Like most people, I heard from social media about a fantastic new show on Netflix that was a Gossip Girl inspired piece that takes place in old-timey England. As a Gossip Girl lover and all things Shondaland, I knew I had to watch the first episode. After the first five minutes, I was hooked.

This eight-part series is about Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), the oldest Bridgerton daughter who begins her journey as a young girl looking for her husband in a very competitive market. After being donned the ‘it girl’ by the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel), Daphne is sure that men will be crawling over her to ask for her hand in marriage, but her oldest brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) has other plans. No man is good enough for his baby sister. To save herself from being married off to Nigel (Jamie Beamish), the oldest and grossest bachelor, she creates a plan with a Duke named Simon (Regé-Jean Page), who doesn’t want to be married but wants to fend off the families that want him to marry their daughters. Daphne and Simon vow to pretend to like each other so that Daphne doesn’t have to marry Nigel, and Simon can get a break from all the families seeking his proposal. While Daphne is on her journey to find a husband, a gossip columnist appears, Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), who somehow knows everything about everyone.

Not only is the drama so exciting to watch as it unfolds, but the costumes are gorgeous. Set in what is thought to be 1800s England, the dresses and suits the characters wear are incredible. Costume designer Ellen Mirojnick made 7500 costume pieces for the series and is known for her work on The Greatest Showman, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and Let Them All Talk. She stated that this had been her most challenging job yet.

One of the things I enjoyed was that the director, Chris Van Deusen, cast a racially diverse set of actors. The Queen, notably the most powerful character, is Black, and so is the main love interest, Simon. While it may not be entirely historically accurate, it is the kind of representation people have been yearning for.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series; it’s fast-paced and drama-filled. As for a second season, there’s no news yet, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.