“Pride and Prejudice” meets “Downton Abby” with a scandalous new love story that people are obsessing over. “Bridgerton,” a Netflix original, has made the Top Ten in the U.S. on Netflix. Produced by Shonda Rhimes, “Bridgerton” captivates an interesting outlook on the Regency Era of England in the early 1800s. Rhimes had produced many of  America’s favorite shows including “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Private Practice” and “How to get Away with Murder.”  Rhimes takes a step in a different direction by not producing a more modern day show. The show does however give off “Gossip Girl” vibes with the town’s scandalous details being spread around town with the famous Lady Whistledown’s opinions and thoughts on what goes on throughout the series.

There are many new faces in the show with the main characters played by Regé-Jean Page as Duke Simon Basset and Phoebe Dynevor as Daphne Bridgerton. Although there are many new faces, Dame Julie Andrews anchors the show as the voice of the narrator, Lady Whistledown. The actors were casted blindly unlike other period pieces. Page is doing a phenomenal job at playing his role and portraying qualities of a duke.  The overall acting digs deep into the innocence of girls in Regency Era. The duke has assisted Daphne in her maturity process and helps shapes her into the women she becomes. 

This is a very intriguing show with a strong plotline and charming characters. Bridgerton, however, is not for a young audience because of some language and explicit scenes. The enthralling show only takes a couple episodes to get people hooked. It is a great show for anyone looking for a quick escape from the chaos of the world. It has distinct good and bad characters who make it obvious who to root for.  So grab a bowl of popcorn and escape into the imaginary world of fancy costumes, amazing parties and unrealistic happily ever afters.