Bridgerton has totally reinvigorated the Regency-era romance genre thanks to its diverse casting choices, but the show is still falling behind in its inclusivity when it comes to LGBTQ+ storylines. Season one teased something interesting, though, when second-eldest Bridgerton sibling Benedict (Luke Thompson) befriended Sir Henry Granville, a gay artist who encouraged Benedict to challenge society’s expectations of him.
In season two, however, Granville is MIA and any questions about Benedict’s sexuality are left by the wayside, much to the disappointment of fans. TV Line quizzed EP Chris Van Dusen on whether the hints that the character might not be straight are actually leading anywhere. Without getting specific, Van Dusen did tease that he would “love to continue” this storyline as the show plows ahead.
“I’ve seen a lot of discussion about Benedict’s sexuality in Season 1,” Van Dusen stated. “But the storyline [of him befriending] Henry was really about tolerance in a really intolerant time, and showing Benedict in that world. I love the story in Season 1 and would love to continue it into the future.”
Van Dusen went on to hint that viewers will “have to wait and see” whether Benedict’s “sexuality will become fluid” in the third season. As for why this wasn’t elaborated on in the latest run of episodes, all the showrunner had to say was that it “was a conscious choice not to have it be fluid in Season 2.”
If Bridgerton continues to follow the trajectory of the original novels by author Julia Quinn, then season three should be all about Benedict. The third book, An Offer from a Gentlemen, details a Cinderella-like love story between Benedict and Sophie, who he meets at a masquerade ball and only has a discarded glove to help him find out her true identity. But could the series replace Sophie with a male love interest? That would be the biggest change the series has made to the source material so far.
For now, catch all eight episodes of Bridgerton season two on Netflix.
