What Would Danbury Do?

As Bridgerton Season Two races towards the finish line, there are still some surprises and scandals left in store for the families Bridgerton, Sharma, and Featherington. But there is also an absolute avalanche of insights, self-awareness, and good old fashioned personal growth. It’s episode 8, and our HEA is at hand.

Featuring:

Bestie vs bestie

Classism

Purpose

Gamblers and wastrels

A mother’s love

Head bumps (metaphoric and otherwise)

The mother apology tour of 2022

Scorched earth behaviour

Sibl...

After the drama and literal fireworks of episode 6, this episode follows our two still-separate families through the aftermath. 

Lady Bridgerton and Lady Danbury work to move through the scandal with soft diplomacy, public appearances, and a surprise ball…

But it turns out that this brief period of peace is but the eye of the storm and another Bridgerton is about to face the consequences of her own decision.

Oh…and there’s fireworks in this episode too - wink, wink, nudge, nudge.

Featuring:

A ro...

With Special Guest Host: Jenna Guillaume

Fireworks, peacocks, flowers, and food - every detail is in place for the wedding of the season…and a trap for Lady Whistledown. 

But Anthony and Edwina are approaching their nuptials from VERY different places and they aren’t the only ones for whom this wedding will be transformative. 

This episode is called the choice and friends, choices WILL be made.

[Please note: this was recorded before the Queen Charlotte miniseries was released, so the timeline is a bit off.]

Featur...

In this very special episode, Adele, Kate and special guest host Maxine Beneba Clarke take on the whole Queen Charlotte mini-series in one wide-ranging conversation. There are arrivals and arguments, families and fortunes, a great experiment, dual timelines, blooming gardens, and the all-consuming important task of begetting an heir. The most ambitious Bridgerton-verse series yet, Queen Charlotte dives headfirst into intersectional storytelling. 

Books and other media we discuss:

- Queen Charlotte, the TV show

- Bridgerton, the TV show 

- Colleen Hoover, an author

- Shondaland, the production company

Please note: this episode was recorded in 2022, and some details have since changed and/or been confirmed. For example, we now know that Bridgerton S3 is about Colin and Penelope.

In this bonus episode Adele interviews Elise and Priscilla, two psychologists who look at mental health representation in fiction on their podcast Novel Feelings. The discussion covers realism, escapism, the cycle of hero/anti-hero, charisma, women as consumers, grief, loss, personal growth, and Jonathan Bayley’s face.

Books and other media we discuss:

Bridgerton, the TV show 

Outlander, the TV show

‘You are the bane of my existence and the object of all my desires’

We all get a little fluttery this episode, but really…can you blame us?

Featuring:

Substitute nudity

Women in context

Privilege just all over the place

Slumming it in Bloomsbury

Jealousy, Ambition, and Class

Lady Featherington fan club

Bee gate, gun gate, library gate

Don’t try on the ring. 

White shirts; wet shirts

Family mode activated

Here are is the me...

In this bonus episode Kate interviews Sunny Singh, novelist, Professor of Creative Writing and Inclusion in the Arts at London Metropolitan University, co-creator of the Jhalak Prize, and expert on Hindi Cinema.

Sunny is a lively, knowledgeable, and generous guest, and our interview moves through the long and vibrant history of commercial film in South Asia, the political history and geography of Hindi cinema, and contemporary representation within the Global North.

We also discuss Kate, Edwina, and Mary, and how Bridgerton has been received by both Indian and South-Asian diaspora viewers. 

Books and o...

Tensions at Aubrey Hall are HIGH, friends, and this episode is not going to make things any easier. After a few days of getting to know each other in quieter surrounds, the Bridgertons and Sharmas are about to be joined by the rest of the ton, as everyone takes to the country for Lady Bridgerton’s Heart and Flowers ball. 

There are certainly flowers and hearts, though the latter aren’t always beating in the right direction. We have not one but two surprise proposals leading to what will surely be bright futures - and one r...

