Once upon a time, Cinderella did go to the ball… and she got her Prince… and then they got hot and steamy and snogged each other’s faces off in the carriage.
In an X-rated twist on the fairytale, fans went wild when poor lovesick Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) finally got her man in the saucy scene.
And Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), once he’d stopped panting, only went and proposed. How charming.
“For God’s sake Penelope Featherington, are you going to marry me or not?” he gushed, before the episode cut to black, leaving us all adrift - until today.
As part two lands, with a ton of scandal from the cor-set, it’s no spoiler that Pen, rescued from nearly-spinsterdom by her beloved, is a definite ‘Yes’ to the whole engagement lark.
In even less surprising news, Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) picks up her quill immediately to make an announcement to the Ton. And within 15 minutes, watch out for another bosom-heaving, semi-naked scene as the couple seem to, er, seal the deal.
So how do the Bridgertons react to the betrothal news? Let’s just say that most are thrilled, but estranged best mate Eloise (Claudia Jessie) has a cracking death stare.
Now that Penelope is marrying into the family, isn’t it time for them to bury the hatchet?
The real love story here is the friendship between these two, and their will-they-won’t-they truce becomes one of the most gripping plotlines.
There’s also the small matter that Colin is yet to discover that his dear Penelope is Lady Whistledown. Damn that secret gossip side hustle, it could bring all their wedding plans to a grinding halt. Someone tell the florist to hold fire.
Meanwhile, the mischievous Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) has a spectacular scheme up her sleeve (or perhaps hidden in one of her towering wigs). She wants to unveil Whistledown by any means necessary - and it’s going to be fun.
There are other burning questions that should be answered in these final four episodes.
Why does Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) find her brother so intensely irritating? Will Lady B (Ruth Gemmell) go on a date? Can Cressida (Jessica Madsen) manage to resist being married off to a geriatric husband? And will Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) please god just leave the bedroom and find something else to do?
As ever, this is a pacy, colourful, soapy show, where, dearest gentle viewer, we must prepare for anything.
DIAMOND RATING: ****
- Bridgerton is available now on Netflix.