Dearest viewer, this author finds herself compelled to share the most curious of news.
It seems that Netflix's scandalously fashionable show Bridgerton is positively brimming with
hidden easter eggs and secret details you might have missed, the most exhilarating of
which I shall now uncover.
Be forewarned, dear viewer, for there are spoilers ahead!
There are bees buzzing around everywhere in Bridgerton, from the opening scene of the
series, to the show's title sequence through to the very final scene of Season 1.
They even feature on Eloise's hair accessories and Benedict's collar.
The first bee appears on the door of the Bridgerton household just as Lady Whistledown mentions
"the widowed Viscountess", a neat reference to how Violet became a widow
after her husband died from a bee sting in the novels that the show'is based on.
Also, at the start of the final episode, when Whistledown talks about the fastest courtship
on record, notice this bee on the roses decorating the just-married couple's carriage.
"Of course, Miss Leopold and her new husband would leave London mere hours after their
wedding.
Reason unknown."
Given the crucial role of bees in pollination and therefore how culturally they're linked
with reproduction, this clip clearly suggests that the couple left so hurriedly as she was
pregnant or about to become so!
Which is one reason why a bee appears again at the end of the episode just after Daphne
gives birth.
And that last shot in the season finale is also a big hint that, in Season 2,
Anthony's story will follow what happens in the second book where his fear of bees after
his father's death leads him into a scandalous situation with a new love interest.
And bees aren't the only insects with added meaning in the series.
The Featherington family's flamboyant fashions can be quite a lot to take in,
so you may have missed the fact that butterflies often form part of their outfits, especially
Penelope's, from her various hair accessories to several of her necklaces, and the many
large and small ones on this dress here.
It's certainly fitting that the show associates butterflies with the Featheringtons as not
only are the insects often highly colourful, but also, because of their short lifespans
and ephemeral beauty, they can be symbols of empty vanity.
As to why they're linked to Penelope in particular, the fact butterflies often symbolise transformation,
freedom, and new beginnings is a hint that Penelope's not exactly what she at first appears
to be.
At the beginning of the show, she seems to be a debutante that few people pay attention
to.
"Penelope, I did not see you there."
But by the end of Season 1 our perception of her has been transformed as we discover
she's the author of society's most popular scandal sheet whose words everyone listens
to.
And thanks to that secret identity, she enjoys a level of freedom she never had before.
"A scribbling woman is the most canine.
If that should be true, then this author would like to show you her teeth."
When it came to dressing the Featherington family, costume designer Ellen Mirojnick went
deliberately over the top, aiming for a "gaudy", "overdecorated", "overzealous"
look to convey the fact they're nouveau riche and to create a sharp contrast with the refinement
of the more well-established Bridgerton family.
So, Featherington matriarch, Portia, goes for bright colours, bold patterns, and lots
of embellishments as she wants her daughters to stand out so she can marry them off.
The Bridgerton family's look is more elegant and muted, leaning into a pretty, pristine,
powdery palette of pale blues, silvers, and greens.
And when it comes to Daphne specifically, as her character matures, she goes for "duskier"
colours, with richer pinks and blues and deeper silvers.
As costume designer Mirojnick puts it, "She begins as a porcelain doll and becomes a woman."
As for Eloise, who's smart, rebellious, and speaks her mind,
"Perhaps you should like to paint a picture?" her clothes tend to be simple in shape and
quite covered up, and rather than being "being sent out and decorated", she gets what the
designer calls a "masculine twist".
Then there's Simon whose rich velvet fabrics and brocades, as well as the colours, patterns,
and cut of his clothes stand out as they're influenced by his travels abroad, according
to Mirojnick.
Reds and golds, which are his family colours in the novels, are quite often part of his
outfits, though according to the costume designer the
real reason for that is that the very first time they tried red on actor Regé-Jean Page
in a fitting, he just looked so good in it.
On top of that, L'OfficielUSA.com describes Simon's "dark and mature palette" as providing
a "contrast to Daphne's frothy pieces" which points "towards the dynamic of their relationship."
