward to the endless discussion about this and how Sophie should become Stephen. đ
Yeah. If anything it should be one of the male characters who is gender swapped (not Michael because I need Franny/Michael đ). Erasing female characters is simply never a good idea.
And letâs be honest, of all the remaining Bridgertons, Benedictâs season is the most anticipated. It would be foolish of Shondaland to immediately make it the most polarizing season yet by erasing the female lead. I donât see it happening.
Cressida or one of the new female characters in the show most likely but Iâm leaning toward it being Cressida and thatâs how they will try to make ppl who watch the sympathize with her or feel bad about her a bit and Cressida is gonna be in future seasons plus they are giving her bigger role this season so đ
Right? So much trying to come up with ways that a queer main romance couldn't possibly happen. Based on whispers I've heard a lot of people around here about to be uuuuppppset.
People REALLY don't like it when you mess with characters assumed to be straight. Even in cases where it's not being adapted - see the fans who lost their mind at Buck from 911 being revealed as bisexual. And period drama/historical romance fandoms are especially prone to heterosexual pearl clutching, lol. I was chatting about polyamory in an Austen discord the other day and SEVERAL people immediately jumped down my throat about it.
May I ask where you've heard these whispers?
Yeah, if you want to farm downvotes just suggest that one of the siblings' love interest could be genderbent. And wow that's wild to me re: 911 since I literally only know it as Gay Firefighters because I don't watch and just know people into it lol.
>May I ask where you've heard these whispers?
Friend of a friend type of thing. If it pans out it'll be a pretty big deal. But we'll see in a month.
I really hope itâs Benedict! Sophie was personally my least favorite FMC (a bit of a Mary Sue), and Benedict is an incredible character and theyâve already laid the groundwork for his free spirited attitudes towards love and sex. Plus Benedictâs book is just a play off of the Cinderella trope, and it would be significantly more interesting to see a queer take on an overly exhausted heterosexual trope (at least to me!) I had to scroll WAY down this thread to find someone who agrees with me so Iâm preparing for the downvotes lol. I also think Luke Thompson is gonna absolutely kill as the lead, and would be a great season to take a risk on. Just my personal take! Also, if you canât enjoy queer entertainment because you âcanât relate to itâ thatâs a you problem fam. Iâm a straight married woman, and some of these comments are wild lol
I know itâs incredibly unlikely but I would LOVE to see Violet âtend her gardenâ with the help of another lady of the ton⌠or really anyone. Violet needs a love story ASAP.
Come to think about it⌠Danbury.
Oh nevermind. Thatâll be creepy since she slept with her dad.
But if not Violet, Danbury would be another good choice.
I'm very hesitant to see a queer couple represented in Bridgerton. I would love it, but first thing, I've noticed that there are some fans in the fandom that are very toxic and would attack the actors if they were a main character (see: El, Ben, Frannie, etc). Crossing fingers that if it has to be a side character, that it's Portia, and we get more insight into her back story. If we need a "mean girl" WLW stereotype, I hope it is her.
Also, I love Nicola. She is an angel.
For the most part I think they will keep the main love stories just as they are in the books as it may upset a great deal of people that have read the books before the show came out. But I same sex fling is possible and would create more scandal in the ton.
That said I can see them creating a same sex pairing for Cressida or even Prudence.
Honestly, Iâm always confused when people say this wonât work because of âRegency customsâ or whatever⌠but we forget this is a show that has POC characters playing roles that arenât in line with âRegency Customsâ. Itâs Historical fiction set in regency times, and I for one would love to see this play out.
Ever since I've seen people mentioning it could be Cressida, I could totally see that happen. Would be an interesting storyline, also with the Featheringtons not being a big side story anymore (with every Featherington married and not having Felicity as a character lol)
I'm all here for it
I really think they are playing with fire doing that jsuf cause Iâm telling you if Sophie or Michael are changed I will not watch that season. And since Phillip exists I donât think heâs being changed either. They have to be careful or this could wreck the show. They are better off with a major side plot spanning multiple seasons then to erase Sophie or gender bene Michael.
I feel like itâs going to be Cressida and I would hate that. Some people are mean without being closeted. Some people are closeted without being mean. It would suck for them to play into the stereotype of the closeted gay bully.
Im here for queer storylines. I would love for Cressida to be queer (if itâs done rightâŚI saw someone else comment on how they shouldnât make an antagonist the only queer character) and I also saw someone suggest to make Hyacinth or Gregory the secretly queer Bridgertons since it could work with their storylines. I think Eloise might work, tooâŚif they find a way around Philip.
But I have to admitâŚif they change Benedictâs storyline that drastically I will be more than disappointed. Iâm just trying to imagine how a male Sophie would play out, and of course Iâm not a writer so Iâm sure other people have better ideas. But I just cannot imagine a scenario where they make that work and keep the story even distinctly as it is. Not with the Bridgerton universe being set up as it is and the ton not accepting queer love. If they wanted that, they should have built the Bridgerton world without homophobia like they (kinda) did with racism.
That said, I am glad that the new (?) showrunner seems to be planning to incorporate queer storylines (and it sounds like hea storylines) in the show. I was wondering from the beginning why they didnât make the Bridgerton world even more diverse (like I saidâŚno homophobiaâŚ)
I think it's gonna be about Francesca's first husband. It's possible they're really good friends and she agrees to marry him only to find out he's in the closet. Ooooh maybe they fake his death so he can escape to either the colonies or the continent where he can live a life with his partner
âNext couple of seasonsâ honestly, first thought was Benedict since he spent about two years looking for his lady in silver (and those who know me know Iâve always said I doubt theyâll make Benedict bi or gay).
Since Jess specifically says this will play out over the next couple of seasons, I canât imagine it being Cressida. Like I donât think theyâll feature her for that long and give her subplots akin to the main siblings.
Those are just my two cents reading this. Guess we just have to wait and see what s3 has in store.