In this bonus episode Adele interviews Sarina Cevaal-Hewitt, the NEDCA Regional Director of Croquet Victoria. Sarina believes that croquet is a game for life, and is as interested in promoting the social benefits as the competitive ones. She shares her thoughts on the history of the game, the Bridgerton game play, and how croquet is ‘very nice people playing a very vicious game’.

Books and other media we discuss:

Bridgerton, the TV show 

Croquet Victoria

The Viscount who Loved Me, a book by Julia Quinn

You can find...

First, some housekeeping: we’re so very sorry that it’s taken us so long to get back to these episodes. We missed you, and we are so grateful that you’ve stayed with us. We will have a much more regular release schedule from this point forward. Thank you.

Second, unfortunately Rudi has to step back for the minute due to work commitments. For the remainder of this season we will be inviting special guest hosts, but no one can ever replace her, and we look forward to when she is able to join us again!

...

In this bonus episode Kate interviews Dr Javaria Farooqui, an assistant professor at COMSATS University, Lahore. She recently wrote an article about the nuanced reception of the television series Bridgerton. In this episode, we talk about what British Imperialism is, and how the history of Britain in South Asia affects the second season of Bridgerton.

Please note: this discussion contains discussions of colonisation practices, racism, and colonial violence.

Features:

The East India Company

All the British Feels

Money, mannerisms and marrying down

Shit-tolerance (on TV and in...

The Queen names her diamond, and your hosts are mostly just confused as to the whats, hows, and whys of diamond status. Meanwhile, Kate and Anthony continue to clash and it’s honestly the best foreplay we’ve seen on screen in a long time. It’s Bridgerton Season 2, episode 2 and listeners, we are off to the races!

This episode is brought to you by Kensington Books author Kat Martin and her new series of high-octane romantic thrillers, pairing bone-chilling adventure with pulse-raising romance. The first book The Last Goodnight moves from Colorado’s cattle country to the high...

In this bonus episode we welcome back friend of the pod Dr Jodi McAlister, who sits down with Kate to discuss how romance novel serialisation works, and what that means for this and future seasons of Bridgerton on Netflix. 

Features:

Vampires and werewolves and sports teams, oh my!

Genre as defined by ‘vibes’

HEA…and post-HEA

The benefits of time travel

The benefits of sex scenes

Peneloise & Bi-nedict

Books and other Media We Discuss:

Bridgerton, the TV show 

The Bridgert...

Kate [f26] and Edwina [f21] Sharma are freshly arrived from India to launch Edwina into society and land her a wealthy and doting husband. Just so happens that Anthony [m30ish] is both wealthy and wanting - though the ‘doting’ will have to take a backseat to the practical, pleasant marriage that he has planned. Still, no reason why he and Edwina can’t make a real go of it…if only Kate will offer her approval. 

It’s Bridgerton S2, and Anthony is about to be handed his ass…

This episode of What Would Danbury Do? i...

Our quartet is coming to a close with the straight-talking, pale-looking, wallflower-being, cello-playing Iris [f21] who is sceptical but pleased to be focus of the attention of Sir Richard Kensworthy [m??]. However, after a whirlwind courtship, a little planned compromising, and a quick marriage, Iris arrives at Sir Richard’s estate to find that things are not all that they seem, and love at first sight may actually have been ‘unlikely to say no’ at first sight. 

It’s all about the secrets in this final episode of WWDD Season 4: who has them, who’s keeping them, and who’s a...

Sarah [21] and Hugh [29ish] are not what one might call sympatico, but when they are thrown together in close contact at two weddings in a row (oh hello fan service!), things get a little confusing. Sure Hugh ruined Sarah’s cousin’s life for awhile there, and sure Hugh prefers his dramatics in the theatre and not in the drawing room, but they have people they love and loyalties to uphold and fine, they can make it work for the next fortnight, but they don’t have to like it. 

Until they kiss. 

