If you've seen Bridgerton, then you might know that one of the things that fans were abuzz about was the use of the bumblebee motif.
Not only is a bee present in the first shot of the Bridgerton home, but a bee flying away is one of the final shots of the entire season.
The bee pops up in the books*, but within the scope of the TV show, creator Chris Van Dusen tweeted that it was an "important symbol" within the series:
This bumblebee is a very important symbol & thematic element for us. Yes it’s cute but it’s also backstory, history, HIERARCHY. Queens & drones. (There’s an essay in here somewhere.) 🐝🐝🐝 #Bridgerton #LiveTweet
BOOK SPOILER: In the novels, Edmund Bridgerton dies from a bee sting, so there's a ton of symbolism there — particularly regarding Anthony Bridgerton's role in the family.
Well, ahead of the show's Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Ensemble Series, we spoke to Luke Newton — aka Colin Bridgerton — about Easter eggs in the show, and he mentioned that fateful bee.
"On a personal level, in our costumes, there's so much attention to detail that you just wouldn't even realize," Luke told BuzzFeed.
"The symbol of the Bridgerton family is the bumblebee, and there's tiny little bumblebees on our waistcoats that you wouldn't even notice."
As it turns out, some people have already noticed the bumblebee motif on the Bridgertons' clothing — namely on Benedict’s collar:
And Eloise's hair:
Naturally, Luke's revelation sent me on a journey that led to the next slightly unhinged segment, which I will call, "Is This a Bee?"
Take this fine waistcoat in Episode 6: Is that a bee????
Or this shot of the Bridgerton bros: To bee or not???
How about this waistcoat in the finale? BEE?!?!?!
Regardless of whether or not my screencaps are correct, Luke added, "There's definitely a lot more going on than you would first see when you watch it for the first time. So basically I'm saying, watch it again and again and again."