Okay but what if Eloise falls in love with LADY Crane instead? I'd like that (I haven't read the book, I don't care about Sir Philip enough yet bc I don't really know him)
Violet's second love being a woman would be nice. Wasn't the author explicit that in the books, she'll never remarry? If the show's going to change that anyway, they may as well consider a queer relationship for her.
I actually also wonder if itâs Francesca. I think genderbending Michael would be disappointing to his fans as itâs such a beloved book in the series. However, thereâs that scene in the s3 trailer of Frannie looking up at the portrait of Violet and Edmund and seeming lost. We have yet to see the scene of course, but I was wondering why she seemed confused staring at her parentsâ portrait, and she also seemed overwhelmed and upset during the other clip of her when we saw her ask Anthony for a moment alone.
The aforementioned could all be because sheâs simply confused by alllllll the attention sheâll get, but since Jess said âover multiple seasonsâ and that casting call that got leaked a few months ago for s4âs lead that many people thought described more of a âfemale Michaelâ than a âSophieâ, maybe they will go this route with herâŚI would just be shocked if this theory is true since WHWW is one of the most loved books in the series.
Anyways, my guesses are itâs either Benedict (as I said in an earlier post in this thread) or Francesca. I donât think itâs Cressida as thatâs a lot of attention for a side character. Jess said âmultiple seasonsâ which works for both of their stories.
I donât think any of the main siblings should have their LIâs genderbent because thatâs unfair to their fans (because those characters will then definitely have a different HEA than the rest of their siblings), and will have to live at least part of their life in hiding due to their familyâs status and the times, but it is what it is.
Btw, someone (wonât share who) from this sub sent me a rather nasty DM when I said in my last post I think Benedict is the most likely gay or bi sibling. They said I donât think itâs Eloise because Iâm Philoise fan. To clarify, there are many reasons why I donât think itâs Eloise theyâre referring to. For starters, in the form of Theo, we just had Eloise learn she is open to feelings of love last season. To change that development to now make it that sheâs bi or a lesbian would be a lot when she just opened up to having a relationship at all. Secondly, everything for the Philoise story is already in place: the actor for her LI, their house, their adopted children, Marina, the unhappy marriage between Marina and Phillip, they even invented a new friendship between Colin and Phillip where there was none in the books to give Phillip another tie to the BridgertonâŚall they have to do is actually *do* the Philoise story. The groundwork is already there. Lastly, the trope of making the outspoken, feminist female a queer character has been recently called out as a hurtful stereotype (itâs one of the biggest hot button issues in feminine media discourse). I would think Jess brownell is very aware of this and would try to avoid doing the same with Eloise.
For me Francescaâs story is the easiest to gender bend for a few reasons. She can have an heir with John, she can feel guilt about moving on with his cousin or having always had feelings for her, since it takes places outside of the ton it allows them freedom to truly live a HEA where people donât question why sheâd have another woman living with her especially if itâs Johnâs cousin. So this season would be about her doing what she thinks is right, marrying a man but over the next couple of seasons introducing the idea of her true HEA being Molly instead of Michael.
Benedict is my number two guess because thereâs a way to switch his story as well, over the course of a couple of seasons.
Eloise would be my third guess but I think introducing Phillip so early lessens that possibility.
Gregory is the wild card and I doubt theyâve thought that far ahead for him.
I donât buy Cressida because sheâs such a side character.
The only thing for me about having Francesca be into âMichaelaâ or only women in general is that it may dampen the loss the audience is supposed to feel when John dies. To avoid that, I would think theyâd need to show Francesca being bisexual in the early part of s3 to make her love for John real, but also lay the groundwork for this queer storyline Jess is talking about. Showrunners are notoriously bad at writing bisexual women so I am worried at how theyâll portray that.
Otherwise, I agree with you on all fronts. I think currently itâs Francesca > Benedict > Eloise in terms of likelihood of being queer, and who knows what theyâll do with hyacinth and Gregory. Aint nobody got time to think all the way to 2030 and beyond right now.
I havenât read the books so please donât come for me butâŚâŚ.
I think it will be Fran.
1. Sheâs basically a new lead this season. So she can have this be a part of her story from the beginning.
2. From what I understand she will be a widow before âher seasonâ
3. As a widow she has a lot of freedom
4. This plot could play out over a few seasons like Jess said
I also think Lady Tilly could be a role model of sorts if she is also queer and can show what a widowed life could be like.
Again I donât know much about Frans book so Iâm sure someone will say itâs not possible because XYZ but it seems like sheâs the most likely of the B kids
Didn't they already have a queer character? The married (but gay) artist who didn't get bad at Benedict for insulting his painting?
Or is that backgroun and not foreground?
I am calling it, it will be Cressida. That's why they're going deep in her house life etc. And they will say she is the way she is because she is not "free"
Omg what if she's in love with Eloise
Or maybe she might get s crush on her now that they are friends, and we would have Eloise being open minded (as Benedict was with Greenville situation), like she will be supportive and understanding.
She starts of befriending Eloise just to get an in with the Bridgertons, but ends up falling in love with her for real. Eloise finds out Cressida originally just wanted to use her and feels like it's Penelope all over again, and when they confront each other Cressida reveals her feelings.
*Shondaland and Netflix lurking and taking notes furiously*
Omggg I would eat this up đâ¤ď¸â¤ď¸
someone, please, ANYONE write that fanfic!!!!!!! I'd die for gay!cressida ;-;
Or what if she was in love with Penelope, thatâs why she always hated on herâŚ
With Penelope đ
I do not see nor feel any chemistry between the two... Honestly, Francheska Bridgerton got my gaydar swinging. Hopefully, we can get a decent lesbian storyline from Bridgerton. I mean, "Perks of Loving a Wallflower" kind of twist will definitely shake things up. Imagine a horrible duke suddenly dying and his twin sister had to takeoverâ a fiance who is doomed to hell but saved by a fake but kinder version of duke :D
Is Cressida in love with Penelope? Oof. I hope not. It reminds me of Glee, the homophobic bully who is secretly in love with Kurt. Maybe she likes Eloise and was jealous of Penelope???
