This Is the ‘Bridgerton’ Love Story That We Needed to See

This article includes spoilers for Bridgerton.

Bridgerton is finally giving us a proper older couple romance in Season 4, and the rest of Hollywood should take note.

The Netflix Inc. series has remained popular since debuting in 2020 thanks to its steamy, scintillating romances and dramatic cliffhangers that prioritize its younger characters. But Part 1 of the new season dares to draw outside the lines by turning some of its focus on the blooming romance between Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), the long-widowed matriarch of Bridgerton House, and her friend Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), an esteemed member of society who is also widowed.

What starts in Season 3 as flirty conversations, furtive glances, and lingering hand touches transitions into a full-fledged love affair between the two. The storyline lands with real depth and nuance — making Hollywood’s seeming aversion to routinely centering this kind of romance feel especially glaring.

Research helps quantify how infrequently film and television highlight midlife romance. A study by the Geena Davis Institute, which analyzed films and television shows from 2010 to 2020, found that “depending on the year, characters 49 and under are two to three times as likely to have a romantic storyline than characters 50+.” Specifically, the desire of an older woman is rarely shown onscreen.

That’s no small issue given that media can be profoundly influential in how people understand themselves, each other, and the world they live in. When only younger characters are portrayed as desirable, beautiful, and worthy of romantic love, older audiences can feel alienated — including millennials, the eldest of whom are approaching their late 40s. It also teaches younger viewers that intimacy and connection are things they can expect to lose as they age. And the lack of representation signals to older actors that their place in the industry is limited. Plenty of actresses have spoken out about the ageism they’ve faced once they’re past 40.

At 58, and after spending two seasons primarily playing a mother and friend, Gemmell, I imagine, may find it refreshing to step into a prominent romantic role in the show.

Having someone like her character find love, lust, and happiness sends a message that women don't have to remain young or mimic youth to be worthy of desire and adoration. Violet’s relationship with Marcus, who is played by an actor in his 40s, is noteworthy in a series where most of the characters — such as Season 4 leads Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) — tend to experience the thrills of first love or the confusion that comes when matters of the heart and societal norms butt heads.