Marvelous Geeks

Type: Romantic Book | Show: Julia Quinn’s The Duke and I and Netflix’s Bridgerton Featured Characters: Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset

As an anthology series, Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset’s love story is front and center during the first season of Netflix’s Bridgerton. The show’s mass success doesn’t just come from its lush portrayal of Regency London, but it comes from the heart of its characters. It comes from the gorgeous happy ending conclusion. And it comes from the detail that as a couple, Daphne and Simon’s love story is a captivating one. It’s no surprise that I am a fan of Julia Quinn’s writing considering The Viscount Who Loved Me is my favorite historical romance novel, but it’s also not a surprise to anyone who knows me that The Duke and I is my least favorite of the Bridgerton novels.

As a novel that was written 21-years-ago, The Duke and I’s problematic elements are hard to ignore today, making both characters tragically a bit unlikable until their later appearances in other novels. But that is not the case with Bridgerton’s first season, which is a joy for me as a writer and a fan of the romance genre. As an embodiment of one of my favorite tropes (fake dating), Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset’s relationship evolves so gorgeously in the TV show that we’re able to see the growth (and more importantly, the remorse from the ramifications in episode six, “Swish“).

In more ways than one, Bridgerton is a series centered around the heart of a family, and Simon Basset’s journey during the first season is about finding a place to belong. As a couple, it starts as a ruse, but it ends with a man learning that he is worthy of love because women refused to give up on him. (Women plural because I’d be remiss if we didn’t include Lady Danbury’s impact on him as well.)

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We know we’ve talked plenty about Bridgerton’s Simon and Daphne, but with the news that Regé-Jean Page won’t be returning for season two, we figured we’d do scene breakdowns for all their dances because that’s what everyone wants, right?

While we’ve already discussed our favorite, their first in “Shock and Delight” it’s now time to discuss what was actually their first real dance, and the moment we all knew that we’d love Simon and Daphne so much more than we did in The Duke and I. We’ve discussed bits of this in our full episode review of “Diamond of the First Water,” but it’s time to breakdown the scene further.

Cue Kris Bower’s “We Could Form an Attachment” and let’s all take a moment to appreciate this score before we get into the explosive scene. (Fireworks and all.) Simon proposing he and Daphne pretend they’re in a relationship in order to keep meddling society mothers away from him, and to thus deem her desirable in Whistledown’s column is an excellent start to the love story of the season.

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Simon and Daphne have a number of precious dances throughout Bridgerton’s first season, but their first dance in “Shock and Delight” stands as our favorite. (And we’ve spoken many times about why their actual first, the one to “We Could Form an Attachment” is absolute magic.) However, this particular one is merely butterflies evoking galore, and to a melody that, oddly, for reasons I can’t explain makes me weepy when it’s relatively upbeat. Undeniably however, it’s the sheer, unbridled joy in that moment—it’s this precise dance that changes so much between the two of them.

It changes so much of what they both know and believe because while the idea stands that they must act like they are enjoying each other’s company, the reality is that they actually are. Promenades are one thing, but a dance where the other’s laughter could forge a fire of unparalleled bliss into the other is unlike anything either of them had ever faced. Daphne cannot help but smile—boldly and beautifully at Simon’s unabashed joy, and the same goes for him. They’re playing into the charade of courting lovers when in reality, in this moment and during this dance, they are entirely entranced by one another. Spinning and smiling and finding joy in a moment that’s so infectious, there’s not a person in the room that can’t feel it.

We’ve written about dances before and in regency especially, the ones where hands linger a little longer than they should and eye contact is so piercing, it tells thousands of stories in a few moments of shared intimacy. But this isn’t like one of those dances—their second one, when he insists that she call him by his name, is. And while we adore that one to bits (and probably, likely will write about it too someday), there is something about this dance that’s so intoxicatingly transcendent.

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In honor of March being women’s history month, we are going to take the time to highlight and celebrate some of our favorite ladies in TV and Film.

Bridgerton premiered on Christmas day and saved 2020 with the lush adaptation we’d all been needing and left us burning for dukes and viscounts all around. While we adore the romance, while we can’t get enough of the score and the prolific family, Shondaland’s latest production is full of incredible ladies worth celebrating. On this period drama,women run the show and while they’re flawed and imperfect, that’s entirely what makes them worthy of celebration. It’s what makes them realistic and compelling—it’s a show full of characters where someone somewhere will have at least one person to relate to. At least one person to adore.