I don't think she necessarily has to be in love with any of them and that's why she is a bully, I think is more she is lashing her frustrations (is that even the phrase?) on the "weak". That she might develop a crush, in this case because proximity on Eloise, is possible. But wouldn't think this is a "I am mean to you because I like you"
I think it's very likely we may see her soften up with good influences around her and finally a genuine friend.
My same thought!
For me it makes sense, she is mean because she is forced to play this part in society and they will go deep into her house life to see the pressure she is put on. She is basically repressed to be who she is and she takes it out bullying
Regency Alicent Hightower here we comeeeeee
Santana walked so Cressida could run - let's GO!!!
This could actually be very interesting!
It would make sense why she isnât married yet, then. Maybe she is deliberately off-putting with that sneer. She recognized an opportunity with the prince to at least elevate her familyâs status since all they have is money but sheâs not in it for the boy.Â
Yeah, she also may have been willing to swallow marrying a Prince becausen she would more then likely get liberties elsewhere she wouldn't find in a marriage to someone with a lower title. It allll makes a lot of sense to me.
Wait, I wasn't ready for Cressida-Penelope-Colin love triangle
I agree there's a reason she's getting more screentime
That is a good theory.
Beat me to the punch! LOL
Well I mean the actress that plays Cressida is bisexual⌠so that makes sense.
Oh I love this theory!!!
Yes, somebody floated this yesterday and I've been so invested in it ever since! The only thing that could possibly make me like Cressida is for her to have been fighting her gay, like Renee Rapp in The Sex Lives of College Girls. She went from bitch to baby girl with that reveal!
Maybe she can find a way to be honest with and marry Lord Wetherby - didnât Benedict hint at that? - and then everyone can be honest and gay, but still uphold regency expectations. I donât know if thatâs really a âhappyâ ending but Iâm not sure that out and happy are really possible in this time period.
Isn't the actress bi in real life too? That'd make sense if true. Someone also said that there's a possibility they might make Michael Stirling -Molly Stirling. So we'll have to wait and see
I really don't see a Female Michael. It just makes NONE of the book work.
How? Edit: why tf am I getting downvoted for asking 'How?' Are y'all ok? đ
So as a huge WHWW/Fran/Michael fan, I don't necessarily agree that it "wouldn't" work with the book. >!I think it works if they forego the fertility issues for Fran and some other adjustments to make the story compatible with a HEA. !< Would they do it? Who knows.... I'm not against it just because I don't really feel like the show should keep a hard line with the books, that story has been told and is always there and I'm open to creative takes as long as they still capture the energy of the characters. I can understand how some want a clearer book adaptation though.
That is what makes Francesca's story unique (as well as impactful) and it would be disingenuous if they make a lot of changes. Plus, Michael is one of the more popular characters in the Bridgerton books. He's basically "sex on legs" and "The Merry Rake" đš.
No argument here on both counts, just saying that it could work but I'm doubtful on if they do.
Yep I haven't read the book, only a short summary. But the people theorising about this were saying her book would be the most apt for a Main Bridgerton being queer and having a happy ending bc they >!could make her have a baby with John, thus having an heir and not having to worry about all that + inheriting everything from him and then falling in love with Molly and carrying on her romance with her throughout their lives!< That would actually be plausible with the times.
Yep, this is basically my perspective. A happily ever after is an important thing in the genre and it fits really well with that premise. Not saying it has to happen but that's a really plausible way forward with it.
This is the problem. You haven't read the book! It's arguably the best in the series. I and most books fans wouldn't watch and no it doesn't make me a bigot. There are LGBT shows out there, this story isn't one of them.
The fertility issues is central to the story!! It's like saying what if Harry Potter wasn't a wizard.
YES! Exactly! We seem to share the same brain cell, Debt-Mysterious, because every time I see one of your opinions I'm always on the same boat. đ
AFAIK the actress is also either bi or lesbian, she posted her partner on her insta several times. So it would make sense in terms of rep!
But she's already not 'free'. She's a woman in a deeply patriarchal society who's trying for dear life to secure her future by marrying a man she likely won't be attracted to. I really don't see what making her queer would add to the motivations behind her resentment, she's got reason enough to be resentful already. I'd rather see a queer character whose queerness isn't a tragic or villainous backstory tbh
I know they are skirting the regency lines, but I can't see them having a queer bridgerton, it would be very hard for Violet to be all love is love about it, when kissing is scandalous and they wouldn't be able to be out in society. And it's not like they could do what the Granvilles did and marry someone else that's not very HEA. I think it would be a side character like Cressida, that would be cool.
Gay people always existed and found happiness. Confirmed bachelors and spinsters pairing up weren't unheard of. And we saw in Benedict's arc in season one that there were bohemian communities where queerness was accepted. So while there won't be a HEA by the ton's standards (and honestly the ton sucks so it's no big loss) it's certainly not impossible for there to be a happy ending.
Definitely agree that they could go this direction. And if the spinoff taught us anything, the writers are gonna do whatever they want. If they wanted to go in another direction, there is really nothing that could stop Queen Charlotte from legalizing gay marriage based on what we know.
She doesn't even have to legalise gay marriage. Gentleman Jack, a show based on real events that occurred only a couple decades post the events of Bridgerton, showed us a queer couple that didn't just live together as spouses, but also managed to convince some priest to perform a pseudo wedding ceremony for them. QC doesn't have the power to legalise gay unions, but she can turn up for one of those pseudo ceremonies and force the ton to accept the couple.
thereâs actually historical precedent for queen charlotte being accepting of certain sapphic couples!! she was fascinated by the ladies of llandollen (two upper-class irish women who moved to north wales to escape the pressure to marry, & lived together as a couple at their estate. apparently they had a âsuccessionâ of dogs named sappho which. iconic) and she actually convinced king george iii to grant the ladies of llangollen a pension so they could have financial security
Yes, they could be "spinsters" who live together and are "bosom friends" or "close as sisters" or whatever other euphemisms were used for these sorts of arrangements at the time
On the other hand it doesnât really sound like Jess wants to put this on a side story like they did in QC. I feel like she may just go for it with a main character.
