Among all the disappointments that plagued Season Three, one of the most anticipated seasons of Netflix’s Bridgerton, one fact disappointed fans the most, the introduction of Michaela Sterling. While casual viewers may see no fault with this addition, book lovers have a serious bone to pick with Shondaland.
Bridgerton author Julia Quinn has recently made a statement, directly addressing the fan feelings of “disappointment” regarding a significant gender swap that occurred in season three, part two finale of the show.
Why Bridgerton Book Fans Are Displeased with Francesca’s Story in the Netflix Series by Shondaland
Book fans of the Bridgerton saga are now discussing Francesca’s storyline in the latest Netflix season three. It is no secret to Julia Quin‘s novel fans that Francesca who is newly introduced to the marriage market in the Netflix series has one of the most heartwrenching romantic tales, perhaps not just one but two.
As fans of the Netflix series now know, John Stirling, Earl of Kilmartin, is her first love. Two lovers of few words, they find love in each other’s silence and eventually marry. While this character didn’t get much screen time in the books, he is prominently featured this season on Netflix.
As the season progresses, Francesca appears to be in love with John, until Michaela is introduced as John Stirling’s cousin at the very end moments of the season finale, causing complications.
In the books, Michael Stirling is John’s cousin and later becomes the person Francesca falls in love with after John’s untimely death, just two years into their marriage. Despite this, Francesca and John Stirling shared a profoundly romantic love story.
However, the decision to change Michael to Michaela in the show raises concerns that Francesca might be portrayed as a lesbian, potentially undercutting her genuine bond with John Stirling. It’s also noteworthy that Francesca’s love for motherhood eventually led her to find love once more. This change has sparked considerable outrage among fans.
Julia Quinn’s Response to All the “Disappointment” Bridgerton Fans Are Experiencing
For the first time since the intense online discussions about Francesca, author Julia Quinn has decided to address the decisions made and the reasons behind them.
In a detailed post, Quinn acknowledged the emotions fans might be experiencing regarding the change, mentioning her initial reservations when showrunner Jess Brownell first proposed the idea. In an Instagram update, she expressed her thoughts by writing,
Anyone who has seen an interview with me from the past four years knows that I am deeply committed to the Bridgerton world becoming more diverse and inclusive as the stories move from book to screen. But switching the gender of a major character is a huge change, and so when Jess Brownell first approached me with the idea of turning Michael into Michaela for the show, I needed more information before conferring my agreement
She further explained,
I trust Shondaland’s vision for Bridgerton, but I wanted to be sure that we could remain true to the spirit of the book and of the characters. Jess and I talked for a long time about it. More than once. I made it clear that it was extremely important to me that Francesca’s abiding love for John be shown on screen. But I felt that if I didn’t show how deeply she loved John, and how deeply Michael, his cousin, also loved him, then their feelings of guilt at falling in love with each other after John’s death made no sense. I didn’t want to just tell the reader that they loved him. I wanted the reader to feel it
Julia Quinn assured fans that Francesca’s upcoming season in Bridgerton will be a heartwrenching experience unlike anything witnessed before, to which a Redditor wrote encapsulating all of the fan’s thoughts,
Do I think that Franchesca’s season is going to be gut-wrenching? Yes, but for all the wrong reasons, with most of the viewers feeling sympathy for John after he is betrayed by his wife and cousin, or after he was rapidly forgotten after his death, so F and M could rapidly move with their love story.
Overall, the response to the series has been blockbuster as usual. However, many viewers complained that there was too much going on, with too many threads to follow, which distracted them from the main storyline. Despite this, it was a good season overall.
Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix.
