Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha looking in the same direction wearing masquerade masks in Bridgerton Season 4, Episode 1.Image via Netflix
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Jasneet Singh
Published Feb 4, 2026, 8:20 PM EST
Jasneet Singh is a writer who finally has a platform to indulge in long rants about small moments on TV and film in overwhelming detail. With a literature background, she is drawn to the narrative aspect of cinema and will happily rave about her favorite characters. She is also waiting for the Ranger's Apprentice novels to be adapted... but the cycle of hope and disappointment every two years is getting too painful to bear.
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Editor's note: The below contains spoilers for Bridgerton Season 4 Part 1.
Romance is bursting out of every corner in Bridgerton Season 4, with more couples than ever appearing on-screen. Even as the season focuses on the budding Cinderella story between Benedict (Luke Thompson) and Sophie (Yerin Ha), couples from previous seasons still give us glimpses into their marriage. This season's romance also extends to the Bridgerton matriarch, whose blossoming garden has been teed up for quite some time now, after being introduced in the spin-off show Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. Giving Violet (Ruth Gemmell) a tantalizing affair of her own may seem like another excuse to shoehorn more romance into the show, but her storyline is more important than you may think.
Violet's "Tea" Scene Has a Deeper Meaning, According to 'Bridgerton's Showrunner
Ruth Gemmell as Violet and Daniel Francis as Anderson looking lovingly at each other in Bridgerton Season 4.Image via Netflix
During Bridgerton Season 3, Violet meets the handsome brother of her best friend, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), who immediately sweeps her off her feet with a delicate gesture: returning a handkerchief. Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis) has since won her heart through patience, compassion, and heated gazes across the room, leading to an utterly bold move on Violet's part. In Season 4, Episode 4, Violet invites Marcus over to tea, but the catch is... well, she puts it best: "I am the tea you are having." Laid gorgeously and vulnerably across her bed in light-blue Regency nightwear, she indulges in her desires with a fidgety confidence. She may preen and hesitate, but it is not due to fear or uncertainty about her choice; it is due to the unfamiliarity of accepting her urges that go against the status quo.
Bridgerton is not just trying to jam-pack another steamy scene into this season, but rather delivers a charged moment where a woman who has been defined by social roles her entire life finally chooses herself. In the words of showrunner Jess Brownell during an interview with Tudum, "It’s quietly radical. Violet is naming herself as a woman with desire and agency – not just a widow or a mother." After gaining the stamp of approval from Lady Danbury and being reassured by her housekeepers that life is meant to be lived, Violet makes a choice that is solely driven by her internal desires rather than social obligations, and the scene perfectly reflects that. It is equal parts sexuality and vulnerability, making it all the more powerful.
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At first glance, it does seem that Benedict and Sophie are the only radical couple in the season, as their inter-class romance defies social norms, but Violet's storyline is also subversive and "quietly radical" in its own right. As a widow and a mother, Violet is ascribed social expectations of remaining loyal to her late husband and focusing on her children's lives. However, her arc demonstrates that she can still uphold these roles, much to Benedict's and Eloise's (Claudia Jessie) chagrin, while still finding companionship. The couple's slow-burning and respectful courtship allowed Violet to navigate the confusion of feelings that contradicted the ideas of "one true love" and being "past her prime of sexual desire," while the "tea" scene is a cathartic symbol of freedom from societal pressures.
Intimacy in Bridgerton has generally been female-first and about sexual empowerment, but there’s something more resonant about it being with Violet. By delivering a mature romance in tandem with the younger generation, Bridgerton juxtaposes the star-crossed model it traditionally sticks to. There's a wonderful nuance in how larger-than-life the emotions are, where even a whirlwind, saga-worthy romance in your youth can be followed by an equally sensual second chance later in life. Most importantly, the rekindled urges are framed as something that deserves neither guilt nor shame. So, as Violet surrenders herself to her desires and takes the agency to act upon them, it is celebrated just as beautifully as her children's stories, while reaching deeper into the fears and uncertainties of passing time.
CL Report: Subscribe and never miss what matters
Dive into the world of entertainment with Collider, delivering the latest news, reviews, and exclusive updates from movies, TV, and pop culture Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.Bridgerton frequently impresses upon the fact that love can take many different forms, and in this pursuit, it delivers one of the most subtly potent romances this season. Growing in the background, Violet and Marcus allow lingering stares and palpable heartbeats to convey the war against social customs they are silently waging, finally crossing the line they cannot retreat behind in this season. So, yes, Violet’s relationship does contribute more romance, drama, and heart-racing sequences to the show, but it also offers empowerment, freedom, and hope.
Bridgerton
TV-MA
Drama
Romance
Release Date
December 22, 2020
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