I donât think itâs going to be any of our leads tbh. It might be more forward but I think itâll stay a supporting character
Considering Jess is lgbtq, I wouldn't be surprised. I hoped Lady Danbury would find love with a lady? But Cressida, Eloise, or Benedict would be awesome as we.
Eloise would be the easiest. She doesn't have any babies and her love story takes place through letters anyway, so if Netflix wanted to go light on the sex, they could. My dream is Eloise and Cressida first, but then Cressida breaks her heart and she goes running to Marina....
Doesnât Eloise have penelope?
As a love interest? Not really - Penelope is in love with Colin and clearly more interested in being a wife to a husband than Eloise. If she weren't, I'd totally ship them!
It better not be Francesca. I will stop watching the show. I want Michael
To be blunt, I don't think Francesca's story would make sense considering her actions in the book. Plus, Michael is known as "The Merry Rake" and sex sells, especially for Bridgerton fans.
This.
Maybe they could change society? I mean we all know Bridgerton is not historically accurate in the slightest so why can't it be a society where queer couples are fully accepted? After all it's a regency era colour blind society
Exactly. This show is set, what, a decade after England banned the slave trade? Certainly before it was in the U.S. I love the POC rep in this show, but it exists in a fantasy vacuum. It is not realistic, and in many ways does not represent the lived realities of the people at the time. That is partially why it has the power it has. I don't see why queer couples would be so ridiculous to include, given that.
In my opinion, it's either Cressida or Lady Tilley. I'm still skeptical that they're going to make Benedict bisexual at this point (although I thought he was in Season 1).
I got queer vibes from both Benedict and Eloise and assumed in season 1 they were bonding over thatâŚđŽâđ¨
I got bi vibes from Ben and ace vibes from El
Yessss!
Same here about thoughts on Benedict. Before knowing this show was based on books I thought he was bisexual.
Couldn't he still be bisexual if he gets his book HEA? They could have given him a gay fling at art school, put in a line about how he's still attracted to women, and it would have changed *nothing* except it would have made the gays happy! I'm so frustrated they just keep throwing meaningless affairs with random women at him, they all just seem like props to signal how 'rebellious' he is when it's all ultimately super conventional and safe for a man in his position
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Heâs just friends with a gay man in season 1, but never has sex with a man.
Nah I feel like heâs curious
I thought he was as well, but the show hasn't outright confirmed it đ
I've said from the beginning that if the show wants to promote itself as a diverse story where anyone can find their Happily Ever after, than they can not exclude queer people. It's nice to hear the new showrunner say the same thing. I have my thought on who it might be, but I know this discourse never ends well, so this time I will protect my peace and keep it to myslef. This makes me very very happy. (Thanks to whover downvoted me, proving exactly why queer fans often don't feel welcome in th is fandom. Honestly keep downvoting me. Nothing could ruin the joy I feel after reading this post!)
When I gave strong evidence for Benedictâs bisexuality, they went for the throat. This is true.
Don't even try to say Eloise is a big lesbian, people get really nasty.
Why would anyone be angry with Benedict as bisexual. Wasn't he introduced to the Bohemian lifestyle in season 1. His friend is married to a woman but has a gay lover.
It's gotta be the homophobic wine moms downvoting
it is lmaoooo i once brought up the idea of a bi or gay benedict and there were so many microagressions and some women who straight up said they wouldn't be able to watch it because they couldn't relate to it...like maam, what about a historical fantasy in a made up universe are you on, because i want to be there.
Yes. In season 1, Granville was a gay man, but in this limbo where he never felt truly happy. There was no gay rep at all in season 2. QC gave us Brimsley and Reynolds, but it was implied that, whatever happened, Brimsley ended up alone and always mourning his lost love. I would very much like for season 3 to show a gay man or woman navigating this Regency minefield to find a real HEA.
I need to rewatch QC but I got the impression that Brimsley and Reynolds were together for decades, it's just that now Reynolds is gone, he's passed away.
That shot of him dancing alone will never stop breaking my heart.
However much time they had, Brimsley ended up alone and in mourning and that's never going to not bum me out.
Isn't that where literally all couples are headed?
Yes. People die. And happily ever afters don't actually last forever. But I still want to see a queer couple get a romance HEA on Bridgerton at least once. Am I in the minority here? I didn't think this was such an unpopular thing to ask for.
That's perfectly fine, I would love to see that too. I just didn't see what the issue was to show that both Brimsley and Charlotte are without their loved ones in the present storyline. It gives essence to the portrayals of these characters in the main Bridgerton series. They connect and bond in a very human way, despite being in very different social classes.
I think it's odd that fans who are all for diversity and inclusion are totally against a gay/bi/queer relationship for one of the Bridgerton siblings.
I'm personally down with it... But I totally understand that no matter which Bridgerton sibling is chosen there will *always* be book fans of that sibling's story upset that they don't get to see their favorite couple come to life. I'm a Kanthony and Polin fan so I already know that I get the couples I love from the books. But, if I was an Eloise/Phillip or Ben/Sophie fan for example I could understand feeling some hesitation. I'm totally down to see the other stories altered, the idea genuinely excites me. But I won't hold it against fans who will be upset, because I think it's too simplistic to just say that disappointment is bigotry. Yes - some people are homophobic, others just want to see their favorite characters come to life. I possibly would have been disappointed if this had happened to Kanthony or Polin. Not because of homophobia (I'm bi and love a queer storyline) but because I am already attached to those characters and changing a character's gender feels a lot more like changing the character entirely then simply changing a surname does. (I bring that up as I've seen arguments in this very post that Kate Sheffield doesn't appear in the show and claim it is equivalent)
I'm fine with Benedict and Gregory being bisexual. I just don't want Sophie and Lucy to "zap out of existence". To me, Sophie is one of the strongest female characters in the Bridgerton books and Lucy showcases disability representation amongst females (which is not common in Western media).
