Could Bridgerton run into a problem with the gender swap?

Changes happen when it comes to book-to-screen adaptations. That’s certainly the case with Bridgerton.

Some changes make sense. They could be due to time constraints in the TV version or due to creative reasons that don’t affect too much of the overall story. Then there are changes that have major knock-on effects.

One of those changes comes at the end of Bridgerton Season 3. Francesca has moved to Scotland with her husband John. While there, she met John’s cousin, Michaela. In the books, she meets Michael Stirling, and this gender swap will have a huge impact on the overall story.

Francesca can’t marry Michaela Stirling in Bridgerton

In the books, Francesca’s story takes place in the fifth book. We follow her through her marriage to John and then becoming a widow. It takes time, but she ends up in the love affair with Michael Stirling, John’s cousin who is in love with her.

Of course, as all these books end with a happy ending, we find out that Francesca and Michael end up together. They are accepted by both Michael’s mother and John’s mother.

This simply can’t happen with the gender swap. This is 1815 England, a time when homosexuality is against the law. There isn’t a chance that Francesca and Michaela could ever get married. That doesn’t stop some sort of love affair, but it can’t be serious to the point that they are together in public.

Michaela can’t follow all of Michael’s storyline

There is much more to Michael’s storyline. Michael ends up going to India. He inherits John’s home and title as the next male in line. That wouldn’t happen with Michael now being Michaela.

The series has written itself in a way that fans won’t get the full story from the fifth book. That will be disappointing to many.

However, this is a great turn to bring more inclusivity and diversity to the screens. We get another potential interracial couple, which happens to be a lesbian couple at the same time. Or maybe a queer couple, as Francesca is clearly interested in John as well. Could John allow for an unconventional marriage to make his wife and cousin happy? This is what I’m excited to see in Bridgerton Season 4.