Queen Charlotte is way better than the original and there are 5 good reasons for that

In the ranking of the most watched Netflix series, the historical romance series Bridgerton is at the top. And while Season 3 is still a long way off, fans can delve even deeper into the world of the fictional Regency era with the spin-off series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, which launches on May 4th.

The new Bridgerton series created by Shonda Rhimes sheds light on the present and past of the British monarch with the extravagant wigs over six episodes and on two time levels. The Netflix offshoot achieves the impossible: Queen Charlotte is even better than the original.

Why Bridgerton fans shouldn’t miss this mini-series highlight? Here you will find 5 reasons Queen Charlotte is superior to the Netflix hit.

1. Queen Charlotte is more than just another fairytale romance with a happy ending

The heart or jewel of Queen Charlotte is, of course, the central romance between 17-year-old Sophie Charlotte zu Mecklenburg-Strelitz (India Ria Amarteifio) and her husband George III (Corey Mylchreest). In contrast to the fictional love stories from Bridgerton, this one is very (very) loosely based on historical events and is anything but a picture book romance.

Right at the beginning, Charlotte’s dream of becoming a princess fizzles out. In the palace she has to comply with strict regulations and her new husband is conspicuous by his absence most of the time. Your marriage is complicated. Passion only comes on even days when the royal couple must fulfill their duty of wild sex to produce an heir to the throne.

In fact, they have genuine feelings for each other. But there is a big secret between them that Charlotte must not find out. Namely, the mental illness of the young king. We know from the beginning, both from history and from Bridgerton itself, that it no ultimate happy ending for Charlotte and George gives. Nevertheless, the plot is surprising and less predictable in direct comparison than the first two Bridgerton seasons.

Queen Charlotte is much more than just another kitsch romance. It’s a touching story about romantic and platonic love that goes far beyond desire and sex. Right up to the bittersweet finale with tears guaranteed. Instead of warming your heart, Queen Charlotte ends up ripping it out instead.

2. Queen Charlotte creates complex characters from Bridgerton minor characters

With Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) and Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), the spin-off focuses on three characters who never received the same attention as the hot young lovers in Bridgerton. As women who never got their happy ending, they were relegated to commentators who use gossip to judge the younger generation.

The spin-off finally gives them a chance to shine and expands the characters with exciting new facets. The new series gives the eccentric queen a tangible identity. She becomes a real person whose behavior and pain we can understand. This applies to all returning characters without exception.

In the past, we get to know young Agatha Danbury (Arsema Thomas) for the first time, who, unlike the queen, is stuck in a loveless marriage of convenience. Her tragicomic experiences add new levels to her later friendship with Violet Bridgerton and make her more approachable for us. In six episodes we learn more about these two women than Bridgerton did in two seasons.

3. Queen Charlotte makes sense of the diverse Bridgerton world

The Netflix hit Bridgerton’s story takes place in an alternate world where Regency-era London is characterized by a diverse and inclusive society. Status and class know no skin color here. For the actual plot, however, this hardly plays a role and was never explained in a meaningful way, apart from hints.

Queen Charlotte finally provides answers and tells how this diverse society came about in the first place. So King George is deliberately married to a young black woman. It is the “Great Experiment,” an attempt to unite the people.

The topic of racism also plays a role for the first time in Bridgerton’s world. Because the transition phase, until people of different skin colors can dance together at the first ball of the season, is associated with a number of obstacles and resistance.

Particularly exciting is the character of Lady Danbury, who not only has to fight for her own status, but also that of other newly ennobled people of color. Typical of Bridgerton, of course, through clever manipulation and power games with the scheming Queen Mother Augusta (Michelle “Catelyn Stark” Fairley).

4. Queen Charlotte really has something important to tell

Queen Charlotte has everything that Bridgerton fans love: pompous costumes, risqué scandals, criminally attractive people and a fantastic soundtrack. Especially on a narrative level, the spin-off is much more profound than the rather shallow parent series.

On the one hand, there is the greater drop due to the new palace setting. Here, it’s not just a family’s reputation that is at stake when love fails. The fate of an entire kingdom hangs on the success of Charlotte and George’s marriage.

The depth of content sets Queen Charlotte apart from Bridgerton even more. This is how topics like Racism, misogyny and the pressure to have children, intertwined with the plot in an interesting way. This gives the series a certain tragedy, but thanks to the well-known wit and charm (and bare skin) it is never boring.

The harrowing highlight of the series is the negotiation of George’s mental illness. When the king has to endure cruel therapy methods, it becomes clear that no shallow palace romance is being told here. Unlike Bridgerton, Queen Charlotte really has a story to tell.

5. Queer people are also allowed to love in Queen Charlotte

Some fans were disappointed that Bridgerton, despite its diverse series world, failed on one point: Queer people were pretty much non-existent in the first 2 seasons. This was particularly noticeable when compared to other series produced by Shonda Rhimes such as Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder or Scandal. Queen Charlotte corrects this omission.

Parallel to the relationship between Charlotte and George, the series tells the complicated love story of two male characters. This is not only essential for the course of the plot and the development of several characters, but also brings finally queer passion with real feelings and hot sex into the Bridgerton universe – without ignoring the historical context of the series.

Queen Charlotte with 6 episodes available now on Netflix.

More:

Queen Charlotte and more: The 20 best series starts in May on Netflix & Co.

Need more fresh streaming tips? You can find the most exciting series that you can stream on Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+ and more in May here in the monthly preview:

We have checked the long starting lists of the streaming services and present you the 20 big highlights of the month in the Moviepilot podcast stream trawl. Featuring dystopian sci-fi hotspot Silo, Netflix action starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and acclaimed western drama 1923.