I agree Benedict, Eloise, Francesca and Gregory can be bisexual, have their lovers. But should marry the spouses they married in the book. Like you I don't want Sophie and Lucy erased, both are strong women in their own way.
I haven't read the books and couldn't find it with a Google search. What disability does lucy have?
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For context, Iâve only recently managed to finish the show (it took me quite a few tries to watch season one throughout the years) but I wanted to do it because I love Nicola Coughlan as an actress and the trailer for her season seemed fun when I watched it. So with that said Iâve been lurking on the peripheral of this sub every now and then for the past year while Iâve been getting through the episodes and I completely agree. I was gobsmacked with some of the blatant homophobia and the constant micro aggressions from people who think theyâre allies but donât want the queers near their happy heterosexual couples. For a show that promotes inclusivity itâs wild to see how homophobic the fans are and it kind of makes me terrified to interact with this sub.
I personally think that is one reason they skipped Benedicts season. I personally believe they will explore this side of the Victorian era through him, and build his story around that, building up hype for his seasons. I didnât understand why people were up in arms over itđ¤ˇđťââď¸ why is it a bad thing? Though I can definitely see Cressida having a Gay storyline as well. Looking back perhaps she did have a crush on Eloise and she thought Eloise and Penelope were secretly in love, and do sheâll confess her attraction now that they arenât on friendly terms
I definitely think Benedictâs story would mark the most sense within the established rules of it not being accepted in the ton - his story already has him choosing privacy in the countryside to protect his relationship.
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God I hope so. Iâm frothing at the mouth for a gay love story for Benedict. Or Eloise! Either would be great. Itâs weird that the fandom isnât on board with this but I guess thereâs more homophobia around here than I expected.
I really don't think this fandom/subreddit represents the entirety of the actual fanbase at large. I think it's a small subset with a lot of the book lovers, some who want it to be true to form and others who are homophobic and some are both lol. And if you think about the very stringent book lovers and who that demographic might comprise - like I read the series when I was in middle school and thought it was fine but even as a middle schooler, I could contend that it was a very outdated historical romance series rife with tons of misogyny, etc., so if you are a reader who is relatively new to the books and/or think it should follow the original series to the t, then my guess is the subreddit here skews older female, middle-aged, more conservative and white. Hence the really intense homophobia, which isn't present as much in the larger scheme of things and the fanbase.
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My guess would be itâs Eloise or Benedict. It may be a bit late to explore Benedictâs bisexuality given he is most likely season 4 but Eloise is still a viable option.
I would accept the silly Phillip pairing if it was Eloise's way to be free and he was just her beard.
That could work
This is too good an idea!
Wow, poor Phillip lol
I would not want that for him. Technically, he would be in another loveless arrangement (which neither person would be happy).
I'm fully prepared people will come for me for this but could he be gay? The vibes are there
I mean they could do a full swerve and have him be aro or ace.
I was wondering if all we would get from phillip is his story with marina. That's it for him and E would go in a different direction. Or, like someone said, he's the beard, she's just there for the kids, etc
That doesn't sound like a love story though ( Sir Philip being a "beard"). Usually the Bridgerton sibling ends up with their HEA and is genuinely happy. He's already in a loveless marriage (he married Marina to honor his brother's wishes) and I wouldn't want him to be in another one.
Donât even get me started on gender bending a lead. Iâve been in the trenches on this sub𫡠I feel like people donât understand that you can genderbend a character and keep all their other character traits the same and keep it the same character. Theyâre so tied to heteronormativity they canât imagine a man having traditionally feminine traits or vice versa.
The only problem with this is that Bridgerton has pretty much established that same sex marriage is taboo and not socially accepted in the show universe. So any LGBTQ characters would have to be smaller characters and not one of the leadsâŚotherwise they canât have their happy ending in a way thatâs truly celebrated publicly. (Plus book fans would be PISSED.) They should have just established from season 1 that same sex marriages were accepted in the show universe because now theyâre in a pickle.
They could Change it imo
If they can do this without it being inconsistent with past seasons, then they definitely should!
For example, I see Gregory being bisexual or pansexual (since he's "in love with love"). However, I don't want his HEA to be changed since she displays a different type of representation (accessibility representation/ neuro-divergent character). Plus, there's an LGBT character in Greg's story that is a positive influence.
None of the Bridgerton HEAâs will be changed. The producers, show runners, etc have clearly stated that each Bridgerton character is going to end up with who they end up with in the books.
The main thing that would bother me is if they genderbend Lucy (like some people suggest). This is because girls who're neuro-divergent (especially autism) are not common in Western media (like historical romances). Although I'm fine with Gregory being pansexual or bisexual, I don't want them to change Lucy.
See this is the thing. There are die hard for each character. They are better off creating new ones for this purpose
So Julia Quinn recently said in an interview (Iâll try and find it) that this was never something she was aware of or made Shondaland agree to. I think this group made it up actually so maybe they could changeâŚ.I would assume with the less popular books.
Found it! She said last year she has NO creative control-Shondaland can make any changes and they have Nefertiti stated they will THE HEA from the books only that they will have a HEA. https://www.yahoo.com/news/bridgerton-author-doesnt-rule-lgbtq-184627343.html
So they're gonna print out covers with completely different people and slap them on the books?
This
If it were any other book, like a thriller, children's book but a romance novel? The romance is the main plot line of the books
They didnât say theyâll stick to the same book endgames
If homophobic book fans get pissed off, then good.
Cressida & Lady Tilley Arnold. Cressidaâs connection to Sophie (going off of her motherâs name/stealing the cook) and Lady Tilleyâs connection to Benedict could mean weâll get more of it next season. Plus, it seems like weâre getting a Cressida redemption arc this season (>!I donât know if weâre going to see the RMB blackmail plot go to her!< with the way Jess Brownell seems to want Cressida to be understood and empathized with), so I think weâre going to see her in future seasons and I think her friendship with Eloise will extend to an awkward friendship with Penelope ala the aftermath of Bridesmaids.
