Bridgerton Season 4 Delivers Modern Cinderella Romance

Dearest gentle reader, the much-anticipated fourth season of Bridgerton has arrived, and fans are already abuzz with excitement over the fresh take on a classic fairytale romance. Released on Thursday, January 29, 2026, the first four episodes of season 4 are now streaming on Netflix, with the second half slated for release on February 26, 2026. This season, the spotlight shines on Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, and Sophie Baek, portrayed by Yerin Ha, as they navigate a love story inspired by the timeless tale of Cinderella – but with a distinctly modern twist.

The show’s latest romantic pairing has been met with high praise from both the cast and the creative team. Golda Rosheuvel, who embodies Queen Charlotte, told Good Morning America that Benedict and Sophie are “a beautiful, beautiful match,” noting, “It’s interesting as well to open up the class element to their story, to their Cinderella story, and to open what happens, the upstairs, downstairs element in the season. I think that adds to the love affair of who is allowed to be in love in this world.”

Benedict Bridgerton, the second son of Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), has always been something of a free spirit, resisting the societal pressures to settle down. As Thompson explained to GMA, “It was actually sort of like a life designed to avoid love, I think. He’s someone who’s lost his dad very young and watched his mom mourn his dad, so you can see why a loving relationship might look like something pretty terrifying to him.” But everything changes when he encounters a mysterious ‘Lady in Silver’ at his mother’s masquerade ball—a moment that sets the stage for a season filled with longing, mistaken identities, and the ever-present tension between fantasy and reality.

Sophie Baek, the enigmatic Lady in Silver, is a maid in the household of the formidable Lady Araminta Gun, played by Katie Leung. Sophie’s journey is marked by obstacles at every turn, from the rigid class structure to her own efforts to conceal her feelings for Benedict. Speaking to Tudum, Yerin Ha shared, “What drew me to Sophie was that she immediately has obstacles—something that she constantly has to overcome. Whether it’s this battle around social status or trying to hide her feelings from Benedict.”

The Cinderella motif is more than just window dressing for the season. Showrunner Jess Brownell told The Hollywood Reporter, “With the Cinderella story, it was all about how we take a classic damsel in distress setup and play with the romance that is inherent in the trope while giving more independence and agency to the female character. It was about finding ways for Sophie to be a really strong lead and for Benedict to have to work to earn her.” Brownell emphasized the importance of modernizing the beloved fairytale, ensuring that Sophie’s character is not just a passive recipient of fate, but an active participant in her own story.

The season doesn’t shy away from the harsh realities of the era. Early on, Lady Araminta discovers Sophie’s secret attendance at the ball and promptly expels her from the house—a plot point drawn directly from Julia Quinn’s novel, An Offer from a Gentleman. This development propels Sophie into a new chapter of her life and brings her closer to Benedict, though he remains oblivious to her true identity. As Brownell explained, “Class made servants invisible in that day and age. Even for someone like Benedict, who thinks of himself as being pretty progressive, he would never expect a maid to have been at a ball.”

The chemistry between Benedict and Sophie is palpable from their first encounter. The now-iconic gazebo scene, where the pair share a dance beneath a cascade of flowers, is both visually enchanting and emotionally resonant. Brownell described the challenge of crafting such a moment: “You have to have two characters deeply fall in love within the span of only a few minutes. We really had to think hard about what it is that both of these characters are missing in their lives that they can feel instantaneously in the other person.”

Yet, as the season unfolds, the romance is anything but straightforward. Benedict finds himself torn between the fantasy of the masked Lady in Silver and the reality of Sophie, not realizing they are one and the same. Brownell highlighted this internal conflict, saying, “It’s a really fun love triangle this season between the masked woman and Sophie. One represents what Benedict wants, the other represents what he needs, and when he hopefully eventually figures out that they’re the same woman, it’s a dynamite combination.”

Of course, Bridgerton is never just about one couple. The rest of the Bridgerton clan are embroiled in their own dramas and romantic escapades. Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) are basking in newlywed bliss, with their chemistry as electric as ever. Francesca (Hannah Dodd) is on a journey of self-discovery within her marriage to John Stirling, a storyline that Dodd said she is “really proud to be a part of,” as it celebrates all kinds of love. Lady Violet Bridgerton, the family matriarch, is exploring a new relationship with Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), a narrative that Gemmell described as “lovely” for representing love at all ages.

The new season also introduces a host of intriguing characters. Katie Leung’s Lady Araminta Gun is a twice-married, twice-widowed woman fiercely protective of her social standing, while her daughters Rosamund Li (Michelle Mao) and Posi Li (Isabella Wei) make their debut on the marriage mart. Rosamund is “beautiful, vain, and eager to please her mother,” with her sights set on Benedict, whereas Posi is the kinder, often overlooked younger sister.

Representation remains a cornerstone of the show’s appeal. Yerin Ha praised Bridgerton for its inclusive approach: “I think what’s so great about ‘Bridgerton’ is that there’s no over-explanation as to why these characters are there. They just exist, which is what our world is. We all co-exist together, and we all share culture.”

Looking ahead, viewers can expect the stakes to rise in Part 2. The Penwoods’ arrival next door threatens to upend Sophie’s newfound stability, and Benedict faces a reckoning that will test his courage and commitment. Fans wondering about the return of Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) will not be disappointed; as Brownell teased, “Kate and Anthony are on their way back from India as we speak, so we will absolutely be seeing them in the back half.”

With its blend of fairytale romance, sharp social commentary, and vibrant representation, season 4 of Bridgerton promises to deliver both heart and spectacle. As the first half concludes on a tantalizing cliffhanger, audiences are left eagerly awaiting the next chapter in this ever-evolving Regency saga.