La Reina Charlotte: Una historia de Bridgerton

Usually when you think of spinoffs, you don't think they'll be better than the originals. I wanted it to last longer than the 6 episodes it runs for.

It's more mature than the original two Bridgerton seasons, and deals with more complex issues with greater sensitivity. It's timeless love rather than romance. Still with all the opulence of the Bridgerton series, and even more opulent since it's the royal family.

The cast is great. Young Charlotte, King George, the Dowager Princess... Everyone really. If you like period shows and want something a little deeper than Bridgerton Seasons 1 & 2, this is a must watch.

Having watched Bridgerton I of course knew the fate of King George and the Queen's devotion to him. However, seeing their origin story played out was so painfully beautiful. And Brimsley? I don't know what happened to Reynolds but I am grieving him. Brimsley was someone I've barely noticed in Bridgerton but now he's one of my favorite characters. I also loved the backstories of Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton. Lady Danbury is one of the best characters of the series and I loved learning more about her and how she became who she is. Would love to know more about Coral. I hope they do more of these interspersed seasons because they hit it out of the park with this.

I am not typically a drama or romance fan and I was skeptical at first (still have not watched the original series), however after a couple episodes, the show won me over. The way the timelines are presented in the show can confuse a watcher who hasn't read the books or seen the original series but it does not lack to intrigue. Steeped in emotional nuances and laced with cerebral comedy, a wonderful soundtrack underscores a period piece that bends the status-quo of what viewers are used to while tackling social issues that permeate to this day. I find it wonderfully creative for the writers to imagine how (royal) families would navigate these multi-cultural issues during such a time.

That being said, I believe that many negatives reviews for this show and its predecessor were written by people who cannot imagine or do not want to see such a society exist in real life or fantasy.

The show is worth setting aside prejudices and viewing with an open mind ready to be entertained.

This series did a lovely job of balancing the present and past with a variety of human conditions. The actors portrayed so much feeling and conflicting emotions and I was drawn in. The actor who played king George did a beautiful job of balancing the desire to be normal to the point that he would do anything to be worthy of Charlotte. The actress who played Queen Charlotte was wonderful at balancing confusion, desire and putting herself aside to be George's anchor. These actors conveyed these feelings balancing on the head of a pin. I hope that the real queen and king had somewhere near this type of love... The final scene of episode 6 was so beautifully done and brought me to tears. That's what love should be.

I love the Bridgerton series so here I am with the spin-off. Can I just say, I find it funny to see a disclaimer: "It's not a history lesson. It's fiction based on a fact." because soooo many people will likely look into this series and assume it's a documentary of the real Queen Charlotte then get mad because of it. No, it's not real, sorry to disappoint.

Anyway. It's arranged marriage to genuine lovers trope which I am a sucker for. To me the leads have great chemistry. India Ria Amarteifio really embodied the adult Queen. She's headstrong and will speak her mind. Meanwhile Corey Mylchreest is adorable. I love their banters together.

There's also snippets of the other characters which is great. Arsema Thomas as young Lady Danbury and Sam Clemmett as young Brimsley are just perfect castings. You'd learn more of their stories so watching them in the main show gives them more depth now.

The show itself is light hearted but with heavy notes. It's not as laid back and upbeat as the main show but it's overall a fun watch and doesn't take itself THAT serious. I may have shed some tear here and there.

I recommend it to Bridgerton fans or "historical/period drama" aesthetic show fans. LET ME TELL YOU THE CONFESSION SCENE is right up there with the main show... dare I say even better?? Because here they're married so it feels more like a mature accepting love, til death do us part type of vibe compared to the other two. Binge worthy.