'Bridgerton' Season 4 draws mixed reactions as Rotten Tomatoes scores diverge

Netflix has returned to the ton with the fourth season of Bridgerton, but the latest instalment has generated a sharper divide between critics and audiences than any previous season.

Season 4 adapts Julia Quinn’s novel An Offer From A Gentleman and centres on Benedict Bridgerton, played by Luke Thompson, and Sophie Baek, also known as the Lady in Silver, portrayed by Yerin Ha. The story follows Benedict’s search for purpose and his encounter with a mysterious masked woman, setting up a romance inspired by a classic Cinderella-style narrative.

At the time of writing, the first part of season 4 holds a critics’ score of 71% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience rating sits notably lower at 54%. This gap marks the most pronounced split in reception for the series so far. Previous seasons were received more uniformly, with seasons one and three both scoring 87%, while season two remains the lowest-rated overall at 78%.

The contrast in opinion has fuelled debate among viewers, particularly as Benedict and Sophie’s relationship is widely regarded by readers as one of the most popular storylines in Quinn’s book series. Some fans have praised the season’s faithfulness to the source material, while others have criticised the pacing and the handling of subplots involving secondary characters.

ScreenRant’s Liz Hersey described the opening episodes as a “total fairy tale” and said that “[Benedict’s] chemistry with Sophie is the ultimate Cinderella story.” However, audience responses have been more mixed, with viewers pointing to scenes beyond the central romance as feeling underdeveloped.

If current trends continue, season 4 could become the lowest-rated chapter of Bridgerton to date. With more episodes still to come, the reaction highlights the challenge facing the series as it balances long-standing fan expectations with evolving storytelling choices.