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On this week's episode of Lady Geeks' Society Podcast, we're talking all things Bridgerton's season finale. The big reveal at the end that we love so much. The conclusion to Daphne and Simon's fantastic story that we appreciated in the TV series way more in the books. We discuss everything from agency to the important detail of choosing people in love and we'll be returning for season two.

Be forewarned, dear listeners, this episode is not spoiler free.

If you want more written analysis, we’ve got you covered full episode review of “After the Rain” too!

Spotify | SoundCloud | Apple Podcasts

On this week’s episode of Lady Geeks’ Society Podcast, we discuss the first season’s penultimate episode, “Oceans Apart.” We break down all the fights, the apologies, and mainly get super emotional about the very little screen time Henry and Lord Wetherby got when they’re the healthiest couple on screen thus far. We breakdown Eloise’s quest towards finding Whistledown and that final scene between Simon and Daphne, which crushed us all.

Be forewarned, dear listeners, this episode is not spoiler free.

If you want more written analysis, we’ve got you covered full episode review of “Oceans Apart” too!

Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | SoundCloud

On this week’s episode of Lady Geeks’ Society Podcast, we sit down to discuss Bridgerton’s sixth episode “Swish.” As we both agree, while there are some great moments, it is without a doubt our least favorite and features a moment we really wish it didn’t. We discuss the Bridgerton family’s big news and the honeymoon at Clyvedon, but also reiterate the fact that conversation matters and we really wish these people would just talk to each other.

Be forewarned, dear listeners, this episode is not spoiler free.

If you want more written analysis, we’ve got you covered full episode review of “Swish” too!

Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | SoundCloud 

Daphne Bridgerton isn’t a character I planned to write this for, but after the TV show’s premiere, it only seemed fitting that I take her arc apart, too. And it’s a rather simple one really, which is perhaps why I struggled for a bit—I like Daphne, but I had a hard time relating to her. But that’s just it, when you look into her character through feminist study, and you look into her as a woman in her own right, it almost feels wrong not to appreciate her even though you are nothing like her.

When you’re more of a Kate Sheffield or an Eloise Bridgerton or even a Penelope Featherington, diamonds of the first water like Daphne almost feel like they are not real—that they are written for the sake of a story, for the sake of the love story especially, but that’s the thing, women like Daphne exist and they are in fact, very real. And they are great! There are women in this world that want to fly and never settle, and there are women who dream of the quiet life, of marriage, children, and everything in between. And sometimes, there is both—at least thankfully in the 21st century we have the option to be both. We have the option to choose, and with Daphne’s character, that is her great journey through all this—validating her choices and understanding them as women who might not be like her.

Women can be both and women can be one or the other. This isn’t a defense of Daphne Bridgerton’s character or her actions by any means, but instead, it’s paying homage to a character I never expected to care for as much as I do. So much of it is due to Phoebe Dynevor’s performance and how well she brought the character to life. Daphne’s journey is about finding her own agency—finding her voice, learning about herself, her body, and her desires as a woman in a society that has trained her to be one specific way. It’s more obvious with a character like Eloise for instance, but Daphne is searching for her own voice, too.

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Well, gentle readers—we’ve reached the end of the season. (Are we going to be doing this for eight years? Hopefully!) In its season finale “After the Rain” Bridgerton excelled at tying up loose ends and setting up the next season in an incredibly joyous little bow. This is type of content we long for when it comes to the romance we consume–keep the ambiguity, we’ll take all the happy endings we can get. As we have been saying all season, every episode has been leading up to this moment to restate the importance of transparency and the fact that agency matters. “After the Rain” is all about choices, and the decisions our favorite characters make in ensuring their futures look better than their present.

Thematically strong and beautifully executed, “After the Rain” is a solid, impeccable finale that’s left us eager for the next story. It was rewarding and endearing and really, we have very few complaints—each of the characters (understandably excluding the younger ones) made crucial decisions in this episode that prelude their arcs exquisitely.

“Oceans Apart” was an incredible penultimate, and “After the Rain” follows its footsteps beautifully. The Duke and I isn’t the strongest book—we have been fairly vocal about the fact that this was never one of our favorites, but we are pretty thrilled with how the series has handled the adaptation now making Simon and Daphne one of our favorite couples. We start off the season with an awkward 19th-century photo op with Henry Granville struggling to paint the couple because the tension in the room could burn it all down. And throughout the entire episode, every single time they looked at one another, we felt it. No wonder pride is among the deadly sins, it kills where moments like this are concerned and ruins relationships.

