WARNING: Spoilers for Moxie and Bridgerton season 1.
Both Moxie and Bridgerton spotlight talented female writers, but only one of them inspires a positive change. Now streaming on Netflix, Amy Poehler's 2021 movie stars Hadley Robinson as Vivian, a 17-year-old student who creates a punk rock zine to expose the questionable behavior of classmates and peers. In contrast, Bridgerton's teenage character Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) uses "Lady Whistledown's Society Papers" to manipulate her perceived enemies, and even people within her inner circle. If both Netflix stories are meant to be progressive, then Moxie does Lady Whistledown much, much better than Bridgerton.
In Bridgerton, the Lady Whistledown reveal doesn't happen until the final episode, which of course gives new meaning to every Penelope scene throughout the series. To its credit, the Netflix series becomes immediately re-watchable, as Couglan's character mostly takes a backseat to young female characters like Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Eloise (Claudia Jessie), and certainly the Featherington cousin Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker). Lady Whistledown is even voiced by the iconic Julie Andrews, so - in terms of suspenseful storytelling - Bridgerton succeeds by establishing Penelope as somewhat of a naive side character, only to reveal her as the mastermind of a high society publication. But even though Lady Whistledown may be an intriguing voice in Bridgerton, her methods contrast with the progressive nature of the series.
Moxie is fundamentally about consequences and change, so Vivian's motivations are crucial for the central message. Rather than targeting her inner circle with self-serving judgments, she identifies core problems at Rockport High School and tackles them head-on. Whereas Penelope/Lady Whistledown schemes to expose the pregnancy of her cousin Marina (a new arrival in the Featherington household), Vivian proactively rallies against the misogynistic treatment of her classmate Lucy (Alycia Pascual-Peña), a new student. Robinson's character also doesn't tear down a popular girl like Kaitlynn Price (Sabrina Haskett), but rather defends her when she's banned from wearing tank tops for exposing too much skin. As for Penelope, she secretly trolls Daphne, who nearly suffers a mental breakdown because of all the stress. Lady Whistledown reinforces the system she wants to pull down, while Moxie's feminist character Vivian creates actual change in her community.
When breaking down the character arcs of Moxie's Vivian and Bridgerton's Penelope, it's important to factor in the narrative structure of both productions. The Netflix movie clocks in at 111 minutes, so it makes sense to inform the audience about Vivian's secret operation while following her experiences with the people she's hoping to inspire and/or change. With Bridgerton, it's a little more tricky because there's so much source material to adapt. Since the scope of production is grandiose, Netflix can take their time with Penelope's character arc, and theoretically show how she evolves from a scheming teenager into a mature young woman who understands the error of her ways. As it stands, though, the Lady Whistledown subplot in Bridgerton season 1 could turn away potential long-term viewers who are less than pleased with the conflicting thematic messages. The Netflix show wants to be progressive by underlining the agency of female characters, yet Lady Whistledown is a constant source of stress for numerous women, who thus become more reliant on men.
With Moxie, the Riot Girl messaging is clear from beginning to end. Vivian finds inspiration in her mother's zine, and the soundtrack complements her perspective and decision-making. Crucially, Robinson's character doesn't become obsessed with her power or the attention her publication receives, but rather tries to figure out the next steps without throwing anyone under the bus (at least within her inner circle). In Bridgerton, Penelope tries to shame Marina for getting pregnant and nearly ruins her life; in Moxie, Vivian takes a much different approach when dealing with popular girls, such as Josephine Langford's Emma - a young woman who was sexually assaulted and needs a support system. Ultimately, it's Lady Whistledown's deep insecurities that motivate her actions, and so hopefully she'll be inspired by a Vivian-like character in Bridgerton season 2; someone who can help her find inner strength and peace of mind.