Bridgerton Fans Found Clue To Season 4 Lead In Producer's Bookcase
The theory is convincing, but there is one problem.
Summary
- Bridgerton fans have been theorizing for months about who will lead Season 4.
- However, it turns out that the clue about that may have been in front of our eyes since 2020.
- An X user found a curious detail in an old interview with the show's executive producer, Chris Van Dusen.
The esteemed detectives of Bridgerton society have yet again unveiled their enchanting prowess. Bridgerverse fans are known for their eagle-eyed attention to detail and passion for theorizing, and the long, two-year-plus hiatus between Seasons 2 and 3 has only intensified these traits.
Of course, the burning question in the fandom right now is which of the Bridgerton siblings will take the baton from the Season 3 protagonists. With the story of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton fast approaching, the production of Season 4 is just around the corner, and its lead has to be chosen by now.
There are many theories about who of the Bridgertons might be the focus of Season 4. The two most mentioned names are Benedict and Eloise. And it seems that fans have found a new clue as to which one will come first in a very unlikely place - Chris Van Dusen's bookshelf.
Sleuthing Done Right
While re-watching an old AAFCA interview with the Bridgerton executive producer, X user @messsolitude noticed a curious detail. Van Dusen's bookshelf in the background is filled with paperback editions of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, but the novels are arranged in a different order than usual.
The enhanced images are rather blurry, but Bridgerton fans wouldn't be fans if they didn't analyze every detail and draw intriguing conclusions. It turns out that the books are the older versions of the paperbacks from Avon Books, and the order is as follows:
- The Duke and I (Daphne #1)
- The Viscount Who Loved Me (Anthony #2)
- Romancing Mister Bridgerton (Colin #4)
- To Sir Phillip, With Love (Eloise #5)
- An Offer From a Gentleman (Benedict #3)
- On the Way to the Wedding (Gregory #8)
Important Detail
The fascinating thing is that this interview was published in 2020, when no one knew that Colin's romance would jump ahead of Benedict's in the adaptation. After all, Daphne and Anthony's stories unfold in the same order on screen as in the book series.
But now that it's a done deal, it could mean that the big clue about Season 4's lead was always right in front of us. The arrangement of Julia Quinn's novels on Chris Van Dusen's bookshelf may have reflected the order of the Bridgerton seasons all along!
Problem With The Theory
If the bookshelf theory is true, then Benedict's story will be pushed aside again and Eloise will be next in line for the spotlight. This is something a big part of the Bridgerton fandom has been theorizing for months.
But there is one issue with that theory. On the bookshelf, Gregory's book comes right after Benedict's, jumping ahead of two original stories, Francesca's When He Was Wicked and Hyacinth's It's In His Kiss.
While it seems plausible that Hyacinth will lead the final eighth season, it is very unlikely that Francesca's story could come after Gregory's. So unless Van Dusen was reading it at the time of the interview, the whole bookshelf arrangement could be a total coincidence. What do you think?