Which they like ver...

Anne [24] made some bad choices when she was 16 (whomst among us?) but as this is the Regency period, the consequences for her bad choices are exile and a lifetime of service as a governess. But she is content in her position for the Smythe-Smiths and her quiet life, even if it wasn’t what she was raised to expect for herself. Then the oldest Smythe-Smith son, Daniel [29ish], returns from his own exile and turns her quiet life on its head.

We’re reading A Night Like This and there are an unexpectedly high number of murder atte...

Honoria [21ish] is a very bad violinist but a very good cousin and member of the Smythe-Smith family. Every year, she and her unmarried cousins play in a musicale that corrupts Mozart to a spectacular degree, but it’s tradition and tradition is nice and Honoria loves her family and their traditions. But that doesn’t mean she wants to play in the musicale again. Enter Marcus [29ish], a very reticent Earl for whom the Smythe-Smiths represent the only family he’s ever known. But when he runs into Honoria again, she’s not quite the bratty little sister-type he remem...

Welcome to the final episode of What Would Danbury Do? Season Three. In this very special episode, we delve into that most delightful of rabbit holes: your questions! Thanks so much to everyone who reached out during the season and shared your thoughts, feelings, and comments with us. We had such a good time revisiting Bridgerton on Netflix, Season One, and hearing from all of you.

Shout outs for this episode go to Robin E, Amalie, Kirsten, Liz, Bea, Mia, Justice for Benedict, E, and Lulu.

Here is the media we discussed:

Bridgerton...

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but how much is it worth if it hangs in Bridgerton House?

Kate spoke with Art Historian, writer and youtuber Nancy Langham-Hooper about portraits, statuary, and a surprising amount of subtext - if you know how to read a room. 

Featuring:

Hierarchies of art

18th Century Instagram filters

Decorating tips

Exhibitions and exhibitionism

Wild, wild horses

Wet portraits in the rain

Books and other media we discuss:

Sir Joshua Reynolds

Like a debutante in her first corset, direct us to the nearest fainting couch, because we have made it to the end. The last episode of Bridgerton ties up loose ends in some very pretty bows, starts off some new threads, and leaves others dangling tantalisingly into season two. 

And then there’s THE reveal…

This is a super-sized episode as we dissect the last episode, all the things that were and the things to come, and do a retrospective of Lady Whistledown’s development in the light of her unveiling.

Featuring:

An e...

It’s the morning after the night before, and Colin and Marina’s scandal brings everyone back to London and together for the first time since Daphne and Simon’s wedding. But this is not an episode for happy families - everyone is tense AF. At least there’s always ladies’ night...

This episode is brought to you by Vanessa Riley’s new novel An Earl, The Girl, and a Toddler, a sweeping, soapy, and utterly romantic read perfect for fans of historical romance with powerful characters of colour, multicultural communities, and an emphasis on romance and relationship...

Welcome to Season Three of What Would Danbury Do... All Bridgerton. All the time.

This episode of What Would Danbury Do is brought to you by Ella Quinn’s latest novel The Most Eligible Viscount in London, a regency romance about what happens when you think too much with your head...and not enough with your heart. With a whole host of quirky secondary characters, The Most Eligible Viscount in London is a slow-burn, character-driven, humour-filled novel and it’s available now wherever you buy your romance novels. If you want more information about The Most Eligible Visc...

In this bonus episode Dr Jodi McAlister joins Adele to talk power, purity, and (un)punctured hymens -- that’s right it’s time to talk virginity and virginity loss.

Jodi is an author and academic whose work focuses on the history of love, sex, women and girls, popular culture and fiction. Is it any wonder we love her?

Features:

A (brief) history of female virginity

The dangers of virginity

Consummate virgins

Absurdly readable bodies

The rise? (and rakish potential) of male virgins

A pa...

After the intensity of An Affair of Honour, this episode has a lot of feelings: Simon feels guilty, the Queen feels annoyed, Violet feels flustered, Marina feels triumphant, and by the end, Daphne is left feeling the burn. Do we? Find out. 

