When the news hit that Rege-Jean Paul was not returning for Season 2 of Bridgerton, several fans online said they refused to watch the show as a result.
This came as a shock to the show’s creator, Shonda Rhimes.
Rhimes, who also created shows like Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, and Station 19, said there is no reason that Paul’s character should return for Season 2.
As a matter of fact, this was the plan from the start.
Why Rege-Jean Paul returning to Bridgerton makes no sense
Most of the people angry that Rege-Jean Paul was not returning for Bridgerton Season 2 have likely never read the books or know anything about the franchise.
“I was really shocked because usually, that happens when I’ve killed off somebody that’s been around for a while,” Rhymes tells Vanity Fair. “Like, we didn’t kill him, he’s still alive! [Regé-Jean] is a powerful, amazing actor and that meant we did our job.”
Rhimes then said that the entire purpose of Bridgerton is to put together a new love story every season.
Anyone who wants Paul back for Season 2 doesn’t really know what they are asking for. Since each season is about finding a new romance, to bring back Paul is to take away his character’s happily-ever-after moment.
To keep Paul in the lead means either destroying the romance he found in Season 1 to add tension or changing what Bridgerton is about as a show.
“Given that every book [in the Bridgerton series] is a different romance. What would be the ever-after of this combo?” Rhimes asked. “I mean, really: What would Regé-Jean do, you know what I mean? We gave them their happily ever after! And now we have this next couple coming.”
Rege-Jean Paul only wanted to be on one season of Bridgerton
Also, fans who are threatening to boycott Bridgerton’s second season are not taking into account Rege-Jean Paul’s feelings.
Paul said the reason he signed up for Bridgerton was that it was only going to be a one-season role for him.
“It’s a one-season arc. It’s going to have a beginning, middle, end – give us a year,” Page told Variety. “That’s interesting because then it felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit, and then the Bridgerton family rolls on. One of the things that is different about this [romance] genre is that the audience knows the arc completes.”
It sounds like Rege-Jean Paul might also be confused at the fan anger since he never intended to play the role for more than one season anyway.
Bridgerton Season 2 is expected to hit Netflix in 2022.
The article is about Rege’-Jean Page not Rege’-Jean Paul.