What Bridgerton Season 5 Means to Sapphic Fans

Recently, Bridgerton announced the leads for its highly-anticipated Season 5 — but things are set to be a little different this time around. This is because, for the first time, the main love story will be between two women, marking the show’s first sapphic romance. 

At the centre of this love story is the shy Francesca Bridgerton and the dynamic Michaela Stirling, whose relationship was first teased at the end of Season 3. 

From Brimsley and Reynolds to Benedict’s bisexuality, Bridgerton and its spinoff, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, have never shied away from representing queerness in the Regency era. But arguably, this announcement takes that representation to another level.

For most of the fandom, ‘Franchaela’ represents a groundbreaking step forward in championing lesbian relationships on mainstream TV. So, JustWatch approached sapphic Bridgerton fans to understand what this pop culture moment means to them.

Queer Bridgerton Fans React To Season 5 News

Mak describes the move as an “exciting moment for the queer community,” and tells us she was “elated” by the news. 

“Queer women are used to this uncommitted version of representation that we often see,” she explained. “We are the side characters, we get killed off, our shows get cancelled, we are a second thought. Knowing that a whole season of Bridgerton is being dedicated to a sapphic storyline feels like a big step forward for the community and for hardworking filmmakers who are constantly fighting for this representation.”

Similarly, Cassandra describes the decision by Bridgerton to centre queer women next season as “monumental, arguing that “something important” has shifted in light of this announcement.

“It's still all too rare to see queer people in general depicted onscreen, but with love and joy and romance, plus a happy ending? And that it's two women on one of the most popular series on the planet, one that isn't telling exclusively queer stories, is monumental,” she said.

“As a queer woman, to see Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza styled, promoted, and celebrated as these characters is healing something in me I don't think I knew was broken,” Cassie added.  “It's validating parts of my community and identity and reality that have been undervalued and dismissed by the larger media landscape. It had me in tears, joyfully celebrating the beautiful representation of queer women on my favourite show.”

In the past, tropes such as ‘bury your gays,’ which refers to TV shows and movies killing off queer characters, have dampened LGBTQ+ representation across film and TV. But it doesn’t look like Bridgerton is going down this route, which, for many fans, is a welcome change.

Subsequently, in a similar vein to both Mak and Cassie, fellow Bridgerton fan Vanessa praised the show for championing a “happy ending” for these two characters.

“We’re currently in a phase where LGBT+ relationships are still seen as a fetish and mostly focused on gay men,” she explained. “To see true yearning between two women, while also knowing that there will be a happy ending, is just comforting.”

Earlier this year, Bridgerton showrunner Jess Brownell teased that Eloise and Francesca’s stories were coming soon by wearing an embroidered handkerchief with their initials on it. "Both characters with the initials on my pocket squares will get Seasons in 5 and 6,” she said at the time. “In what order? I can't say."

In turn, many of us (including myself) assumed that Eloise is next — but for Katy, Francesca and Michaela’s turn in the spotlight isn’t just pertinent representation-wise, it also makes the most narrative sense.”I am excited about Season 5, and while I understand everyone is eager to see Eloise’s storyline, it doesn’t make sense to do it right now because — and not to spoil a 20-year-old book  — her man is still married to someone else,” Katy said. “So, why can’t we have some much-needed queer representation in the meantime?”

Bridgerton Fans React To The ‘Franchaela’ Discourse

To make this story happen, Bridgerton gender-bent the character Michael from Francesca’s book ‘When He Was Wicked.’ For some, this decision, along with Eloise’s story not beginning until Season 6, proved to be divisive, sparking fierce discourse that fragmented the Bridgerton fandom. 

“The negative discourse surrounding Francesca and Michaela’s relationship doesn’t sit right with me because where was this energy with Heated Rivalry?” Katy asks. “ It’s not like the show runners have shoehorned a WLW relationship into polite society — ‘female friendships’ were common. To me, it kinda seems like the discourse about Francesca and Michaela’s relationship seems deeper than disappointment about Eloise’s storyline.”

Regarding the gender-bending, Vanessa noted: “I understand that some fans of the show are still against the idea of Michaela instead of Michael, but honestly, we see so many hetero-normative relationships every day, and I do appreciate this new take on love.”

“I am bisexual but never had a lot of experience with women,” she added. “I feel like there is still a veil of mystery on what a loving relationship between two women can look like, and I am excited to see it in Bridgerton. Go Franchaela.”

Meanwhile, Mak said that while she has seen a lot of “negative discourse” surrounding this story, that doesn’t take away from its power. 

“All I have to say about that is that for every homophobe refusing to watch it, there are three queer people who will be tuning into Bridgerton, possibly for the first time, and supporting this story,” she told us. “We all deserve to see a piece of ourselves on screen. I’m excited to watch them bring this to life.”

Following an intense few days of discourse, the official Bridgerton Instagram shared an interview clip of lead actresses Hannah Dodd and Masali Baduza, wherein Dodd said: “Queer people exist, have always existed, and will always exist. So they deserve a love story just like everybody else.”

Despite this, the discourse has remained intense, with Cass describing it as feeling like a “battle.” She told JustWatch that the LGBTQ+ Bridgerton fandom is participating in a "coordinated effort” to “flood” comment sections with positive content, and sending “hopeful messages to each other to not get discouraged when the negativity seems overpoweringly strong.”

“It's been brutal, at times, to confront just how much hate there is, and sometimes even worse than the outright disgust that's easier to dismiss, has been the more subtle ways that WLW romance has been put down, dismissed, and vilified,” she said. “But the biggest ray of hope has been the others in this community who are finding joy and representation together, the true allies who are fighting and protecting their queer friends online and in reality, and the real discourse and discussion that is happening, albeit more subtly and harder to find than the loud arguments.”

“There is so much love and joy and gratitude in the community that a story that represents us is being told on such a scale. It's not the first, but it's certainly one of the biggest stages for a sapphic romance, and that means the world.”