Summary
Netflix has released three seasons ofBridgertonand one prequel spinoff series, and more are expected to come in the upcoming years as the show continues to dominate the streaming world. Whileevery installment in the historical romance franchise has been well received overall by fans and critics alike,every viewer has their favorite and least favorite. Some fans' and critics' cumulative scores of each season (and prequel spinoff show) are documented on websites such asRotten TomatoesandIMDb, but those two online sources are not the only factors in this ranking of whichBridgertonstories are the best.
Bridgertonshowrunner Jess Brownell predicts that season 4 will arrive two years after season 3’s release.
Bridgerton’s romancesobviously play a major role in whether a season is successfuland when comparing each installment in the poular Netflix franchise, which is based onJulia Quinn’s book series of the same name. As fans know, each season of the historical romance television show chronicles the love story of one Bridgerton sibling (except forQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which chronicles Queen Charlotte’s romance with King George). So, the romances are a significant factor in ranking the seasons, but so are other storylines, character arcs, production value (which is honestly always excellent), and music choices.
4Bridgerton Season 1
Released In 2020
Bridgertonseason 1 introduced the world (well, aside from those who had already read the books) tothe large and beloved Bridgerton familyand the ton of London, set in the early 1800s. While it reeled viewers in from the start, it’s also unfortunately (and surprisingly) the worst out of all the seasons. That is not to say it’s a bad season, rather, it’s quite the opposite.The first eight episodes ofBridgertonwere captivating,in large part due to the impressive production value and, of course, the love story between Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings.
The Duke and I
On the Way to the Wedding
Gregory Bridgerton
August 05, 2025
EveryBridgertonseason features a thrilling and tumultuous romance (and an iconic love confession), andDaphne and Simon’s love storywas the first one viewers watched develop on the screen. The couple followed the “fake dating” trope many other romance works utilize to build their stories. Daphne, who Queen Charlotte chose as her “Diamond of the Season,” didn’t want to marry the despicable Lord Berbrooke, and Simon didn’t wish to marry at all. So, they devised a plan that would benefit them both — they wouldpretend to court to expand Daphne’s choices for a husband and allow Simon to avoid courting altogether.
As these stories always play out, Daphne and Simon ended up falling for one another, but their differing plans for their futures hindered their relationship.Bridgertonseason 1 ultimately featured many highs and lows as Daphne and Simon pretended to court, fell in love, got married, and then figured out how to make their marriage work despite their issues. While it’s undoubtedly entertaining,Bridgertonseason 1 falls to the bottom of the list due to its second half(and the lack of other enthralling storylines outside Daphne and Simon, aside from perhaps the cringeworthy Marina pregnancy plot).
As they fought over having children, all the work the first half [ofBridgertonseason 1] did to make viewers fall in love with Daphne and Simon’s love was ruined as it became toxic.
The first episodes were exciting as they built up Daphne and Simon’s relationship, and it didn’t hurt that Phoebe Dynevor and Regé-Jean Page shared exceptional chemistry. However, after they married,Daphne and Simon’s storyline took a turn for the worse, and it wasn’t fun watching them manipulate one another.As they fought over having children, all the work the first half did to make viewers fall in love withDaphne and Simon’s love was ruined as it became toxic. Overall,Bridgertonseason 1 will always be memorable given that it’s the first installment in the franchise, but it falls short compared to other seasons.
3Bridgerton Season 3
Released In 2024
Bridgertonseason 3 finally gave viewers what they had been waiting for since the pilot episode — Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington’s love story. The third season was unique because its central romance had been building since the first season, whereas the others featured new love interests. As a result,Bridgertonseason 3 was quite satisfying and ultimately lived up to all the expectationsthat many had ofColin and Penelope’s romance. The “friends to lovers” trope made for great television, which was made all the better by Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton’s chemistry.
AlthoughBridgertonseason 3 had very few issues, it didn’t feature enough of Kate and Anthony, arguably the show’s best couple.
Colin and Penelope’s relationship development inBridgertonseason 3 contained drama, yearning, passion, and almost everything that any romance buff would want. The drama of it all revolved around Penelope coming clean about her Lady Whistledown secret (another plotline that had been growing since season 1). While it drove her and Colin apart for a little while, their relationship proved strong enough to overcome it. So,Colin and Penelope’s superior romance gave season 3 the edge over season 1,but so did the shocking and exciting revelations regarding Benedict and Francesca’s respective sexualities andEloise and Penelope’s tumultuous friendship.
