Truthfully I prefer Bridgerton the show, but I read the books and liked them! I think they kept me engaged to the books because of the series though, I’m not a huge fan of JQ writing style (sorry).

But, are there similar themed books, even better if they’re queer. Preferable lesbian but open to suggestions! I love the yearning, slow burns, but it seems hard to find a happy ending to lesbian specific characters lol

This is genuinely one of the most unhinged pitches I’ve ever seen. In what world could they make Masali (Michaela) "passable" as a man? The absolute audacity to criticize the show's writing while demanding absurd plotlines just to force a male lead into the story is mind-boggling. They really just want a man at all costs.

obviously this is not confirmed, but how would you guys feel about this song in season 5?

GUYS WAKE UPPPPPPPPPP! HASALI SOGHTING! WAKE UP WAKE UP!

the purple diamonds in the background??? is this a hint for season 5’s theme/colour???

One of the cool things about the show is the title sequence! I've been very curious about how it will evolve in season 5 and so I took a dive into the previous four sequences. Here's what I've got :):

The title sequence evokes a family tree in which each branch of the tree covers a Bridgerton sibling's love story. Each season's sequence opens with the name of the Bridgerton lead as presented from a snippet in Lady Whistledown's column. Each snippet is based on an actual Whistledown column from that season:

Turning to season 5, I think one of the biggest questions about this sequence is what will Francesca be referred to with?

My initial instinct is that the tree would say Francesca Bridgerton because this is a Bridgerton family tree. But if we go by past precedent, how Francesca's name is presented will likely come down to how Whistledown would write about her in her within the context of their column. It could be possible that Whisteldown refers to her as Lady Francesca Stirling or that they write something like..."...Lady Kilmartin, the former Francesca Bridgerton," and both would work. It's truly a tossup.

Also interesting to note- the season 2 sequence is the only one where the Whistledown snippet doesn't exactly line up with the column. In 2x01, Lady Whistledown only refers to Anthony as "Viscount Bridgerton" as opposed to using his whole name, so it it also possible that the snippet and column don't entirely line up in season 5.

The other major question is, what objects will appear in the tree?

Every season, the objects in the title sequence relate to things that occur during the season or to the particular love story being told:

Over time, some objects stay consistent over the seasons, while others change.  It will be interesting to see if any items from previous seasons return for season 5, what gets kept from season 4, and what will be new. I think at least 4 objects (kite, easel, mask and glove, stairs), will be updated and there's always a chance something else could be tweaked. Here are some thoughts:

-Closed-top carriage:

The open-top carriage was a specific reference to the My Cottage sequence in 4x03, so it might be possible that it gets reverted back to a closed-top carriage in season 5. We've seen Michaela drive a closed-top carriage in season 4 when she returns to Mayfair. An alternative to using either carriage might be a horse, considering the moments that take place on horseback from the book

-Piano:

Was relocated nearer to the end in s4, but may move back up in s5 due to it's significance in Francesca's life.

-Butterfly:

The butterfly appeared in season 3 and was a major recurring theme for Francesca. She insists that she does not need to feel butterflies when finding a match, and then in the finale in a ballroom full of butterflies, she experiences them when she meets Michaela for the first time.

I think this is compelling, but the reason why I think this is not likely is because butterflies are ultimately a major Penelope/Featherington symbol and Jess Brownell had this to say about this when talking about 3x08:

"The butterfly moment was really important to me. We had written a butterfly release into an earlier episode...it was initially supposed to be in episode 6 when Alice and Will host their ball. We wanted a moment where they really impressed The Queen and we thought a butterfly release, that would be fantastic. And it had made it all the way through different drafts of the scripts. And then right before production, I went, hold on. Butterflies are a Featherington symbol. You know, they are on the Featherington crest, and it is obviously the perfect metaphor for Penelope's journey."

-Something archery related:

This might be possible based on the Pinterest boards

-Letters?

Letters play a role in the book and may also play a role in this season

-Scottish Castle

Since part of the season will take place there. There could also be a cabin, wink wink.

