Bridgerton director Tom Verica has revealed that season four 'definitely takes a turn' in part two, which will see Benedict Bridgerton's romance with maid Sophie Baek present a 'real complication' for his family. The hit period drama returned in January with the first four episodes of its fourth season, which follows the Cinderella-style romance between the Bohemian second Bridgerton son Benedict (Luke Thompson) and maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha).
Speaking at a Q&A held at London's BFI, attended by HELLO!, Verica teased the final four episodes, arriving on Netflix on Thursday. 'There's some big things that happen,' he told the audience. 'I can't wait for you guys to see what happens in these upcoming episodes. They're very different and very unique in their own way, and the evolution of this relationship is really extraordinary.'
Showrunner Jess Brownell explained how the writers balance main storylines with subplots: 'The way that I have been approaching side plots this season and going into season five is really starting with the theme. What is the theme for the main couple, and how can we use the side plots to support that? It's about setting up future seasons. I'm excited about this back half because by episode eight, everything does come together in a way that people might not be expecting.'
Brownell also revealed that viewers will 'learn a lot more' about Sophie's background in part two, which will see her romance with Benedict present 'a real complication' for the Bridgerton family due to Sophie's status as an illegitimate child. 'What that means for her in society at that time is she's not considered eligible to go out on the marriage mart,' said Brownell. 'She's really not considered eligible to be with a lord's son, and what's important about that is it could really affect the younger Bridgerton siblings.'
'That level of scandal for Benedict to be in a relationship with an illegitimate daughter, whose mother was a maid and who herself worked as a maid, could bring shame on the family, so much so that the younger siblings, Hyacinth and Eloise, who remain unmarried, might not be able to find their matches,' she continued. 'So it presents a real complication.'
Bridgerton season four part two arrives on Netflix on 26 February.