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On this week’s episode of Lady Geeks’ Society Podcast, we discuss all things Bridgerton’s “An Affair of Honor,” which might actually be the favorite episode for both of us. We discuss the duel. We discuss society at the time, all the romance and tension, and most importantly every single incredible performance that made this episode so extraordinary. It’s the one with all the excellent performances, and we’ve got thoughts!

Be forewarned, dear listeners, this episode is not spoiler free.

If you want more written analysis, we’ve got you covered full episode review of “An Affair of Honor” too.

Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | SoundCloud

What we say versus what we believe can sometimes differ and that is certainly the case in Bridgerton’s incredible penultimate episode. Since these stories do technically end after each season, it seems fitting that “Oceans Apart” would be the one before the remarkable finale. Tensions are running high in the Hastings/Basset household, the Bridgertons are dealing with the aftermath of Whistledown’s reveal, soirees occur, garden parties, shenanigans on staircases, and the one where everyone gets called out, rightfully so setting character development into motion with astounding vigor.

Conversations are finally happening and we’re on our way towards transparency being front and center. But the fact that conversations are happening, without holding back is perhaps the most excellent feat—so much of the last episode was an outcry regarding the consequences of its lack whereas “Oceans Apart” tackles it head on—figuratively and physically for some. And it ends with what might be the most heartbreaking scene of the season.

“Oceans Apart” is the thematic showcase of attentiveness and risk—the importance of deciding what matters in love and ensuring that two people would fight for it every day for the rest of their lives.

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“Swish” should have been titled something along the lines of “The One Where All the Secrets Come Out” because really, that title does not set up the amount that happens in this episode or how it makes anyone feel. This one’s a tough one to cover. Sometimes while you may feel one way about an episode, others feel differently—we don’t all read or watch the things the same way, but there are somethings most of us can collectively agree on being right or wrong. At the same time, where fiction especially is concerned, we can like something even while we fully acknowledge that it’s problematic. And there are more than a few things in this episode that are. But nevertheless, it isn’t lacking in beautiful moments and it thematically brings to light what we’ve been saying all along, which is that transparency matters, and it particularly matters in relationships—romantic or platonic.

The newlyweds start off thriving in Clyvedon while the Bridgertons are met with surprising news at an afternoon garden party. “Swish” starts off with a lot of laughter and ends with tears, which is somewhat fitting since we’re almost close to the end–and things must get dark before they get better.

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In which we are once again at the place where we scream at our television for two people to just talk to each other and put us out of our misery. It’s the one with all the hookups, the one where we roll our eyes too many times, and the one with the wedding. “The Duke and I” is overall a fairly solid episode with some beautiful moments that reiterates the importance of transparency in relationship. Whether that’s romantic or platonic, it matters and we’ll keep saying just how much until it’s no longer our concern. Much like Queen Charlotte, we could all tell when someone’s lying, except maybe Daphne, but that’s neither here nor there, the point of “The Duke and I” is marriage. Marriage is what brings us here today. (I hope you read that all in the voice of the priest from The Princess Bride. If not, please go back and do so.) It’s the episode where two become one and more animal metaphors confuse the living daylights out of women. 

We’re now five episodes in and situations have escalated, characters are revealing their true motives—some not as great as others. But we have a wedding to plan, and it doesn’t go as quickly as desired because the queen demands a show, which we’re not mad at because that was our favorite moment in the episode. However, it’s the aftermath of last week that we’ll get into first, and Anthony choosing to apologize to Simon is a great step. The thematic importance of choice carries on in this episode as Anthony decides to be the bigger man and apologize to Simon for shooting at him. He also plans to discuss Daphne’s dowry, but Simon isn’t into the idea stating that he isn’t marrying her for money, plans to provide for her, and the money can be placed in a trust. What an excellent decision because yes, the concept of dowries are indeed a custom we find somewhat offensive as well. Simon and Anthony need larger moments of vulnerability, but that’s hopefully something that can be rectified next season—as far as this moment goes, it further serves to improve Anthony’s character in allowing him the opportunities to showcase growth. 

