The titular episode! Embarrassingly, I just realized that each of the Bridgergton novel titles are a riff on a previous romantic text. This one, obviously (to me, now) is a reference to The King and I, the musical and film that is very, very problematic in terms of settler colonialism! Would be nice to see some explicit commentary on that, Bridgerton show!

Like a Virgin

This episode highlights how a purity mandate and compulsion to marry harms relationships between (aristocratic) women. Because Marina is pregnant and unwed, she must marry before she starts to show. That’s really the only reason she would drive so hard to the hoop for Colin Bridgerton, right?

Pen, though, is into Colin for whatever reason, and puts those feelings above her loyalty to Marina, effortlessly manipulating her mother into forbidding the match. However, Colin proposes anyway. The only problem? He wants a nice long (for this show) engagement. (Well, his family is also pissed, as he is “barely out of leading strings.”)

Pen is so distraught! Marina is so desperate! It’s really hard to pick sides between them, but just know I don’t give a shit about Colin.

Fuck[,] Heteronormativity

One noticeable difference between the novel and the series is the latter’s inclusion of lots o’premarital sex. In this episode, Benedict ups the debauchery factor through attending an honest-to-God orgy!

In attendance is the Modiste, our fave faux Frenchie! Her marginal social position gives her leave to speak to Benedict, and also, to well, know him, if you catch my second meaning, but not, of course, to marry him. On his way to a threesome, Benedict spies his painting mentor, Sir Henry Granville, having sex with a man. This moment sparked some hope in me that, again unlike the novels, the series might pay attention and respect to queer Britons in the Regency.

Upon meeting Henry’s wife at Daphne’s wedding, Benedict seems completely baffled as if he a) didn’t know bisexuality might exist and/or b) couldn’t understand why someone in society would need to hide a nonnormative sexual relationship. I feel the series also takes a swing and a miss with Eloise, though that could be because it felt too hemmed in by the heteronormativity of the novels.

Speaking of Daphne’s Wedding

Seriously, how fast can they pull off a wedding between a Duke and a Viscount’s daughter?

Apparently, even with a ringblock from the Queen, you only need like a week. This article helpfully explains why they would need a special license at all (you need to announce it for three weeks at least), which is, of course, tied to the purity mandate: The Marriage Act of 1753 was designed to prevent “clandestine marriages.”

After Simon sweetly describes his deepening love for Daphne to the Queen despite his resistance to marriage [fatherhood], proving himself a better writer than Julia Quinn, honestly, they’re hitched by the end of the episode.

Marital Sex

We finally get the (entirely socially and monarchically sanctioned) consummation of Daphne and Simon’s sexual relationship in this episode, and all I’ll say is, it lives up to expectations.

Two items of note that will be important later: Simon is very careful about consent, and Simon pulls out.

Professor Whistledown’s Syllabus

A post on queer life in the Regency period

What are leading strings, anyway?

How did the costuming department do in the underwear department?