Colin and Penelope’s relationship was obviously at the center ofBridgertonseason 3, butEloise and Penelope’s strained friendship was explored almost as much as the romance.Eloise cut Penelope out of her life after finding out she was Lady Whistledown. However, over the course of the eight episodes, Eloise and Penelope (very) slowly but surely found their way back to one another, reminding viewers whytheir dynamic is one ofBridgerton’s best. Nevertheless, while season 3 was overall well-made and quite entertaining, the two otherBridgertonseasons were simply better.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story
Cast
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story is the first spinoff series in the Bridgerton franchise from Netflix. The limited series was created by Shonda Rhimes and focuses on a 17-year-old Queen Charlotte as she rises to power and marries King George. India Ria Amarteifio plays the young Queen Charlotte, who was originally played by Golda Rosheuvel in Bridgerton.
Some didn’t expectQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyto be as successfuland good as it was, but the prequel spinoff series proved them wrong when its six critically praised episodes dropped in May 2023. As mentioned above, the central love story can make or break an installment ofBridgerton, andthe epic and captivatingromance between Queen Charlotte and King Georgepushed this limited series almost to the top of this list.Although their marriage was arranged, the two fell in deep love with one another anyway.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyallowed a handful of intriguing characters who sometimes are overlooked in the original series to step into the spotlight, and the result was a clever, heartbreaking, and thrilling prequel.
Queen Charlotte and King George’s love for one another is arguably the most tragic, thoughtful, and deep out of all theBridgertonromances. Their relationship was exceptionally well crafted by the writers, especially concerning George’s mental illness, which is occasionally featured in the parent show.It was extremely easy to become engrossed in Charlotte and George’s love story,making their fate even more heartbreaking.
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyjumped back and forth between two time periods— when Charlotte and George met in 1761 and the present day (1817) in the Netflix franchise. Consequently, not only did the spinoff give viewers more insight intoCharlotte and George’s relationship inBridgerton, but it also unveiled some shocking revelations regarding Lady Danbury, Violet, and Brimsley.Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyallowed a handful of intriguing characters who sometimes are overlooked in the original series to step into the spotlight, and the result was a clever, heartbreaking, and thrilling prequel.
Where Is King George During Bridgerton Season 3?
King George’s whereabouts aren’t explicitly stated in Bridgerton season 3, but details about its setting clarify where the monarch is in season 3.
1Bridgerton Season 2
Released In 2022
Perhaps some would argue thatQueen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyis the best out of all theBridgertoninstallments. But then they would be forgetting the extraordinary stories explored in season 2 and all the exciting (and heartbreaking) developments that came of it. While Queen Charlotte and King George’s romance was undoubtedly epic,Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma’s relationshipremains the best in the Netflix historical romance franchise.They started out hating one another, but that hatred quickly turned into a vexing love that consumed both Anthony and Kate (complicating Anthony’s engagement to Kate’s sister, Edwina).
87%
70%
7.7
77%
74%
8.0
95%
73%
7.5
8.1
Anthony and Kate’s dynamic was passionate and gripping, and the twoBridgertoncharacterswere seemingly made for one another. However, neither wanted to betray nor hurt Edwina, so, they tried to accept the fact they couldn’t be together, forcing Edwina to be the one to call off the wedding once she realized her fiancé was in love with her sister. While some may have been impatient and disliked that it took all season for Anthony and Kate to finally be together,the slow build-up made the payoff all the more satisfying,while also making the audience crave more.
[Bridgertonseason 2] has the second-highest Audience Score andIMDbrating after season 3 (which might be experiencing a brief boost due to recency bias).
Outside Anthony and Kate’s story,Bridgertonseason 2 contained other captivating plotlines that pushed it to the top of the list. Eloise’s search for Lady Whistledown and consequential falling out with Penelope set the stage for their conflict in season 3. It also introducedone of the show’s most unexpected but beloved almost-romances —Eloise and Theo Sharpe.Eloise has made it clear since season 1 that she isn’t looking for a husband, but she couldn’t help but be charmed by Theo, seeing as the two are quite similar. Unfortunately, they’re from two different classes, but, hopefully, Theo will return.
Bridgertonseason 2 has the best soundtrack, featuring covers of “Material Girl” by Madonna, “Dancing On My Own” by Robyn, “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles, “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus, and more.
Yes,Bridgertonseason 2 has the lowest Tomatometer ranking out of the seasons. However, it has the second-highest Audience Score andIMDbrating after season 3 (which might be experiencing a brief boost due to recency bias). Fans love it, and for good reason. PerhapsBridgertonseason 4 will be able to exceed season 2, but for now, Anthony and Kate’s love story is the best.
Bridgerton
Bridgerton, released on July 17, 2025, is set in Regency-era England and follows the lives of the influential Bridgerton family. The series explores themes of wealth, lust, and betrayal, portraying societal dynamics through a blend of romance and intrigue.
