Summary
Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Storyoffered a tantalizing glimpse into the lives of the political players who shapeBridgerton’s world, with one 30-year-old movie demonstrating how their stories can be continued. Queen Charlotte was, in many ways, an exemplar of how to create a prequel series to a popular TV show. Centering on otherwise supporting characters likeQueen Charlotte herself and Lady Danbury, the story was a beautifully detailed evocation of the early years of Charlotte’s reign. However, such was the story’s success that many fans are eager for more content focusing on these characters – with one movie providing the perfect template.
Using an ingenioussplit timeline,Queen Charlotteexplored the monarch’s struggles in the present to secure a future for her dynasty, while also delving back into the past to reveal more of her history with her husband, George. In the process, the show revealed how the pressures of power can manifest, and some of the tragedies that shaped Charlotte’s haughty yet fragileBridgertoncharacter. And yet, despite the show’s many revelations, some questions remained unanswered. Fortunately, should producers wish to delve back into Charlotte’s story in more detail, one movie demonstrates the best approach.
The Madness Of King George Is The Perfect Queen Charlotte Sequel
The Movie Was Critically Acclaimed On Release
Released in 1994,The Madness of King Georgeis in many ways the original version ofBridgerton’s story. Although it features none of the show’s original characters or colorblind casting, it does provide a missing piece of theBridgertonjigsaw, addressingwhat happened to the show’s mysterious monarch, King George III. As a result of this focus, the movie is not only a fascinating companion piece to the mainBridgertonseries, but also an inadvertent sequel to theQueen Charlottespinoff.
The Madness of King Georgeis available to rent on Apple TV+.
Whereas much ofQueen Charlotte’s action revolves around the early years of George and Charlotte’s marriage,The Madness of King Georgecenters on a period not covered by eitherQueen CharlotteorBridgerton. Set during the Regency Crisis of 1788-89,the movie is a powerful exploration of the king’s crippling and mysterious condition– now believed by many scholars to have been porphyria. As inQueen Charlotte, George III and Charlotte are major characters in the movie. However, because of its setting (nearly 20 years after the show and beforeBridgerton) it arguably traces the perfect story outline for the nextBridgertonspinoff to follow.
The Madness Of King George Explores Charlotte And George’s Relationship In Greater Detail
It Builds On Queen Charlotte’s Biggest Strengths
One of the most successful aspects ofQueen Charlottewas the way the show used the heartache Charlotte experienced to reveal more about the character audiences were already familiar with fromBridgerton. As the story unfolded, it became clear thather pain at George’s suffering made it necessary for her to put up wallspreventing anyone from getting too close – even her own children. This excavation ofCharlotte and George’s relationshiptherefore enhanced the whole of theBridgertonfranchise.
The Madness of King Georgeprovides even more detail on this front. AlthoughQueen Charlottedidn’t shy away from revealing howGeorge III’s health problemshad huge ramifications – both personally and politically – the movie is even more uncompromising. The story reveals how George’s condition not only Charlotte (in this instanceplayed by an Oscar-nominated Helen Mirren) but also their children – particularly the Prince Regent.
Just as inQueen Charlotte, Charlotte and George’s relationship is pivotal toThe Madness of King George. However, the focus on the Regency Crisis, andhow Prince George came to become regentfollowing his father’s incapacitation, reveals new depths to their dynamic. One particularly heartbreaking scene even reveals thatthe Prince Regent was behind some of George III’s most draconian treatments, forcibly separating his mother and father so that he might assume power. It’s a storyline that provides a completely new perspective on the characters inBridgertonandQueen Charlotte– something another spinoff could repeat.
The Madness Of King George Provides Some Important Bridgerton Background
It’s A More Accurate Historical Portrayal Of A Fascinating Period
The Madness of King George’s Regency Crisis plot is not just interesting for the way it furthers Charlotte and George’s story, but also because it provides some much-needed context for the rest ofBridgerton’s drama. Understandably, given the focus of the show,most of the action centers around individual drama without delving too deeply into the political complexities of the era. However, because of this approach, there remains a sense of mystery around how the fictionalized version ofBridgerton’s Britain actually operates, what Charlotte’s role is, and what goes on outside the insulated world of the Ton.
Instead of making Charlotte’s obsession seem frivolous, the revelation that her own son has essentially assumed control makes things much more fraught emotionally, adding further depth to her character.
With its distinctly political slant,The Madness of King Georgeprovides some insight into this missing aspect of the mainBridgertonstory. The movie’s depiction of Prince George, for example, explains the hugely consequential political struggles overshadowingBridgerton’s preoccupation with the season’s “Diamond”. Instead of making Charlotte’s obsession seem frivolous, the revelation that her own son has essentially assumed control makes things much more fraught emotionally, adding further depth to her character. Exploring this storyline would enhance the wholeBridgertonstory – just as the firstQueen Charlottesequel has done.
Bridgerton Season 4 Has A Major Queen Charlotte Problem (Unless King George Returns)
Bridgerton season 3 solved a major Queen Charlotte mystery, but in doing so, left a significant problem that the spinoff series needs to solve.
The Madness Of King George Is Very Different From Bridgerton And Queen Charlotte
Its Style Might Not Be Suited To Another Spinoff
There’s no doubt that the contents of the story told inThe Madness of King Georgewould greatly benefit theBridgertonuniverse. However, although the narrative is in many ways a natural extension ofQueen Charlotte’s, there are some important differences that could prove problematic. The two productions, for example, have very different core concerns. WhereBridgertonrevolves around individual romance, sexual chemistry, and society gossip,The Madness of King Georgehas an intensely political focus– with the battle between politicians William Pitt the Younger and James Fox a major subplot.
Politics do come into play in the world ofBridgerton– particularly inQueen Charlotte’s story. However, whereThe Madness of King GeorgeandeveryBridgertonseriesdiffer is in their depiction of Regency Britain.The Madness of KingGeorgeignoresBridgerton’s daring colorblind casting, adopting a more traditional approach to the characters. It is also much more true to life, taking less liberties with the facts. As a result, it wouldn’t make sense forBridgerton’s version of the story to follow the movie exactly.
The show has already proven how its approach can breathe new life into historic drama, and radical casting decisions have certainly made no impact on the potency of the series' stories.
However, in some ways, the clear distinctions between the show’s production and the 1994 movie makeThe Madness of King George’s story even more suitable for incorporation into theBridgertonuniverse. The show has already proven how its approach can breathe new life into historic drama, and radical casting decisions have certainly made no impact on the potency of the series' stories. As a result, there would be a clear distinction between a secondQueen Charlotteseries on the subject and the original film – creating an intriguing possibility for showrunner Shonda Rhimes and co.
