Where did all the sexy go in Bridgerton s2?

The whole point of Bridgerton is the simmering sexual tension and romantic eroticism, so where did it go?

Like all exciting people, I spent the entirety of my Friday night binge-watching the second season of Bridgerton. After eight episodes, I’m left with one big question: where did all the sexy go?

Please note I said sexy, not sex, although both were very notably absent.

The main love interests might be two hot people, but their relationship was cold. Picture: Netflix.

The first season brought exactly what we needed, at the time we needed it most: easy to follow plot lines that were ridiculously horny while Covid had us all trapped indoors. I really need to emphasise the horny here, it was basically Austen on heat.

With Daphne Bridgerton’s (Pheobe Dynevor) relationship with the Duke all neatly wrapped up with a wedding ring in the first season — and Regé-Jean Page’s devastating decision not to return to the series — attentions were turned to the eldest Bridgerton, Lord Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) who was determined to fulfil his duty as the head of the household and take a wife. Emotions be damned.

Now look, I binge watched the whole thing in a single night, so obviously I didn’t hate it. But I also watched it while doing other things, like cleaning the house, so I definitely wasn’t riveted either. If you actually left the house this weekend then be warned, there are about to be spoilers.

First of all, besides one quick scene where Anthony looks at a portrait of his ex-lover, the Opera singer, she is entirely forgotten. As is the fact it was his heartbreak from that situation that drove him to remove emotions from choosing a partner. Instead we’re given this ‘grieving the death of his dad’ storyline, which is fine, but rude to forget the Opera singer.

Elder sister Kate had simply decided not to marry, so there was really no forbidden love.

Secondly, the main love interest was the sister — Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) — of his betrothed and the whole thing just did NOT make sense.

Like, why can’t she be with Anthony? Oh, because she said she didn’t come to England to find a man. Sure OK, I love an independent woman, but it’s hardly a Romeo and Juliet scenario. Just be with him or move on, Sis.

These two came together to form what was essentially the exact same storyline as the first season, but without the sizzle.

You know, the whole one person vows to never marry, other person makes stupid decisions because of said vow, everyone gets their feelings hurt.

What a shock: boy meets girl, girl despises boy, boy and girl end up madly in love. Picture: Netflix.

And maybe it’s just because I finally have a fun, healthy relationship after years of dating terrible men, but is anyone else sick of this “we really hated each other, but now it’s love” narrative? I have never once come across a real life couple that started out despising each other — at least definitely not one that you would ever wish upon anybody.

Now look, I’d be willing to overlook all of this if the season had distracted me with the sexual tension and romantic sex scenes of the first. But it just didn’t.

While both of these lead actors are incredible attractive people and great actors, I never once felt like they really wanted to rip each other’s clothes off. I never once even really believed they hated each other.

It was to the point that even a couple of scenes that could be classed as steamy — like the Kate getting stung by a bee and the couple finally having a boink — it felt more unrealistic than horny.

Then, the only romantic storyline worth mentioning from season two — that of Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and her radical commoner (now THERE’S a real reason young lovers might be kept apart), was given basically no time.

Off with her gossiping head. Picture: Netflix.

There better be a season three and it better be about Eloise and Eloise only, because she’s the only character I want to talk about. As much as I hate Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) at this point for daring to betray Eloise, she may also be in my fantasy season three because I must admit it was a good plot line.

In summary, I’ve taken up almost 700 words to say: please bring the sexy back.