The Spiciest Episodes in Every ‘Bridgerton’ Season So Far, from Polin to Benophie

“Bridgerton” knows how to bring the spice

Romance is back in a big way right now, as anyone on BookTok will tell you. But at the forefront of this movement is “Bridgerton,” the long-running book adaptation that’s taken over Netflix (and the occasional display stand at Target). “Bridgerton” is known for its spicy scenes, often paired with orchestral covers of popular songs from Taylor Swift and Pitbull.

So what are the spiciest episodes from this Regency-era phenomenon? Today I’m tasked with walking you through some of the show’s most salacious highlights. Even when some of those highlights are a little shadier than you’d expect.

Just a quick warning: like the rest of the articles in our “Spiciest…” series, this one is for adult audiences only, and isn’t very safe for work. Unless your work involves writing “Bridgerton” listicles. In that case, samesies!

With that out of the way, let’s begin.

Season 1: Daphne and Simon

Season 1, episode 5

Every romance reader is familiar with the genre’s biggest tropes. “There was only one bed” is a particular favorite, where a pair of sparring would-be lovers have to bunk down together, and end up reconciling due to the forced proximity. And since there’s a bed there — oh, would you look at that! So convenient for make-up activities.

That’s very similar to what happens in episode 5, when Daphne and Simon are travelling after their unusual marriage and have to stay at the same inn. In that famous line, “I burn for you,” the pair realize that their fake relationship (another trope!) is hiding real feelings. (At least, that’s what I think happened. It’s been six years, so most of my memory of this scene comes from the unlicensed TikTok musical.)

Season 1, episode 6

Unfortunately, things go downhill from there. This first season of “Bridgerton” is a bit controversial for the way it handled consent and sexual assault. So while the next episode after the inn scene does have a spicy sex montage set to Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams,” Daphne eventually ruins the mood by crossing Simon’s boundaries during sex in an attempt to get pregnant.

Many people have already criticized the way that the plot glosses over Daphne’s betrayal, even if her sex education was seriously lacking. The following seasons seemed to have learned an important lesson from the criticism: If you want to sell a “happily ever after” romance, maybe don’t have one lover assault the other.

Season 2: Anthony and Kate

Season 2, episode 3

Despite trying to woo her younger sister Edwina, Anthony first realizes how much Kate Sharma means to him when she has a near-death experience. At least, that’s how Anthony sees it. See, he’s still traumatized from the time a bee killed his very-allergic father in his family’s garden, so he has a panic attack and Kate has to calm him down. The couple have a very intense almost-kiss, and while it’s far from spicy in the traditional sense, it’s the perfect will-they-won’t-they yearning scene that Jane Austen fans love.

Season 2, episode 5

Since the Season 2 trope du jour is “enemies to lovers,” the pair spend a lot of time fighting, avoiding each other, and staring longingly before anything happens. But when Edwina’s marriage falls through and the main couple finally get together in episode 7, it’s in the Bridgerton garden that they once again share a passionate scene.

This time, instead of having a panic attack, Anthony fights with Kate, although his indignant words are kind of undercut by the way he keeps smelling her. Predictably, the pair end up having sex in the garden. (A bit scandalous for an age that forbade men and women to even be alone together, but It’s okay — they get married later!)

Season 3: Colin and Penelope

Season 3, episode 4

“Bridgerton” does have its fair share of death — shoutout to Anthony’s dad and his bee allergy once again — but most of it happens offscreen. No one dies during a spicy scene. This isn’t “Downton Abbey,” after all!

However, according to sex historian Dr. Esmé Louise James, who holds a PhD from the University of Melbourne, the most iconic “Polin” scene probably should have ended with much more gore. Apparently, Regency-era carriages weren’t designed with moving passengers in mind, and the couple’s passions would have completely tipped the whole thing over. Colin and Penelope would have experienced the “big death,” so to speak.

But this being “Bridgerton,” things are always a bit more sanitized than they’d be in real life. That means couples always get their happily ever after, and the worst we have to worry about is whether Colin ever washed his hands (shudder).

Season 4: Benedict and Sophie

Season 4, episode 4

Oh, Benedict. Sweet, stupid Benedict. This season played out a Cinderella-themed fairytale romance between the second Bridgerton son and a hardworking maid in disguise, and everything was perfect — until Benedict got the idea that he should ask Sophie to be his mistress.

Yes, as a nobleman he would never be allowed to marry a commoner… But like… so??? Read the room, Benny! This Season 4 scene went from steamy to bone-dry in an instant.

Season 4, episode 8

Yes, he makes up for it later, and gives Sophie a well-deserved, erotic bath. That’s the steamy and romantic moment fans had been waiting for, not a half-baked hallway confession.

Unfortunately, like the carriage scene, the reality is a little less magical. Sophie’s actress, Yerin Ha, got hives “all over her body” after filming in that tub for six hours straight. At least she got to use steroid cream afterwards — a Regency-era maid (or even a Bridgerton’s wife) would have had fewer options.

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