â¶ï¸ A brash, cheerfully anachronistic hotchpotch of period drama tropes, Bridgerton is the first fruit of the substantial deal signed between Netflix and the American television drama producer Shonda Rhimes in 2017. This deal marked a break between Rhimes and ABC, for whom she made the hugely successful dramas Greyâs Anatomy (2005-), Private Practice (2007-13) and Scandal (2012-18). Along with the defection of Ryan Murphy (Nip/Tuck, Glee) from Fox to Netflix the following year, the Rhimes deal evidenced the streamerâs scorched-earth approach to taking over TV. Creator and showrunner duties fall here to Rhimesâs collaborator on her ABC hits, Chris Van Dusen; source material is a book series by the best-selling American romance novelist Julie Quinn. Quinn anatomised, in cod-Austen style, the social, romantic and sexual growing pains of the eight Bridgerton siblings, who are coming of age in London in the early 19th century. Their exploits in and around the debutante market are observed and waspishly recorded by a mysterious newspaper columnist known as Lady Whistledown.