This episode of What Would Danbury Do is brought to you by Love at First, the new novel from Kate Clayborn. Our Kate read this novel and has this to say: “This was such a lovely, sweet, slow-burn, low-stakes enemies-to-lovers story with wonderful things to say about growing up and honouring our past whi...

If you’re anything like us, watching that duelling scene had you mentally checking off the Ten Duel Commandments from Hamilton but how accurate is it? 

And when it comes to affairs of honour what’s really at stake?

Writer and philosopher Damon Young met Kate at dawn to talk about pistols, swords, honour and the patriarchy. 

Features:

Family matters

A very bad hand - class and gender 

Paid fisty-cuffs

First blood (not the monthly kind)

Cut and thrust sword-stylez

Aim true...

Welcome to Season Three of What Would Danbury Do... All Bridgerton. All the time.

Our characters spring into action in this episode, with boxing, running, horseback riding, kissing, yelling, and duelling. We get to hang out with Alice and Will (the best couple), dissect a very expensive piece of jewellery, and find out who is #TeamSimon - and who is not. Poor Prince Friedrich is really going about courting in the best way possible, but he’s no match for Simon’s eyebrow raising, and Daphne finally makes her choice. 

Featuring:

Deep necklace analy...

From gowns and gloves to tiaras and tailcoats - the first season of Bridgerton reportedly featured 7,500 costume pieces.

In this bonus episode we welcome Hilary Davidson -- dress, textiles and fashion historian and curator and the author of Dress in the Age of Jane Austen.

Features:

The corset myth

A really bosommy time

Tasteful bad taste

Traffic cones, but make it fashion

The logistics of public sex in regency-wear

#NipplesAndJunk

Books and other Media We Discuss:

Bridgerton, the TV...

Welcome to Season Three of What Would Danbury Do... All Bridgerton. All the time.

This episode (1X03 - The Art of the Swoon), we find out just how many masturbation jokes the writers can squeeze into one script as Daphne learns important things about her body, courtesy of a very informative conversation with Simon. Also everyone ends up heartbroken at the end. It’s The Art of the Swoon, and we’re all in need of a fainting couch. 

This episode of What Would Danbury Do is brought to you by Love at First, the new s...

In this bonus episode we welcome Aotearoa (New Zealand) academic Rebecca Trelease to the podcast to gossip about gossip, and the role it plays in our societies and our lives. 

Features:

All the judgement

Complicated power dynamics

Complicated power structures

Keeping Up with the Featheringtons

(who lives who dies) Who tells your story?

Celebration gossip versus negative gossip

Books and other Media We Discuss:

Bridgerton, the TV show 

Gossip Girl, the TV show

Framing Britney Spears, the do...

In Episode Two: Shock and Delight, we are both shocked and delighted by the antics of our favourite alphabetically named siblings and their aristocratic co-hort. There are balls, picnics, drawing rooms, and bedrooms. There are punches, threats, ultimatums, and desperate plans. There are big life questions and small moments of pleasure. All in all, just another day in the Season in Regency London. 

Featuring:

Uncharacteristic sentimentality from Adele

Eloise’s potential lacrosse career

All the men wearing all their feelings on the outside all the time

The dangers of cak...

In this bonus episode we welcome expert choir nerd Vanessa Hughes to WWDDpod to discuss classical music and help to demystify the genre.

Features:

An unwarranted attack on The Knight’s Tale

What exactly is a string quartet?

Smythe-Smiths, please?

Searching for Maroon 5 lyrical value

Flipping the bird to ‘the rules’

Simon and Daphne’s theme

Popular songs of the 19th century

Recommendation (find music in playlist below):

The Smythe-Smiths quartet

Four Seasons Recomposed by Max Richter

Th...

Welcome to Season Three of What Would Danbury Do... All Bridgerton. All the time.

