They really did John dirty with this story! Destined to die and 5 minutes into his marriage Fran has the hots for his cousin! And Fran looks so bad as well after all her declarations of love for John! How are we supposed to believe that they had a real love story now? I think introducing Michaela now and how it was done was really bad story telling

@agenttheater5

28 күн бұрын

unless it's just to show us from the start how she always felt guilty about feeling this attraction to someone else just after she married the man she fell in love with in a 'nothing happened but I still felt guilty for thinking about it).

@queenieofdarkness

28 күн бұрын

@@agenttheater5 but she comes across as dishonest, no? we were to believe that she really loved John. She was fighting so hard to marry him. but the wedding kiss already looked awkward and then the instant attraction to Michaela. As if she never really loved John. It is almost comparable to her reaction "I pick the dance partner by the alphabet!" or "I take any guy the queen suggests" which prompted her mother to say "Because it is convenient?". Would she maybe have taken Samardani if he hadn't said that he wanted a bunch of kiss?

@madmartagan100

28 күн бұрын

agreed, It also cheapens the love really anyone in the series has. They talk about the love the mom and dad had before he died, and how they had a true love match. This is just way too forced. It also makes me think the show runner doesn't know what true love looks like.

@cyndiwinzeler5016

28 күн бұрын

all it does is support Violet's questioning the relationship

@tirkdiamond

28 күн бұрын

They could have introduced Michael, have him look at her like he's in love, her only looking at John and it would have been PERFECT. I would LOVE if they had introduced Michael now if only they had done it correctly.

I was way more invested in John and Fran’s quiet love story than Polin in part 1. The shyness, subtle glances and the peace they shared together was so cute. So disappointed with the direction they’ve taken and the showrunners reasoning for changing Fran’s story is incredibly weak :(

@RossiSenn

28 күн бұрын

I enjoyed Fran's and John's quiet romance. It was beautifully done and suited Fran's disposition. If they wanted to tell a queer story, I think they should have gone with either Eloise or Cressida. It makes much more sense than Fran because her story in the book deals with infertility struggles and I think they should have stuck to the original plotline, if only to show that side at least.

@NellieDWrites892

28 күн бұрын

Me too! I thought they were so cute.

@roguered706

28 күн бұрын

Totally agree! The show runner says she connected with Francesca because she's described as "feeling different" and therefore seems like she'd be queer. Newsflash - practically everyone feels different at times. As the youngest in my family (coincidentally of 8 children, lol) I was always the most introverted and also didn't look like any of my siblings. I felt different all the time and I hardly think that's unusual. Totally weak and just the show runner they ng to make her mark at the expense of some great characters, story telling, and fan hopes.

@thelegacyofgaming2928

28 күн бұрын

@@roguered706 Eloise is the most different in that family. They just wanted to make Francesca lesbian 😂

@MariaRodriguez-dx6sm

28 күн бұрын

Jess Brownell practically said, "I read the book, I like Franchesca's character, so I made a lesbian self incert fanfic. And because I was a people pleaser, it is basically self care to write something that I know will piss off 70% of the fanbase" I wish I was exaggerating, but that's basically what she said in TeenVogue and her other interviews

Im not a book purist or anything (I haven't read most of them) but.... there was no love triangle in the book! Francesca is in love with her husband and doesn't realize she's into michael until after her husband dies. That's part of her main story, not thinking that she would be lucky enough to find a love match twice. The whole love triangle thing makes no sense for francesca's character and would have been better suited to someone else, I totally agree.

@agenttheater5

28 күн бұрын

it's not technically a triangle - a triangle would be if Francesca loved Michaela, Michaela love John but John loved Francesca and no one's feelings are returned.

@laetitiar2364

28 күн бұрын

I didn't read the books, and for me, I didn't feel the "i might like her" moment, but more of a " oh a member of his family, what will they think about me, will i be accepted? she doesn't know who i am"

@krystalgroshans9129

28 күн бұрын

This! She doesn't even have feelings right off the bat for Michael. Yes, Michael was in love with her, but she didn't even consider him until she was out of mourning and moving on with her life

@marlena.

28 күн бұрын

​I understand. We as book readers know that Fran meets Michael at the engagement party and Michael falls in love at first sight with Fran. So for a cousin of John to show up at their wedding, called Michaela will get some people mad. But you might remember the short scene where her mom has this talk with Fran about how stuttering and being clumsy, shy and what not around falling in love. When then Francesca is doing that a little when meeting Michaela with the slower plot twist type scene it still can be seen as a "thing". @@laetitiar2364

@azurevalleys

28 күн бұрын

@@agenttheater5I know we love to say nowadays that love triangles aren’t really love triangles if all lines don’t connect and that’s actually a love angle…but the generally understood definition of a love triangle is one person with two options and I’m not gonna call that a love angle 😭😂

The gender switch totally changes the story from being about grief and finding a second chance at love to being about her sexuality. Two very different issues.

@TXtoTN

28 күн бұрын

Oh! That’s a very good point! So it changes her story completely basically. Not to mention the infertility and the hard decision to marry again

@zodey3

28 күн бұрын

It can be about both at once

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

Good and stay mad ok

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

@@TXtoTN didn't we have in s1 are y'all gonna sycle the story every season

@randomlyswatching9481

28 күн бұрын

​​@@randomgeekcrapcalm down first understand the context why ...then write three comments being mad at people's opinions ?... S1 what infertility?? That was the dukes decision not to have kids. You clearly never even gazed at the books ?

Fran legit jumped out in front of the Queen to declare her love for John & asked her for approval to marry him. A woman that is soooo shy & reserved overcame that fear out of love for a man. How do we go from that scene I believe in episode 6 or 7 (the wedding bfast that the Queen interrupts to demand LW step forward) to one episode later she’s over it & on to the next? Like wtf. Fran is a square & this storyline is a circle, the writers are smashing them into each other forcing them to fit & they just don’t.

@leesepoll6954

26 күн бұрын

Facts !

@chiaragiangrande

18 күн бұрын

I agree that francesca and michaela should have happened much later, and all of this is spitting on her storyline with john that the writers so much wanted us to care about. However I don't think that she overcame her fear out of love for john as you said, I think she was brave and outforward for the same reasons she wanted to find a husband so soon in the season: she wanted a paeceful marriage and serenity in her life, and that marriage was the answer. Obviously I think she loves him, but she is so rushed becuse she is longing to finally have that quietness in her life. (I'm not a native speaker, sorry for eventual mistakes)

As an introvert married to an introvert, I deeply connected to their love story, even down to their skin colour. Theirs is a subtle, comfortable connection. Disloyalty is something I can’t accept.

@zarahjoyce5143

25 күн бұрын

agree. I will not support a character with a wandering eye lmao. let me live in a fantasy world where it doesn't happen to my faves considering it happens so often irl.

@lucypeace6132

24 күн бұрын

My husband and I are both introverts and our love story was quiet and very deep. It makes me so sad that people are seemingly delegitimising the story of ND's (me) and introverts because they've decided all love must look passionate. We have people telling us how jealous they are of us because we're such a great, loving, dedicated, supportive couple. It makes me so sad for John that he didn't get the story he was supposed to get and that, yes, they turned it from an ND story to a gay love story. Being a gay woman wasn't illegal at the time, being a gay man was. Genderswapping Sophie (my favourite of the heroines) would have made much more sense if you wanted to tackle gay marriage and the legality surrounding it. I'm so disappointed that they did this.

@arianasingawinata3001

16 күн бұрын

exactly! It's hard enough to find a match, and it's too "loud" and "energy-draining" for introverts to have more than 1 lover. Introverts (and there are signs that Fran is actually autistic), so it's already beyond introvert trait, so it doesn't make sense she would find comfort at another person. It's hard enough to trust 1 person.

Yep!! They destroyed the love match that we were routing for to tease something thats supposed to happen *years later!* The fact that she looked disappointed at his kiss at their wedding was such a slap in the face. And falling in love with another person a few days after her wedding that she begged begged begged her mother to help her rush!

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

Who is we ?

@barbarafrings9231

28 күн бұрын

​@@randomgeekcrap I would say the millions of Bridgerton readers, whose favorite book and story is Francesca and Michael. I'm one of the many.

@agenttheater5

28 күн бұрын

unless it means that she's feeling guilty over her attraction to Michaela because she's in love with John, and that when it's her turn to have a book that will be something that stops her from declaring her feelings because she's always felt like her being attracted to Michaela was a betrayal of John and that if she were to act on it now it would be an insult to his memory.

@TRESINGZFR

28 күн бұрын

@@agenttheater5But that is not at all the premise of Francesca’s book in her book she was truly in love and devoted to her husband and the only initial reason she wanted to marry was to have a child because she lost the child she had with John. The main reason I am upset they made Michael Michaela is because Francesca having issues with having a child was a huge part of her story and in my opinion a story that deserved to be told because there are a lot of women who have fertility issues or don’t have children right away and it can be upsetting and depressing. I get having inclusion and I am far from upset about LGBTQ representation on this show or any show but it should not be at the cost of the actual story being told or at the cost of other people’s lives and views and struggles being diminished or made to feel unimportant.

@agenttheater5

28 күн бұрын

@@TRESINGZFR well we'll have to see. And in any case, I never said that she wasn't truly in love with and devoted to her husband. I said that because she was in love with him and devoted to him she felt guilty that she was attracted to someone else. But either way, we'll have to see first who's going to be the focus for season 4 and then see who'll they'll cover for seasons 5 and 6 after we find out if it's been green-lit.

Netflix screwed the pooch on this one. George RR Martin said it best. “No matter how major a writer it is, no matter how great the book, there always seems to be someone on hand who thinks he can do better, eager to take the story and "improve" on it. "The book is the book, the film is the film," they will tell you, as if they were saying something profound. Then they make the story their own. They never make it better, though. Nine hundred ninety-nine times out of a thousand, they make it worse.”

@PannaKwiatek

28 күн бұрын

only Forrest Gump was better than the book ;)

@kingoreo3642

28 күн бұрын

Great quote. So true

@KawaiiStars

27 күн бұрын

​@@PannaKwiatekAmerican psycho is loved more than the book too, i think it happens occasionally but only great writers should attempt it

@bologna3464

23 күн бұрын

Although this definitely doesn’t apply to season 2/book 2. Have you read The Viscount who Loved Me? Utter dogshit, Wattpad level garbage. The only reason season 2 was so successful is because there were many key changes to both plot and character.

@africansweetheart9590

22 күн бұрын

​​@@bologna3464just finished reading it and I don't know how anyone can read that and say it's better than the show? Book Anthony makes my blood boil. The only thing I hated about the show is when they had Anthony propose to Edwina and actually try to marry her. That was insane and I still haven't forgiven show Anthony for it. But Book Francesca is currently miles ahead of show Fran with just those two scenes. She was made so well then they crashed her at the last moment. Season 4 needs to work hard to convince people Francesca is in love with John just as much as he's in love with her or it'll truly be over for Bridgerton since everyone hates Phillip too lol

This entire season was a train wreck.

@JanetAMills

28 күн бұрын

I just remembered. Season 3 was delayed because it rewritten several times. Wondering how awful was the original script!

@InfinitelyRay

28 күн бұрын

@@JanetAMillsor maybe the original script was really great and they ruined it… but I did read that the original script was “too dark” which I can only imagine that they must have originally planned to kill off a character or another violent crime like Daphne and Simon.

@JanetAMills

27 күн бұрын

@@InfinitelyRay Also, there was no major drama scenes or conflict, even from Queen Charlotte, of Pen being the true LW. This is inconsistent with the Queen's major intimidation of Eloise in Season 2. Marina-Ms Thompson-Lady Crane should of came back and confronted Pen.

Another thing that bugs me about this season is that we barely see Penelope and Colin’s romance flourish, compared to Daphne and Simon and Anthony and Kate in the previous seasons. They were side characters in their own story. All the time wasted on the Mondrichs could have been used to build up Pen and Colin more. Literally, the writers could have cut the Mondrich family and no one would have even noticed because they are that irrelevant to the plot and did nothing to advance the story.

@MatuAndrade

27 күн бұрын

Say it louder 👏🏻

@kresspqressie7722

26 күн бұрын

This is why i think the show staff want to owning or stealing already popular series and make it their achievement. Sorry if my words sounds rude. Im kinda pissed.

@ellafly3490

26 күн бұрын

I don’t see any need for the Mondrich story line. Waste of time when other stories need more time.

@ThomE216

25 күн бұрын

Totally! I always fast forward through the Mondrich stuff, as those characters have no bearing on the plot, and it is time wasted away from the MCs. Could have had a lot more Penn and Colin time!

@erinandthe1580

25 күн бұрын

@@kresspqressie7722 oh absolutely the showrunner Jess Brownell just wanted a popular property to ruin

I haven’t seen a single fan liking the plot twist they made , I just hope fans talk about it enough for the writers to change something

@Seraphina-Rose

28 күн бұрын

Hi. I'm a fan of books and show. I like the Michaela twist and look forward to seeing how it plays out.

@dasella5854

28 күн бұрын

Like they did with....say The Witchter for instance? Or Lord of the Rings? Star Wars...!? Naaaah, they'll go down with their ship and blame it on the audience being ungrateful and stubborn and - of course - homophobic...that's so much easier than actually doing your job as a writer to honour and possibly enhance the source material =)

@InfinitelyRay

28 күн бұрын

@@Seraphina-Rose I think that they just are gonna end up shifting things around a bit. Michaela and Francesca probably won’t get together right away. They are probably season 6 so we will get to see what they are gonna do with her. Bi Francesca is gonna be fun to watch. The question is will they alter her infertility journey. Because that was a big factor in her book relationships. I suspect that she will end up having John’s baby after some infertility issues so that when she is ready for love again, infertility and the yearning to be a mom isn’t there. Or maybe she will end up adopting a baby instead? Like the reason people are sad isn’t that she is bi. It’s because her book was one of the rare ones that explored infertility. It influenced a lot of her decisions. So how will they handle this topic? Will they have it resolved with a John baby? Will it resolve with adoption? Will she just decide she doesn’t need to be a mom to be happy? That I think is why people are sad. Or mixed feelings about it. I am happy for her bi journey. It will be fun eventually. I think more queer representation is better than less representation. And I also think that altering a very important plot and character motivation is not good. Let’s be honest, IVF is not a thing in Bridgerton world so if she is gonna have a baby it is either the traditional way or adoption. And it is valid to want someone trapped in an era without IVF to see her infertility journey anyways. Who knows, maybe she will decide she wants to get re-married to have children. And while she is looking, she realizes that she doesn’t need a child to be happy. She needs love to be happy. Love she already feels for someone close to her.

@jaydas8976

28 күн бұрын

The writers aren’t going to change it, and it would be terrible if they did now. The actress who’s playing Michaela is already facing so much harassment and racial abuse over a script she didn’t write, it would be messed up if they changed it now. People have literally been making petitions to get her fired all because they don’t like the change that was made. Plus Jess stated in an interview that she was always intended to change Francesca’s story, and that she knew that people would be disappointed that Francesca’s story will be changed. (Ps, I’m not saying you can’t be disappointed abt the change, I understand that many people are upset about it)

@lamarina5433

28 күн бұрын

I saw one😂

It definitely feels like that not even the authors believed what Francesca said about love being also slow...

@razielhernandez2849

28 күн бұрын

They were the only couple that I liked in this season smdh

@no.6377

22 күн бұрын

​@@razielhernandez2849after the fumbling the writers did with Penelope and Colin, these two became my top pick. The little look at the end that implied disinterest was such a slap in the face.😂

The thing that I hate about Francesca story line is the fact that the writers are making it seem like two introverted people can’t have a whirlwind love. Most of the time two introverted people have the most fun with each other. I hate that they are make Francesca fall for Michaela at first sight just because all of the Bridgertons have. 🤮 It was nice to see a sweet slow romance. Now it’s convoluted.

@africansweetheart9590

28 күн бұрын

It's so funny cause they have the books as a guideline. Like Im the book there's a section where Eloise writes letters to her family and she writes "Maybe I should not have let him take liberties with you. But I wanted to ask. Was it lovely?"From Eloise Bridgerton to her sister, Francesca Bridgerton, the day she met John Stirling The Earl of Kilmartin. Cause apparently Fran and John clicked so well they had Eloise sneak them together which ended with a kiss lol

@misspriss2482

8 күн бұрын

This. I was so pissed. As an introvert and a demisexual person, I really resonated with Francesca and John's romance. Now they're basically saying that love isn't real unless it slaps you in the face the first time you meet someone. Her being attracted to Michaela right now completely cheapens any connection that she and John have. SMDH. 😒😒

At the end of the show it is Francesca who is completely besotted with Michaela as if she never really loved John and their marriage was a mistake. It changes all the dynamics between the protagonists. In the book (and what we saw in the 3rd season till the end), Francesca is in love with John because they are very similar and understand each other. It is a quiet but deep love. In the original story it is Michael who is completely besotted with her from their first encounter. Francesca never considers him as a love interest until John dies (and even for a long time after it happens). Beside that, Michael also struggles with grief and with guilt, when he inherits the estate, he feels that he doesn't deserve it and he's stealing John's title, social position and wife. It complicates their feelings for each other. How the show will include this side of the story as Michaela being a woman can't inherit the title and estate (the whole Featherington plotline revolves around this)? I don't know where the show wants to go with this gender change, but not towards the original story for sure. The showrunner defended (poorly) her decision that despite the gender change, they will stick to the major plotlines of their story, but I can't see how it would be possible. (www.glamour.com/story/bridgerton-season-3-finale-who-is-michaela-stirling) I don't care about the gender of Francesca's love interest, but I care about the dynamics between the characters and the issues they struggle with. Francesca's book is a favorite to many women who struggle with miscarriage, infertility and grief. They can relate to it that after all the loss it is possible to find love again and have a family with someone else. And seeing this mess of a third season, I don't have any hope that the show will handle Francesca's season very well. At least with this showrunner. They ruined an already good story (in my opinion Francesca's story is the best in the books) for the sake of a forced inclusion. Eloise's and Benedict's journey in the show allows more organically to change the gender of their love interest, and I would root for them. I simply don't understand why they had to force the inclusion in Francesca's story. They should bring back Chris Van Dusen, the first and second season was far better than the third.

@graceyang9412

28 күн бұрын

how did the showrunner defend her decision? do you know where i can find that information

@RealTalkWithSSG

28 күн бұрын

Exactly, CVD should come back. The new showrunner is treating this series like her personal Wattpad fanfiction.

@freshmaker321

28 күн бұрын

⁠it’s her interview with teenvogue. She said that she cannot please all the fans and so it came down to the book character and she feels like Francesca was queer based on her own experience of being queer and so it felt “natural”

@khfan4life365

28 күн бұрын

@@freshmaker321 the showrunner is an idiot. Nothing about Francesca, book or show, was “queer”. This showrunner is mutilating a story to make her own awful Wattpad fanfic because she knows it won’t be successful with original characters. Luckily, people are seeing right through her bs.

@buchbummelant8980

27 күн бұрын

I would like to add that Hyacinths and Gregorys stories would also lend themselves better to a queer storyline than Francescas. Hyacinths story revolves around a mystery and Gregory actually has a queer character in the storyline. Both could be adapted quite easily to a genderbend love interest, because necessary plotbeats could still be met quite easily. Changing Francescas story in which gender is just so important is just heartbreaking.

I was also frustrated with the change. I'm not against a gay or bisexual storyline in the series, but as other people said, Francesca's storyline was not the place for it. When He Was Wicked is probably one of, if not the best book in the Bridgerton series and I was SO happy to see John and Francesca's relationship develop over season 3. I wanted to be introduced to Michael, but I figured we'd wait until Francesca's season to meet him. Also, her book was more mature than the others in the series and touched on grief, loss, infertility, and imposter syndrome. John was the love of Francesca's life and making her hesitant to marry him afterwards completely changes her character. Michael also had to hide his feelings and put them aside because she was married to the cousin he loved like a brother. I don't understand why they wanted to change the one book that pretty much everyone who loved it has put on a higher pedastal than the other books. I'm not saying it's perfect, but it was really well done. Also, if they continue on and actually want Francesca to end up with Michaela, what about Francesca's infertility story? That part of her book resonated with many readers and was a main reason why she wanted to remarry in the first place. I'm very conflicted and I think they should have introduced other characters to do a gay or bisexual storyline with, and not mess with the one story where sex and the gender of the characters mattered the most. Maybe Michaela's appearance is a red herring and part of me is hoping that she has a twin brother named Michael, but at this point, who knows.

@catdragon2584

28 күн бұрын

Agreed. They literally had Eloise, her story is the one that would’ve benefited the most by making her gay. Why change a love story that’s already fantastic when you have the perfect character for a queer love story right in front of you?

@aarspi

28 күн бұрын

Thank you! You explained my thoughts perfectly

@agenttheater5

28 күн бұрын

it could be that she always felt guilty about her attraction to Michaela because she felt that just by being attracted to someone else she was betraying John. that she's carried that guilt with her (guilt over something that didn't even happen) and now it's mixing with her grief and loss because she feels like she wasn't the wife she wanted to be for him and feels that if she acts on her attraction then it will be an insult to his memory.

@kaylahensley1581

28 күн бұрын

@@agenttheater5 That’s romantic 🙄

@TXtoTN

28 күн бұрын

Exactly how I feel. This was not the place for it. Putting it in her story makes it feel so forced and not organic

i absolutely hate how they undermined the story they told about quiet love with Francesca and John. It was my favorite storyline because it showed that love doesn't have to come in the overly dramatic and at times honestly toxic ways that all the main couples experienced it. Now the message seems so be "yeah actually quiet love just isn't as good as a dramatic whirlwind romance and can never really satisfy you." ugh. Francesca and John are so sweet together and they seemed to really truly understand each other, which can't really be said about any of the main couples. I haven't read the books but based on everything I know about them Francesca' genuinely loved her first husband with everything she had, so why change it?!?

@maureencherono6288

26 күн бұрын

Exactly I was soo.. happy with the depiction of their love story as a neurodivergent myself and then they did what they did in 3B. Part 3B essentially made the groundwork they laid in 3A pointless not just for Fran and John but other characters as well like Eloise and Cressida's friendship(what was the point if they were just going to paint her a villain in the end and Eloise not help her when she needed her most?), the Mondriches(how does Pen get to keep her job as Whistle down and still be a part of the ton being married to a man from a very influential family but Mr.Mondrich can't keep his pub?), Lord Debling(who dissapeared in thin air in part 3B, what was the point of having Cressida be his second potential interest if they were not going to act on it when he and Pen broke it off?) Literally just SMH this season was just disappointing, for me at least.

@rica3947

26 күн бұрын

@@maureencherono6288 i agree with you so much! it's honestly SO disappointing. I'm also heartbroken for Cressida who just gets shipped away and basically locked up ugh :(

@Elizabeth20751

25 күн бұрын

Totally agree!

@vkiran3576

24 күн бұрын

​@@rica3947Poor Cressida. She deserved better. And Eloise was a horrible friend to her.

@Myatheroses

24 күн бұрын

Cressida while awful, could have been redeemed at least if she had a genuine friend. Someone like her who’s morally a bit weaker needs that to steer her in the right direction. She unfortunately will likely continue to degenerate in her character because the further trauma she is gonna experience. But Eloise being a friend of convenience is constantly flip flopping in loyalty.