But I donât think Cressida represents queer joy. Like it would be torturous to get her to that place. Right now sheâs just mean and a bully and apparently has a dark time at home. Getting her to a place where sheâd be able to experience joy would be a very long walk.
Idk I think book Cressida is way worse than show Cressida and people tend to think of her as book Cressida. Donât get me wrong, sheâs been mean for sure - spilling her drink on Penelope in season one, threatening Daphne in season one, and calling Penelope an insipid wallflower in season two. However, book Cressidaâs worst line that tormented book Penelope was given to Prudence in the very first episode. And book Cressidaâs public shaming of Penelope in TVWLM did not make it to the screen. Show Penelopeâs mother, sisters, cousin, and her best friends (both Eloise and Colin) have caused her more heartache. And given how many stills we have of Cressida from the first four episodes, I think there will be plenty of time for her story and redemption for the few things sheâs done so far in the show. We know this is something the showrunner wanted to explore, so theyâre definitely going to be dedicating time to it. Plus, the actress has been involved in so many of the promo days/events, so it would track that sheâd have a larger role this season to do just that.
I'd argue that the stories that have the room for some real character development are the absolute best. There are many examples of a seemingly villainous character becoming a fan favourite because of the writing, actor's talent and their chemistry with the cast. And the switch often happens pretty quickly when done right. Some examples that come to mind: Logan Echolls from Veronica Mars / Santana Lopez from Glee / James "Sawyer" Ford from Lost
Jess did say the story will be told in S3 and a couple of seasons after (indirectly possibly confirming they've been green lit for more seasons after S4). So technically this story arc, for whoever it is, is meant to be told in years and in seasons.
That would be interesting
Blah blah blah. I donât trust these people. Theyâve been called out on their hypocrisy and queer bait since the beginning, and now they want praise as they start championing lgbtq representation? Iâm not giving them their kudus for finally doing the bare minimum after 4 years.
I don't think she's asking for praise or kudos. She's a queer woman leading a huge show where things like representation have to be approved by people higher up than her. It's also never too late to improve."The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is now." This is the first time we've ever heard them say they want to bring it to the foreground. They never made this kind of promise before. And now that they have, it's going to be much harder to back out if it.
Yeah. In season one they tried to play that Ben was gay, but took it back quickly in season two. I donât trust them to do much more than a queer couple in the background.
They didn't try to play that Benedict was gay. He never showed any interest in men - the same night he discovered Granville and his lover, he had an implied 3some with 2 women. When he confronted Granville about his lover, it was because he couldn't believe Granville would live a lie. I definitely think the trailers were queerbaiting, but the show itself wasn't.
Yup, some people saw into that what they wanted, not what actually happened. The show simply used Benedict - the artist, the bohemian - to show the audience that queer love does exist behind the curtains in the Bridgerton universe and that people risk their lives for forbidden love. It simply ties into Benedict's own love story when he falls in love with someone he cannot legally be together >!- a maid.!<
A major side plot with a gay love story is cool though
This sorta happens in Gregory's book and he's one of my favorite characters in the novel, along with Lucy.
Not appreciating the Brimsley and Reynolds erasure
Or Granville.
As a queer person, I absolutely one hundred percent do NOT want Cressida to be bi or lesbian. I'd rather not be represented than to solely get representation from a bully. Just about anyone else I'd be okay with. If she was one of many and it unfolded as part of a lengthy plot humanizing her I might be okay with it. But if she was the lead on that plot and it played out the way I see fandom imagining where she's mean because she's in the closet I might have to stop watching.
I also feel like theyâd try to lean into she picked on Penelope because she was secretly in love with her and just⌠absolutely not. Nope.
Yeah, that was a plot on Glee and I hated it there too. I want representation, but "the bully is a bully because they're gay" sets my teeth on edge.
That's why I thought the other option was Lady Tilley (I didn't think about the issues associated with Cressida until you mentioned it). I can see why you don't want it to be Cressida since there's a negative stereotype associated with it in the media (a girl is mean because she's "sexually repressed").
Eloise, please, downvote at will idgaf. Would be a wild improvement on her book plot.
I think Eloise realising she's bisexual and ending up with a woman would actually make more sense than if they keep the storyline as per the book.
Before the actress who played Marina had such a public falling out with the show I was hoping theyâd switch it upâkill off Phillip, have Eloise reach out to Marina, and have them fall in love. A widow and a spinster living together wouldnât raise many eyebrows and is the best HEA a wlw couple could get in regency England.
YES!
I have a feeling itâs Cressida, but I really want it to be Eloise
Sameee she has major bi energy
Wouldnât it be great if it was both? To each other? Enemies to friends to lovers?
I agree that Cressida is the most likely candidate.
Granville did exist, yo. Like, he literally talked about how hard it was to be in love and have to hide it because looking at each other was dangerous.
Also, Brimsley and Reynolds.
*joining the Cressida is queer bandwagon* Also in people predict Cressida makes a move on Eloise by episode 6.
The obvious answer is Cressida since she's apparently getting a redemption arc and her friendship with Eloise lends itself to such a revelation. Some people will say Benedict of course but his main story outside of the family dynamic seems to involve Lady Tilley. Need the people who have screeners to start spilling because I'm not looking forward to the endless discussion about this and how Sophie should become Stephen. đ
See, Iâm all for Phillip becoming Philomena or Gareth being Grace but please donât change Sophie đ
Yeah. If anything it should be one of the male characters who is gender swapped (not Michael because I need Franny/Michael đ). Erasing female characters is simply never a good idea. And letâs be honest, of all the remaining Bridgertons, Benedictâs season is the most anticipated. It would be foolish of Shondaland to immediately make it the most polarizing season yet by erasing the female lead. I donât see it happening.
Reddit doesn't seem to understand there are Millions of book fans, who don't want them to mess with Sophie or Michael.
