What I’m Watching: Bridgerton

Bridgerton: Season 2, Episode 7 “Harmony” (B+)

Simply pretending that the biggest wedding of the season hadn’t been called off without a great explanation is an interesting strategy, and while we did get to watch the Bridgertons and the Sharmas dance together, which was fun, it didn’t end up working out too well. Part of that is that, rather than tell Eloise that she was in fact Lady Whistledown, Penelope chose to ruin her best friend’s reputation so that Queen Charlotte would forget the idea that she was actually the writer. It’s also going to have negative implications for Colin given that Portia endorsed Jack taking him on as an investor even though she had previously said the Bridgertons were off-limits. There were plenty of awkward moments in this episode with Anthony and Kate being way too close to each other, and now that Edwina knows about them, she’s rightfully kicking herself for not seeing how obvious their affection is for one another. They tried not to act on that but then shared a very passionate time out by Anthony’s father’s grave, which we got to see glimpses of in vivid flashes, but she was apparently so distressed and ashamed that she set out on what may have been a purposeful attempt to end her own life. I’m not sure this show would give us quite that much heartbreak, but I’m definitely curious to see how it all ends in the finale and whether Edwina will be able to find a happy ending if Kate and Anthony are able to be together.

Take Three: Haven

Haven: Season 1, Episode 3 “Harmony” (C+)

That’s three for three now on a different family member/spouse possessing a power than originally thought. Even though it’s a commonly used device on crime dramas, it’s becoming increasingly tiresome here (especially when I’m tuning into another Syfy show, “Warehouse 13,” which often plays out exactly the same way). This is by far the least intriguing and engaging of the three installments of this show that have aired thus far. Perhaps it’s that the music plotline doesn’t exactly resound as much as it should. Additionally, having one of the main characters fall prey to the mysterious spell cast by the husband’s music is a dangerous line to cross. In this case, seeing him rant and rave about how great it must be to feel pain isn’t nearly as compelling as the show seems to think it is. While I haven’t yet warmed to Audrey or decided against her, I’ve never been terribly intrigued by Nathan as a character. Duke doesn’t really cut it either, and what happened to all of the other townsfolk? Shouldn’t they be around to answer Audrey’s question about her mother, instead of having the only person with any information sail off into the distance? I’m not sure this show is going to cut it, unless it brings in some serious reinforcements in terms of regular characters and original plotlines that don’t involve obvious familial twists. I didn’t want to just drop off and stop reviewing this show, but if next week doesn’t thrill, don’t be surprised if you don’t see a review.