And, if you're wondering about the significance of the "diamond-and-emerald encrusted enamel
brooch" that Simon can often be seen wearing on his lapel, it belonged to his late mother
so acts as a reminder of her.
Due to showrunner Chris Van Dusen's obsession with the BBC adaptation of Pride & Prejudice
from the 1990s, Simon gets his very own Mr Darcy-style moment,
though Van Dusen "wanted to see a period piece that went even further than that".
So this time, the wet white shirt isn't caused by plunging into a lake; instead Simon gets
caught in a sudden downpour during some al-fresco late-night loving with his new wife.
Tulips are mentioned a few times in the show, but this exchange between Violet Bridgerton
and her son Anthony particularly caught my attention:
"This is for Daphne.
Tulips.
They symbolize passion.
A most appropriate hem for your sister when she decides to marry the duke.
Perhaps your bride would like the same."
This seemingly small moment is very significant as it's a big clue to what will happen in
season 2 of the show.
Why's that?
Well, because it's a hat-tip to the novels where Violet has filled the garden of her
country home with one of her favourite flowers, tulips.
And in the second book of the Bridgerton saga, Anthony picks a tulip for his new love interest.
So, in the first episode, during one of Anthony's trysts with Siena, when you see his watch
on this piece of furniture with a tulip-like design,
it's a subtle hint that his time with her will soon be over as his new love interest
in the second season will be the woman he gives the tulip to in the books.
When Anthony tells his youngest sister Hyacinth she can join in with the summer fun at their
country home as long as she "stays clear of [his] lucky mallet",
that's a nod to the croquet-like game of pall-mall that the Bridgertons love to play in the novels
and has become a real fan-favourite moment, according to author Julia Quinn.
That game, which in the second novel Daphne says is full of bad sportsmanship, cheating,
and lying, and "is less about winning than making sure the other players lose",
plays an important role in Anthony's love life so it'll very likely pop up in the second
season, especially as Quinn asked showrunner Van Dusen to make sure it does!
During a flashback to Simon's childhood, we learn his father had him hidden away because
of his stammer.
Instead of going to school then, his governess taught him and his lessons included Latin,
which was usual for boys at the time.
An interesting detail that signals the kind of man Simon will grow up to be are the Latin
conjugations on the blackboard for the word 'pugnare' which means "to fight, to battle",
to "strive" or "struggle".
As a child, Simon strove to overcome his stammer and lack of confidence with the help of Lady
Danbury; and as an adult, he not only gets involved in boxing, but he also ends up in
a duel with Anthony.
So, this shot shows how Simon has, in a way, been learning the meaning of fighting since
he was a child.
During a raunchy rendezvous, it's no coincidence that Anthony crashes into a poster for Mozart's
opera Don Giovanni on Siena's dressing room wall.
That particular opera is based on the legend of Don Juan, a young, licentious nobleman
who places pleasure above all else, which Anthony certainly does for much of the first
season.
"You like to speak of responsibility.
My dear son!
Pray tell, what should you know of it?"
The way the framed poster tumbles to the floor could also be a little hint to how Anthony
and Siena's relationship will eventually come crashing down.
The line 'for three nights only' on the poster also foreshadows the temporary nature of their
affair.
There's another clever bit of foreshadowing on the dance cards and the ballroom floor
at Danbury House, where a Latin phrase appears which means "We do not learn for school, but
for life".
This fits the show well because, as showrunner Van Dusen says, Season 1 focuses on
"the education of Daphne Bridgerton" who "starts out as this young innocent debutante
who knows very little of love.
And [...] nothing of sex."
"Titled, chaste, and innocent, this is what they have been raised and trained for since
birth."
Then, as Van Dusen says, "over the course of the series, we watch her transform entirely."
Now, what did you think of Bridgerton?
And did you notice any little details or easter eggs?
Leave your comments below!
And if you enjoyed this, don't forget to leave a thumbs-up, it's hugely appreciated.
Tap left for my next Netflix video including a full breakdown of the Sabrina series finale
and a potential Part 5, or tap right for something else you're sure to like.
Thanks for watching and see ya next time.
Yippee-ki-yay, movie lovers!