The first part of Season 4 is now available, and viewers are excited to finally see Benedict Bridgerton’s story take center stage. This season follows his romance with the intriguing Sophie Baek (played by Yerrin Ha), and is based on the third book in Julia Quinn’s series, An Offer From a Gentleman.
This season of Bridgerton draws inspiration from classic fairytales, specifically resembling a Cinderella story with the budding romance between Benedict and Sophie. Beyond their charming first encounter, the show explores how social status and wealth affect their intense attraction. As with previous seasons, this adaptation of Julia Quinn’s novels takes some creative liberties.
Colin and Penelope Were Not Married
Fans know the Bridgerton series on Netflix doesn’t follow the book order exactly. The show moved Colin and Penelope’s romance forward and delayed Benedict’s storyline. Because of this, in the book An Offer From a Gentleman, Colin is still single and traveling. The show, however, jumps ahead to Colin and Penelope being married with a child. We also see Francesca married to Lord Kilmartin and struggling in her marriage, a storyline that happens much earlier in the show than in the books.
By the time Benedict’s romantic storyline began in Season 4 of Bridgerton, there was more pressure on him to marry, especially from Violet and society, because he was older than Colin, who had already gotten married the season before. The world around Benedict had largely settled down, with most of his peers married or partnered. Interestingly, in the books, both Francesca and Colin were still unmarried at this point.
Benedict’s Search For the Lady In Silver Was Much Longer
After being captivated by the mysterious woman in silver at the masquerade ball, Benedict began his pursuit of her. However, the way his search unfolded differed between the book and the show. In the show, he enlisted the help of Penelope and Eloise, attending seven balls hoping to find the woman who had captured his attention. This search likely lasted only a few months before he ultimately gave up.
As a viewer, one of the biggest changes I noticed between the book and the show was how Benedict approached finding the Lady in Silver. In the novel, he confided in Violet pretty early on, but the show held that reveal back, which cleverly delayed the discovery of the Penwood crest hidden in Sophie’s glove. It’s interesting because the book establishes that Benedict spent almost two years searching before giving up and retreating to the countryside. This detail is key, and it’s why some fans have criticized him for not immediately recognizing Sophie when he saved her – the lengthy search in the book justifies his initial blindness, a nuance the show takes a bit longer to establish.
Sophie Baek’s Last Name Was Originally Sophie Beckett
Although Bridgerton is inspired by Julia Quinn’s novels, the show deviates from the books in significant ways. For example, while the series maintains traditional gender roles, it introduces characters of different races and social classes than those featured in the original stories. This trend continued in Season 4, where a character’s background was altered from the book version.
The character originally named Sophie Beckett in the books is now Sophie Baek in the show, with a Korean heritage and an Asian father. Other names were also updated – her stepmother Araminta Gunningworth became Araminta Gun, and her friends Posy and Rosamund received new names as well. While some book fans might not agree with these changes, they represent a positive move towards greater diversity in television. The world created in the Netflix series is inclusive, inspiring, and truly enjoyable to watch.
Sophie Was Not Given the Shoe Clips By Posy
In the book, Sophie’s exit from Penwood House was much more intense and chaotic. Araminta was significantly more aggressive, physically preventing Sophie from leaving by locking her in a closet and even slapping her during their confrontation. Afterward, Sophie took Araminta’s shoe clips and some money, intending to sell them and start a new life in the countryside.
A small but significant change in the Bridgerton story reveals that Sophie didn’t steal the shoe clips – her kinder stepsister, Posy, secretly gave them to her to prevent her from becoming completely broke. This exchange becomes important later on, as Araminta uses the clips to further manipulate and embarrass Sophie. While this makes Sophie appear innocent, it might have felt more believable if she’d acted to protect herself, considering the harsh realities of Regency-era society.
The Scene at Philip Cavender’s Home Went Down Differently
After Araminta kicked me out, I ended up working as a maid in the countryside at Philip Cavender’s place. That’s where Benedict actually found me, though things were… complicated. You see, another maid named Hazel was in a really dangerous situation – Cavender and his friends were practically attacking her – and I jumped in to help. That’s when Cavender started paying attention to me, and thankfully, Benedict stepped in to save me from him.
In the book An Offer From a Gentleman, Sophie was the target of unwanted attention from several men, including Cavender, who was deliberately harassing her along with three others. Benedict intervened when he noticed the situation, checked if Sophie needed help, and then took her away. Viewers are curious about why this scene differs from the show and hope for answers when the second part of Bridgerton Season 4 is released.
Benedict’s Offer to Sophie Took Place Earlier
Benedict’s proposal for Sophie to become his mistress was presented differently in the novel. While they grew close at My Cottage and shared a passionate kiss after a period of intense attraction, he asked her to be his mistress before they returned to London. The book also details how Benedict offered Sophie a job working for his mother, hoping to persuade her to accept his offer.
I’ve always found Benedict’s pursuit of Sophie in An Offer From a Gentleman fascinating. He was so sure of himself with his proposals, but she kept rejecting him, and it was heartbreaking because she wouldn’t explain why. She was terrified of repeating her mother’s fate and becoming a mistress, but she kept that to herself. He just couldn’t understand why anyone would choose hardship and work as a maid over a comfortable life, and honestly, he didn’t know her story. The way he finally cornered her about it, bringing her to London with the promise of work and then dropping the big question when they were alone on the stairs at Bridgerton House… it was a really intense moment!
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2026-02-03 02:09