I believe Eloise Bridgerton is the most authentic character in the Netflix show, and deserves so much more

Bridgerton dropped on Netflix in December 2020, and I was totally swept away by its costumes and orchestral covers of Taylor Swift. There was also enough romantic tension to fog up my entire screen.

The Netflix show is created by Chris Van Dusen and backed by Shondaland. It has lots of scandals and some steamy ballroom chemistry to keep you hooked. Each season has its own main couple with their individual love stories.

But the beauty of Bridgerton lies in how it has a story for even the secondary characters. Every Bridgerton sibling has their own identity and life. But I found myself rooting for one character who refused to play by the rules.

It's Eloise Bridgerton. She is the middle child who has a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind. She is the only Bridgerton woman who has absolutely no interest in finding a husband. She stood out from the moment she appeared on screen.

She walked through the garden with her books and grumbled about the absurdity of societal expectations. I feel like she is the only voice of reason in the Bridgerton world that's absolutely obsessed with silks and suitors.

No doubt the show has given us some great love stories and settings too. But I’ve always felt like Eloise brings something far more valuable to the table. And that's authenticity. She’s unapologetically herself in a world that only knows conformity. But the show keeps sidelining her.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

Bridgerton: Eloise deserves more than the sidelines

If I have to sit through one more scene of Eloise being reduced to just the little sister who reads too much, I might just scream into my lace handkerchief.

Eloise is the most authentic character in the show. And it's not just her lack of interest in marriage or her feminist ideals (although, yes, queen). It’s her vulnerability and contradictions. She’s brave enough to question the system. She is unafraid to ask the difficult questions.

But that doesn't mean she's immune to the loneliness that comes with being different. She wants independence but also connection. She mocks the balls, but deep down, maybe she still longs to belong. That’s both real and human.

And yet her arc and grand season is missing. We’ve seen Daphne’s fairy tale, Anthony’s enemies to lovers storyline and Colin’s return from his worldly adventures. But Eloise has had to play third fiddle in her own story.

The Penelope friendship fallout was one of the most emotionally raw subplots in the show. And yet it was just skimmed over. Her venture into political activism and her spark with Theo Sharpe both had the potential to be much more. But the writers pulled back. It’s as if the show doesn’t know what to do with a woman who wants more than just love and lace.

Bridgerton is all about fantasy. But Eloise represents a different kind of dream. The dream of being wholly and boldly yourself. Of not settling. Of carving your own path, even if it means walking it alone. And for that reason alone, she deserves not just more screen time but a storyline that doesn’t tone her down.

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