'Bridgerton' series 2 reviews: Less steamy but still silly fun

Netflix's wildly popular period drama Bridgerton returns this week for series two and the reviews are in - with a surprising revelation.

The adaptation of Julia Quinn's series of Regency romp novels drew in scores of viewers for its first series which streamed during lockdown.

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It quickly became known for sex scenes of the sort rarely seen in a period drama, as well as of course Rege-Jean Page as the Duke - but much to fans' disappointment, it was announced Page would not return for the second series, and it seems the steamy moments won't be back either.

The Telegraph, giving the new series a respectable four stars, acknowledges: "This may disappoint viewers of a fevered disposition, series two has dialled down the sex. I’m afraid there’s hardly any of it."

However, it adds: "It is still silly fun, though the novelty has worn off."

In this series, Daphne's (Phoebe Dynevor) brother Anthony is looking for a bride and ends up caught in a love triangle between one debutante who he originally falls for, and her older sister who starts out as his sworn enemy.

The Evening Standard gives it three stars, explaining: "Brace yourself for a distinctly more PG tone, for the opening episodes at least."

Later, the Standard adds: "Bridgerton remains gorgeously frothy, deeply silly and highly watchable - its legions of fans will eat this up. The honeymoon period might be over, but this romance looks like it will go the distance."

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The Radio Times takes a slightly different view on the lack of sex in its four-star review, writing: "Those who mistakenly watched the first season with their parents will be pleased to hear there are fewer racy sex scenes and from what I've seen, the staircases Simon and Daphne didn't get to last time around remain unsullied, but if you love a bit of slow-burn sexual tension, then you're in for a real treat."

Reviews also touched on the new season's tough challenge to strike out away from its beloved original couple, Daphne and the Duke (who by all accounts are very happily married, although we only see Daphne and their new baby actually on screen).

Metro wrote in their three-and-a-half-star review: "While the second season takes a few episodes to really come into its own and break away from unmistakeable parallels to the first, the payoff will certainly satisfy fans of the books and TV show alike, with enormously emotional moments that pull at the heartstrings and a fiery show of desire."

The Independent gave it three stars, explaining: "The reset of this new series of Bridgerton is, it must be said, a touch harsh. The entire central dilemma (and the very attractive couple seeking to resolve it) of the first season has been excised, giving this opening episode – Capital-R-Rake – the feeling of a spin-off.

"They might as well have renamed the entire show The Other Bridgertons. And on a spectrum running from Frasier to Joey, The Other Bridgertons would be somewhere in the middle: a more trivial work than its parent, but not without its charms."

Bridgerton series two begins streaming on Friday, 25 March on Netflix.

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