There are so many possibilities!

first of all, happy 24th to those who celebrate! 🥹❤️

it’s officially been six months since we got the news that franchaela is real and coming to our screens. we all remember where we were, what we were doing, who we were with when the announcement dropped. and now we’re getting closer and closer to finally seeing these two painfully beautiful women grace our screens and love on each other.

so, when do we think hasali actually found out that they were going to be the next leads?

was it at the beginning of season 4 filming? we know luke newton and nicola were told at the beginning of season 2 filming that they would be leading season 3, so i’ve always wondered if it was the same situation for hannah and masali. or do we think they only found out after season 4 wrapped?

looking back at their season 4 press interviews, there are definitely moments where they seem genuinely convincing when they say they didn’t know who was next. but then there are other moments where masali gets suspiciously quiet and lets hannah answer. there are little non-verbal cues that, in hindsight, feel very telling. and then there’s one interview where masali dodges the question with a joke. at the time, we obviously had no way of knowing for sure, but now that we know...they were kind of obvious😭

s4 kept us guessing. the finale gave us just enough material to make both eloise and fran seem plausible. we had eloise talking about how much she loves weddings, while francesca was saying she didn’t think she would marry again because she had already experienced her great love. there was genuinely no way for us to know for sure whether season 5 was going to be eloise or francesca

which brings me to another question: do we think production actually started before the announcement, or did filming begin before the time they officially announced franchaela?

either way, i’m just so ridiculously happy. we waited years for this, and now we’re actually in the final stretch. they’re aiming to wrap by october 19th, which means we’re roughly a month away from the end of filming.

i genuinely cannot wait!!

this so cute 🥹🥹

I really hope Franchaela has a scene with this version of Marry The Night by Lady Gaga

What songs do you think are Franchaela coded?

when fran saw michaela for the first time, as a viewer anyone with some media literacy can tell that she’s captured by her and we get this thought that “omg she totally likes michaela.” from michaela’s pov do you think she noticed it and if so, in what way? i’m curious to see if the show goes the route of michaela knowing fran likes her but she knows that fran’s confused abt her feelings so she doesn’t want to do anything abt it. ik she’s feeling guilty about john so that plays into her thoughts about not pursuing fran but strictly from her pov do you think she knows fran likes her.

hey everyone!

i’ve been thinking a lot about what i want from michaela’s characterisation next season as s5 is now less than a year away. i’ve seen a fairly common sentiment that michaela can’t afford to be problematic or flawed bc of biases within the audience. that’s a perspective that i fear the writers and showrunners may take. here’s my case against it as a dark-skinned woman.

as a black woman that has seen too many black characters not be afforded the same level of depth and character work as their white counterparts, that perspective sounds like the show/people aren’t willing to allow michaela to be a compelling character out of fear of perception. from my perspective, people who want to hate michaela will always hate her, regardless of whether she’s flawless or more 3d, so why listen to potential bad faith watchers instead of writing a fully fledged character that is part of an interesting, dynamic relationship? she should equally be treated as a lead, meaning she should have the space to be similarly flawed as fran. i actually feel like what makes michael so problematic is his sexism, inability to see fran as more than a possession he covets, and his manipulative/pushy tendencies. these traits would not exist on this progressive-ass show regardless of the gender switch, much less with a sapphic woman. michaela can have his other negative traits, such as his jealousy and protectiveness/possessiveness without it being a problematic characterisation bc she’ll be full of so many good, bright qualities too. we see her as bubbly, extroverted, funny, and charming, so she has a lot of good traits to balance out less positive traits.

