We all know Bridgerton is gorgeous to look at, from the scenery to the house porn to the costumes to the pretty, pretty actors. And yes, Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma are a supernova of lust and longing who rightfully took center stage in Season Two.
But too often overlooked is Anthony’s other relationship arc–the one he shares with Kate’s dog, Newton.
Newton is a Corgi, and he is definitely a very, very good boy, yes he is. And like all dogs, he can immediately suss out an asshole. His first meeting with Anthony does not go well.
Anthony is determined to win over both Kate and her dog, so he tries his level best to woo Newton. The most perfect scene in the entire season, for my money, is this one. Alone in the hallway, unseen by all, Anthony has decided to take his shot at seducing Newton.
If you have a dog, or know anything about dogs, you are aware that making this face at a dog is the way to get 75% of dogdom to love you and play with you and shed all over your clothes. They don’t need words, dogs just know. They can read our facial expressions like they have a PhD in human from the minute they’re born.
Newton, though, is Kate’s dog, and that means he’s as exacting and judgmental as his person, and he shares her high standards. Newton will not be swayed by a goofy smile and wide eyes. He growls at such pandering. (Not enough to pick up his head, though, because pandering doesn’t deserve that level of respect or disruption of comfortable napping.)
No, it won’t be that easy to win over a discerning dog like Newton.
Sadly, we don’t see how Anthony does it (secret snacks under the table? long walks on the estate grounds? belly rubs by a roaring stone fireplace?), but by episode 7, Newton is his. Running into a room filled with sexual tension, Newton heads straight for Anthony. A little yip, an affectionate hello jump onto Anthony’s lap–I mean, not all the way onto his lap, because Corgis can’t jump that high, have you seen their legs?–shows us that somehow Anthony has won over the most challenging family member. Once the dog loves him, can it be long before Kate does, too?
And finally, the happy ending. The family is playing pall-mall, which I’ve never heard of but seems to be croquet for rich people. There are mallets, and wickets, and most importantly balls. At the perfect moment (because dogs have excellent comic timing), Newton dashes in, grabs the ball, and runs off into the sunset, leaving Anthony to impotently scold his bad behavior like a sitcom husband. But we–and Newton–know the truth. Anthony is his now. They love each other. It doesn’t matter how much Anthony grumbles, Newton gets to keep the ball.
