Bridgerton will return for season 2 without Regé-Jean Page, who played the delightfully rakish, yet romantic, Duke of Hastings. Many fans of Simon and Daphne were distraught to hear that the British actor would leave the show following season 1. Though season 1 scored high marks from both critics and audiences, concerns were raised that the show couldn't survive without its leading man. However, despite these legitimate concerns, the future is still bright for Bridgerton in the post-Duke world.
Page had undeniable chemistry with co-star Phoebe Dynevor, and proved himself able to capture audience's attention with the Regency-style romance reaching record-breaking viewers for Netflix. But soon after the show's release, the actor announced that he would not be returning for season 2. Many fans of the show, especially those who were unfamiliar with the Julia Quinn novels that are the basis of the show, were devastated by the news of Page's departure, assuming the worst.
Fortunately, audiences - and more importantly fans of romance novels in general - should realize that the Duke's search for love had ended - given the medium. In the romance genre of novels, a story usually ends when the so-called "happily-ever-after" begins. Though it happened only in the last episode of season 1, the Hastings couple definitely had achieved their happy ending. Well-read romance-lovers will recognize the formula that Quinn - and later the Shondaland crew - used, and while romance novels have often gotten a bad reputation, there is no doubt that the genre is extremely successful. Quinn's books have been bestsellers for twenty years, and each book focuses on the love life of a different Bridgerton sibling. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen and EP Shonda Rhimes never intended for Page to return for season 2, as they were planning to follow the tried-and-true romance formula. Bridgerton season 2 will be based on The Viscount Who Loved Me, focusing on Daphne's brother, Anthony, and his love-interest, Kate Sharma. Adhering to this recipe for success proves that the series can both survive and thrive in Simon's absence.
While Bridgerton season 1 did vary slightly from its source material, in that it introduced many of the supporting characters more thoroughly than the first book, that change has actually made Page's exit even more survivable. Viewers are already invested in Anthony's love life and Penelope Featherington is a heartbreaking mystery wrapped in a bubbly package. These changes mean that future storylines will be easier to slip into, allowing Daphne and Simon's story to slide into the background. By acknowledging and embracing the true genre of the source material, Bridgerton has done something new and fresh in television. Viewers who accept that format will be handsomely rewarded with many more happily-ever-afters.
And while Regé-Jean Page has left the show as a regular and Phoebe Dynevor has signed only to guest-star, with reportedly 2-5 appearances per season, there is always the possibility of a Simon cameo appearance in the future. And viewers can assume that tidbits about the couple will be learned through dialogue, letters home, and of course, Lady Whistledown's salacious reports. Though the focus of each season will move on to a different Bridgerton, the heart of the family and the guiding principal of romance as a genre - the happily ever after - will continue to live on.