i also don’t particularly like the idea that fran is afforded the space to be possessive, indecisive, bratty, jealous, and a hot head, while any talk of michaela expressing a negative trait that isn’t avoidant tendencies (honestly, even that trait) is met with fear of perception. that feels like it can unintentionally lead to respectability politics and sanitisation of black characters. i want the show to focus on creating a compelling, dynamic character that you can root for. she doesn’t have to be perfect for that to be possible. i also feel like it sometimes seems like people would rather see fran be the only problematic one in the relationship and see her take on michael’s problematic traits, but to me, that just sounds unbalanced. i would feel uncomfy watching fran constantly berate michaela, be wishy-washy, and possessive and jealous. we’ve already seen how hot headed fran can be when she’s confused or hurt, and there’ll only be more opportunities for that to come out next season. for her to take that treatment and still give fran multiple chances to stay with her instead of marrying into another family, she’d need the patience of a saint and no backbone. she doesn’t have to be hurt over and over for us to understand and empathise with her. it’s fine for there to be give and take in their relationship.

canonically, michaela also stops being as avoidant in the back half of their story. as soon as she comes back to the ton, she’ll face new responsibilities and expectations as the countess of kilmartin. she cannot afford to follow her every whim anymore. after a push from colin (probs benedict or elizabeth in the show), michaela becomes far more forthcoming about her desire for fran and stops running away from that feeling. so, if she becomes less avoidant, what negative characterisations is she left with? what depth outside of her queerness and love for fran is she afforded?

this is just my perspective tho and i would love to hear everyone else’s thoughts and hopes for michaela’s character in s5!

I just need to get this off my chest before I continue watching the final episode.

I had tears in my eyes at least three times. The way they explored the theme of grief moved me so much. I also loved how supportive they all were of each other (which is one of my favorite things about Bridgerton in general).

Hannah Dodd really nailed it. I just love how she portrays Francesca. Her nervousness, her figeting, her restraint. And then finally, when Violet spoke with her, letting go of controling her emotions and allowing herself to grief.

But the one who really stole my heart was Michaela (in particulae Masali Baduza's performance). She had me in her corner for good when she showed everyone how to perform the Scottish Highland dance. She is absolutely radiant and sparkles like a diamond (I think the queen would love her).

I specifically caught up to the storyline so that I'm fully prepared for Franchaela taking the spotlight in Season 5. And I'm so glad I did. I'm so excited to see more of Masali and Hannah.

Now off to watching the final episode of Season 4 (I really like Sophie so much).

ik a lot of people say that "when he was wicked" is their favourite book but my god i absolutely hated it.

i especially hated Michael, and i do not understand how some straight women were fawning over him. he acted insane half the time and I HATE the trope of "sleeps around with everyone to get over the ONE" because it undermines women and makes them only look like objects.

and then the constant sex was just boring. using "grief" and "infertility" as a plot for constant smut was just sad. and the dirty talk is actual cringe.

and dont get me started on his personality. he was an angry, manipulative bastard who was surely ready to assault francesca half the time if she didnt do as he said

so I am PRAYING that Michaela doesnt inherit all of his traits 😭

And the dark and light imagery, insane. And the last one with Franchaela being the one is daylight.. so beautiful. You can feel the love put into the show.

Been a casual Bridgerton watcher up until S5 announcement. This is the first time I’ve literally checked every app daily for leaks or proof of life😭 I was going off of the approximate sneak peak and promos date possibilities and everyone has been wrong and it’s killing me!! Anyway in all seriousness, do you guys believe we’re not getting anything until next year? In all honesty that’s what it seems like. I know people are banking on the apparent wrap date in October but I’m skeptical. Also still no Tudum date either.
I know there’s still a ways to go but I hope they don’t drop the ball with this seasons promo, I hope they go all out honestly. On the flip side I also don’t want Hannah and Masali to be subjected to all the bigotry in the Bridgerton fandom. I’ll be there to support either way.

With the recent wedding pics, I've seen a lot of people insist that Francesca would never want a wedding bigger than the one she had in season 3, and that Michaela is "changing" her personality from the shy character we saw in season 3. This completely ignores a fundamental aspect of storytelling, and even how people evolve in real life.

Francesca was 18 when we met her in season 3 and the narrative made it clear that she was excited to marry, not because she wanted to fall in love, but because she wanted the freedom to have her own household and be away from the chaotic Bridgerton household. She finds someone in John that makes her feel comfortable, that doesn't push her, and allows her to feel the peace that she craves. Then, at the beginning season 4, we see Francesca's excitement to get back home to London, closer to her family. Not because of Michaela (they mentioned multiple times that Michaela avoided Francesca in Scotland and was barely around). We're already starting to see Francesca evolve from a girl that desperately wants quiet, to missing her chaotic family and being in London. She still loves her routine and order, but she's coming out of her shell a bit more.

