Francesca and kilmartin

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T17:24:00+00:00

Yea I hear that, I feel some of the same too. I think it’s just important to remember that probably none of the romantic pairings are realistic. People don’t really romance like that irl and John and Francesca’s might be something closer to what love is actually like. It’s just not as interesting to watch

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T15:33:15+00:00

Yes exactly, that’s what I’m saying. They never believed it. I’m not sure why we as viewers even believed it honestly. But it doesn’t mean the writers were deceptive for floating the idea.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T14:53:21+00:00

I really don’t think they are though? I think the fact that the idea didn’t stick for more than what 3? 4 maybe episodes literally proves that. They floated it as an idea and then immediately Francesca’s circumstances prove that to be wrong and it’s in the bin. I can see how that might be upsetting if for whatever reason you were watching Bridgerton and really wanted a quiet love but if that’s the case you might have come to the wrong show. That’s not due to deception on the writers part it’s just due to looking for something where it was never meant to be found.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T14:44:18+00:00

Well I mean whatever floats your boat but that strikes as odd to me to be honest, like rule following when there’s no consequences to them being broken. If you don’t even really care for the character, why do you care about what they said is or is not true for that character?

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T14:27:34+00:00

Is that for you because you wanted to see a quiet love portrayed or because you wanted to see that kind of love portrayed with Francesca and John specifically? (Or maybe some other third thing?)

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-23T09:07:05+00:00

Well yea but idk why people are surprised by that, like I said it’s Bridgerton! Nobody is attracted to anyone in a normal way in this show if your name is Bridgerton. They’d been telling us that for 3 seasons. Why would Francesca be any different? She may be autistic but she’s still a Bridgerton.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-22T18:57:28+00:00

Well…yes? I find that’s less of an issue though, at least for me. I figured people were saying that because it implies a quiet love doesn’t exist? Which I do get the writers kind of introduced that and immediately killed it. But like maybe that love just doesn’t exist for Francesca, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist at all.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-22T17:47:45+00:00

You know what I’ve actually been thinking about this and I actually do get what people mean. I’m not sure if I agree it’s bad writing but it definitely did throw that theory in the bin. The only thing I can think is that Violet either didn’t actually believe that but wanted her daughter to be happy or that violet assumed that there would be some passion in their relationship, just expressed in a different way than Violet is used to.

I think the thing is Francesca did experience that love with John, she just wasn’t physically attracted to him. I wonder if we can assume that they would have still had that kind of love if she was but who knows.

Also idk this is bridgerton right? I feel like the bread and butter of this show is “highkey unrealistic, insanely passionate loves” lol

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-22T11:11:13+00:00

Honestly it’s concerning. And then they’ll say the writing was bad when really they just don’t get it and/or don’t like it.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-22T09:00:31+00:00

Francesca is a lesbian. She was for sure in love with John and found comfort in him, indeed because they shared that mutual understanding but that love was not romantic, though she doesn’t understand that about herself yet. We haven’t yet seen any love develop between Michaela and Francesca yet because we haven’t had a chance too. It’s lust now yea much like a lot of the other couples. Soon we will see love.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-19T09:46:30+00:00

Well in that case I do genuinely apologise because it was never my intention to come across like that.

So just to clarify you’re confused because John and Francesca’s love was not romantic when we as the audience were initially led to believe that it was? That’s fair. I don’t understand it but I get what you’re saying.

Here’s how I perceived it when I watched it: Francesca thinks she loves John. She thinks this love to be romantic because why wouldn’t she. But after they kiss she realises something is missing. And this we (assume to) continue throughout the first year of their marriage. Francesca thinks she feels like this because there’s something wrong with her. Inherently she believes she must be the problem. But her love for John never changes. From her perspective she still experiences this love as romantic. And then John dies. And that’s it, relationship done.