Bridgerton: The Show hits the ground running with a requisite corset tightening scene, introductions to all the expected major players, and some new faces bringing their own plotlines, conflicts, and romantic entanglements. It’s a bonnet-free zone, and we are 100% here for it. 

Featuring:

The Bridgerton/Featherington dichotomy

Duty

Debutantes

Disreputable men

A refreshing lack of female feuds

An important lesson in biology

Here are the books we...

Welcome to Season Three of What Would Danbury Do... All Bridgerton. All the time. In Season One, Rudi, Adele, and Kate took you through the original eight, the O.G. alphabetically named siblings, the Bridgertons from Anthony to Hyacinth. In Season Two, we worked through the Happily Ever After Second Epilogues. Originally, these second epilogues were published separately, but it turns out that these epilogues are now included in the original novels, so if you’ve come to the Bridgertons later, this might have been confusing! These episodes are available via our website, www.bridgertonpod.com or wherever you ge...

In this, the final episode of Season Two, we get some back story to everyone’s favourite matriarch as we follow her from a young girl through a whirlwind courtship all the way to the beloved grandmother of an indeterminate number of grandchildren. More a montage than a full story, it’s nonetheless an insight into who Violet is outside of her role as a mother. 

Featuring: 

A rather heartless math error

A dissection of what constitutes a successful romance

Many mentions of strapping footmen

Historical dildoes

#goals<...

Gregory’s second epilogue doesn’t have any running, but it treads some very emotional ground nonetheless. And once again, we have to ask, what do the Bridgertons have against baby-name books?

Featuring: 

Hyacinth being more Hyacinth than she was in her own epilogue

Inexplicable genetics

A midwife who is not having it

Threats of bodily harm

Actual bodily harm

Seriously, just find new names already!

In this episode’s What Would Danbury Do we hear from Benjamin, the hero of Reese Ryan’s The Bil...

It’s a very special supplemental episode in the lead-up to the release of Bridgerton on Netflix! We are joined by our very first special guest, Sarah Wendell, co-creator of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books and writer of Everything I Need to Know, I Learned from Romance Novels as we delve into everything that you need to know about the Bridgertons before you hit ‘play’. 

Featuring: 

Our first guest!

Alphabetical adjectives

Manix lubricant 

A very Bridgerton quiz

(Some) Math

A close finish

We’re quizzing pe...

In this second epilogue, we revisit Hyacinth and Gareth some 22 years into their marriage, but the real story is about Hyacinth’s daughter, Isabella. Poor Hyacinth is facing every parent’s worst nightmare: a child just like themselves. 

Featuring: 

A decades-old scavenger hunt

A strawberry-blonde goth?

A *lot* of time in the spare bathroom

A *lot* of hidden drawers and false bottoms

Everyone eventually becomes Violet

A personal attack

In What Would Danbury Do this episode, Jonathan from One Night with a Duke by Eri...

Three years into their marriage, Francesca [f35] and Michael [m38] are still childless. But Francesca is slowly moving away from her all-consuming obsession with having children and moving into recognising that not being a mother doesn’t mean she won’t have children in her life. As her niblings grow, she finds herself spending more time at the Bridgerton family homes in Kent and London, visiting her family and engaging in their lives. 

Featuring: 

Period math

Family fecundity

An unfortunate nickname

An oxymoron

Some very un-Bridgerton behaviour

...

Normally, we’d be revisiting the relationship between Eloise, Lady Crane (nee Bridgerton) [f39] and her husband Sir Phillip Crane [m41], but this second epilogue takes a couple of unexpected turns: first, it’s told in the first-person, and second, it’s told from the point-of-view of Eloise and Phillip’s eldest daughter, Amanda [f19]. We’re not entirely sure if it’s a narration, a diary entry, or a letter, but it’s a little taste of Julia Quinn, new adult-style. 

Featuring: 

Our youngest heroine (so far!)

Impromptu French lessons

Changeable eyes<...