They cheapened her love story with John and the importance of her book struggles and motivations and that's a change i can't get over. That season will be a no for me

THANK YOU! I was so down with the "not every romance is dramatic and hard fought" like I was so happy for their love story. Then she all of a sudden gets a new love interest like nooooo 😭

@vkiran3576

24 күн бұрын

Yup they made Francesca negate her own words and feelings. And she wasn't even wrong for saying her love for John was just as profound as her siblings. But noooo, we can't have one episode of them just being happily married can we! They just had to make John feel like an obstacle. Poor dude, he did not deserve that.

Fran falling in love with the cousin immediately made me done watching next season. I don’t want to see it.

@ThePugs-xv6zs

25 күн бұрын

Ditto.

@user-ft6dc6ql1d

24 күн бұрын

Agreed. I don't think I will ever watch the series again. It was overwhelmingly disappointing. And to think that we waited years for it, then waited another month for the rest of the series, only to get something incredibly lackluster... I don't want to see another bridgerton series.

@catherinearmy7271

22 күн бұрын

That wasn’t love at first sight, it’s quite literally gay panic. It’s only attraction, not love. And this is why the change is needed because a lot of people don’t know about anything.

@bubbles4897

22 күн бұрын

@@catherinearmy7271 ok but on HER WEDDING DAY???? y’all would flip a table if John was a girl and Fran was a guy

@catherinearmy7271

22 күн бұрын

@@bubbles4897 oh I wouldn’t because the outcome will still be the same. Everyone knows that Fran has two great loves in her life.

Your commentary is so spot-on! In total agreement with all you have said, because the Francesca story (in the book) is part of a tried-and-true Romance trope: "the rake's progress". In the book, Francesca has found the perfect love, but the mores of the time demand an heir (male) and the problem of (possible) infertility weighs on them. But then Francesca gets pregnant, but then John dies suddenly, and in her grief she miscarries. Without a direct heir, the Earl of Kilmartin then becomes the cousin, Michael... who had come to see his cousin's wedding, and he meets the Bridgerton family, only to be struck by the beauty of Francesca (who turns out to be his cousin's soon-to-be-bride). So in the book, Francesca goes into a very deep depression, and Michael goes off because the family holdings include properties in the "colonies". He has been a womanizer, a rake and a gambler, but he puts that aside to do justice to being the Earl. This process (of him going from a "rake" to a responsible citizen) takes years: it is his "journey" to being a "good" man. And by becoming a good man, he is able to return and to find Francesca at the point where she is still grieving but is also feeling vulnerable and lonely. Michael's development is the main thrust of the story: he is now a fitting partner for Francesca, but he also ignites a passion within her that is different from her perfect and true love for John. And now Michael becomes Michaela, because Jess Brownell (the showrunner) is a lesbian who must find a way to make a "gay" storyline? I'm sorry, but no. (We shall see if they can make it work, but i doubt it.)

@marisoldominguez438

28 күн бұрын

Thank you. My sentiments exactly

@kikidevine694

27 күн бұрын

And we already have two potential queer story lines with Eloise and Benedict

@Trustyzaney

27 күн бұрын

@@kikidevine694 I completely agree!! They didn't need a queer storyline for any of the main couples in the show. Eloise was a perfect character to explore a nice queer love story since it wasn't quite her time yet for her story to be told. She and Michaela exploring something in the next season would have been great as she went to Scotland to discover herself. The main couple's storylines in the series do not need to be gender-swapped to tell a great queer romantic story. Anthony and that prostitute did well in the first season with their own little side story even though we knew they wouldn't end up together.

@amala9605

24 күн бұрын

the issue isn't in the gender of the love interest, its the shitty writing! the show runner could have 100% stayed true to francesca's story- sure a few tweaks would have to be made- but i think that her story could have been just as emotional and beautiful as in the books, even with a female love interest. the choice of introducing michaela this early was a poor one, and the showrunners should have developed john and francesca's relationship MUCH more before even hinting at the idea of a new love interest

I really think they didnt realize that sterling was a good match writing wise, its startign to feel like they wrote him as neurodivergent to make him feel like almost right but still wrong choice and it just backfired because everyone went "oh thank god a no drama storyline theyre so cute"

@africansweetheart9590

28 күн бұрын

Yes I think the writers thought they wrote a "weird" character who people will like but not resonate with and that backfired. They totally banked on him not being the "hot typical male" women go for so it'll be easier to dunk on him but it's the exact opposite .

@imscanon

27 күн бұрын

Francesca's book isn't really about John. She marries him, they snap to two years later and he dies, then the rest of the book is Michael agonizing over taking over the Earldom and feeling like he can't take John's wife too without feeling like he erased him since he'd always wanted Francesca then they figure that out and she spend the rest agonizing over not getting pregnant til her mom 'takes her pain' then she has 2 kids and is finally happy. Michaela can't be the Earl, so what are they going to do? Some other dude will have to come be the new Earl and Francesca will have to move elsewhere since she didn't have a child with John. She certainly can't give Fran kids either. Literally the entire story of her book disappears with this change. It makes zero sense at all.

@gems3604

3 күн бұрын

Yes. I think they thought the audience would be saying "good riddance" to John, but they liked them. What I don't understand is that in the book, John is beloved but the book is really about Michael Sterling and Francesca. In her instagram post Julia Quinn made a big deal about preserving the John-Francesca storyline. In the book he gets a chapter or so and the rest is Michael Sterling. So what is it the showrunner was trying to accomplish by undermining the relationship with John. In the book Francesca has two great loves. They are different, but she loves both men in their respective times. If the showrunners want to make a story that Francesca was gay all along and didn't know it, then they are also saying the queer awakening is a much more compelling story than the one presented in the book where she struggles with infertility and survivors guilt, but also the experience of two great loves. So yes, I tend to agree with you. They didn't expect the audience to be charmed by Francesca and John and soft code Francesca as queer. But you know I am also seeing quite a few comments about emotional cheating and quiet love. Meaning, I think the audience, maybe not all, but a good percentage don't want over the top love/sex scenes. They want romance, the signs of love and devotion not the crazy declarations. They want beauty and poetry, the stuff that takes time.I have come across comments where people fantasize about the women having steamy sex scenes. Maybe that's who the showrunners are trying to please? I must be the only one who doesn't see any chemistry between Masali Baduza and Hannah Dodd. They are both attractive women, but that minute or so of meeting Michaela, she came off as brash and that seem so opposite Francesca. Maybe opposites attract? i don't know what these showrunners are thinking.

@imscanon

Күн бұрын

@@gems3604 That's the problem, the showrunner isn't thinking. She just plopped in in there because she wanted to with no regard to the ramifications of it or respect for the story itself. It makes no sense.

I’ve been reading through a lot of the post season Reddit threads and the overwhelming consensus is that if they wanted to do a queer story with Francesca, sure, but they should’ve waited to introduce Michaela until sometime in season 4. To make Francesca stumble over herself in front of the man she fought for TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND was like a slap in the face. I think a lot of fans were upset that it appears we’re not even going to get a chance to see John and Francesca’s love bloom, because Michaela was introduced days into their marriage.

@brendatomines8171

28 күн бұрын

Is not just Making Michaela have the same characteristics and personality as Michael and everything is alright, is not so easy, Francesca's book is very based on wanting to be a mother, and you have out of the series one of the most realistic and complicated relationship, everyone loves that book, it's not so simple to just swap a character to the other gender when the stories ia ao based in heterosexual problems, I think Eloise had so much more potential for a queer storie.

@mmarie4242

27 күн бұрын

⁠​⁠@@brendatomines8171 I completely agree. I read the books and her story was heartbreaking to me. I’m not a fan of the change based off what I was hoping it would be, it could be such a beautiful and tragic thing to portray. I was just stating where a lot of the push back on Reddit was coming from. I personally didn’t want anyone from the book series to be in a queer relationship, it ruins the flow of the stories. There are a ton of opportunities to showcase a queer love story with a new couple and storyline, so I don’t know why it HAD to be a bridgerton to have it, IMO.

@vkiran3576

24 күн бұрын

I agree. John did not deserve that at all. They could have waited until season 4 for this change. And it is possible to have a quiet, peaceful love without drama. Francesca literally says that to her mother. Why would make your own character negate something so profound? Man I'm just disappointed now.

@sofiac8541

24 күн бұрын

@@brendatomines8171 I don't think the infertility aspect is necessarily an issue, Francesca could still struggle with it and decide to go back to the marriage mart in the hopes of having a son, and then find herself falling in love with Michaela and she would then have to deal with the conflict between her desire to be a mother (to a child she gave birth to) and her desire to be with Michaela. What I didn't like is the implication her feelings for John weren't actually romantic/real love. It was so unnecessary and it implied that Violet was right to think that love is only real if it's passionate right from the get-go and based on immediate strong physical attraction.

@amala9605

24 күн бұрын

i haven't read the bridgerton books- however i think that, while i am never opposed to a queer love story (as a bi girl myself i loveeee the femme bisexual representation so much) , i agree with you! the way michaela has been immediately introduced as a love interest cheapens the beautiful bond that john and francesca have been shown to have. it is appalling to see the amount of homophobic backlash that this gender swap has caused, but i do think that there are many intelligent, thoughtful criticisms of the show writer's choices in introducing michaela as a love interest this early on in the show. while i'm upset that we will not see francesca and john's love truly develop in order to truly make her season worth the wait, i am also happy that some people AREN'T brain dead idiots, and are not immediately spewing homophobia but instead truly calling this plotline out for what it is: sloppy show writing

Francesca saying her last name is Kilmartin is the equivalent of GoT leaving the Starbucks in the picture

@TheLovelypecan

28 күн бұрын

Wouldn’t it be Sterling? Kilmartin is the title, no? Maybe I misunderstand the names/titles

@justanobodyonyoutube3580

28 күн бұрын

Sometimes they use there titles as their last names

@devintimmerberg3622

26 күн бұрын

@justanobodyonyoutube3580 yeah, but she wouldn't say that her name is Francesca Kilmartin. It would either be Francesca Stirling or Lady Kilmartin

The enohasis of the words " until death do you part" in their wedding vows was forshadowing.

@Carolinagirl1028

27 күн бұрын

Yes. I haven'r read the books and until now had avoided all spoilers so I knew nothing and yet that 'till you're last breath' line was a dead giveaway, no pun attended.

@wlk3607

26 күн бұрын

very heavy handed foreshadowing lol

@user-ft6dc6ql1d

24 күн бұрын

It was annoying. Like they treat their audience like children.🙄

@lauranoble9578

24 күн бұрын

They're so cruel for that!

This ending BROKE me. The erasure of Michael & Francesca's grief of a true love (not a doubtful love), her infertility issues, Michaels guilt for inheriting John's life basically and wanting his wife etc UGH. How how how... the Gender swap does not work here with Michael and Francesca... I agree it makes most sense with Benny and Eloise

Also, who inherits the Kilmartin estate IF Francesca miscarriages John's baby. As a woman, Michaela can not inherit. !!!!

@imscanon

27 күн бұрын

Exactly. Some other male heir would come and take the estate and Fran would be out on her ear. The whole agony for Michael is he becoming Earl and feels he can't fully take over John's life by taking his wife too. Clearly, Michaela can't inherit, nor can she have two kids with Fran nor can she marry her. It makes no sense at all.

@manderly33

26 күн бұрын

It’s so hard to say because this show plays so hard and fast with the rules of Regency society. There’s also zero chance two women could be in an a public relationship with each other without a lot of scandal and unless one owns property in her own right, they’re going to be suffering financially. It could be interesting to see how Fran deals with being under that much scrutiny. But it completely changes her storyline. At that point it’s unrecognizable from what it was.

@erinandthe1580

25 күн бұрын

Like we just had a whole plot of the Featherington girls trying to continue their line, they can’t just throw all that worldbuilding away… but they might

@imscanon

24 күн бұрын

@@erinandthe1580 I do think it's cool that the girls had daughters and Penelope had the boy, so their kid is the new Baron, which is great since Colin doesn't have a title, but at least now his son will.