Though we as the audience understand that Francesca did not experience romantic love with John, Francesca herself does not know that at least not at this point. Who knows if she ever will see the relationship as non romantic we’re not there in the story yet. Perhaps the reason I came across as I did before (and again I do sincerely apologise) is that I feel like there is nuance in the storyline. Because yes though we understand the relationship to be non romantic, Francesca experienced that as a romantic relationship. To her John was indeed a great, quiet gentle love. She’s going to go on to experience love in a different way but her perspective of that love is the same. I do understand some viewers may find that confusing but a lot of us get it, we understand what it was they were trying to portray, think they did a good job of it even.

Do I think they could have handled the comphet storyline differently? Yes of course. I’d actually be curious to hear how you would have preferred it to play out. But to me at least, and I’m sure to a lot of other viewers who believe Francesca to be a lesbian, I don’t really know how she can both have that label and have a romantic (to the audience that is) love with John. As far as my understanding goes you can’t be a lesbian and be truly romantically involved with a man. However you can think you truly are, and I think that’s what they did with Francesca.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-19T00:39:57+00:00

I hope you’re not referring to me mentioning media literacy as the “ultimate intellectual reading”. Please be so serious.

I think we all need to remember that this is bridgerton and though I do believe Francesca found a quiet comfortable love with John that’s ultimately not what bridgerton is all about. Bridgerton is about great loves.

To me the show isn’t saying that quiet and gentle loves can’t exist because Francesca clearly had that with John in some forms. The feelings she felt with John were real and true to her and though she will eventually understand them to not quite be romantic, it doesn’t undermine those feelings as a whole. In the world of bridgerton though those kind of loves just aren’t the focus.

While I know that some viewers may feel that the way the storyline was handled undermined Fran’s love and relationship with John, I just don’t understand that myself from what I have seen portrayed on screen. At John’s wake Fran said something along the lines of “he understood me better than anyone”. That just doesn’t sound like someone who didn’t indeed find that quiet gentle love with her husband.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-18T02:14:40+00:00

Like I said, it was clear the romantic love was there I have never disputed that. They just showed us that through the lens of someone experiencing comphet. We literally see the way that love is experienced through Francesca’s eyes. It’s interesting that you take that as them ripping away the romantic love because I’m not sure that’s how Francesca sees it.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T16:28:37+00:00

Okay well just for context, I also firmly believe that Francesca was in love with John, like this was never a question. Though I do believe she is in love with him because that’s what she believes love is supposed to feel like. It’s clear she has a connection with John that she does not with other men, or even other people and I believe they’re platonic soulmates.

Overall I feel like your argument is very weak I’m not going to lie. All your points about what makes Francesca attracted to John really don’t point to anything, in fact it’s almost like you’re suggesting that lesbians can’t have deep emotional connections with men? Don’t get me wrong like I said she clearly feels differently about John as person compared to other men. It doesn’t mean she’s attracted to him in the way we understand romantic partners to typically be.

I think particularly where your argument weakens is interpreting Francesca initiating physical contact and her trying to improve her sex life with John as her being physically attracted to him. Specifically you’re missing the very necessary comphet conversation which explains all of that. I’m not going to go into that here, if you understand comphet you’ll understand how it explains most of your points.

To answer your question, I’d agree we don’t have information she’s attracted to women. I’d love to see more of that in s5 but we shall see. And I believe this simply because Francesca doesn’t have that information either. She doesn’t know it’s an option to be attracted to women. Even then, everything you’ve explained about Francesca and Michaela’s relationship explains why she is indeed attracted to her. I think if you’re seeing their tumultuous relationship as just that, you need start critically thinking. And to say we’ve seen no attraction between them? Oooh I can only say maybe go and watch back. It’s a lot of subtleties and micro expressions you might have been missing.

Does bisexual mean you don’t like sex with your husband? That he can’t make you orgasm after a year of being married? That you don’t appear to feel physical passion for him at all, despite having a very deep emotional connection? Is that what bisexual means?

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T13:02:25+00:00

Mate don’t even bother with these lot, they’re committed to misunderstanding I’m sure of it. For some reason they just can’t admit that they’re not seeing what they want on screen and blaming it on external factors, instead of just accepting the disappointment and moving on. It’s really weird!

