Warning: This article contains spoilers for “Bridgerton” Season 4, Volume 1. 2. Now available on Netflix.
Dear kind-hearted readers, death has come to Tong.
The death of a major character in “Bridgerton” Season 4 is setting the stage for the next season of Netflix’s hit series.
At the end of episode 6, Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd)’s husband, John Sterling (Victor Ali), tells her that he is going to lie down and take a nap. When she asked how he was feeling, he assured her that he had “just a little headache” and asked her to wake him up later.
Francesca discovers Francesca’s body and screams, and her visiting cousin Michaela (Masali Baduza) rushes to her rescue.
Shonda Rhimes’ romance series follows different members of the Bridgerton family each season as they find love in Regency-era England.
No word yet on who will star in Bridgerton Season 5, but John’s death (a major plot point in the series) suggests Francesca could be the lead.
Meanwhile, season 4 will depict a Cinderella-like love story between maid Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha) and Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson).
But the plot also takes a detour into Francesca’s tragedy, which involves her husband’s funeral.
This season marks the first major “Bridgerton” death on screen. The father of the family died before the events of the show began, but flashbacks are seen during season two.
After John’s death, everyone worries about Francesca. Francesca throws herself into her job as a hostess like a madman, making a fuss about trivial details like food.
Speaking at the funeral, Benedict said: “What makes this death so unbearable is not only the suddenness of his death, but also the fact that he was a good man, one of the best of us, always guided by an unwavering integrity and devotion to his family, to the parliament, and above all to his sister Francesca.”
Sophie develops a bond with her future sister-in-law, as her next of kin, her father, also dies. She recalled also worrying about his funeral food and advised Francesca, “The best thing we can do is honor the memories of those we loved and keep them alive through us.”
Francesca’s sadness in Season 4 is not just about John’s death. Shortly after John’s death, she is delighted to learn that she is pregnant, only to later discover that she was not expecting it.
In Julia Quinn’s book, When I Was a Bad Guy, Francesca, John dies of an aneurysm and Francesca ends up living with her cousin Michael.
The show gender-flipped Michael and changed the character to Michaela, who becomes that season’s love interest.
Shortly after Dodd was confirmed to appear on the show in 2022, she told Page Six that she was nervous about the on-screen romance scene.
“I’m a big fan of ‘Bridgerton,’ so I’m like, ‘Let’s get excited,’ but at the same time, I’m like, ‘I don’t want to do that,'” she said, adding, “I want the people watching to do that, but I’m pretty scared to actually do it.”
‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 is now available on Netflix.
