20 'Bridgerton' couples ranked by their chemistry
Spoilers ahead for "Bridgerton" season 2.
The second season of Netflix's hit period romantic drama follows Anthony's journey for love.
Insider has ranked all of the main couples of the show so far based on chemistry.
19. Daphne Bridgerton and Lord Berbrooke / Marina Thompson and Lord Rutledge
Season one of "Bridgerton" focuses on the journey of the eldest Bridgerton daughter, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), to find her husband. To do this, she had to first get past Nigel Berbrooke (Jamie Beamish), who is determined on marrying Daphne for her status despite their age gap and her lack of affection.
This is one of the season's most uncomfortable pairings, second only to the elderly Lord Rutledge (Michael Culkin) being matched up with young Marina Thompson (Marina Thompson) in episode four. Marina was secretly pregnant at the time, hence her aunt Lady Featherington (Polly Walker) tried to get her to quickly marry Rutledge before the scandal is revealed.
Suffice to say there was zero chemistry whatsoever between either of these relationships and it was a relief that neither led to marriage.
18. Lord and Lady Featherington
In season one, Lady Featherington is married to the reckless gambler Lord Featherington (Ben Miller) who squanders all their money. While I believe at one point there was love between the couple considering they have three children, time and secrets have clearly broken down whatever they had and left them bitter.
A clear example of this is when Portia Featherington finds out that her husband is dead in the season one finale. Instead of grieving the loss or asking what happened, she rushes to discover if her money is missing.
17. Prudence Featherington and Jack Featherington
The pairing of the Featherington cousins, Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Jack (Rupert Young), in season 2 was another scheme by Lady Featherington. This time, the house matriarch tried to get her husband's nephew to marry her daughter so that she wouldn't lose control of her home.
Lady Featherington succeeds in entrapping Jack in marriage but he has little affection for his cousin Prudence. Although they get along, their relationship is very awkward.
16. Marina Thompson and Sir Philip Crane
At the end of season one, Marina does find a husband even after her secret pregnancy is exposed. In the season finale, the brother of Sir George Crane, the father of Marina's children, shows up to tell her that her lover has died while fighting in Spain. However, the brother, Sir Philip Crane (Chris Fulton) offers to marry Marina and she eventually accepts.
In episode four of the second season, we get a glimpse of their relationship after marriage and they seem quite happy together. They don't seem to share many interests or chemistry but Philip clearly ensures Marina and her twins are looked after. They seem like a much more amicable pairing than most of the others on this list.
15. Benedict Bridgerton and Tessa
In the second half of season two, Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) has a casual relationship with a life model and budding artist at his art academy called Tessa (Emily Barber).
We don't see much of them, but they seem to match very well even though Benedict is not looking for anything serious at the moment.
14. Cressida Cowper and Jack Featherington
Prudence's rival for Jack's affection in season 2 is Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), the popular mean girl of the town.
It is later revealed in episode four that this was a ploy by Jack to earn some money but the two characters seem like a compatible couple due to Jack's charm.
13. Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton
It may be too early to fully judge Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton's (Luke Newton) relationship because, according to the books the show is based on, they do not become a couple for some time.
However, in the finale of season two, Colin publicly mocks the idea of courting Penelope. That is going to make a hard case for them ever becoming more than friends. They do have some cute longing looks at each other but the affection appears — at least at the moment — all in one direction.
12. Lucy and Henry Granville
While we don't see a lot of Lucy and Henry Granville (Sandra Teles and Julian Ovenden) in season one, they seem like a couple who love each other very much even if they are not in love with each other. In episode seven, Henry explains to Benedict that their marriage is for public appearances.
In reality, Henry is in love with Lord Wetherby (Ned Porteous) and Lucy enjoys the privileges of being married to the artist, including having affairs herself during a party in episode five. Overall the couple seems happy and supportive of each other.
11. Daphne Bridgerton and Prince Friedrich
This pairing was perfectly amicable and I can imagine, if not for the existence of the Duke (Regé-Jean Page), they may have had a long happy life together with loads of children. Prince Friedrich (Freddie Stroma), the nephew of Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), was a perfect gentleman and even willing to skirt the rules of the status quo in the town by inviting Daphne to the boxing match in episode four.
However, one thing this couple was lacking was passion. In most of their interactions, Daphne was either looking for the Duke or thinking about it and thus she would never be truly happy settling for the Prince. That being said, the Prince clearly deserved better and I hope the Queen carries through with her comment in the second season's finale and introduces Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran) to Friedrich.
10. Edwina Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton
Speaking about Edwina, the audience wasn't meant to root for this relationship but they could at least make them a little more likable so you feel sorry for their eventual demise.
From day one it's clear that Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) sees his courtship of Edwina as more of a chore to complete and even Daphne first thinks that Anthony is courting the older sister in episode three.
Although Edwina and Anthony have a few conversations where you think there might be some similar interest or chemistry between them, that moment does not last long at all.
