Despite its progressive strides and the show’s inclusivity claims, Bridgerton falls short when it comes to the portrayal of plus-size characters.

When it comes to Bridgerton, the Netflix period drama is known for its ball gowns, drama-laced storylines, classic renditions of contemporary music, and swoon-worthy music. Behind the glitz and drama, the show is also known for being a beacon of inclusive casting.

While it weaves a vibrant tapestry of racial and cultural diversity into its Regency-era romance, for all its progressive strides, the show has glaring problems when it comes to plus-size characters. With each season, this issue grows more conspicuous, and it is about time that Netflix takes steps to fix it.

Bridgerton and the question of ‘plus-size’ characters

Nicola Coughlan in Bridgerton | Credits: Netflix

Since its premiere, Bridgerton has distinguished itself for being ‘progressive’ when it comes to casting and its storyline. However, despite all of its efforts to be as inclusive as possible, the show falters glaringly in its portrayal of plus-size characters.

As fans might have noticed, Nicola Coughlan‘s Penelope Featherington stands alone as the series‘ sole plus-sized character, a stark reminder that the show lacks in body diversity. While characters central to the narrative, like Daphne, Kate, or Eloise, are all depicted as uniformly slender, even the supporting characters or onlookers appear to be in perfect shape.

Aligning itself with the conventional beauty standards that continue to dominate society and mainstream media, this detail is a big black blot on the show’s diversity claims.

Leaving Penelope and Coughlan as outliers rather than part of the broader spectrum of body types, the scarcity is disturbing and mirrors conventional industry trends where plus-size actors continue to be sidelined. Instead of creating a more realistic society, Bridgerton’s failure to include other plus-sized figures alongside Coughlan also showcases how the show missed a crucial opportunity to challenge these widespread norms.

If only they had taken care of this issue, not only would it have helped make the show and its landscape more inclusive and representative, but it would have also given fans hope and inspired them to be comfortable, confident, and at peace with themselves. Yet, it stops short, leaving viewers disappointed.

Penelope Featherington’s arc and the burden of suffering

Luke Newton as Colin Bridgerton and Nicola Coughlan as Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton | Credit: Netflix

While ‘Polin’ was adorable in Bridgerton season 3, Penelope Featherington’s romance with Colin Bridgerton doesn’t really sit right if you take a closer look. Despite the body positivity and inclusivity that the show professes to promote, season 3’s love story doesn’t entirely fall into that category.

Despite all the buildup in the past seasons, the romantic tension between Penelope and Colin is delayed until the finale. Rather, Nicola Coughlan’s character spends the majority of her time in pain, rejection, and isolation, juggling between the love of her life and her identity as Lady Whistledown.

Meanwhile, overcome with shock and a more than a bit of jealousy, Colin’s repeated dismissive actions towards her do nothing except increase her suffering, and their eventual intimacy feels rather restrained.

When it comes to their intimate scenes, the carefully angled love sequences contrast sharply with the passion shown for thinner leads in the previous two seasons, hinting that despite trying to embrace ‘plus-sized’ characters, the show is still holding back. There is but one scene where Penelope is shown ‘clothe-less’ during intimate scenes compared to other leads, giving her a sense of concealment instead of embracing her as she is.

This glaring mistake, whether intentional or not, highlights how Bridgerton has struggled and continues to give plus-size characters the love stories they truly deserve. Thus, leaving fans, especially those who can relate to such characters, feeling unseen and undervalued, it is high time that the show takes steps to fix these issues before its viewers get alienated for good.

Bridgerton is available to be streamed on Netflix.