Bridgerton Season 2: Book vs Adaptation

Since Bridgerton Season 2 graced us with a desi Kate, I finally joined the bridgerton train and marathon watched Season 1, read the Viscount Who Loved Me, and then watched all of Season 2. I literally haven’t stopped thinking about it and so I thought I’d just write out all my thoughts good and bad!

This will contain spoilers for the book and the show!

First, let’s talk about the huge plot change! I totally understand why the plot was changed the way it was since it probably would have been way too similar to season 1 (especially because Simon and Daphne stole the I burn for you line from Kanthony). Even though I understand the plot difference, I truly did not like the weird love triangle. I feel like it made me hate Edwina which is tragic because I loved the sibling relationship in the book so much!

While I absolutely adored the tension between Kanthony and especially the whole Pride and Prejudice-esque hand focus, I do think the slow burn was just a bit too much specifically because the plot didn’t even have as much focus on the two characters as it should have.

Like I get why there’s focus on the Featherington’s but it literally felt like the main advertised Kanthony plot was put into the backseat for the weird drama that I didn’t really care for even if it helps to create an overarching story for multiple seasons. In exchange for the slowest of slow burns that even made me feel like it was too much, I think we could have subdued the Featherington plot just a little so that Kanthony could be brought into more focus!

What the book did better:

I loved the exploration of grief in the book and Anthony struggling with his own mortality and not wanting love because of that. While the show touched on it a little, I wish we could have seen more of that struggle of Anthony believing he’s going to die young and not wanting to fall in love so he wouldn’t leave anyone i n the same grief as his mother and family.

The thunder scene was my favorite scene in the book and seeing it reduced to like a five minute clip without the heart melting story made me a little sad. While I understand that it didn’t completely fit Kate’s character in the show, I did want a bit of a longer scene where they spend all night in the library talking and Anthony comforting her.

What the show did better:

The bee scene omg. The book made me laugh because of how completely absurd the idea of Anthony trying to suck venom out of the sting was. The way Kate helped calm him down and the emotion and TENSION between them in the show was absolutely phenomenal. While it didn’t go into too much depth with the PTSD, I still think it did a really good job exploring Anthony’s anxiety.

I think it was a cool choice to have Kate be the one to run away before getting into her near death accident instead of Anthony not wanting to admit his love and getting drunk and avoiding it. It fit Kate’s character more since she kept trying to run off back to India to avoid everything she felt for Anthony.

Since we were robbed of the Iconic “I burn for you”, the show truly made up for it with some absolute bangers of confessions. I mean?!? “You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires?!” EXCUSE ME? Or the “I wish to humble myself before you because I cannot imagine my life without you? MY HEART. And the final dance with “No one else matters.”?! I was a WRECK.

Other Thoughts:

Since most of the plot was completely derailed because of the love triangle, I think there were some moments that were snuck in as a nod to the book even if the scenes couldn’t happen with the new plot. For example, there’s a whole scene in the book where Anthony has to reassure her that he is, in fact, only dreaming and thinking of her and no other woman. In the show — since Kate doesn’t have that insecurity and they’re not forced to be married for honor — when Kate and Anthony are arguing, Anthony says India isn’t far enough and that if he marries Edwina he will only be thinking of Kate. And honestly, it was so well done!

Can we talk about the way this felt like it was inspired by Taming of the Shrew? I mean Kanthony felt like Petruchio and Kate and Edwina sort of had a weird character arc that resembled Bianca’s near the end. I, personally, didn’t like Edwina’s character arc in the show. (Plus all of Kanthony’s love confessions were very 10 things I hate about you imo)

Also, the way Kate was always wearing Rapunzel style clothing. I love that for me. The purple looked SO GOOD. My favorite was the one below!

Photo from Vogue India

One of my other favorite Tangled-esque scenes was when no one showed up to the Bridgerton Ball and Anthony got everyone to dance together. How Kingdom Dance of them!

Overall, I really enjoyed the season, but I do hope that next season allows for more development, especially since we were robbed of a Kanthony wedding scene*! I doubt they’ll actually bring them back as a main focus, but I really don’t want this to be the last I see of this iconic couple!

What did you think of the season? Do you think the changes were too much or do you think it was handled well? What scenes were your favorites?

*even though the Edwina/Anthony wedding scene where he sees Kate in the dress was absolutely iconic and the eye contact and tension was giving me atrial fibrillation