@erinandthe1580

24 күн бұрын

I think it’s weird that the writers have outright refused to give any character the children they had in the book. Both Penelope and Daphne had girls in the book, but are given boys. I hope they stop feeling so title obsessed because now I’m worried Kanthony will have a girl just to spite those waiting on Edmund

no i agree cause that was so not neccessary, they couldve done something with eloise in that moment

@RossiSenn

28 күн бұрын

It could have easily been Eloise being dumbstruck at that moment. Would have been a much better route to take.

@sheilamason1895

28 күн бұрын

I was looking forward to eloise story because it was quite funny at times. Come to think of it all of julia’s characters had some funny things interspersed with drama and intense love. What happened to the funny? The lightness is gone and it’s as tho we are watching a Scandal treatment instead. Shonda Rimes said she read the books on holiday and loved them and so decided to option the books into production. My question, what happened to those books? I can recognize the characters names and that’s about it.

@thelegacyofgaming2928

28 күн бұрын

Eloise has one of the worst stories in the books, and her character on the show is just complaining 24/7. Would've been much better to give her the queer storyline

@sergio97._782

28 күн бұрын

​@@thelegacyofgaming2928the book stories change every season, they rewrite them and what's the problem of giving eloise a chance with sir phillip? You guys are just ridicolous for sure...

@barbarafrings9231

28 күн бұрын

@@sergio97._782 OK, I'm one of those people who loves Eloise's book and Sir Philipp. I think they compliment each other. Of course Eloise is older in her book, as Penelope is.

We need the old show runner back the whole season is such a letdown

what gets me is that a lesbian romance would have made so much sense for Eloise and Cressida. But instead Eloise turned out to be an absolutely horrible friend to Cressida. They ruined both this friendship and the Fran / John love story at once. So disappointing.

@sheknows4991

28 күн бұрын

She turned out to be a horrible friend but Cressida is not a good person, at all. Eloise brought out the human side of her and again I think they would have had an interesting relationship. It would have made sense that she fall for the one person who brought that out of her and they could have let Eloise actually care about her this season. Instead they had Francesca use her new husband and fumble over his cousin. It's just insulting. If she had acted like she was just settling for him it would have made sense but she fought for this relationship.

@imscanon

27 күн бұрын

They could have also had Eloise meet Philipa, a widow with 2 kids, if they really wanted to change a main character without completely rewriting the book. Oh, they could have her have a tryst with Michaela and Michael shows up later for Francesca. Several options, but changing Michael TO Michaela for Fran is beyond ridiculous. No one buys that. No precedent for that at all. Fran even hates loud people, which Michaela clearly is.

@rica3947

26 күн бұрын

@@sheknows4991 Cressida has good reasons for being the way that she is, namely being brought up in a emotionally neglectful if not abusive home. Her being a mean girl towards other girls from the ton is not the same as mistreating your friends, which is what Eloise did. We don't actually know what sort of person Cressida is when she has love and support in her live - we did get glimpses of it in her friendships with Eloise though, where she was nothing but kind and supportive. It's a shame she didn't get anything like that back from Eloise. I do really agree with what you said about Fran/ John though. It's incredibly insulting and it completely undermines the story of a more quiet love, that is just as worthy as the loud and dramatic love stories we saw the main characters have.

@CJPDeQueen

25 күн бұрын

​@sheknows4991 I agree with you about Cressida. All the Bridgerton characters are flawed and have their moments where they don't treat others well but there is a cruelness and entitlement that Cressida gives off that I feel would still be there in her regardless of her childhood with her parents. Penelope is by no means perfect but she has had it just a tough as Cressida with her parents particularly her mother and then there are her sister who are equally as horrible to her and yet she didn't turn out as bad and mean as Cressida. Nothing wrong with wanting Eloise to be queer or hoping she'll get to be in a same sex relationship but I wouldn't want her to be with someone who had been so unnecessarily hateful to her best friend and continued to do so even when she and Eloise were friends. Yes Elosie discarded Cressida pretty quickly once it turn bad and it isn't a nice thing to do but maybe she could see that Cressida could fundamentally never change who she was in her core.

@FindThisAnywhere

22 күн бұрын

I was expecting a lesbian story for Eloise too!!!! Not this story line 😢

It’s annoying that every girl like Fran ends up being both tagged as neurodivergent and closet. It’s not just her, it’s every girl like her in the media. Sometimes people are just introverts. Sometimes quiet girls can like boys without being closeted. It just shows me a lack of understanding of how to handle characters that don’t have “main character syndrome”. Because all they can think is the same storyline we’ve been given even if the storyline makes more sense for another character. Eloise? Benedict? No. Francesca. She’s quiet.

@Abbyyena

27 күн бұрын

Thank you! I agree 100% with your comment.

@Goose-no2dn

22 күн бұрын

I get what you're saying, but I also think they did make both her and John pretty autism coded. She can be seen to be introverted, but there's also autistic traits thoughout, like wanting to dance with the men alphabetically, the way she acts around the piano seems similar to a special interest, the way she drops everything else going on to do it. The communication differences that get shown too I think are strong indicators. The biggest thing for me was relating to how their relationship isn't as celebrated as the other characters relationships by her mother and family and they way they aren't approved of. Violet says its because their love is "slow" but generally what she actually reacts to (and mentions to other characters) is that they don't talk enough etc - the parts of their relationship and interactions often shared by neurodivergent couples/ people irl. It definately felt the same way ableism I have experienced has felt like, had the same vibe. I think either way is a fine way to interpret it of course. But like I've seen other people say, Penelope is a good example of an introvert. Eloise even might be seen as an introvert in her first season. Francesca is different to them in that she also has autistic traits and could be described as autistic coded. There are even compliations on youtube of her "being autistic". I'm also not sure what would be wrong with communities headcanonning characters as autistic in general, or why it wouldn't be just as fine for them to be autistic as it would for them to be NT introverts. It's not as if shows ever actually confirm that their autism coded characters are or aren't autistic, even less so with female characters. As a side note, I'm not sure she was closetted as I think that implies she knew she was queer. We do know almost for sure that she will be queer though, and again, I'm not sure what would be wrong with people thinking that? Maybe you feel under-represented as an introvert? I think it's nice for any group of people to find representation in media they love

@franciscamenguito8191

21 күн бұрын

True, people just love self-diagnosing people

@HazelDell

17 күн бұрын

I get turned off when people feel the need to immediately label characters things before we've even got a true sense of who they are. I don't know when viewers started feeling the need to immediately label everyone through a modern gaze, but I'm not a fan of it. I don't understand why characters can't just be.

@misspriss2482

8 күн бұрын

@@Goose-no2dn It's the fact that they had to undermine Francesca's love for her husband and assassinate her story to do it.

Yes-Francesca’s love for John was lovely in the books. Micheal actually met Francesca on her wedding day. She didn’t notice him at all. Also-she REALLY wants a baby. I agree that is there was a queer story line would make sense with Eloise.

@TheUsernameFound

28 күн бұрын

I really was thinking Cressida and Eloise would of ended up given the color pallet mixing into each others wardrobe (and styles) but not the case.

As a fellow gay boy myself I have to say this: they completely destroyed Francesca’s story. Genderbending is so stupid. Bisexual Francesca? No problem, but let’s find other ways to establish that (like they did with Benedict which I’m really happy about). But genderbending Michael? Making Francesca a complete lesbian and disregarding the entire relationship build up she has with John? Nah uh! Especially this whole season was about how love doesn’t have to be loud and abrupt and passionate, it can be slow and silent too. I mean Violet even had this whole speech and realisation. And then Francesca becomes a complete lesbian and immediately falls head over heels for MichaelA🙄

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

Francesca being in love with someone who isn’t John is definitely out of place at this stage, but what’s wrong with genderbending Michael? That in itself is a cosmetic change

@OcarinaSapphr-

28 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207 'Cosmetic'? When the last season made such a big deal about the Fetherington barony passing to her immediate (yet unborn) male heir, to secure their family- & Portia *still* had to forge a document to ensure it? The situation with the Mondrich son inheriting an earldom from his mother's side of the family only works with something called a Special Remainder (a failsafe worked into the original grant, which is sort of like the entail of 'Pride & Prejudice'- but more specific to the land grant that came with most titles of significance, but the untitled made use of entails, too- as in a gentry family, like the Bennetts) -- where after the rule of Primogeniture (the eldest male line) is exhausted, the Remainder picks up the inheritance- it usually goes something along the lines of, 'the heirs male of my sister/s' - 'the heirs of my niece/ nephew' - 'heirs male, whatsoever' - 'the heirs of my daughters'. And, as I understand it, each Remainder is then attached to the Primogeniture, as it fits; ie. the nephew or niece (if alive) becomes the new lord/ lady [in the case of the niece- if she already has children, it will actually bypass her; her eldest son inherits it- if she currently has no children, she holds the title as a courtesy- in keeping for her children]- the eldest of the nephew's sons, & their eldest sons - & once all the sons are exhausted, & their sons- any daughters may hold the title, going in order, & passing it to their children- with sons taking precedence. Some titles fall into abeyance (get 'put on the shelf'), for a lack of heirs that fit the specifics of the grant- usually a male heir, which is why Portia wants a grandson so badly - there's also a thing with 'co-heiresses' (which is technically what her now-pregnant daughters are, legally-speaking - the one that gives birth to a son first, becomes 'Baroness' by courtesy, & 'Dowager', when her son marries {I can't recall if there can be two Dowagers, or if Portia would lose the dignity for her daughter} - technically, Violet should have been addressed as 'Dowager', on Anthony's marriage [there's a mention of her 'dower house'] - the show seems to address almost everyone as Lord or Lady, with the exception of the Queen & Hastings, who's addressed as 'Your Grace' - the children of a titled person are called 'the Honourable', but Daphne & the others are all 'Miss' or 'Mr'- which would not be acceptable to the dignity of the family -- Phryne Fisher is the daughter of a baronet, & even in a place as remote as Australia & in the '20's, she is *always* introduced in formal settings as 'the Honourable Miss Phryne Fisher'). But this is already complex enough; suffice it to say that very few titles of such height come _without_ the specifics of Primogeniture attached to them - it sucks, but it was the reality. A person wants to explore this world, _&_ add in queer storylines to boot- maybe they should have done so with a character that didn't have this additional issue.

@moritzmartini4132

27 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207 genderbending for example Daphnes and Simons first baby is one thing. It’s just a baby, it has no real impact on the story’s and other characters etc etc. it’s a baby. And it served for a lot of symbolism and parallels between Simon and his relationship with his own father. But genderbending a already established character form the books, especially a beloved character, which then changes the entire story is just stupid and unfair. Again Francesca being bi is totally cool, but they could’ve handled that better. Benedict for example is now also canonically bi but there’s still a chance that he ends up with his love interest from the book, FEMALE Sophie Beckett. Also why does every book so far gets a fairly accurate adaptation but Francesca and Michael fans won’t? That’s just unfair

@catherinearmy7271

22 күн бұрын

⁠​⁠@@moritzmartini4132NONE of the books are accurate. Francesca story can literally still be the same, she can experience all of those things WITH JOHN. If they would have sucked with book accuracy for s2, that season would done terribly. Even the author Quinn she doesn’t care what they do as long as they end up with their pairing.

