TV Review: “Bridgerton: The Duke and I” (S1, Ep. 5)

Whew, what an episode! In some ways, the fifth episode of Bridgerton felt more like a finale but it was, in any case, a climax. After a great deal of hand-wringing, Daphne and Simon are at last wed, after which they experience a truly explosive and electric wedding night. Meanwhile, Penelope and Marina continue to find themselves at odds regarding the affections of young Colin Bridgerton, though it appears that Marina has succeeded at least in getting him to propose marriage to her.

As the episode begins, it’s quite clear that Queen Charlotte is very put out by the fact that Daphne has decided to marry the Duke rather than her nephew. While her machinations to sabotage the marriage — which include strong-arming the archbishop into declining a special dispensation — are noteworthy and amusing in their own way, her most important scene is with her husband, King George, who experiences a brief moment of lucidity. It quickly becomes clear that part of Charlotte’s disdain for her mad spouse comes from a place of deep sadness; her request that they walk in the gardens as they once certainly pulls at the heartstrings. Nothing is as devastating, however, is his slip back into madness and raving when she gently reminds him that their daughter is dead. The look on her face as she departs — one of blasted grief and weary resignation — is truly devastating.