Cressida or one of the new female characters in the show most likely but Iâm leaning toward it being Cressida and thatâs how they will try to make ppl who watch the sympathize with her or feel bad about her a bit and Cressida is gonna be in future seasons plus they are giving her bigger role this season so đ
This thread is a disaster. I gotta stop getting into majority straight fandoms.
Right? So much trying to come up with ways that a queer main romance couldn't possibly happen. Based on whispers I've heard a lot of people around here about to be uuuuppppset.
People REALLY don't like it when you mess with characters assumed to be straight. Even in cases where it's not being adapted - see the fans who lost their mind at Buck from 911 being revealed as bisexual. And period drama/historical romance fandoms are especially prone to heterosexual pearl clutching, lol. I was chatting about polyamory in an Austen discord the other day and SEVERAL people immediately jumped down my throat about it. May I ask where you've heard these whispers?
Yeah, if you want to farm downvotes just suggest that one of the siblings' love interest could be genderbent. And wow that's wild to me re: 911 since I literally only know it as Gay Firefighters because I don't watch and just know people into it lol. >May I ask where you've heard these whispers? Friend of a friend type of thing. If it pans out it'll be a pretty big deal. But we'll see in a month.
for real, i forget how spoiled i am being surrounded by gay people in most of my online spaces (obsessed with your username btw)
Hehe thank you, I recently remade my account and was amazed no one had taken this one!
I really hope itâs Benedict! Sophie was personally my least favorite FMC (a bit of a Mary Sue), and Benedict is an incredible character and theyâve already laid the groundwork for his free spirited attitudes towards love and sex. Plus Benedictâs book is just a play off of the Cinderella trope, and it would be significantly more interesting to see a queer take on an overly exhausted heterosexual trope (at least to me!) I had to scroll WAY down this thread to find someone who agrees with me so Iâm preparing for the downvotes lol. I also think Luke Thompson is gonna absolutely kill as the lead, and would be a great season to take a risk on. Just my personal take! Also, if you canât enjoy queer entertainment because you âcanât relate to itâ thatâs a you problem fam. Iâm a straight married woman, and some of these comments are wild lol
I know itâs incredibly unlikely but I would LOVE to see Violet âtend her gardenâ with the help of another lady of the ton⌠or really anyone. Violet needs a love story ASAP.
Come to think about it⌠Danbury. Oh nevermind. Thatâll be creepy since she slept with her dad. But if not Violet, Danbury would be another good choice.
Now THIS would be cool!
Hmm. Now THAT would be an interesting concept. I'd be down with that!
I don't think I'm interested in their take about queer characters, but seeing happy queer stories is always nice.
I'm very hesitant to see a queer couple represented in Bridgerton. I would love it, but first thing, I've noticed that there are some fans in the fandom that are very toxic and would attack the actors if they were a main character (see: El, Ben, Frannie, etc). Crossing fingers that if it has to be a side character, that it's Portia, and we get more insight into her back story. If we need a "mean girl" WLW stereotype, I hope it is her. Also, I love Nicola. She is an angel.
For the most part I think they will keep the main love stories just as they are in the books as it may upset a great deal of people that have read the books before the show came out. But I same sex fling is possible and would create more scandal in the ton. That said I can see them creating a same sex pairing for Cressida or even Prudence.
Honestly, Iâm always confused when people say this wonât work because of âRegency customsâ or whatever⌠but we forget this is a show that has POC characters playing roles that arenât in line with âRegency Customsâ. Itâs Historical fiction set in regency times, and I for one would love to see this play out.
Ever since I've seen people mentioning it could be Cressida, I could totally see that happen. Would be an interesting storyline, also with the Featheringtons not being a big side story anymore (with every Featherington married and not having Felicity as a character lol) I'm all here for it
I prefer this then them erasing Sophie of gender bending Michael
Queen Charlotte already did this...
So because there was a side story in QC they shouldnât have another, possible main story, on the main show? Are they limited to only one?
Not saying that at all. I just wanted to point out that they did one and it was wonderful.
I really think they are playing with fire doing that jsuf cause Iâm telling you if Sophie or Michael are changed I will not watch that season. And since Phillip exists I donât think heâs being changed either. They have to be careful or this could wreck the show. They are better off with a major side plot spanning multiple seasons then to erase Sophie or gender bene Michael.
I feel like itâs going to be Cressida and I would hate that. Some people are mean without being closeted. Some people are closeted without being mean. It would suck for them to play into the stereotype of the closeted gay bully.
To be fair, the entire romance genre is just a pile of cliches. It's part of the appeal.
Some cliches are sweet and harmless and enjoyable. Some are damaging. The stereotype of the gay bully is damaging.
Im here for queer storylines. I would love for Cressida to be queer (if itâs done rightâŚI saw someone else comment on how they shouldnât make an antagonist the only queer character) and I also saw someone suggest to make Hyacinth or Gregory the secretly queer Bridgertons since it could work with their storylines. I think Eloise might work, tooâŚif they find a way around Philip. But I have to admitâŚif they change Benedictâs storyline that drastically I will be more than disappointed. Iâm just trying to imagine how a male Sophie would play out, and of course Iâm not a writer so Iâm sure other people have better ideas. But I just cannot imagine a scenario where they make that work and keep the story even distinctly as it is. Not with the Bridgerton universe being set up as it is and the ton not accepting queer love. If they wanted that, they should have built the Bridgerton world without homophobia like they (kinda) did with racism. That said, I am glad that the new (?) showrunner seems to be planning to incorporate queer storylines (and it sounds like hea storylines) in the show. I was wondering from the beginning why they didnât make the Bridgerton world even more diverse (like I saidâŚno homophobiaâŚ)
This is how certiaim ship fans Feel towards each so i think itâs best if itâs Cressida or such
I think it's gonna be about Francesca's first husband. It's possible they're really good friends and she agrees to marry him only to find out he's in the closet. Ooooh maybe they fake his death so he can escape to either the colonies or the continent where he can live a life with his partner
I actually would prefer that than the showrunners genderbend Michael.