@moritzmartini4132

22 күн бұрын

@@catherinearmy7271 that’s why some book changes are fine. Changing the bee scene for example was good bc otherwise this season would’ve been too similar to the season before it. But the inclusion of the love triangle for example was a bad decision and also strongly criticised. I’m not saying that smaller or occasionally bigger changes aren’t good, but this genderbending of Michael changes nothing in an actual good way and brings nothing except pseudo representation. Also with season 2 for example by changing the bee scene, the core essence of the book and the main aspects of the book were still included. But with female Michael, now everything has to be changed and you can barely represent the story of the book how it was. Francesca’s story can NOT be exactly the same bc Michael being a man was important. Michael didn’t pursue Francesca bc he felt like he already took everything from John. Francesca struggles with infertility and later she wants to remarry bc she desperately wants children. And as the show has told it so far, Francesca and Michaela could never openly show their love and affection

Nothing in all the seasons gave me a hint that Francesca would be attracted to a woman

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

Am not str8 don't have the ability to tell if a character is queer it has to be told by y'all it's sad tbh how oblivious y'all are

@samanthacristinaburgosmera4160

28 күн бұрын

Yeah me too if I don’t watch this video I was still clueless about the fact that Francesca got attacked by her husband’s cousin Michaela

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

I mean. People irl don’t always realize until their attraction hits them square in the face. That’s what happened with Francesca here (tho unfortunately at the cost of undercutting her love for John)

@InfinitelyRay

28 күн бұрын

Francesca is barely in season 1 and 2. I don’t think she talks to anyone that isn’t a blood relative in the first 2 seasons. How do you project a sexuality of you are talking to your sisters? Or your brothers? Like people don’t usually have attraction for their relatives. Don’t at me about incest. Incest is not a good thing and not relevant and is a crime. I am talking about the fact that she doesn’t talk to anyone that is an option until her first ball. Woman, man, non-binary.

@carolinamereacre2708

27 күн бұрын

@@randomgeekcrap They're trying to say that the show usually gives the viewers some signs about the character and their sexuality

I've gone through all the emotions; anger, sadness and now I've just settled on disapointment. I'm disappointed that my favourite book will not get the telling it deserves. The sex of Francesca and Michael is integral to the plot of the book. Her story revolves around Francesca wanting a baby. And yes, I didn't like the "love at first sight" introduction. It was Michael in love with Franc3sca from the first time he saw her but Francesca only saw him as a friend until years after John's death. They've ruined Francesca's story for me and they've ruined the characters of Francesca, John and Michael. And sidenote, who will become Lord Kilmarten when John dies? because Michaela can't.

@TXtoTN

28 күн бұрын

Agreed! Her story was my absolute favorite too and I feel the same! Michael needed to stay Michael.

@akelia.111

28 күн бұрын

you said it perfectly! genuinely disappointed in what they’re doing.

@conniethielen6039

28 күн бұрын

I agree and from the past two seasons they have made a point of "only a man can hold a title". IE the whole Featherton story lines. In addition, they have made being bi or gay as something that has to be secret and not accepted by the ton. Look at Benedict's friend the artist in season one and his threesome in season 2. There have been no openly gay couples in the show. Is this going to change or just be ignored by Frans season? I am not opposed to a gay couple but it would have fit Eloise better (they could live as unmarried spinster but actually be madly in love). Also if you are going to make Micheal into Michaela have her be the one that falls instantly for Fran not the other way around. It makes introverts like myself feel like we don't know our own mind and just settle for the first thing that comes along.

@leahpanya57

27 күн бұрын

I'm guessing that in the show Fran will have a son with John.

@leahpanya57

27 күн бұрын

​@@conniethielen6039 During regency it was punishable by death to have gay sex as a man. That is why in the first season the gay artist says something like ''I risk my life every day for love''. So it is unlikely to be changed, then again there weren't as many non-white people in England so who knows. That is also one of the reasons why I hated the threesome storyline. Benedict is risking his life for a hookup. He could have still been interested but turned the guy down because he wasn't in love. And if they turn Sophie into a guy that could have been when he decided it's worth dying over.

One way to fix this might have been for Mikayla to have the reaction of forgetting her name. Still has the same problem but not as much as Francesca experiencing the insta love. And it’s just enough to imply a future relationship between the two but not completely take away from Francesca’s love this season.

@georgianasutu5882

28 күн бұрын

we can still pretend it never happened 😅

@gothic_llama

28 күн бұрын

Yes! It would've made more sense if Michaela was the one to stutter

@africansweetheart9590

28 күн бұрын

​@@georgianasutu5882that's what I said . S4 they pretend it didn't happen and go all in showing her love with John with Michaela pining on the sides yet still being the best friend to her cousin and his wife. Maker her yearn so that by the time they tackle Fran's season we have sympathy for her and hopes she gets the girl.

@the_piano_nerd4960

28 күн бұрын

I wonder if they’ll still be patient with it instead of turning it into a trash love triangle. Where Fran can be happy with John and just feel a special connection with Michaela that she considers a particularly close friend. And then only later after some good patient plot pacing Fran realizes that the connection is deeper than she realized and can grow into something more. That said. With the current show runners I don’t trust that’ll happen

@kirsten_305

20 күн бұрын

I did not read Fran’s book, so Michaela not knowing Fran’s name I interpreted as John keeping Fran a secret, and Michaela being a Caroline Bennet b**ch who Fran will now have to live with. I did not catch the queer coding until I clicked on this video. I did think her reaction to his kiss was weird, but this season was weak overall and I chalked it up to her maybe feeling like she moved to fast? I didn’t really care (lol), I was over this season at that point. But after reading these comments about the books I am very disappointed and cannot see a way forward practically. Sounds like the show runner torpedoed Fran’s book. Dead on arrival.

I’m so upset with bridgerton ✍️ writers

If anyone was wondering why season 3 wasn't as entertaining as seasons 1 & 2, they had a different showrunner this year. I hope they change the showrunner for season 4 back to the showrunner of seasons 1 & 2, bcoz this ain't it. At first, I thought it was because they split the show into 2 parts which is why I was bored, but now having watched the whole season, it really is bad, and this video seals the deal about how bad season 3 was (in comparison to season 1 & 2).

@sheknows4991

28 күн бұрын

What was the excuse for season 2? I think people just like the actors. The story wasn't abomination. That book was so good and the changes they made were awful. Season one needed the changes because book one was boring and frankly I couldn't finish it. Books two and Colin and Penelope stories were great. Francesca story was great because it was different than the others. In the books and in the show we barely know Francesca So the book is the first time we really get to see her and then when we meet her in the later books she still struggling and I liked her story and I hate that we're not going to get to see that come into fruition. Again it would have been interesting to see how it worked for that time period I simply don't think Francesca was the character for the storyline they are going with.

@gems3604

26 күн бұрын

I so disliked Season 3 -- all of it. The quotes from the current showrunner lead me to stay as far away from Season 4 as possible. The only good think about Season 3 was Francesca and John. Why on earth does the show runner think making Francesca queer improves anything? I'm with Rege- John Page. "I'm done with it." Netflix Bridgerton series.

@anastasiaokwuchi4035

24 күн бұрын

That's the word. "BORED" I'm still on episode 5 because I just can't move forward. It's like I'm forcing myself to finish it😂.

This whole season doesn't make sense. Colin forgiving Penelope fast. Jess Brownell is the problem. Bring Chris back

Taking back all of that development for Fran and John at the last minute made absolutely no sense.

You are very brave addressing this...some things need to be said.. And now there is love triangle.. thats foolish. Francesca is character who doesn't like drama. Love triangle has been in the show before in some way or another. It's quite stupid.

@thelegacyofgaming2928

28 күн бұрын

Yes, going against the agenda is very risky for her channel.

@rica3947

28 күн бұрын

@@thelegacyofgaming2928 against what agenda? she didn't criticize the gender swap and the upcoming lesbian storyline, she criticized how Fran and Johns love story got minimized and cheapened but Fran instantly falling for Michaela

@commandoclo

27 күн бұрын

@@rica3947 That's sort of the problem. There's so much mask off, rampant homophobia that is festering amongst this fandom and this debate. There can't be a good faith discussion about this until it is undefensively shut down by folk who have normal opinions. Unfortunately that's not happening and it's making folk, who otherwise might have normal dissapointments, look bigotted. Especially given the clarying call over and over is the most subtier unchecked biases. I have outright seen people post and get massively upvoted on points like 'a lesbian relationship just can't be a deep as a straight one'. The fandom has to step up or LGBT fans will know where we stand.

@anjanamk1558

25 күн бұрын

There is a gender and sexual orientation ideology. Bridgerton has been quite criticized for queer baiting and not showing diversity . So, the producers really hastened introducing a gay storyline just to shut down all the critiques. So , they could now claim that ' Hey all Bridgerton fans ... We are in the queer awakening phase' . So either keep the straight storyline and not gender swap Micheal to Michela or do justice to the gay storyline. Don't just introduce the concept of gay storyline out of the blue. Give it same respect that the straight storyline has been given. Not one kiss can make Francesca question her whole identiy. If they really want , then make this season 10 episodes to really flush out the storylines. They don't have to sabotage a whole good storyline just for an agenda. Either introduce the agenda and do it well or don't do it just for the sake of pleasing a certain audience who too deserve their good story in the screen.

Irrelevant but Simone Ashley and Jonathon Bailey deserve to be on a series where the production recognises their acting talent! Especially Kate Bridgerton as a character, her story, simply erased and when she should have the spotlight by now becoming a viscountess. Simone don't deserve this, also season 3 sucked for me... if season 4 is any similar, i wont be watching

@skbluee

28 күн бұрын

Simone Ashley's acting is average. She is gorgeous. I feel a lot of people get swayed by the person's looks into thinking they are good actors. Jonathan Bailey yes, he's a good actor. He deserves screen time but also its nice to have him step away when his story arc has been completed. I wouldn't mind seeing him in other shows.

@catdragon2584

28 күн бұрын

Truth be told, I thought they weren’t as involved because the actors have other acting gigs. Jonathan Bailey also had to film for Wicked, which is about to be released soon

@hazardsigns

28 күн бұрын

I thought their in-show reason for not being on screen (potentially next season) was actually sweet. I like the idea that they are off raising their child in India. It frees up the actors to go on to (maybe bigger and better) other things. But they still can pop up further down the line, their schedules permitting

@princesadelaos

28 күн бұрын

yes irrelevant, kanthony fans cant help making EVERYTHING about them. they had their season already

@randomlyswatching9481

28 күн бұрын

With the way the show is becoming bland maybe it's a good thing they are away. They can't salvage this

I think another thing to mention is how fran being flustered totally dismissed how one could fall in love naturally without the butterflies. Like we had a whole conversation between Fran & her mother about accepting her type of love and that love doesn't always have to be dramatic+ her mother accepting that.... Only to prove through clear show messaging that fran does have to have butterflies for her " true love" / endgame. It left a bitter taste in my mouth because I really enjoyed frans love story in this season. That one simple action at the end felt like it was dismissing all the love development she had with John. Without it, it would have been far better.

When He was Wicked is my favorite JQ book. Francesca is head over heels in love with Jon. Changing that changes her story. Of all the Bridgerton children she knows herself the most. She has traveled, and has powerful connections before marrying Jon. She would never be awkward. Because of her traveling and worldly experience she knows herself extremely well. Michael falls in love with her in first sight. Jon is an academic and likes to study after dinner. Francesca walks with Michael in the evening and always asks him to tell her naughty stories. She’s unflappable. Michael despite wanting the title, the home, the social status especially Francesca would never betray Jon because he loves and respects his cousin. Francesca only loves Jon and has put Michael squarely in the friend zone. When Jon dies Michael is horrified that what he wished for is all his, when he would rather have his cousin. He feels so guilty towards Francesca he flees England. Francesca loses her baby is such a horrible way and becomes a total recluse. It takes both of them 5 years to recover. Now that’s a love story. Until Francesca and Michael have their own. The last five pages had me bawling like a baby. They have diminished and destroyed everything that is beautiful about their story. I am done with Bridgerton. Another thing. Penelope never reveals her identity as Lady Whistledown. She insulted the Queen. Her anonymity gave her voice power. No one could question or berate her publicly. Consequences even Bridgerton’s couldn’t protect her from. I don’t know how they’re going to save Eloise’s story. It’s so screwed up I don’t know where to begin. And yes, I’m talking about from the perspective of the books. The books are better. Much better.

