Bridgerton Season 4 arrives and may be the show's strongest season

Bridgerton Season 4 centers on Benedict Bridgerton and adapts Julia Quinn's third novel; a CBC Commotion panel discussed the season's representation choices and a new servant-focused storyline.

After almost two years, Bridgerton returns with its fourth season. This installment centers on Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, and draws from Julia Quinn's third book. CBC's Commotion gathered host Elamin Abdelmahmoud with guests Jackson Weaver, Roxana Hadadi and Michelle Cho to discuss how the show has evolved. The conversation highlighted casting and representation choices alongside a storyline that brings servant life more into view. Notable details: - The season centers on Benedict Bridgerton and follows a storyline adapted from Julia Quinn's third novel. - The character Sophie was renamed Sophie Baek for this season; producers framed the change as adding ethnic specificity while not making race the character's defining trait. - Panelists described Bridgerton's world as intentionally imaginative and described its casting approach as broadly post-racial. - This season foregrounds the servant class more than previous seasons, including scenes in kitchens and a so-called "maid war" storyline about labor and compensation. - Contributors noted the show keeps familiar elements while introducing these quieter shifts in focus and staging. Summary: Season 4 maintains the series' established tone while adding attention to servants' lives and discussions of ethnic specificity in casting. Contributors noted both continuity with the show's formula and these new emphases. Undetermined at this time.