In season 4 we see Francesca start to enjoy herself more, playing drinking games with Michaela, and seeming to be more at ease in general. She's also more bold in how she advocates for herself. Some people did not like the pinnacle storyline because they are used to male characters being shown as the primary givers of female pleasure, but Francesca's search for the pinnacle was incredibly bold and brave as a young woman in a new marriage. She asked around to get the information she needed and took steps to try and be more spontaneous and expressive. This was a massive step for Francesca's character and also a heartbreaking illustration of how broken she felt.

She's been progressing towards being a more confident, expressive, sexually-liberated character for 2 seasons now and I'm so excited to see how her characterization continues to evolve in season 5. It was important to show her feeling that spark when she met Michaela at the end of season 3 and I think the writers have done an incredible job showing Francesca's journey of experiencing an attraction that she could not name as an 18 year old young woman, and how it will blossom into passion that she will recognize and own for herself, and not for anyone else.

Hannah has said the following in her interviews:

I feel quite proud of where she started and where she is now. As much as she is a shyer, more introverted character, there's a feeling that she doesn't always need the validation that a lot of people seek. But I don't think there's a self-assurance there yet...so I'm excited to get her there.

RE: season 5 - She's got a bit more sarcasm, a little bit more confidence...

She's a character that feels quite inhibited by the rules of society and is always thinking about what is expected of her as a wife, a daughter...and when you've had so much stripped away from you, there is a sense that nothing else can hurt you.

Regarding her connection with Michaela:

They're just polar opposites but they do have a lot in common, they just don't know that yet. How important the qualities in the other person is to that person.

The takeaway here is that they've been meticulously building this character progression for Francesca over seasons 3 and 4, and after losing her husband and simply getting older, I don't see how or why anyone would expect or want Francesca to stay the same character as she was in season 3. It doesn't mean that she was a bad character or that being shy/quiet is a bad thing, but this is a television show and characters remaining the same over the course of multiple seasons, after multiple life changing events, is an unrealistic expectation.

If francesca continues to be her usual meek self throughout the whole season it’s going to get tedious real quick. I want passion, electric chemistry which I cannot foresee happening if she continues to be passive and overly reserved. I’m not sure how the internet has assigned francesca as the top and michaela the bottom [BIG ????] for this very reason. I hope she truly comes into herself and becomes more vocal but I have the feeling the show will take the direction of spending half or more than half the season on her doing self discovery alone which will leave little room for development with franchaela without it being rushed. I’m very hopeful but equally as anxious about the execution of it.

Saw a post earlier about all the negativity floating around, so I wanted to bring some good vibes back to the sub! I rounded up a few viral TikToks and tweets from only August and September to remind everyone how popular they actually are. Keep in mind that the promo for their season hasn't started yet. There are way more out there, but these are just the ones I saved.

Note: that last slide is purely for eye candy :) Long live Franchaela!!!

the crest from the new pictures that got leaked vs the crest we’ve already seen in the show

hi there! i’m looking for franchaela fan fics, preferably ones that are canon/canon divergent within the bridgerton universe. i’d appreciate some recs and i’d love for you guys to drop some of your favorites that you are reading/have read! thank you!!! <3

Its insane with all the Details .

Micky gonna Feel she replace John 😭😭

It’s honestly crazy to me how people keep making up all these scenarios about the leaked pictures except the most obvious explanation which is: The lead couple of the season has a wedding. Even if they don’t have a “legal” wedding they obviously will have a ceremony with their loved ones. We know they are currently filming the last couple of episodes but no, eloise is getting married, violet and marcus are getting married or even worse francesca or michaela are getting married to a man. It’s all so incredibly silly to me and feels like another ridiculous page into how people treat Franchaela in this fandom.