@island_girl_shan

28 күн бұрын

I agree with alot of what you said except that bit about Penelope. Her identity _is_ revealed in the books at a ball. It was at this same ball that Eloise left to meet Phillip which was why she was the last to know, she slipped away before the reveal.

@penneyburgess5431

24 күн бұрын

@@island_girl_shan I don’t remember it that way. Of course it’s not my favorite one I’ve reread the most. Guess it’s time to get it out. Thank you.

Shonda rhimes is obsessed with emotional cheating storylines and it has to stop 😭😭! I hated the love triangle in season 2 and I will hate if they do any cheating plot with Fran

@karene6232

24 күн бұрын

This isn't on her tbh. They changed showrunners.

@gems3604

3 күн бұрын

Ah! Thank you for explaining the emotional cheating. A lot of people mention that. I understood what they meant, but I didn't know that was "a thing." But Shonda Rhimes did not write Season 3. I don't think she wrote for Seasons 1 or 2. She just did Queen Charlotte. Maybe the showrunners are getting inspired by Shonda?

YES! There are so many problems with this. Like Michaela can't inherit and neither can Francesca--the title and everything would go to the closest male heir (based on historical context as well as the show's own rules as evidenced just this season with the Mondrich/Kent storyline and the Featherington baby storyline). But mostly because they have totally changed the dynamic here and pretty much dimished the love story of John & Francesca. Her deep love of John is part of makes her such a tragic character that we connect with (in the books). I would have been just as disappointed had Francesca been like that with Michael. She was so in love with John that she only viewed him as John did. A friend and cousin. Michael fell for her first. Now it's flipped and it feels cheap. She's not the same character we all fell in love with. Now it feels like her marriage to John is a sham and I just don't trust her as a character. It's heartbreaking.

It's really sad that we finally get a what I would call "true" love match as in a match that isn't selling us lust and passion as love only to have it ruined like this by lust and passion again. I am so ready to see more of the "boring" secure love and people just having a genuine connection. It was refreshing to see Francesca and John be so different in the way they connected and fight for their love and stand their ground in saying it doesn't need to be all burning fast flames... and now?? oh well

@gems3604

3 күн бұрын

I think a lot more people are interested in love as a genuine connection and not just over the top hyper emotion and lust. I think it speaks of the times. People crave the personal touch.

Thank you for saying this!! It was out of the blue... I don't get why they need to ruin a relationship that hasn't ever started properly yet

As a woman who struggled with loss and infertility for years, it was refreshing to meet a character in a book that was so relatable. THIS? It’s not refreshing. It’s flogging a trope that’s being flogged around everywhere.

@mokkymokkymokky1207

24 күн бұрын

Agree with U! I have also a fertility issue and the representation of a woman who carries a grief for a husband and a grief for not be able to have children potentially is very helpful. Now they completely threw it away

All I have to say is THANK YOU!!! I honestly thought Michaela was introduced for Elosie. I thought the kiss was weird because they are shy people. I loved their story and connection and how they thought Violet a lesson about different types of LOVE. I thought her stutter was because someone else was joining their trip to Scotland and she wasn't going to be as alone as she thought. I pray they don't ruin their love story.

Exactly! Eloise was the better character for a queer love story instead of Francesca, god I was rooting for this couple so much!

I hated it so much. It’s the first and only time I’ve seen a true introvert love story and now they’re just like… You know what we’re gonna make francesca gay. I loved John and Francesca with all my heart. They were my favorite ever. honestly, I really wish that they would make Eloise and Michaela end up together because Eloise seems to be queer coded.

I was so frustrated that I went and read When He was Wicked again 🤡 it was my favorite book from the Bridgerton series. Wish they respected it

@progsinvincible

28 күн бұрын

same here...no one can replace michael sterling

They are turning Francesca’s storyline into comphet with her having a lesbian awakening when she meets Michaela. I know they changed stuff from the books but so far all the couples remained in love. Now they are going to write Francesca as having platonic feelings for John. That is a major change. Maybe they don’t care about upsetting book fans. I haven’t read the book yet but from what they showed on screen, as a introvert, I found their romance to be sweet and refreshing from all the drama of other couples. Having Violet having doubts about the relationship only to be proven right at the last second was upsetting. It makes it seem like if your relationship isn’t full of drama and passion then you will never be satisfied.

@island_girl_shan

28 күн бұрын

Yeah, I don't know if that was their intention but it really felt like Violet was right all this time. Like I told you so, if it isn't a "I burn for you" it isn't it.

@gems3604

3 күн бұрын

Yes, I think the showrunner is definitely going for comphet. I don't think she really cares what the book lovers think or want. She already admitted she knew people would be angry. At the beginning of the controversy there was a lot of pushback against "haters" and they were summarily called "homophobes." Then there were a lot comments from people who identify as gay or queer who either disapproved from the huge departure of the book or who disagreed with the timing of the introduction of Michaela. Almost 2 months have passed and I see in the comments are book fans who are understandably furious about being cheated out of their favorite romance storyline. Every other couple got their story except Francesca and Michael Sterling. While John is an important character and important in the storyline, he doesn't have a huge presence in the book -- a few chapters and then he dies. The other argument about bad timing of Michaela and undermining the quiet love romance is gaining a lot of traction. People are not upset as much about the genderswap and sapphic romance as they are the feeling that John and Francesca were sabotaged. In Julia Quinn's instagram post she said she was insistent that the John and Francesca story be preserved. But that's not really what the showrunner did. She built it up, and then she crushed it in a way to suggest that wasn't love because Francesca is queer. Is Julia Quinn in la la land?

the gender swap was a horrible idea

I was so disappointed to find out that Michael Sterling is now Michaela 😕

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

Cry 🤷🏾‍♂️

@GopherBaroque61

28 күн бұрын

Actually, Michael's last name was spelled "Stirling". His cousin, John's, last name was spelled Sterling. I was never sure of the reasoning behind that, though.

@randomlyswatching9481

28 күн бұрын

​@@randomgeekcrapyou have clearly not read the books any at all. Your comments just show that on every thread. Or you are a kid in such case you shouldn't be watching

@randomlyswatching9481

28 күн бұрын

Well they changed Frans theme of loss and infertility. Losing someone you love and regaining the courage to love again . They now go different route

@randomgeekcrap

28 күн бұрын

@@randomlyswatching9481 please you tried you filed move on

The decision to make this storyline was taken by the new showrunner, Jess Brownell. She stated in several interviews that she identified with Franchesca as a queer woman because both feel different from the rest of their family (ignoring that the book clearly state it is because she is an introvert in a very extroverted family), so she decided to make a queer story with her and she doesn't care if it piss off the book fans or the fans in general.... Basically, she is going to put her own wattapp fanfic in the show

@AnonymousPOOJA

28 күн бұрын

Ew! That is a pathetic excuse to just wrap up the fact that 'I make shit so you watch it.'

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

…Francesca being smitten with Michaela at this point in time is the issue, not her being bi 😂

@janderson947

28 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207maybe Eloise but not Francesca that made no SENSE and she might have introverted tendencies or a bit of AUTISM but not queer just reaching her and John’s vibe was soo cute and they just crushed it..

@animec-dramaskpop6362

28 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207 No, it's her being bi. Do you know Frans' story at all? She wants kids. Two women in their time period can't have children. They can't adopt either. I don't understand why some fans are in denial. This character shouldn't be queer whatsoever.

@imscanon

27 күн бұрын

Clearly Jess is an idiot. Eloise would have been the logical choice and she also feels so different from her family.

I mean.. in the books, Michael absolutely is clear that he fell in love with Francesca the moment he met her at the wedding.

They had a queer storyline that makes sense, Brimsley & Reynolds. This, to me, is inauthentic & pandering.

As a queer person I love to see representation, but not like this. I totally agree with you, introducing Michaela like this, making you question the love for John is so unnecessary. I would love Francesca and Michaela to end up together in the future, but making this a. love triangle situation and potentially making her be unfaithful towards John is so not like her and yet again enforces this narrative of the 'cheating' bi person. Also I have nothing against Francesca being bi, but why not go with Eloise and a potential love first, when there is so much subtext not only in the tv show but also in the books. They could just leave John and Francesca alone for now and during that time work on Eloises character and/or on Benedict and then come back to her once John has died and we can see her working through her grief and then MUCH LATER see her fall in love again.

@RossiSenn

28 күн бұрын

100%, I honestly always thought the queer storyline would be given to Eloise, which I would have loved to watch.

@TamaNegi-el9yd

28 күн бұрын

how about go with no one?? it makes no sense to be queer for anyone in this series. its forced and unnecessary. if you want a queer story, create a queer story

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

@@TamaNegi-el9yd”forced and unnecessary”? Did you have the same critique about Anthony/Sienna or Eloise/Theo?

@khfan4life365

28 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207 yes, people did find those relationships unnecessary because they added nothing. LGBT has no place in Bridgerton. Sorry. It just doesn’t. Not everything needs LGBT representation in it, especially in a time period where it makes no sense whatsoever. If they wanted to make a gay love story, there are many others to adapt. Netflix needs to stop piggybacking off a decent book series in the name of representation.

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

@@khfan4life365 you do realize queer people existed back then, right? They didn’t just spawn out of nowhere one day-queerness is as old as time, it was just more hidden

I hope Shondaland reads the audience reaction to this AND fixes this, somehow. I too wanted to see the quiet love between John & Francesca bloom BEFORE throwing in a romantic wrench to their relationship.

I think we all might hate this a little less if they didn't imply that Francesca was uninterested in her husband's kiss but thunderstruck by some woman she just met. Why can't she also love John? Why can't she be bisexual? Writing for shock is not how you make a good show, just ask the dudes who nuked A Game of Thrones.

I totally agree with you. Much too early to introduce the “Michaela” character. And yes, in the book, she is totally in love with John. I’m very disappointed.

I’ve read stories with queer love in them and was not bothered. It was sprinkled in a bit with Benedict and it wasn’t an issue…but doing this to Francesca was not right! It’s so forced and not organic. Representation is fine but I don’t think I can watch her season and know many others who have said the same and worry that it may be the end of the series after that. She loved John and grieved him so deeply and Michael was so well written. Infertility, grief, having an heir and Michael taking over the earldom were all so relevant in her story. Her story is not the place for this 😢too much deviation

I really hated this ending. Yes I read the books before so I know what would come but the show gave us more time with John, they let us know him and love him. Then they didn’t even let us enjoy a kiss scene before they pulled the rug. I mean it doesn’t make sense because Francisca doesn’t even get to interact with Michaela before she is already hot and bothered. This is completely unnecessary and unbelievable to be honest And yes I agree with you that that story arc does not make sense for Francisca, must more fitting for Eloise. It is too sudden and honestly these producers completely wasted our times throughout the earlier episodes letting us know and love John. It’s a no for me

They did Francesca and John dirty and cheapened their love, the while point of her story is that you can love someone truely and deeply but still with yime find love again. Now they made it seem with that final sceen that she never loved him.

I HATED how after the kiss in their wedding Francesca seems disappointed, like there wasn’t anything romantic between them, just friendship. Like for a couple that is meant to be so deeply In love with each other and the shows just gone eh who cares. You don’t NEED a love triangle to make a relationship interesting.

This season was ruined. There are too many different plots.. going off in all directions. Polin had such a huge build-up by Netflex only to ruine it by dropping time for the main leads. Felt it was filled in too much by Francesca story. Too much too soon. Basically, it destroyed the books for me.