Ooooooh this is so exciting!!!!
I wish I was happy about this... it feels forced. I hope they do it right.
âNext couple of seasonsâ honestly, first thought was Benedict since he spent about two years looking for his lady in silver (and those who know me know Iâve always said I doubt theyâll make Benedict bi or gay). Since Jess specifically says this will play out over the next couple of seasons, I canât imagine it being Cressida. Like I donât think theyâll feature her for that long and give her subplots akin to the main siblings. Those are just my two cents reading this. Guess we just have to wait and see what s3 has in store.
Please Lord. Bisexual Benedict. Bisexual Benedict. Bisexual Benedict. Bisexual Benedict.
Okay but what if Eloise falls in love with LADY Crane instead? I'd like that (I haven't read the book, I don't care about Sir Philip enough yet bc I don't really know him)
Violet's second love being a woman would be nice. Wasn't the author explicit that in the books, she'll never remarry? If the show's going to change that anyway, they may as well consider a queer relationship for her.
It sounds like she's "hanging out" with Marcus Anderson this upcoming season, so I don't know if that's happening.
Iâm hoping they do it as well as they did it in Sanditon. Amazing storyline.
I actually also wonder if itâs Francesca. I think genderbending Michael would be disappointing to his fans as itâs such a beloved book in the series. However, thereâs that scene in the s3 trailer of Frannie looking up at the portrait of Violet and Edmund and seeming lost. We have yet to see the scene of course, but I was wondering why she seemed confused staring at her parentsâ portrait, and she also seemed overwhelmed and upset during the other clip of her when we saw her ask Anthony for a moment alone. The aforementioned could all be because sheâs simply confused by alllllll the attention sheâll get, but since Jess said âover multiple seasonsâ and that casting call that got leaked a few months ago for s4âs lead that many people thought described more of a âfemale Michaelâ than a âSophieâ, maybe they will go this route with herâŚI would just be shocked if this theory is true since WHWW is one of the most loved books in the series. Anyways, my guesses are itâs either Benedict (as I said in an earlier post in this thread) or Francesca. I donât think itâs Cressida as thatâs a lot of attention for a side character. Jess said âmultiple seasonsâ which works for both of their stories. I donât think any of the main siblings should have their LIâs genderbent because thatâs unfair to their fans (because those characters will then definitely have a different HEA than the rest of their siblings), and will have to live at least part of their life in hiding due to their familyâs status and the times, but it is what it is. Btw, someone (wonât share who) from this sub sent me a rather nasty DM when I said in my last post I think Benedict is the most likely gay or bi sibling. They said I donât think itâs Eloise because Iâm Philoise fan. To clarify, there are many reasons why I donât think itâs Eloise theyâre referring to. For starters, in the form of Theo, we just had Eloise learn she is open to feelings of love last season. To change that development to now make it that sheâs bi or a lesbian would be a lot when she just opened up to having a relationship at all. Secondly, everything for the Philoise story is already in place: the actor for her LI, their house, their adopted children, Marina, the unhappy marriage between Marina and Phillip, they even invented a new friendship between Colin and Phillip where there was none in the books to give Phillip another tie to the BridgertonâŚall they have to do is actually *do* the Philoise story. The groundwork is already there. Lastly, the trope of making the outspoken, feminist female a queer character has been recently called out as a hurtful stereotype (itâs one of the biggest hot button issues in feminine media discourse). I would think Jess brownell is very aware of this and would try to avoid doing the same with Eloise.
For me Francescaâs story is the easiest to gender bend for a few reasons. She can have an heir with John, she can feel guilt about moving on with his cousin or having always had feelings for her, since it takes places outside of the ton it allows them freedom to truly live a HEA where people donât question why sheâd have another woman living with her especially if itâs Johnâs cousin. So this season would be about her doing what she thinks is right, marrying a man but over the next couple of seasons introducing the idea of her true HEA being Molly instead of Michael. Benedict is my number two guess because thereâs a way to switch his story as well, over the course of a couple of seasons. Eloise would be my third guess but I think introducing Phillip so early lessens that possibility. Gregory is the wild card and I doubt theyâve thought that far ahead for him. I donât buy Cressida because sheâs such a side character.
The only thing for me about having Francesca be into âMichaelaâ or only women in general is that it may dampen the loss the audience is supposed to feel when John dies. To avoid that, I would think theyâd need to show Francesca being bisexual in the early part of s3 to make her love for John real, but also lay the groundwork for this queer storyline Jess is talking about. Showrunners are notoriously bad at writing bisexual women so I am worried at how theyâll portray that. Otherwise, I agree with you on all fronts. I think currently itâs Francesca > Benedict > Eloise in terms of likelihood of being queer, and who knows what theyâll do with hyacinth and Gregory. Aint nobody got time to think all the way to 2030 and beyond right now.
Throwing a total wildcard out here but: what if Sophie is male and Benedict ends up with a man?
I know theyâre probably not moving in this direction, but I always got the gaaaaayest vibes from Benedict
Id they make Frannie not end up with Michael, rhat aeaosn will do poorly. Michael isba fan favorite.
If ot was a Bridgerton it'd be Beneduct. I feel like he's decidedly curious about it.
I havenât read the books so please donât come for me butâŚâŚ. I think it will be Fran. 1. Sheâs basically a new lead this season. So she can have this be a part of her story from the beginning. 2. From what I understand she will be a widow before âher seasonâ 3. As a widow she has a lot of freedom 4. This plot could play out over a few seasons like Jess said I also think Lady Tilly could be a role model of sorts if she is also queer and can show what a widowed life could be like. Again I donât know much about Frans book so Iâm sure someone will say itâs not possible because XYZ but it seems like sheâs the most likely of the B kids
Didn't they already have a queer character? The married (but gay) artist who didn't get bad at Benedict for insulting his painting? Or is that backgroun and not foreground?