How Bridgerton’s diversity is changing TV

Since Bridgerton’s release in 2020, the Shondaland series has remained a massive global hit, as lavish costumes, elaborate sets, and dramatic love stories captivate a broad audience. However, Bridgerton’s success doesn’t simply lie in the scandalous plots or aesthetics of the show, but also in its challenging of long-established norms in the genre. Normalizing diverse casting in the traditional period drama has not been merely inconsequential in its success, but has indeed contributed to it.

While some criticise the show for its historical inaccuracy in casting, Bridgerton questions why historical stories can’t reflect our diverse modern society. Have we been justifying exclusionary ethnic uniformity under the guise of ‘historical accuracy’?

Others argue that the show displays color-conscious casting rather than color-blind casting. For instance, the prequel series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, displays the Black queen’s marriage to a white King as a catalyst for the breakdown of racial segregation in society.

Shows are often victim to ’tokenism,’ where a small number of minority actors are symbolically included to give the appearance of a diverse cast. Bridgerton, on the other hand, includes diverse casting for both lead roles, supporting roles, and extras, incorporating racial, and ability diversity. 

For example, season 3 highlights characters communicating using British Sign Language (BSL) during the debutante presentation. Additionally, season 4 features the character Hazel, a maid with a congenital limb difference, which works to normalise disabilities rather than making it a plot point.

Naturally, Bridgerton is not without its limitations. While one cannot deny the presence of representation on screen, Bridgerton has been criticised for not fully exploring race or other discriminatory practices of the time, instead focusing more of the social issues on gender roles.

The show has had an enormous impact on the industry, redefining the period drama and expanding opportunities for actors of colour. ‘The Bridgerton Effect’ has been coined as the cultural and commercial phenomenon that has sparked an interest in Regency-era aesthetics, while also centring around diversity and inclusivity. Other historical dramas like Sanditon (2019) and The Great (2020) have also embraced inclusive casting in historical dramas, realizing that it doesn’t take away from the story, and may even be good for business.

While there are still some important questions about how the show is approaching minority representation, particularly whether to prioritize exploring difficult issues or normalizing inclusion, it is undoubtedly changing the industry as we expect to see more diverse period pieces in the coming years.

In a world where media is still contending with representation, Bridgerton has hit the ground running as its impact echoes across TV. It marks a turning point, demonstrating that audiences embrace change, and that diversity can thrive regardless of the genre, reimagining historical narratives.