Season 6 May Mark The End Of Bridgerton. Here's Why
There are three main reasons for the early ending.
Bridgerton Season 3 left some important questions unanswered. We know the next chapter is almost written and some of the creators' best work, according to showrunner Jess Brownell. But which Bridgerton sibling is this work about? There's no official word yet.
Another big question is whether Netflix will renew the bodice-ripping series beyond the already confirmed Season 4. In her interview with Variety, Brownell expressed hope that the show would get at least six seasons and revealed that she and creator Shonda Rhimes have already discussed the loose ideas for the next two stories.
While six seasons sounds realistic (it's very likely that Netflix will greenlight Seasons 5 and 6 in one go), the romantic series doesn't seem to have the potential to last longer than that. Even though there are eight Bridgerton siblings and eight source novels (plus an epilogue collection), so far everything points to Netflix's Bridgerton ending with the Season 6 finale. Here are three big reasons why.
Audience Investment
With her debut in society, quiet match with John Stirling, and jaw-dropping revelation in the finale, Season 3 fleshed out Francesca Bridgerton, making her the third Bridgerton sibling whose character and arc are ready for a solo season.
We can say with 100% certainty that the next three chapters will be about Benedict, Eloise and Francesca, probably in that exact order. After their stories are told, however, viewers will be left with Hyacinth and Gregory, who are exciting as kids in the Bridgerverse on-screen, but present a few problems as romantic leads, the main one being that people just don't care enough about them to tune in.
Long Wait
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Brownell confirmed that the gap between Bridgerton seasons will always be in the range of two years. This means that Season 6 will premiere in 2030. By then, the core cast of the early chapters will want to move on (as Regé-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor have already done), and the show's wild popularity will thin out, as has happened with many hits before.
Netflix has a simple formula when it comes to renewing shows. The ratings should match the budget. And we highly doubt that Bridgerton will be able to maintain its huge audience after Season 6.
Reader Boycott
The aforementioned revelation in the Season 3 finale could play a big role in Bridgerton's downfall. The episode introduced a person who is set to become Francesca's love interest when her book love story is adapted for the screen. Instead of Michel, the charming cousin of Fran's new husband, we got Michaela.
This gender flip infuriated fans of Julia Quinn's original novels. It is one thing to change the sexuality of a lead, and quite another to change her entire story. Readers are sure that the introduction of Michaela will eventually ruin not one, but two great love stories Fran had in the books, and are already swearing off Bridgerton.
Considering that Francesca's season will probably be the sixth, the Quinn's fans' boycott could cause the ratings to plummet. And then Netflix will never renew the show for Seasons 7 and 8.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety.