MOS E14: "Putting your children's names in alphabetical order"

Welcome to Moms Off Script, a podcast for moms who are just trying to figure it out. Join Mere and special guest, Alan, as they chat about the Bridgerton book series and speculate about the adaptation of Benedict's story for season 4 on Netflix.

CREDITS: Original content: Megg Abelein & Meredith Finch
Editing & Production: Megg Abelein & Meredith Finch
Set design, videography: Megg Abelein & Meredith Finch
Music: Matt Beebe
Photography: Michelle Montinieri
Graphic Design: Alexia Dulieu
Production Consultants: Nick DiVasta & Alan DiCicco

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

You had like a five book head start on me when you were like, you should read them. And then I started them, and I think we finished like around the same time. You just barely finished before me.

SPEAKER_01 0:33

You want to do this? I'm ready to do it. Woo! Cheers! Hey guys, I'm Meg. I'm Mare. And welcome back to another episode of Mom's Off Script.

SPEAKER_02 0:41

And Meg's off the hook tonight. Am I? You're gonna be dismissed after our little chit chat here.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

You've been demoted. Alan's been promoted. Okay. Well, my husband's gonna join Meredith on the podcast tonight.

SPEAKER_02 0:52

Meg, what are you guys gonna talk about? We're talking about Bridgerton.

unknown 0:55

Wow.

SPEAKER_02 0:55

Yeah, we're talking about the books. We're talking about the show. We're gonna be spoiler-free for everything that's already that that's not on Netflix yet. Okay. So if you've seen what's on Netflix, you can listen to everything.

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Did I I know you guys read the books together? Yeah. So my question was gonna be like, was that your first read or was that a reread? That was my first read. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:15

Yeah. So I'm very excited to get into it with Alan. Uh we're gonna have a lovely discussion, little little book chat, little book club. But before we do that, how are you? I'm good. I know I need to get some time with you before before I kick you out.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

Oh, I know. I'm good. I mean, I'm like just kind of really back in the swing of it. Like we've been in January for a month now, back in the routine of work. Kids are back in school, so just kind of grinding.

SPEAKER_02 1:39

Grinding. You know what it is though? It's that it's so freaking cold and it's been wet and it's just like January, like solidly January, solidly January. We have gotten to go skiing a couple times. That's so nice that you guys do that.

SPEAKER_01 1:49

My kids are really starting to enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 1:51

So we need to get on that. We've done as far as winter activities, we did some sledding recently with you guys. Oh, yeah, yeah. That was really fun. So fun. I was actually really surprised at how well my kids did with that. It was like a pretty big hill. It was a very big hill, but it was really fun. It just did about two passes and was like, I'm all set. No, my kids were all for it. Yeah. So we as far as winter activities, that's about all we've done. So I'm envious of your skiing escapades.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Well, if you guys ever want to come, it's pretty, it's pretty straightforward. So and it's very affordable at their age.

SPEAKER_02 2:19

Okay, fair. Yes. We have a lot of skiing background in my family. My mom's side of the family lived in upstate New York. Both my grandparents ski, like my grandmother still skis. My grandfather, who's passed away, ski for a very long time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 2:30

And they were like excellent skiers. I bet we've skied at the same resort. Yeah. Like your mom's. That doesn't surprise me. I mean the case. Um, she's from like Utica area, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. No, I'm just really trying to get my kids like introduced to the mountain. Yeah. Introduced to skiing. Like it does get expensive down the line. And it isn't like there's there's no great skiing near us, like within 15-20 minutes from us, but there is like a lot of decent skiing 30 to 70 minutes away. Do you and Alan both ski? I ski. Alan has snowboarded in the past. Um, but he's not like he doesn't love it. Okay. So I take the kids individually, like I take one and then kind of do our thing. Yeah, we've done a couple times where um like he'll come. We only have one set of k skis, but they do fit both our kids. Okay, nice. Um, so we don't rent skis every time we go, but he'll he's come with us and sat in the lodge and like hung out and did hot cocoa with one kid while I take the other kid on the bunny hill and then like vice versa. So we haven't graduated to the chairlift yet. Um my son That's a big step. My son is very excited to try the chairlift, but I've kind of set some parameters because I just I don't want to like scare him. Yeah. And wanted to be a good first experience. Yes. So, but he's very excited about it. So he has to like do seven or eight runs and then do the magic carpet by himself a couple times before I'll take him on the chairlift. But yeah.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

All right. So would you like to chairlift your way up and back to your house so that swap with Alan so he can we can chat Bridgerton tonight?

SPEAKER_01 4:02

Yeah, I'd love that. I'm gonna go home, watch my kids, hang out at home while he comes over and uh has a little chit-chat with you.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

All right, swap. See you at the end.

SPEAKER_01 4:09

All right, have fun. Bye.

SPEAKER_02 4:18

Hi, Alan. Hey, welcome to the podcast.

SPEAKER_05 4:20

I'm very excited to be on.

SPEAKER_02 4:21

I am thrilled to have you here. We are very excited to welcome Alan to the podcast. Alan is perhaps most well known for your role as husband of my beautiful co-host, Meg, and father to their two wonderful children. But Alan also works full-time as a software engineer, has a passion for robotics, fruit sculptures, and reading. Alan has been a supporter of Momsoft Script from the very beginning, and I'm so glad you're here with us today.

SPEAKER_05 4:42

Yeah, me too.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

This is gonna be such a fun episode because we are talking about Bridgerton today.

SPEAKER_05 4:47

One of my favorite topics.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

Me too, and obviously very trendy in light of the upcoming seasons. Before we dive into Bridgerton, though, let's back up because I mentioned that you have a love of reading. Meg and I have talked about my love of reading in the past. Like, have you always been a big reader? Did it like evolve over time in adulthood? Or like tell me how you became a reader and what your favorite genres to read are.

SPEAKER_05 5:06

Yeah. When I was younger, I I didn't really care for it. I I can't speak for like when I was like a toddler. I don't know if my parents like like I'm sure they read to me, but I don't know if I was like super into it or not.

SPEAKER_03 5:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 5:17

After toddler, whenever as far as back as I can remember, I was never really a big reader. Yeah. Um, I never took literature classes in school. I always like opted for the sciences and that kind of stuff. Okay. Bush tracks given your your eventual path in life. Yeah, it makes sense. Um but then I really got into it just kind of later in life, and I kind of found a passion just in um originally it was kind of in like sci-fi. Uh it kind of bridged the gap of like, all right, here's these nerdy things I'm into, plus literature, and it kind of brought the two things together um and was able to interest me into it. So I got in got into the sci-fi books, got some recommendations. I think like one of the first books that like really got me into reading was The Martian, which I know you read recently. Yes. And then it just kind of bridged it out from there. I got really into the romanticy uh side of things with uh with you and some of the other neighborhood uh um friends of ours that like got into those. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 6:04

Um we dragged you into with us, we dragged you into that world as soon as we found out you were reading.

SPEAKER_05 6:09

I think it was actually Caroline that was like the first one to actually like like recommend uh court of throne thorns and roses to me that got me hooked on it.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

And then I found out you were reading it and I almost like passed out. I was like, wait, what? You need to give me updates as you're reading it. So excited for you. I know I referenced um like Fourth Wing and Avatar on the podcast before I'm neck was like, I don't know what you're talking about. I was like, they do. Yeah, they know what I was what I'm talking about.

SPEAKER_04 6:29

I did for sure.

SPEAKER_02 6:30

I wondered what your like gateway drug was with the books. So it sounds like the Martian was kind of the first thing for you, and then got getting more into sci-fi and romanticy from there. When did you pick up Bridgerton?

SPEAKER_05 6:39

So Bridgerton actually came in. Um, me and me and Meg started watching the show.

SPEAKER_03 6:43

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 6:43

Um, got really into it there. And then I think it was after Aquatar. So I kind of had already gotten a taste of the romantic, and I was like, oh, this is actually kind of for me.

SPEAKER_03 6:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 6:52

Um, and then so I was naturally just kind of led into like, all right, I'm really into this into this Bridgerton show. I want more, but they're you know, the seasons are way out.

SPEAKER_02 7:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 7:01

So I decided to read the books, and that's kind of where I went from there.

SPEAKER_02 7:04

So I think it was Halloween, not Halloween of 2023, maybe, when you we were at our house for Halloween, and you mentioned, like, I'm reading Bridgerton, and I don't even think I realized that they were a book series. I'd obviously been watching the Netflix show, and you were like, I'm reading them. And I was like, wait, what? Yeah, you can't, they're books, and you were the one who got me hooked on it, and I plowed through them. Like, I think you had like a five-book head start on me when you were like, you should read them. And then I started them, and I think we finished like around the same time.

SPEAKER_05 7:31

Like I just barely read you.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

Let's dig into Bridge of Shame because I'm so excited for the upcoming season. Obviously, we've both read all the books, but we've only seen up through Penelope's story, right? Right. Yes. So we when we're talking today on the podcast, we will have spoilers for the released seasons of Netflix up through Penelope story, but we will not have spoilers for the upcoming season or any seasons that have not yet been on Netflix. So spoiler-free-ish of yeah, ish up till what Netflix has released. Yeah. So I think the first natural question I have to ask is what your you started with the show and then you went to the books, and then you I'm assuming you read some of the books before that season came out. What was your experience reading the book and then watching the season? And like what did you prefer?

SPEAKER_05 8:24

As far as like the first couple of books, I definitely prefer the show first. I'm that kind of person where like I like to kind of understand a world and like get that visual of it and like kind of have it constructed for me a little bit, and then read the books as like a supplement. So like I and that sometimes I do the opposite. I'll start with the books and then I'll like watch the movie or watch the show. But if I get into the show first, it like already kind of paints the picture in my mind. Yeah, it lets me sort of like go on a tangent from that.

SPEAKER_03 8:49

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 8:49

Um, which it makes it easier for me to like visualize and like get more attached to what I'm reading.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

So especially like a show like Bridgeton, where there's so many characters and it's such a visual world. It's like, you know, it's not just like our modern day. So being somewhere different, having that visual picture painted, like really can help you as you're reading, immerse yourself in that world.

SPEAKER_05 9:05

Right. Yeah, I think even so like when they came out with Colin's Season, or I I I liked it better that in the previous seasons I was able to watch the seasons and then read the book.

SPEAKER_02 9:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 9:15

Like I almost kind of wanted to like go back and read the book again after watching Colin's Season. Like I was like, what did that happen? Was it quite that way? Like I was trying to remember everything. So like I think I even went back and like read some of the like cliff notes and stuff on it just to like refresh myself on the book. Yeah. Try and pick out the differences.

SPEAKER_02 9:29

But do you do that? You go back and try and like notice those differences.

SPEAKER_05 9:32

Sometimes, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:33

I see, I feel like I am good at taking something for like the medium that it is. Like, I will read the book and enjoy the book, and then I'll watch the show and enjoy the show. And I'm not one to like pick apart, like, well, in the book, it was this, unless it's like a major plot point. Yeah. So, like the example I'll give you is the Lady Whistledown reveal, right? At the end of Penelope's season and the Netflix show, she has this like grand speech in front of the tawn at that ball where she like reveals her identity as Lady Whistledown, and this is a really dramatic moment. But in the books, Penelope's reveal is completely different, right? Like Colin kind of tells everybody what happened and it's it's not as it's she's more passive in the in the reveal. So for me, that was like a huge change. So that sticks out in my head, but something more subtle, like I'm not one to sit like sit there and pick it apart. Were there any differences that stuck out to you in a memorable way, or do you really just view them as two separate mediums?

SPEAKER_05 10:22

I think one of the major memorable ones was the queen. Yes. So like in the like having watched the show at first, I'm like, oh, when I read the books, like this queen's gonna be this huge character, she's gonna decide all the you know the diamond of the season and that kind of stuff. None of that was in the book. None of that, you're like, where's the queen? Yeah, the whole time I'm like reading, like, when's she gonna come in? Like just flipping through and like maybe she's in the second book, maybe she's in the third, and like nope, she just never shows up.

SPEAKER_02 10:43

Yeah, I I couldn't believe that either. And it's especially crazy considering now she has her own spinoff season. Did you watch The Queen Charlotte?

SPEAKER_05 10:49

I did not know.

SPEAKER_02 10:49

Did you? Yes, and it's so good. Yeah, yeah, you have to go watch it. It's a wonderful little standalone story. It was such a beautiful picture of mental health and love and like supporting someone through something difficult, and it gave Queen Charlotte's character so much more depth the next season. I think I think that one came out between two and three. Yeah, like after um Anthony's season, but before Colin.

SPEAKER_05 11:16

I think so, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

I just ate it right up. It was so good, and it was so it was very different from kind of the social. So it's like a love story? Yes. Okay, so it still kind of follows the Yeah, it's her love story, Queen Charlotte's with the king. Yeah. Their love story of how they fell in love and um, you know, his ailments and how she like helped him through his ailments and like where she is now. And it just gives you so much more appreciation for like what she went through and how she's now this just like regal presence that kind of overarches the whole show. And yeah, highly recommend you gotta watch it.

SPEAKER_05 11:49

Did it have like a I know like the other seasons in the books kind of have like a trope, like there's like the Cinderella story or like the um you know the love triangle story with like Anthony Anthony and like Abina and stuff. And is it did it have like a trope like that, or did it kind of stray from that and just sort of more tell a story?

SPEAKER_02 12:05

I'm trying to think if it if it was, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_05 12:09

Which kind of makes sense, like because like I feel like Julia Quinn's books were meant to like follow tropes, like she kind of designed them that way. But this is something outside of the books, so like I wouldn't necessarily need to do that.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

I don't think so. Maybe someone more well well read than me would be like, no, it's totally this. And I'd be like, oh well, yeah, okay. Maybe our viewers can uh yeah, someone can someone can let me know if I'm missing it, but I don't think it's based on a trope, but it's excellent, highly recommended. Oh, cool. What season of the show was your favorite so far? Because I know my answer to this like in a second.

SPEAKER_05 12:37

That fast, yeah. Mine was definitely Anthony's. Me too.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

Yeah, why was it your favorite?

SPEAKER_05 12:43

Um the tension. Yes. The tension in that story was unbelievable. Unbelievable. Even in the book, too, it was like phenomenal tension, tension, tension the whole time. You're just like yearning for them to for it to happen and it gets close and it comes back and it gets close and it comes back, and it's just like I love an enemies to lovers.

SPEAKER_02 12:59

Like nine times out of ten, I love an enemies to lovers. And Jonathan Bailey is amazing. Like, I had not seen him in anything before I saw him in Bridgerton, and I was like, who is this man? And then, you know, come to find out about him as an actor and him as a person, and then seeing him in Wicked and all these other things. And I've just, he's so incredibly talented as an actor. And watching his um range as an actor, as this, you know, like very masculine head of household in the Bridgerton family, into dancing through life in Wicked. I'm like, how is this the same man? It's amazing. So yeah, he's incredible to me. The other thing that was interesting about Anthony Season is that in the books, Edwina, it's very like a platonic thing. Like she doesn't really fall for him. And it's like he's just doing it out of duty, and she's like, okay, like, you know, he's a kind of a catch, so she's with it. But in the show, there's more of a love triangle dynamic because Edwina does kind of fall for them, for him, and he's he's not interested in her. He's very much like, I will marry you if I must. Right. Um, which adds to that enemies to lovers dynamic because you have Kate and Anthony doing what they're doing, and then you have Edwina, who's like also having feelings for him. So I just thought that added a nice layer to it. That was one of the changes I didn't mind from the books to the show because I think it added some complexity to the dynamic.

SPEAKER_05 14:11

Yeah. How did you feel though? So I felt like in the books, I always felt like Edwina kind of had Kate's back, like there was a really good bond of sisterhood there. She because she was so supportive. I feel like the it was kind of a trade-off because they like didn't have that bond because they had kind of had to be like against each other because they're fighting over the same man. Yeah. Do you feel like it was worth it? It was a good trade-off to like take that away and put you know to put the like the love triangle in?

SPEAKER_02 14:35

It that's a great point. I I do think it was worth it because I think it added to the tension. Like, like you said, I thought that was the best part of the season was that growing tension between them because when it finally ignited, it was just like, yes. So, like adding to that in any way, I thought really took it to the next level. But you make a good point because I think there's been other instances of the show taking some liberties with female relationships that took them from like very supportive and like you know, kind of ride or die loyal for each other and turned them into something a little bit more complex. Yeah. The example I'm thinking of is Eloise and Penelope. Right. So in the book, when Eloise finds out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, she's like surprised, but then like, damn, girl, go for you, like very impressed with her. And there's no element of betrayal versus in the show when she finds out it's like this horrible, like you've backstabbed and betrayed me moment. And that is one that I kind of struggle with. I I get why they did it because it made for very dramatic television, but I I I yearned for the supportive relationship that Eloise and Penelope had in the books. How did you feel about it?

SPEAKER_05 15:38

Yeah, no, I felt the same way. I I thought it was kind of unnecessary. Like it definitely like it adds to the drama, it makes it more interesting, but like it was already dramatic. Like it was already a big deal that Penn had to go through and reveal herself as Winston Town, and that um there was tension even with Colin because Colin didn't know. I think he probably I think he knew sooner in the books.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Colin knew first in the books before Eloise.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

Right.

SPEAKER_02 15:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 15:59

So like they already had the drama of like Colin not knowing, and how was he gonna react and how was he gonna like treat it? And was he gonna stand by Penn or was he gonna like cave into the to the tons and like wanna like fall into that and be like, no, we gotta shun what she's doing kind of thing. Right. So like they already had that drama. Did they really need to add the Eloise stuff in? Like Yeah. I don't know if it needed to be there. Like it would have been cool to have her as like her one person in her pocket to like keep her going through it.

SPEAKER_02 16:23

But it this is also reminding me of Cressida as a character who she's in the books, right? I can't remember. If she is, she's a relatively minor character. But in the show, she's another kind of female character who is like a little bit sharp and like causes trouble and like isn't like a model of like girl, I got your back kind of mentality. So now I'm trying to think about are there any relationships in the show that I think like exemplify like a strong, healthy female relationship? And what I'm thinking of is Lady Danbury and Violet, and how that how they kind of are there for each other through it. So I guess that's you get one, I suppose.

SPEAKER_05 16:58

But maybe the later seasons will find something to do as well, too.

SPEAKER_02 17:03

But yeah, for sure. Speaking of later seasons, thinking about the Queen Charlotte spinoff, do you think they would ever make a Violet spin-off?

SPEAKER_05 17:12

I wouldn't be surprised.

SPEAKER_02 17:13

Because she's got that little love romance going with that guy. Yeah, they're kind of setting it up.

SPEAKER_05 17:17

Yeah, uh, I forget his name too. It's Lady Danbury's like brother, cousin or cousin, someone relative.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

Yeah. Yeah, they're just setting that up.

SPEAKER_05 17:25

Yeah, and I think it makes sense too, because like one thing you gotta think about too is with how long it takes them to make a new season. The cast that they have is aging. And these these people are supposed to be fairly young when they're when this stuff is kind of going on, especially like Gregory and um Hyacinth, like need to be like they're gonna get pretty old by the time it's their season. And so they might try to start like combining some some some little the stories together into one season.

SPEAKER_04 17:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 17:50

Um, but with Violet, you don't have that issue. Like she's already, you know, a a fully grown woman. She can kind of have her own season. It doesn't have the weird optic that it would have for you know a 28-year-old hyacinth trying to like act as like a 16-year-old giving her first introduction to the season.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

But all right, Netflix, if you're watching, we want a violet season.

SPEAKER_05 18:08

Yeah, absolutely. Or violet spin-off. I would love that.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

There we go. So let's go beyond the seasons that have been released without any spoilers, thinking about the whole Bridgerton universe and all the books. So what is your ranking? Maybe let's go from least favorite to favorite. And let's come let's compare. What's your least favorite?

SPEAKER_05 18:33

My least favorite was actually Benedict's.

SPEAKER_02 18:35

Really? Yes. Okay, tell me why.

SPEAKER_05 18:38

Um I don't think it's too much of a spoiler, but it is kind of a Cinderella, it's a Cinderella trope.

SPEAKER_02 18:41

Yeah, we can say that.

SPEAKER_05 18:42

And I just thought it was like a little too predictable. Um, so like, you know, I kind of knew what was gonna happen. There was, you know, some kind of drama in it, um, but it was at the end of the day, like I kind of had already had it figured out. So like it wasn't just a it wasn't as exciting of a read for me.

SPEAKER_02 18:57

I I think that is a really good point, and I feel similarly, but I about a different season, which or about a different book, which was Collins, because I had already seen that season when I was reading it. So I knew where it was going, and I was like, ugh, I don't know. It didn't have the same dramatic reveal to me with you know everything that was going on. So I loved it. Don't get me wrong, there weren't any that I didn't like, but I would say for me, Collins was on the bottom.

SPEAKER_05 19:19

Yeah, that was my second from the bottom. I had Colin and Benedict.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Okay, so you had Benedict, then Colin. I have Colin, and then uh that's a tough one. I might have to say Daphne is my next one, even though I loved that season on Netflix, from a book perspective, it felt just like a little uh traditional, maybe is the word I'm looking for. I don't know. What's that trope supposed to be? Like the fake, the fort, the fake engagement. That's that's what it is.

SPEAKER_05 19:46

Yeah, like best friends to lovers kind of thing. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

So I was just like, okay, it was fine. Nothing, nothing earth-shattering. So I think I'd put her next. All right, so you've got Benedict Cullen, then then so it's kind of torn between the next two.

SPEAKER_05 20:00

I had kind of Gregory and Daphne um next. Um, I think probably Daphne would be my next on going bottom up. Same kind of reason. It was just like because it already it had already been a show and I'd already kind of seen it. And there wasn't too much different from the book to the show, so it wasn't like as exciting as a read. Yeah. Yeah, it was pretty faithful compared to some of the other ones. Um again, same kind of thing. I kind of already knew what was happening and what's coming. Um I did like some of the different aspects they kind of had in the book, which like uh and the one thing I really liked was that like Simon's part was a bit different to me. Like he um kind of had his stutter through the whole entire portion of it.

SPEAKER_03 20:33

I forgot about that.

SPEAKER_05 20:34

Yeah, and I remember like one of the key moments was like when the whole um scandal happened with him and Daphne, where like she kind of forced himself on her. Yeah, his stutter came back. Yeah. It was sort of like him like falling back into his childhood where like he didn't feel safe and he felt like um cast out by his father and stuff. And it like had this little of a like a like a it was like a trigger. Yeah, like a traumatic re relapse that happened. And I kind of liked how they tied that all together in the book.

SPEAKER_02 20:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 20:58

And I think they left it on the show. Like it he didn't he kind of got over his stutter. I don't even know if he had a stutter. Yeah, like was was much more minor.

SPEAKER_02 21:06

If it was, it was like yeah, a subtle plot point. So yeah. So you would say Daphne, and then did you say Gregory after that?

SPEAKER_05 21:11

Yeah, and then Gregory after that.

SPEAKER_02 21:12

See, I would put Gregory a little higher up, I think. I loved how his story started with the end. Yeah. So you knew where it was going, but I was like, how do we get here? Right? Like it was so dramatic. I loved knowing where we were going, but having no idea how we were gonna get there. And as I got closer and closer to the end, I was like, Where, how, how, how are we gonna get there? I'm so stressed. Like it was so good. I I really liked that one. So I think I would say Colin, Daphne, and then I'm gonna say Eloise. But now we're getting into ones I really liked. Like, you know what I mean? Like it's a really hard choice.

SPEAKER_03 21:40

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:40

I think I would say Eloise. I loved her story. I liked the how it was different, the that she was going to see this guy that she was it was so Eloise to just like take off to a guy that had been writing to her and he's got kids, she's gonna figure that out, dynamic. And then when the two when her brothers show up and they have that big conversation, that was like one of my favorite scenes. I was like, I cannot wait. To see this adapted because all those guys, I can just already see them slaying that scene. It's gonna be so great.

SPEAKER_05 22:06

One thing I really loved about Eloise's too is that like she's always kind of in the black sheep of the family. And I felt like her story was very black sheep. Like it wasn't like very romantic. It wasn't very like woo-y and like falling for you. And like it was very, it was a rough story. Like there was a lot of like turmoil in it. Yeah. And I thought that was very fitting for Eloise because like all her siblings have these beautiful, fanciful romantic stories, and hers was not. And it was very real and it was very raw. Yeah. And I thought it was it was it was cool and it was a good change of pace. So I had a little bit higher up on my completely agree with that take.

SPEAKER_02 22:36

Like it was so good. So then I would say, Eloise, you had Gregory next. I think I would, I think I might put Gregory next as well.

SPEAKER_05 22:43

It's a good middle metal line story.

SPEAKER_02 22:46

Okay, so who would you say next?

SPEAKER_05 22:48

Now I could start to get into my favorites.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

Yeah, these are like favorites.

SPEAKER_05 22:50

So I guess sorry, above Gregory, I had Eloise. And then above Eloise, um I had Anthony.

SPEAKER_02 22:56

Yeah, so I think I would put him next on my list too. So good. Loved that season for all the reasons we already said, or that book, I should say. Um for all the reasons we said. I just that means to lovers gets me every time. Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:07

And one of the things I really loved about his book was, I know we mentioned it about the show, but the tension, the tension in the book I felt was even more so.

SPEAKER_03 23:14

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 23:15

One thing I loved, and I think I mentioned this to you about Julia Quinn's writing, was that she would write from Kate's perspective.

SPEAKER_03 23:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:21

And you would just hear Kate's thoughts, and she'd be looking at Anthony and being like, you know, is he thinking this? Is he thinking that? And you're just sitting there on the edge of your seats like, switch over to Anthony or Anthony so I can know what he's thinking. Because like I like there's all these thoughts and this whole perspective that Kate has, and like, I just want you to go over to Anthony and so I can see what's in his mind and how he's feeling about the situation. But she would just like tease it like a carrot, like, I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it. But then she wouldn't, and like eventually she would, and you'd be like, Okay, that now I see what Anthony's doing. And I just love that. Like, not only was there tension in the scenes, but there was tension in the writing. Yes, the actual words that she was saying had so much tension because you were just hanging on this thought of okay, this is what Kate feels, but what does Anthony feel? Yeah, you need to know when it's coming that I know it's coming, but she would dangle it in front of you and you'd have to wait. And that was like one of my favorite things about that book.

SPEAKER_02 24:05

Totally agree. I think the tension that's built when you, as the reader, are in both heads, but they are obviously not on each other's heads, and you're like, come on, just figure it out.

SPEAKER_03 24:13

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 24:14

Yeah, I completely agree. I also love the dynamic in Anthony's story about the pressure he felt as the head of household and the you know, the the burden he seemed to feel on his shoulders once his father died to like step into that role and run the house and take care of his, you know, his mother and his all of his siblings, and the way he was able to like I don't want to say release some of that because he certainly was very protective and supportive of Kate, but like able to kind of let all that go when he was with her, and that contrast of like the very you know orderly and you know masculine Mr. Bridgeton to like being with her and being a little bit more like himself and like breathing a little more. I love when you can see a guy like let his guard down a little and like it was beautiful, it was beautiful.

SPEAKER_05 24:51

Chef's kiss, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 24:52

All right, so then that leaves who are we left with? We've got hyacinth, we've got Francesca. Yep, that's it, right?

SPEAKER_04 24:58

That's it for my list.

SPEAKER_02 24:58

Me too. Those are my top two for sure. But I don't know. I think oh I oh god, it's so hard to choose. I think I'm gonna say this Francesca Hyacinth's number one, but Francesca's second bonus chapter is my favorite of like anything Julia Quinn wrote. Like that chapter I could read like all day every day.

SPEAKER_05 25:18

Yeah, that one brought me to tears every day. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_02 25:19

And I know we're not doing spoilers, so we're not gonna say anything, but like yeah, I just sobbed through the end of that. It was so, so, so good. So I said Francesca Hyacinth, would you agree or would you flip them?

SPEAKER_05 25:31

I would flip them.

SPEAKER_02 25:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 25:32

Yeah, so Francesca has always been my top. And I think from the moment I read that book, I I knew before I even finished the other ones that that one was my favorite.

SPEAKER_02 25:38

Yeah, so good.

SPEAKER_05 25:40

Um, just the intensity of that book. I mean, it was just un unmatchable. Like every page I was hanging on an edge, just wondering what was gonna happen. Yes, the storytelling of it. I felt like it there was a trope there, but it was a trope that I wasn't too familiar with.

SPEAKER_03 25:53

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 25:53

Like I hadn't read many books that had that kind of trope that was in it. And this and the show is heading it up um as a little bit of a hint.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 25:59

Um, it was just a really like a really unique thing to me at the time when I was reading it. So not only was it like fun for me to read, it was just like I couldn't put it down super intense. Probably the book I read the fastest out of all the series for me.

SPEAKER_02 26:11

So I loved that Francesca, it's like she had this hidden side to her. Like you, as especially, you know, you she shows up in all the other books and you're like, okay, she's Francesca. And like she um in the shows, this is not a spoiler, because she's already married, right, to somebody in the show. So you're like, oh, she's all set. And so you kind of just think you're all good with her and you know her. And then when you get to her story and the way things evolve and who she grows to become and the relationship that she has and how what she discovers about herself in that relationship, is just such a wonderful deepening of a character who you kind of just think, like, oh, it's Francesca, whatever. And then you like really dig into who she is, and she digs into who she is. And I loved seeing her become like more confident and strong throughout that book.

SPEAKER_05 26:50

Yeah, her growth in that book was unbelievable. It was like just so cool to watch her go through this like yeah, huge, huge roller coaster of like of events that really like made force her to grow.

SPEAKER_02 27:01

Yeah, she definitely had the roughest road of the Bridgerton children. Yeah, she dealt with a lot of trauma, a lot of loss, and obviously they all did with the loss of their father, but I think she had a particularly traumatic path after even after that. So to see her go through that and you know evolve as a character. And again, no spoilers, but like these are these but you know, the romantic books end with happy endings. So like she gets there in the end. It's just like so satisfying to see that come to fruition.

SPEAKER_05 27:25

And I think what I loved about her book too was like, I forgot about this until just now, but it was so fast. It was like first chapter, second chapter, and you're like, whoa, whoa, that's a lot. Like you're right. It like hits you really fast, and you're like, okay, like what's the rest of this book gonna be about? Because that was a ton and like all.

SPEAKER_02 27:38

You are rocking and rolling. Yeah, so completely agree. Now, what about hyacinth's story?

SPEAKER_05 27:42

I mean, I'll let you go. It was your favorite book, so if you want to touch on it first.

SPEAKER_02 27:45

I loved a few things about this. One, I loved the like treasure hunt trope to it, right? That you like you said, they all have a trope. I loved the treasure hunt theme. I love just the uh dynamic between it's Gareth, right?

SPEAKER_03 27:59

Yeah, Gareth, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

The dynam the dynamic between Gareth and Hyacinth, I just thought was so fun. He's a little rebellious, she's a little mischievous, and you know, they're all going on this escapade, look, you know, looking for the treasure, right? I don't want to give anything away. And that dynamic between the two of them was just so fun for me to read. And I just thought Hyacinth was so sassy and so fun. She reminds me of my daughter. Like when I read it, I'm like, this is gonna be AJ. Like when she, you know, if AJ was in the taunt, she would be Hyacinth, like they're just the same person. So I just loved that dynamic between the two of them. And then the the again, the growth of that relationship. I would say the one thing there's an element of that story that is very similar to an element in Benedict's story. And again, I don't want to give everything away, but there's like a legitimacy question in both those stories. And I was a little bit annoyed that they were like, I was like, ah, we've already done this, you know. Like so that was the one thing I didn't like about it, but the rest of it I loved enough to put it at the top of my list.

SPEAKER_05 28:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

What about you?

SPEAKER_05 28:52

I really liked, and I feel like this is kind of a plug for your podcast a little bit. But I thought there was a really good motherly aspect to it where Violet had to face the fact that this was her last kid going into the season, and that was kind of like her transition from motherhood to like now being something else and like kind of being like a peer to these children that she's been raising.

SPEAKER_03 29:11

Yes.

SPEAKER_05 29:12

So there was like some really, really good um just developments for Violet in that story. And I remember there was one part that like I still get emotional thinking about it, where like Hyacinth kind of has a moment where she's questioning who she is, and Violet kind of steps in and she gives this really, really insightful like kind of talk with her where she's like, you know, I'm your mother, like I've I've known you your whole life and I know who you are. And like, yeah, though you might forget it and like feel different sometimes, like I know the person you are, and like really lifted her up in a way that I was like, like, just like it hit hit really like personal to me. Um, because I have a very supportive mother like that who like keeps me in check and reminds me of who I am at times. Shout out to my mom if she's listening.

SPEAKER_03 29:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 29:50

And I just love that in that story. Like, I thought there was a really, really cool bond with Violet and Hyacinth in that in that story that added layers to the to the story.

SPEAKER_02 29:58

A thousand percent agree. And I I love that part of the story. I've I've already talked about Violet and how much I love her. And I think that anytime she's in the story, she just adds that layer of complexity and depth and that mother role and watching how she navigates each of her children, but Hyacinth, especially as her last, was just so satisfying. And I know which scene you're talking about, and I I felt the same way reading it.

SPEAKER_03 30:17

It's like um Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_02 30:26

So the new season comes out January 29th. Obviously, we're excited to watch it. Are there any elements of the story that you're particularly excited to see adapted? Again, trying to keep it spoiler-free.

SPEAKER_05 30:36

Yeah, yeah. You know, I do love I love to see their take on it. You know, that's something that's always big for me. You know, they're they're not gonna retell the story. We already know that. They're gonna kind of change some elements. We've already kind of seen that with the casting, like they're really trying to kind of branch out and expand the casting a bit for Sophie's role and stuff, which is gonna be really cool. Um, I think there's a a lot of scenes where um they kind of go outside of um the the central kind of Bridgerton London area, and there's more that kind of happens on the peripherals. And I think that'll be kind of cool if they decide to kind of dip into that.

SPEAKER_03 31:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 31:04

One thing that I think is also interesting too is that Benedict kind of already has what I was gonna talk about that like didn't really exist in the story. Yes. So I'm kind of interested to see like how that's gonna factor in. Yeah. Because he sort of already has that, he's in sort of like a thruple even too with like another guy. So yeah. There's something already going on there. So I'm curious to see how they're gonna like either transition or blend that into the Sophie story. So um that's kind of what I'm looking forward to.

SPEAKER_02 31:25

Yeah, Benedict has been kind of painted as a little bit of a rogue, right? Like he he does drugs and he smokes and he's like kind of the you know, laissez-faire older brother that's not Anthony, so he doesn't have the same pressure, so he can do does what he wants. Like you said, with this little thruple relationship that he's got with these two people, they're like, you know, experimenting with all these fun things. So it's gonna be interesting to see the transition to Sophie as the love interest. One element that I'm excited to see them play with too is the class element, right? And again, not giving anything away, but we said Cinderella before, right? So Sophie is not of the same, you know, social strata as Benedict. Um, so I think that will be interesting to see how that dynamic plays out. I think the other thing I'm excited to see is the very beginning masquerade ball. I love a ball. I love all those scenes with the balls when everybody's dressed up, the costuming, the outfits, like I love all of that. And it's particularly Sophie's outfit at that very first ball. I can't wait to see how that all comes together. I think there's been some promo material that I've like glinced. I'm trying not to like spoil myself before it comes out, but I'm just like pumped for that very first like opening scene.

SPEAKER_05 32:25

Yeah, yeah, definitely for sure.

SPEAKER_02 32:32

All right, Alan, are you ready for the lightning round? I'm ready. This is a like mom's off script right of passage. So I'm gonna ask you a series of questions. You're gonna answer quickly off the cuff with your gut. These are your answers, not like speaking for anybody else. Here we go. Show or books?

SPEAKER_05 32:49

Books.

SPEAKER_02 32:50

Binge the season when it's all out or watch it as released.

SPEAKER_05 32:53

Watch it as released.

SPEAKER_02 32:54

Favorite Bridgerton kid.

SPEAKER_05 32:57

Including spouses or just Bridgerton. Just Bridgerton.

SPEAKER_02 33:01

Favorite Bridgerton spouse.

SPEAKER_05 33:02

Oh, there we go.

SPEAKER_02 33:03

Um, good one. Uh if you are at a ball in the tawn, are you a wallflower or a dancer?

SPEAKER_05 33:10

Dancer.

SPEAKER_02 33:12

Would you rather be a socialite participating in the season or house staff gossiping about it?

SPEAKER_05 33:17

Ooh, that's a tough one. I feel like house staff. I feel like it would be less stressful. I feel like that's high stress when I did it.

SPEAKER_02 33:23

Which season are you most looking forward to that's not released yet?

SPEAKER_05 33:26

Francesca's.

SPEAKER_02 33:28

What pop song do you want to hear in Benedict's season?

SPEAKER_05 33:30

It's a good one. Um I want to hear some of the new Taylor Swift.

SPEAKER_02 33:37

Yeah. Love it, you crushed it. Nice job.

SPEAKER_05 33:40

Not to flip the script on you, but I did make my own lightning round for you. Oh my god. If you're interested.

SPEAKER_02 33:46

I'm interested. Hang on. Okay. I just got sweaty.

unknown 33:50

I know.

SPEAKER_05 33:51

That was like it makes Meredith really nervous when you do these. So like she might not be in for it, but if she is, like, go for it. I'm always down.

SPEAKER_02 33:57

Okay. All right, I'm ready.

SPEAKER_05 33:58

All right, flipping the script, doing my own lightning round for you. My first, my first appearance on the on the on the podcast.

SPEAKER_02 34:04

Run the show already.

SPEAKER_05 34:06

Run the show already. My right of passions doing the lightning round. All right. If you were to have an old-timey British romance, who would it be with? Anthony, Simon, Colin, or Benedict?

SPEAKER_02 34:17

Oh, Anthony.

SPEAKER_05 34:18

Anthony. If you were to pick one Bridgetin sibling to have as your sibling, who would it be?

SPEAKER_02 34:23

Eloise.

SPEAKER_05 34:24

Violet or Lady Danbury as your in-law?

SPEAKER_02 34:27

Violet.

SPEAKER_05 34:28

Lady Featherington, is she a villain or is she just a misunderstood mom trying to do what she's doing?

SPEAKER_02 34:32

Oh, she is misunderstood. We didn't talk about her. I love her.

SPEAKER_05 34:35

Yeah, I know me too.

SPEAKER_02 34:36

I mean, she's terrible, but I love her.

SPEAKER_05 34:38

Putting your children's names in alphabetical order, yes or no?

unknown 34:41

No.

SPEAKER_05 34:44

Um, if you were to play Paul Mall, what would your mallet color be? Pink, blue, yellow, mustard, purple, green, or black? The mallet of death.

SPEAKER_03 34:52

Green.

SPEAKER_05 34:53

Green. Okay, thanks. We gotta we gotta figure out who um who's whose mallet is green because it each each person has I'm curious now. And then um, what song does the orchestra play at the climax of your love story?

SPEAKER_02 35:05

Um, um, probably like Bruno Mars or something. Like Uptown Funk.

SPEAKER_05 35:10

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 35:12

It was so good. I loved it. Ellen, thank you for being on the podcast. Yeah, that was so fun.

SPEAKER_05 35:18

That was amazing.

SPEAKER_02 35:19

Well, you're gonna have to do another one once the season is out and do like a reflection because that was so fun and I can't wait to talk about it.

SPEAKER_05 35:25

Yeah, whenever you want me back on, I'm more than happy.

SPEAKER_02 35:27

Fabulous. I'm there, gotta go. It was so good. Was it? I just had such a blast. So you've been replaced, and this is now mom and dad off script. Absolutely, mom, because you're not mom and dad together. A mom and a dad. Yeah. Well, we're the moms and script. You could so you could never be replaced. But it was very good. Alan was fantastic. We chatted all about Bridgerton books and series, and he is gonna have to come back to chat about it once the season is out. So we'll book him in our recording calendar.

SPEAKER_01 36:07

Fantastic. I'm really excited to watch this season with him and like chat with you alongside. So, yeah, hope everything went really well. Loved it. It was great. You want to wrap us up? Yeah, thanks for tuning in, everybody. Um, be sure to check out our socials, mom's off script on Instagram and TikTok, and um send us an email. Let's hear your favorite Bridgerton stories. Yeah. Um, who are your favorite Bridgerton couples, characters, what's your favorite book? Which um season of the show are you excited about? What mallet color would you choose? There you go. It's momsoffscript at gmail.com. So send them your way. We'd love to hear everything. All right. Bye.

SPEAKER_00 36:47

Moms Off Script is creative, designed, filmed, edited, and produced by Meg Everett. Music by Matthew.