Bridgerton is a Netflix series produced by Shonda Rhimes. It is based on the novels of Julia Quinn. The pitch is “Jane Austen meets Gossip Girl.” A busy premiere introduces us to two large families, their adversaries and their love interests. The principal players include:

• Lady Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke of Hastings – filling the Elizabeth and Darcy roles.
• Lady Marina Thompson and Lady Violet Featherington – playing Cinderella and her jealous Stepmother.
• Anthony Bridgerton – Daphne’s rakish older brother, providing conflict and eye candy.
• Lady Whistledown – A gossip columnist voiced by Julie Andrews.

The overstuffed pilot does not allow the actors to make an impression beyond their archetypes. However flashes of sex, violence and contemporary pop songs suggest that the mold will be broken soon. I’ll be watching this over the holiday weekend and encourage others to share their spoilery thoughts below.

A warning. There were some triggering elements in the novels. I do not yet know how they will be handled in the series.