While TV writer and producer Shonda Rhimes currently has a number of series on Netflix and ABC, her recent revelation that Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story season 2 might not be happening is actually a relief for the larger Bridgerton series. Since the 1990s, Shonda Rhimes has been a director, writer, producer, and creator of millions of notable television series. Her big break came in 2005 when she created her first show, Grey’s Anatomy, and now, 20 years later, she’s helming some of the most popular television series of the past two decades.
Rhimes began her Bridgerton journey in 2020, and the series has been steadily growing since then. There are two seasons of Bridgerton available to stream on Netflix, and Bridgerton season 3 is just a few weeks away from its premiere. Additionally, Rhimes has taken on Julia Quinn’s romantic world herself by creating a spin-off series in 2023 called Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. The series is a prequel to the main Bridgerton series, following the romance between a young Queen Charlotte and King George III. Rhimes recently noted that Queen Charlotte may not continue beyond its first season. In an interview with Variety, Shonda Rhimes was asked if Queen Charlotte season 2 would happen. Rhimes responded vaguely, saying that she was still trying to figure it out, but above all, she didn’t want to tell a story that didn’t need to be told. Ultimately, Rhimes’ answer was a huge relief for the Bridgerton series, and her fears were well-founded. While Queen Charlotte has been successful, it doesn’t necessarily have the same appeal as Bridgerton. It successfully explored the pasts of key Bridgerton characters, but ultimately, it told a complete story.
The biggest risk with Queen Charlotte season 2 is exactly what Rhimes says. If she creates an unrelated second season, audiences will be disappointed and time will be wasted. Specifically, time that could be used for the main Bridgerton series, which still has five more seasons left after Bridgerton season 3. Rhimes is smart when she says, “I don’t want to do a second season of ‘Queen Charlotte,’ and you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s not very good. ’” She’s better off focusing her efforts on Bridgerton instead of the spinoffs.
While another season of Queen Charlotte might be fun, since Bridgerton seems like a good thing, the reality is that there’s already a lot of Bridgerton scheduled. Bridgerton season 3 is scheduled to premiere in May and June 2024, and there will be five more seasons after that. Benedict, Eloise, Francesca, Gregory, and Hyacinth still need their own seasons. In that sense, spending time and effort on a second season of Queen Charlotte, which already had a solid ending, seems like a waste of time, especially when several of the Bridgerton siblings are waiting for their moment.