The plot twist with Fancesca was so out of place for me that it didn’t even register to me as her being attracted to Michaela at first. My first interpretation was: “Oh shit, she thought she married a man with quiet relatives. The cousin is extroverted. That is gonna lead to conflict!” A queer plotline would have made a lot more sense for Eloise and Benedikt. The latter has already been established as bisexual and Eloise could discover that her anxiety about being out on the marriage market comes from her actually being into women. Also, it would fit very well with the scenes where Benedikt and Eloise are “confused together” on the swings, as they are the two siblings in the family who feel they are different from the rest (I would actually love Eloise to be an aromantic representation best, but this is a story about 8 siblings finding their spouses, so I understand that is not the purpose of this). Also, I think a gender swap would be a lot easier for Benedikt’s story. A Cinderella-moment with class difference can be done with two male lovers. I have so far only read until book 4 but from what I gather Francesca’s story also deals with infertility. Which means we are actually losing representation by their decision on her plotline. Where in popular media do you ever hear infertility discussed? Missed opportunity. Also, I liked Francesca's and John's quiet love story. You don't see that very often in media and I found it refreshing to see Violett's obsession with dramatic love discussed, because that is an unrealistic (and often unhealthy) expectation that a lot of people have towards romance. Love can have different expressions. Francesca's reaction to Michaela negates all of that.

@ashmein6021

27 күн бұрын

personally I resonated with Eloise with not wanting to marry because she did not want to get married, and in her era, certainly she had more reasons to dislike being forced into it socio and economically. It would be nice if we could have a story about a woman who didnt get married because she really didnt want to.

@george-and-gracie7996

27 күн бұрын

@@ashmein6021 Absoluetly! That would be my number one preference for her, too. But unfortunately, that is not what Bridgerton is about. Though, I think Eloise would be the one the showmakers would get away with the easiest doing this, as I have the impression most people didn't like her love interest. Also, the same for Penelope. I think I would have prefered her story to be about letting go of Colin. But again. That is not what Bridgerton is about. 🙃

@ohb3

20 күн бұрын

Same here

@gems3604

3 күн бұрын

Absolutely loved your comment and your reasoning. So many people are saying the same thing. In the beginning people who were angry about the genderswap were summarily labeled as homophobes. Then more people started complaining about the undermining of the quiet love story that so many people across the world bought into. You can't label these people haters or homophobes. So then I noticed explaining that Francesca was having a compulsory heterosexuality (comphet) queer awakening. These people then would dismiss the believers in quiet love as dull and uninformed because we should have seen the signs. But why is it across the board the fans in every country point to Eloise and say, Eloise is the perfect queer Bridgerton. Either Eloise or Benedict. So clearly there is a disconnect between the audience and the showrunners. They want a queer Francesca. People who have not read the book are okay with a queer Francesca but don't like how she is introduced. But they see Francesca as potentially bisexual whereas the showrunner seems to suggest Francesca is just gay and we should all understand this and that her "love" for John is platonic. If this keeps up, I don't think there will be a season 4.

They postponed S3 a few times, just to give us this messy storyline. Writers adding uneccessary plot points for no good reason (???) 💁🏻‍♀️

I think that’s why i don’t like the direction they took with the ending. We’ve seen with all the couple some type of lust, passion love, feeled with like sexual tension, and while i’m not saying it’s bad. ( kate and anthony are my favorite coupl). I liked how Francesca was defending her love story who might be simple to others, but to each other it was exactly what they needed. Because of the callback to what was saying violet, it feels like the writers are saying that if a love is not feeled with passion or is not messy than it’s not true love. And think it’s quite sad to perceive love only on the prisme of passion or lust. Not every couple is the same. And i hate that those who don’t have it, are considered platonic. Ps : sorry for the long text, i just wanted to give my toughts on this whole ending. By the way, i don’t really care about the gender swap, i care more about the reaction of francesca toward michaela and the whole discourse between her and violet about her couple. Ps 2 : after seeing all the commentary about it, i really hate the ending. I hate how people are now labeling john and francesca as platonic in terms of friendship.That’s the main problem with me. They can be cute, modest and still be platonic in terms of a romantic relationship !

@ashmein6021

27 күн бұрын

i havent watched the second half but yeah it kinda sucks that people are celebrating Jon and Francesca as introverted couple and then somehow it feels like whoops girl, you got it wrong. Like the rest of your siblings, true love is about having dramatic moment lol

You highlighted exactly what I felt after watching the final episode! In this one single sentence from Francesca in the final episode, the whole narrative of love growing slowly between two people over time within a marriage is deligitimised. So Violet was right essentially. How unsatisfactory. Now we won't want to see Francesca and Sterling together because it feels like she is ultimately in an unhappy and unfulfilling marriage. It feels too much like they are making these storyline adjustments up as they go and that there isn't an overall plan which makes things rushed and messy. In my opinion, they can take more time between seasons to provide something that is cleaner and more refined. You're a gem, babes! 🥰

I was disappointed with this season in general, but for them to ruin the best book of the series jst made it soo much worse. I also agree if they wanted to go that way they should’ve stuck with eloise or benedict. I was rlly looking forward to Francescas and Michaels story! The longing, the friendship, the guilt, the love. Their love confessions! I was imagining a more deep love story with them. More of something we saw in season 1 between Daph and Simon. The first 2 seasons were a 10/10. Now they shouldn’t even call it Bridgerton with how different it is.

When it comes to problematic/plain weird elements in the books (ex Anthony sucking the venom out of Kate’s boob, Pen having to lose weight to be considered attractive) Netflix has every right to change it. But to change the very character arc that people read the book for?? Now i was a bit iffy about the gender change considering the infertility arc for Francesca but I have seen some theories abt it that I think will suffice. BUT they entirely did John dirty by making Fran have doubts about their kiss + visibly attracted to Micheala. WHY is Michaela not the one getting flustered???? God this show runner is trying to create her own story and for what

Imagine in the near future it's revealed that your favourite book in the entire world is going to be adapted in a tv series or movie, and after years of waiting you see that illusion of finally watching your favourite characters' story being destroyed. That's why I understand the fans' shock with the plot twist, it's nothing against the queer comunity, they just wanted to see francesca and michael's story.

I think it would be lovely if in the show, John survives to be delightfully quiet and loving with Francesca (a happy, loving Francesca) and ELOISE falls in love with Michaela. Especially since Eloise's book romance sounds terrible. The fact that she's travelling to Scotland with them and she seems to have Chemistry with Michaela's actress 🤞🏻

With all the changes made to the story, they shouldn’t call this Bridgerton. They should make their own show and characters instead of piggybacking off of a decent book series. Changing Michael’s gender was the final nail in the coffin for me. It’s just disrespectful to the source material. Make new gay characters. Don’t change the existing sexualities of established characters.

@violetlavi2207

28 күн бұрын

The gender flip specifically being the final nail in the coffin for you (not anything about the writing, but specifically changing Michael’s gender) is telling

@khfan4life365

28 күн бұрын

@@violetlavi2207 changing Michael’s gender f**ks up the writing, so stfu about things you don’t know about.

I am so glad other people feel the same way as I do. I don’t agree with the gender switch because of personal reasons and mainly you are not honoring the source material. Personally they are doing this man wrong. Why develop a beautiful love story and then take it away. Since they are guaranteed one more season just focus on Benedict and Eloise. Sir Philip is already cast and I love the sibling connection between these two characters. Plus if Penelope and Colin are back shouldn’t they be more linked to Benedict and Eloise. End Francesca’s story as a love match, then if the show gets another season you can tell the true story. Why do you have to have LGBT main story? What are you trying to prove? My goodness there has been a short storyline in each season. Your personal preferences is none of anybody’s business. Stay true to what the author intended but add more meat. Why destroy the heart of the original story line. I now know why Netflix wanted the second part to come out in June.

Michael is the best character in the whole series. Francesca's story simply can't happen without him. The whole book is about his angst at wanting her then he feels he willed John's death because he wanted her and he has to become the Earl, but doesn't want to feel like he usurped John's life and erased him by being with his wife. Michaela cannot become the Earl. She wouldn't feel like she was taking over John's life and erasing him, because she wouldn't have his life. She also wouldn't inherit his estates, which means another male from down the line would have to come take over the estates, leaving Francesca to have to move, since she didn't have his child. None of what happens in the book CAN happen if they change Michael to Michaela. There is no logic or precedent for it. Next, of all the Bridgerton children, Francesca simply isn't one that has the slightest precedent to foreshadow her being gay. Benedict, we'd buy, Eloise we'd buy, but Francesca has only ever indicated she wanted a husband, children, and quiet. Nothing has indicated she'd have the slightest interest in a woman. Eloise they could have done, had her meet a widow with 2 children, without changing her story overmuch, but Francesca agonizes for years over not having a child then finally, when her mother 'takes her pain', she ends up with her two children and is finally happy. That can't happen if Michael is Michaela. Then you have the fact that Francesca prefers quiet people, like the quiet John or the broody but charming Michael while what we saw of Michaela, she's very loud and effervescent. Francesca wouldn't like that at all according to the precedent set already. She freaking went to the tip of Scotland to escape the noise and loud people! She hates them. Eloise would, but not Francesca. What were they thinking? They'll have to completely rewrite the book, which makes it no longer an adaptation of the book at all. They were getting everything just right all this time and they have to go and F up the SEXIEST character in the series? Francesca herself is boring af and it's Michael that made her story interesting. I am heartsick that they've done this to us. It is not OK and we MUST be very loud and say so everywhere we can in case it's not too late to stop it. This simply cannot happen. I'm all for inclusion and changes, but not changes that require a complete toss and rewrite of the actual book. This one character, of all the characters, simply must remain a man. Benedict had his tryst, give Eloise a tryst with Michaela, fine, but they still have to marry and have kids with the people they do in the book. The whole series is about Violet getting her kids married with children. Francesca, in the 1800s can't exactly marry a woman and have kids now can she? What were they thinking???

@keigh11

16 күн бұрын

No because, I've seen some people online taking excerpts from the book to justify that Michael is "bad and r*pey" which is why it's better to change it to Michaela. And the examples I saw are basically excerpts of what he said taken out of context? Like first of, are they trying to say violence can only be done by men? Second of, please read the book instead of taking parts w/o providing context???

Yes! This was poor writing. Fran and John had a quiet, sweet love and they spent the whole show being so utterly in love with each other and gushing about each other and proving that love isn't about big words but quiet comfort. Then in the very last moments, Fran doesn't like her husband and has a crush on his cousin? It makes the audience feel bad for John and frustrated at the writers. I've never read the books but I know the contents and Fran being Bi could STILL WORK. Having her grieve John's death and having Michaela take care of her to the point that they become close and fall for each other WORKS but instead we have Francesa basically cheating on her husband ,who she has been chasing around the second they met, for someone she met one time

I was so confused as to why everyone was upset. I figured the reason Francesca forgot her name when introducing herself to Michaela was because she was upset that Kilmartin hadn’t already told his cousin that she was his wife. But then I remembered how Violet said she forgot her own name when she met her husband, and that foreshadowing. If anything I had gotten the impression that Eloise may be going to fall in love with Michaela because there has to be a bigger reason for her going to Scotland

@randomlyswatching9481

28 күн бұрын

She was stuttering there was attraction...

@samanthacristinaburgosmera4160

28 күн бұрын

I really thought she was nervous because she finally met a relative of her husband

@jackieporteraz

26 күн бұрын

I missed it at first too. I was wondering what everyone was upset about because I thought Michaela and Eloise had a moment. I haven't read the book yet, but I'm starting now.