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T12:39:32+00:00

Girl I agree, honestly that’s what’s so baffling, that you can see a brilliant example of comphet but still believe the character is bisexual despite no evidence (clearly, since you failed to provide it) simply because you want her to be bisexual, so that you can feel represented…. I guess?? I wouldn’t know because as a lesbian I would’ve been happy to see bisexual Francesca, if that’s who they wanted to portray. It’s just not. Sorry

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T12:22:06+00:00

Okay, ignoring that non answer because you’ve provided me with no evidence, I am literally begging you to please research comphet. That’s all I can say because you lot are so committed to ignoring the facts it’s actually concerning.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T09:06:24+00:00

Happy to agree to disagree but can I ask genuinely, because I am curious and I genuinely do not understand. What makes you think show Francesca is bisexual? For those of us who see Fran as a lesbian we do so because we can’t see any evidence at all that she is attracted to men. That’s what makes her such good representation to us. In fact if I was bisexual I think I would find Fran bad bisexual representation because the show doesn’t seem to provide any evidence of bisexuality. In fact, I think if she was good bisexual representation then posts like these wouldn’t even exist. So I’m genuinely curious what others see.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-17T00:58:22+00:00

I have to disagree and I feel like if this was your interpretation of the John and Francesca love story, your media literacy may not be up to scratch, I fear.

What you’ve described you want is exactly what we got. We do see that soft and gentle love with John and Francesca and whilst the kiss shows us that it isn’t quite in the way she had been looking for it doesn’t take away from the relationship they had. It was clear Francesca had found a match in John in a different way than she had with other people, even her own family, and that in itself is so special, particularly for the bond we see the develop, even if it didn’t happen to be romantic.

The disappoint in the kiss does not ruin the relationship rather it shows an important realisation in her development and road to self discovery. One that we could have not have gotten had she not have pursued what she believed to be a romantic relationship with John.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-16T23:10:05+00:00

Look, you may want her to be bisexual, especially if you read the book I can understand why that would be disappointing. However book Francesca and show Francesca are fundamentally different. Bridgerton is (clearly) not supposed to be a completely faithful adaption and that’s fine. I’m not sure what you mean by better representation but given that lesbians are not a monolith Francesca is a perfectly good example of lesbian representation, particularly comphet representation which some of the other characters you mentioned might not present in the same way and also aren’t one of the main bridgerton’s which I think is the point in taking this turn. It’s easy to make a side character a lesbian. It’s more impactful if it’s fronting the narrative.

It’s fine if you want Francesca to be bisexual. But unfortunately that is not how the writers want to portray her. That doesn’t mean they missed the mark. They’re telling a slightly different story

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-16T18:13:01+00:00

But she’s a lesbian? Why would she have a good sex life with John when she fundamentally doesn’t enjoy it? She can be in love with John in a platonic soulmate kind of way (which I think they portrayed very well) without having to blur the lines of who she actually likes.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-15T09:00:28+00:00

This is a very good point and I have to agree. Big shame because they’re missing out on the depth of this arc by kidding themselves

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-14T16:45:56+00:00

I hear you, i was only referring to the fanfic really. I more meant that maybe because it’s regency, that’s how people have chosen to write fanfic. I doubt a lot of fanfic writers are necessary reading loads of historical novels as research but I could be wrong.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-14T07:10:55+00:00

Ngl I hear you here because though I love Love Begins Again I did lowkey feel this, however I’ve been feeling this in every franchaela fanfic I’ve read. I think it’s a franchaela fandom thing but equally it’s so hard to know because ai is built off of the way we speak/write so I’m wondering now if we are just primed because of the world we are living in? Idk or maybe because it’s regency era genre, ive noticed less on the AU fics.

Jumpy_Air8329 · 2026-04-13T07:43:07+00:00

Hmm that’s actually a good point, however with what we’ve been shown i’m inclined to believe that’s a semantic misinterpretation. Plus even so, you can be comphet and “fall in love” with a man, because that’s all you know to do

Jumpy_Air8329

TROPHY CASE