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On this week’s episode of Lady Geeks’ Society Podcast, we discuss all things Bridgerton’s “Art of the Swoon.” Of course, we discuss the iconic moment with the hands. Of course we discuss the incredible bond between Bridgerton siblings Benedict and Eloise. Of course we discuss Simon and Daphne making us swoon. (Or shall we say spoon?) There’s a lot to unpack with this episode primarily because it sets so much in motion and leads us into the next episode exceptionally.

Be forewarned, dear listeners, this episode is not spoiler free.

Listen on Spotify | Apple Podcasts | SoundCloud

Say it with us, loud and proud–agency. That’s the fundamental theme in Bridgerton’s fourth episode, “An Affair of Honor.” In other words, the duel—the one where situations get bleak and emotions are heightened for most of the characters. The one where we all have Hamilton’s “Ten Duel Commandments” stuck in our heads in spite of the fact that it wasn’t even featured. This might just be one of my favorite episodes of the season, jam-packed and meticulously balanced, there is a lot in the store for the ton and it all comes crashing down in moments brought on by desire and choice. Who wouldn’t love it?

“An Affair of Honor” takes on what might actually be a surprisingly comical part of The Duke and I and layers it with emotions that feel like a gut punch. It reiterates what we’ve been saying in previous episodes, which is the fact that love is a choice and a woman’s agency matters. And it especially matters in this 19th century-based series where they don’t often get a say thus making Bridgerton that much more incredible in its adaptation.

Agency matters, and it especially matters with how each of the couples find their way to one another. We get into the episode with another day at Queen Charlotte’s with sweet little honeycomb Prince Friedrich being the gentleman that he is bestowing Daphne with a gift. (Except she’s thinking of Simon.) But it’s not until a boxing match where tensions continue to rise–this is the episode where choices are made, and the episode where we get a clearer view of just what is to come in the future. That said, when in doubt with where to start, with Bridgerton we can go in alphabetical order, right?

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“Art of the Swoon” and the importance of transparency—the third episode of Bridgerton is all about the hands. (Was that not the thing we’ve all taken away from this?) While the episode might be somewhat lacking a bit thematically, it succeeds in making us swoon. And I suppose that’s the point. We’re not mad at to be frank. For the first time in my life, I wanted to be spoon—I imagined I’d say a lot of crazy things in my life, but that certainly wasn’t one of them. I wanted to be a spoon. We all did. And that’s the tea.

Well gentle readers, Daphne has started dreaming of Simon—as we all have, and it’s a beautiful dream to say the least. The set design on this series continues to astound me. There’s nothing … ugly. I almost want there to be because frankly, it’s setting up some unrealistic examples for my future. Daphne’s dreaming of the duke, and the duke is still denying all emotional attachment. But he is acting as her general and doing a fine job of it, especially where moments of faux jealousy are concerned. It’s always fun and games until a prince joins the equation and that’s when dukes get jealous for real.

But what sets up this series most excellently and what makes our hearts soar is Violet telling Daphne: “You must simply marry the man who feels like your dearest friend.” (Shout this from the rooftop. Write it on the skyline.) Friendship is fundamental in romance, and where all couples are concerned, this is the very detail that differentiates dalliances from love matches. Daphne and Simon are friends to begin with. Anthony and Kate will be friends. Benedict and Sophie … aren’t normal, but you get the point. Colin and Penelope are the epitome of friends to lovers. A romance’s success is based entirely on friendship and the decision to choose someone every single day. That is what it will come down to with all couples. That is what it comes to down to with Simon and Daphne.

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This episode should have been titled “The One with All the Baby Questions.” An episode so well balanced between humor and heartache, it’s hard to believe it’s only the season’s second. “Shock and Delight” is a whirlwind of adventures, but it’s also the beginning of vulnerability, and the first exhibition of just how much power belief in something, or someone can have.

It’s the episode we start getting glimpses into the demons most characters carry, and it’s the episode where we get some incredible development started.

As far as performances go, commending Adjoa Andoh’s riveting work in this episode must come first. Lady Danbury was already a captivating character, and Andoh is not only stealing every scene she is in, but she sets the bar relatively high for further book to screen adaptations. This is an important episode for Simon and Lady Danbury. It’s an important episode for surrogate mothers and what it means to believe in someone. We write about belief on Marvelous Geeks a lot, and we do so because it’s crucial to bringing out the best in people. Lady Danbury’s belief in Simon is a big deal—the choice to see him as the polar opposite of how his father perceived him contributed vastly to Simon’s growth as a man. And what a powerful scene that moment between the two in flashbacks was.

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