You said everything I'm feeling, I loved your video, I expected so much from Francesa and John and now I feel like everything was a waste of time because of two scenes

YESSS!! These are my exact thoughts on the matter and I've had such a hard time articulating them but you've fully given voice to how I feel about the Francesca/Micheala scene. Its not that the genderswap is the problem - its that Fran's immediate 180 to being smitten with another undercuts everything she had built with John. Honestly even before Micheala was part of the picture I had felt as if the writers were trying to put distance between Fran and John. In the final episode there was this vibe that something wasn't right and that the warmth between them was leeching out now that nothing was in the way of their union. Then Violet had the talk with Fran about different kinds of love and it just felt... hollow? Like Violet didn't quite agree with the sentiment she was sharing but didn't want to push Fran away by contradicting her further. Then Violet's own understanding of love and the inability to speak in its presence rearing its head with Micheala just cemented this for me. There was never any belief that different love could be genuine and true, only that it is a placeholder until the real thing has struck

@island_girl_shan

28 күн бұрын

I had the same thought. Let's not yet worry about how the gender bend affects a large internal conflict the ML had but...I prefer the whirlwind romance to be honest but with everything Fran said and that I have seen between her and John, I was like "Heck, this can be a great love story too." Only to feel at the end that Fran was only saying all that because she didn't know any better. After trying to get her mom to under how true her love for John was and that even if it didn't happen the way the mom expected, it was real, only for her to have an immediate reaction to someone that implies the kind of love her mother expected IN THE SAME WAY THE MOTHER FELL FOR HER OWN HUSBAND.....and that is what makes it feel like they are depicting that the love for John isn't real. It's not just that we were able to see that she had a immediate reaction to Michaela but _how_ it was shown. Really? She was trying to show her mom a different kind of love but reacted the same way her mom did to someone she didn't even know. And don't forget how in part 1 how she was looking at the portrait of her parents. So she did really want a love like theirs but went with John because it was comfortable 😂 Edit: And you know I was never with the idea of making Eloise a lesbian cause I want to see the actor who plays Phillip but alot of fans did. Eloise was standing right there. Like why even put her in that scene and have her go to Scotland(wasn't in the books). Like they wanted to say "Ha ha, jokes on you."

They were so cute together and I really loved how they showed that love can come in different ways, it can be subtle and sweet instead of big and bold, that was the lesson violet learned but apparently not. Apparently Francesca wasn’t actually in love with John and what she has with Michaela is real love cuz she gets all flustered and stuff. It feels disingenuous, forced, and out of nowhere. It just doesn’t make sense.

I totally agree! I love that there's a bisexual woman and its great! However, I almost feel like it's biphobic to show a bi character.. already seemingly unfaithful bc that is such a trope or belief about bisexual people. And it undermines the great love we see between John and Francesca!

Having recently read Francesca’s book, it DOES say that Michael met her at their wedding. And that she and John’s love was a quiet kind of love, which doesn’t diminish it at all. I believe even Francesca says that her and John had a different kind of love. And at the end, John’s mom says something like, Thank you for letting him love her first. Other than the gender swap, it seems Bridgerton has had her feel something first, where in the book it was Michael and he felt guilty for it. With When He Was Wicked being one of my favorites in the series, I was a bit sad at the changes but am so interested in seeing how they handle them, especially with her feeling something what seems like first.

@lilymary6537

28 күн бұрын

Honestly, thank you so much for being an open minded person about this

@deonna2

28 күн бұрын

@@lilymary6537 A good story is a good story, honestly! Love is love, no matter the gender. I really was wondering if they were going to change Eloise’s story in this way, until I heard the rumors!

@guellaliguemra2321

25 күн бұрын

​@@deonna2If love is love, why change the gender at all?

@guellaliguemra2321

25 күн бұрын

​@@lilymary6537Why aren't you open-minded about people not wanting the change?

@lilymary6537

25 күн бұрын

@@guellaliguemra2321 i am open minded about valid criticism

I actually don’t think a queer story line would work for Eloise. Eloise reminds me of feminist who is privileged but subconsciously yearns for love (like we saw with Theo). And I think Eloise is a more romantic than we think. She was tearing up when her Polin got married. I actually look forward to seeing her love story with Sir Philip Crane and becoming a stepmother. I look forward to her growing in that direction and seeing value in love, relationships, and family.

@barbarafrings9231

28 күн бұрын

👍🏼🙂

@mswhiteleg7849

28 күн бұрын

Completely agree. I don't see a queer storyline for Eloise aswell

@LS-bb9qh

28 күн бұрын

I'm sad theo arc is gone gone. I would've preferred that story line. More sybil from downtown Abbey.

@samanthacristinaburgosmera4160

28 күн бұрын

@@mswhiteleg7849me too it would be strange

@blaq2handle

28 күн бұрын

@@LS-bb9qh Oh I remember Sybill. So sad what happened to her.

I am a demisexual Lesbian. And I related to Frans and Sterling so much. In general that's how most Demi and Ace experience Love. Very slow building, calm. Not instant or instance(atleast at the start). I was finally happy to see the kind of love I experience. I never read the books, so i dont know how the story is going to be. But essentially saying the type of love me and a group of people experience is invalid, is a bad and terrible message. And why the whole 'Taboo lesbian affair'. Everyone knows cheating is the cardinal sin of romance genre. If you want a Lesbian story, then give a lesbian story from the start. Not this affair bullsh*t.

They couldve made both Benedict and Fran Bi in their own seasons. This whole mess just took focus away from Polin, which is already struggling as a solo storyline.

I was really annoyed with the twist at the end. Not because Michaela’s a woman (couldn’t care less, really, though it will be interesting how they write that into a regency backdrop), but because they just spent most of the season convincing us (and Violet) that Francesca and John are in love and their love is real and precious despite not necessarily fitting into romance tropes. And then we’re falling straight back into the romance cliches we just dismissed as unnecessary and apparently Francesca not only had sudden doubts about her marriage but has also at first sight fallen for her husband’s cousin - which I believe is not at how the book went either. The storyline of their romance only really works if the loss of John is devastating to both of them, which is hard to sell if they’re already in love with each other from the get go. 🤔I think they’ve done this sweet love story really dirty with those final moments.

omg thank god i'm not the only one. the whole quiet, peaceful love story was actually so nice and a refreshing change from the other couples' stressful love stories. but then they ruined the whole thing so early, for what??

"When he was wicked" aka Francessca's story, is the best one of all. Its about grief and dealing with everything thats under that. John's character exists for only like 2 pages but his absence stays till the end- which was the central conflict of the story. Franny didnt want to move on from John, or besmirch his memory by falling in love with anyone else. She was simply against love. But she also wanted kids which is why she wanted to settle with anyone... At the same time John's cousin and best bro Michael who was btw a comrade in the British Royal Army, had no interest in being lord of the house, he had a major crush on her. But he too didn't want to dishonor his buddy, by sleeping with his wife. That is why even after two years of John's death they kept denying their feelings for each other. Till the very end of the story Franny craved for motherhood. That was one of her biggest desires. Michael was the OG supreme, but even he felt helpless when he couldn't give her a child. For 11 years they tried until finally they had a boy, whom they named John. You see John had an overwhelming impact on Francessca. Making her gay they have dishonered poor John. Michael was the best one of all and it pains me that they have disappointed us so much. They could have had a wonderful widow-remaariage story but nope- they had to go for LGBTQ inclusion. I am 100% sure this show is on the route to be cancelled. They are taking every wrong decision to make it flop. After they destroyed The Witcher for the men, now they are gonna do the same for the women. RIP Bridgerton, we had a good run.

The only assumption I had of rushing Francesca that way is because Shondaland can’t guarantee they’ll get to her storyline (since they’re only greenlit for another season before they’re potentially given more)

@freshmaker321

28 күн бұрын

I have a feeling it’s the opposite. Francesca might be season 4. Late last year, there was a casting call for a character named “Molly” who had the characteristics of Michael Stirling. It said that this role will have a tiny scene this season, but will lead the next season. It caught people offguard because they were looking for a girl. Turned out this role went to Masali Baduza who plays Michaela now. Judging by how all the rumors from this season came true, I believe we are getting Francesca’s. There are no news of a renewal yet. I’m pretty sure they will push for at least 1 season of a queer story in case the show gets canceled .

@kellyvalence5323

28 күн бұрын

​@@freshmaker321 If next season is Francesca's the reaction will be riotess, might actually kill the show. In my opinion, it should have been Benedict, Fran (with MICHAEL) then Eloise, with a widower (female).... this choice they are making is so Wrong, Eloise's character & story clearly makes the most sense for a queer adaptation.

@freshmaker321

28 күн бұрын

@@kellyvalence5323 yes, it’s not “ideal” for bookreaders. But they are intent on pushing for a queer story, especially since the showrunner identifies as queer. Before this season, people had a lot of hope it was gonna be Benedict’s season next. We even thought Masali was gonna be Sophie. But now Ben’s season feels too far out with the way they set him up this season. Yes the masquerade ball was mentioned, but a big part of Ben’s arc is his love for art, and there never was mention of it at all this season, nor did they even attempt to tie it in to him giving up his passion last season.

@kellyvalence5323

28 күн бұрын

@@freshmaker321 I'm definitely not settled that it is Benedict's season next. There is significant time between the masquerade ball & the rest... end of this season sort of shows there is no predicting what they are going to do, they have fundamentally changed things about all 3 of the possible Bridgerton stories who could be next

@conniethielen6039

28 күн бұрын

@@kellyvalence5323 If the pall mall game holds true from season 2, it should be Benedict in season 4 and Eloise in season 5. Those are the wickets their balls went thru just like Colin's went thru #3. But who know how much control the the new show runner, Jess Brownell has. She might change that. I thought we would for sure get all 8 seasons after seasons 1 and 2 but after the disaster that was this season who knows.

My main issue is that infertility and grief don’t have great representation either, and with her reaction to the kiss we definitely won’t have the same type of grief. Taking Eloise to Scotland takes away the distance between Francesca’s « two worlds » which in the books plays an important part as well in terms of her being different from her family. As for the infertility, there’s a difference between not being able to have biological children with your partner vs feeling like your own body is working against you because it should be possible. Not to say one is worse than the other, but it is different, specifically because of her losing the baby and with it the last piece of her husband. This could’ve been great representation and now it’s being taken away in favor of a storyline that they could’ve literally given to four other characters and it wouldn’t have been an issue. Benedict ends up on the countryside to sort of hide his wife anyway, so it would have made way more sense. Feels like the show runner just wanted to write herself into the story while she had the chance. Sorry for the rant, but wtf

Eloise love interest Sir Phillip has already been introduced.

@samanthacristinaburgosmera4160

28 күн бұрын

Yep I can’t wait to see their storyline

literally everyone of us is crying about this!!!!!

Part of Francesca's decision to remarry is because she wants to have children- it doesn't make sense to make her gay! Also, Michael is the one who falls immediately for Francesa, on Francesca's & John's wedding day, so the dynamic completely changes with Francesca being randomly smitten with a woman. Such a disappointment

I was so excited to see the sweet addition of their love story because we don’t know much about it from the books. Now we’re missing out on one of the sweetest parts of that book, when sterlings mom wrote that letter to Michael.

i completely agree with your point! i also think that having a quieter, and slow love story would’ve been so nice to watch. francesca did say that love isn’t explosive and that’s so true! love doesn’t have to be loud and explosive and that doesn’t mean that the love they have for each other is less than, and it makes violet’s speech about being taught that love can be simple mean nothing. francesca and john need to be in love for her storyline to really work, also i feel like it would really fit with the bridgertons. mama violet could relate more to her daughter in the future after john’s eventual passing and i feel like that would be so important considering that francesca feels unseen amongst her siblings. i think it would also show a more realistic version of love. her disappointment after her kiss with john was so upsetting considering how hard she was fighting for him

It would make more sense for Benedict and Eloise to both be queer as they already have a close relationship and could perhaps confide in eachother later on with that unique understanding of being different

Their love story was such an amazing tale of tackling shyness and setting family boundaries. I was so upset by the failed wedding kiss already and then the tongue-tied meeting in front of the mom just for shock value at the end seemed like such a discredit. Then they fast forwarded Polin as soon as they established some kind of power balance. Even if they backtrack and somehow build the story between Fran and Micheala better or even push Micheala to Eloise as a twist, I will still be dissatisfied with how the storytelling happened this season.