9. Philipa Featherington and Mr. Albion Finch
In season one episode four, Philipa Featherington (Harriet Cains) and Mr. Albion Finch (Lorn Macdonald) bond over a discussion about types of cheeses, and if that doesn't spell couple goals, I don't know what does.
From what we've seen in the first two seasons, this pair is one of the most perfect matches in the show. However, due to their lack of visibility, it is hard to match up their chemistry against some of the other couples.
8. Colin Bridgerton and Marina Thompson
On the one hand, Marina spent most of season one trying to entrap Colin into marriage before she gives birth which means part of the relationship was based on a lie. On the other, these two do look cute together. Marina even seems enamored with Colin when talking about him with Penelope in season one.
However, when Luke meets a married Marina in episode four of season two, it becomes clear why their relationship would have never worked. He's still an immature boy masquerading as a man and what Marina needed was a stable husband for her children.
7. Benedict Bridgerton and Madame Genevieve Delacroix
Benedict's first relationship in the show is with Madame Delacroix (Kathryn Drysdale), the town's Modiste. The second eldest Bridgerton meets the dressmaker at a party in episode five of season one and the two hit it off immediately.
Again this was another fleeting relationship but the attraction between the two was very visible.
6. Jack Featherington and Lady Featherington
This might be the most controversial relationship on this list but these two schemers are weirdly perfect for each other in season two. Plus Jack and Portia are not related by blood making it less scandalous than other couples on this list. Their relationship may be slightly toxic, linked together only by the scheming in season two, but when they work together, it's magic and the actors play off each other well.
That being said, Portia did make the right decision to choose her family over Jack in the season two finale. This woman has been through a lot during the first two seasons so we hope she gets someone better soon.
Honorable mention: Violet and Edmund Bridgerton
Before we get to the top five couples, it is worth mentioning that Violet (Ruth Gemmell) and Edmund Bridgerton (Rupert Evans) may be the best couple of the show that we never get to see. Edmund appears in one flashback in episode three of the second season but you can sense their love for one another in the way Violet talks about him.
This is a one-sided retelling so you can't completely determine the chemistry between the parent Bridgertons, but it is undeniable that they had a love like no other and I am begging for more flashback scenes.
5. Kate Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton
The main couple of season two, Antony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), do have some magnetic pull between them. Whenever they are alone, the two actors play off each other well. However, it is not consistent enough for fans to really believe their enemies-to-lovers storyline.
Their relationship takes an unbelievably long time to rise to the surface. At times, it felt like the idea that they secretly love each other was a bit forced. Even the season finale was creating new reasons why they shouldn't be together.
All that being said, the moment in episode three where Kate puts Anthony's hand over her heart to calm him after the bee sting panic was simply beautiful.
4. Anthony Bridgerton and Sienna Rosso
While the show put Kate and Anthony together, that doesn't mean Anthony's previous lover, Siena Rosso (Sabrina Bartlett), wasn't a great match for him. Throughout season one, Anthony is trapped between his duty to his family and his love for Siena.
Not only is this love born of merriment rather than conflict but, in both episode four and the season finale, Anthony was also prepared to discard his family and duty for that love. While the second season never alludes to it directly, it is likely because of Siena's rejection that Anthony was so adamant about sticking to his duty afterward.
3. Eloise Bridgerton and Theo Sharpe
Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and Theo Sharpe (Calam Lynch) is arguably a more believable enemies-to-lovers storyline, or rather rivals-to-friends-to-lovers, in season two. On her hunt for Lady Whistledown's identity, Eloise meets Theo, who works in Whistledown's printer shop.
While the pair first duel in mocking jabs at each other, they quickly form a friendship through their shared interest in political ideology. Their relationship is not as sexual as the others on the list but the flirting mockery worked because you could tell they weren't arguing just for the sake of arguing.
Unfortunately, their love is cut short by the meddling of both the Queen and Penelope.
2. Will and Alice Mondrich
Will (Martins Imhangbe) and Alice Mondrich (Emma Naomi) to me are couple goals. Completely supportive and honest in all their endeavors, Alice often challenges her husband for his betterment.
They are nothing more than a happy couple minding their business in a town where everyone is involved in a scandal or two. They are meant to be tertiary characters, but this author hopes there will be more of them in future seasons.
1. Simon Basset and Daphne Bridgerton
Dearest reader, the winner of the "Bridgerton" couples ranking is none other than Simon Bassett, the Duke, and Daphne Bridgerton. There are enticing passionate looks between them throughout season one, even when they're not courting each other.
We see their chemistry tested multiple times and somehow get stronger. Also, while season two was a tad more drama than romance, the main hook of the first season was the sparks between Daphne and Page.
What sold it for me was actually their dance at the end of the first episode (picture above). The love in those looks was so clear and it is no wonder that some fans thought the two actors, Dynevor and Page, were actually dating in real life. This set an astronomically high bar and currently, no relationship has been able to beat it.
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