Eagle-Eyed Viewers Spot Several Historical Mistakes in 'Bridgerton'

Ahh Bridgerton, Netflix's steamy new Regency-era drama getting us through the insanity that has been January, 2021. Yet even with all of the show's exquisite attention to detail, putting its actors through an 18-teens "bootcamp," subtly shifting the colors of Daphne's wardrobe as she settles into married life, and even its, erm, intimacy-coordinator choreographed love scenes, it seems the makers of Bridgerton may have left a few notable errors in the final cut -- two of which appear in the show's opening scene. Since the series' release last month, several eagle-eyed fans have spotted a few historical woes in the romance serial so egregious they make the Game of Thrones coffee cup look like a quasi-medieval King's chalice. 

The first error is almost impossible to miss, outlined in bright yellow paint -- the inclusion of modern traffic markers on what should be a Regency-era street. As our protagonists ride their buggies throughout the roads of London, en route to one of the year's finest social soirees, a bright line marks the street's curvature, a glaring time-period inaccuracy that rings false on several levels. Cars were not invented until around 1885 in Germany, nor were they popular in London until halfway through the following century, according to Insider. Furthermore, the lines themselves didn't help manage roads until the 1950s, more than a century after the show's setting. 

While these details are seemingly minor, to some fans, these snafus were enough of a turn off to prompt them to ditch the series entirely. "I couldn't get into Bridgerton. I got bored and the lighting bothered me, way too bright for a period drama," wrote Twitter user @laneplants. "Also spotting inaccuracies like double yellow lines on the road." Yikes. 

Anyways, speaking of the show's lighting, several other fans have caught yet another error in this opening scene -- the inclusion of what appears to be several electric street lamps.  Although the show's introductory sequence features some gas lamps, which were widely in use in Regency-era London, it seems a few vintage-inspired, albeit period inaccurate light fixtures snuck their way on screen, gracing our protagonists' 1813 time period a little too early -- about 65 years too early to be exact. While the gas-powered lighting, as seemingly depicted at other points in the show, was a common way of illuminating the early 19th century streets according to buildingconservation.com's materials on "Georgian and Victorian street lighting," it seems many of the lights depicted in the show's opening scene appear to be powered by electricity. First used in Paris, electric street lights didn't illuminate the streets of London until 1787. As Twitter user @CJPalmstrike put it, "Doc! Get the Delorean!

Lighting aside, several fans also claimed they saw a sign for U.K. chain retailer, Primark in the reflection of a window ...

... and even modern doorbells and newfangled plumbing equipment. Ugh.

But hey, what were we expecting from a show where our Regency stars rock out to old-timey covers of Ariana Grande? To paraphrase Daphne herself, rewatching Bridgerton, "it is you I cannot sacrifice" -- historical errors and all. 

For more internet nonsense, follow Carly on Instagram @HuntressThompson_ and on Twitter @TennesAnyone.