By Sarah Osman

This Netflix series is a wittier, sassier, Spanish version of Bridgerton.

Nadia de Santiago in The Lady’s Companion. Photo: Manuel Fernández Valdes/NETFLIX

My dear gentle readers:

If you are missing all the scandals in the “ton” (aka Bridgerton), allow me to introduce you to a new set of señors and señoritas who are committed to escándalo. Netflix recently released The Lady’s Companion, which, to this writer, is the wittier, sassier, Spanish version of Bridgerton.

The Lady’s Companion (aka Manual para Senoritas) follows crafty Ms. Elena Bianda (Nadia de Santiago), a successful chaperone who, through some crafty spy maneuvers, lands a job at the Mencia household. What is a chaperone, you ask? Well, back in the day (and it’s unclear exactly when The Lady’s Companion takes place, but my guess is the mid-1800s), young ladies of class were given a chaperone to advise them on which suitor to pick — and to ensure that they didn’t get into funny business with the selected proper suitor. Don Pedro Mencia has three daughters to marry off, so Ms. Bianda has guaranteed herself long-term employment.

The Mencia daughters are not your typical proper ladies. Eldest Cristina (Isa Montalban) enrolls in medical school; middle daughter Sara (Zoe Bonafonte) is determined to become a little too familiar with a suitor, and youngest Carlota (Iratxe Emparan, who is my personal favorite) is a 19th-century goth who wears only black and takes the entire family to seances. It’s refreshing to see the three daughters reflect the dichotomy of real life siblings (Cristina is definitely dealing with middle child syndrome) as they bicker and argue. And, while Carlota steals every scene she’s in, make no mistake: this is Ms. Bianda’s tale to tell. She put us on notice in the first scene by interrupting the male narrator. Her snide asides to the camera are reminiscent of another 1800s heroine: Anne Lister of Gentleman Jack. (Ms. Bianda is not gay but never fear: there is a fun lesbian romance between a different chaperone and her lady.)

In a way, The Lady’s Companion feels as though Gentleman Jack and Bridgerton were set in Madrid and fused together. The vibrant costumes, inspired by French Impressionism, are in fashion conversation with Bridgerton’s — each gown reflects a specific character’s predisposition. Level-headed Sara wears light blue, while chaotic and amour-smacked Cristina wears an array of reds and pinks. Modern tunes are integrated into the action from time to time, but they are not pop versions of classical music. The self-conscious character dynamics —  including asides that break the fourth wall — are more in line with the snarky Gentleman Jack. Yes, these ladies live in a man’s world, but they’re going to fight against the patriarchal current to live their best lives (unless, of course, you are a working stiff, a point Bridgerton fails to highlight).

As hot as the gentlemen of Bridgerton are, none come close to the swoonworthiness of Alvaro Mel, who plays Don Pedro’s godson, Santiago. A romantic writer working on an operetta, Santiago outrageously flirts with Ms. Bianda, batting his soulful eyes at her. He carries himself with a sultry swagger yet still somehow maintains a poetic shyness. His and Ms. Bianda’s chemistry is off-the-charts, rivaling any other Netflix romance of yore. If the only reason you watch Bridgerton is for its saucier plot, then you will adore Santiago.

As a very haphazard Spanish speaker, I recommend watching The Lady’s Companion with subtitles rather than dubbed in English. The latter often misses linguistic nuances; in fact, the English subtitles don’t often match up with the dialogue. This clumsiness is a consistent problem that afflicts Netflix’s international fare (looking at you, Squid Game). Alas, it doesn’t seem as if it will be fixed anytime soon.

If you’re ready for plenty of amor prohibido, give The Lady’s Companion a go. Disfrútenlo, mis queridas.

Sarah Mina Osman is based in Los Angeles. In addition to the Arts Fuse, her writing can be found in Huffington Post, Success Magazine, Matador Network, HelloGiggles, Business Insider, and WatchMojo. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of North Carolina Wilmington and is working on her first novel. She has a deep appreciation for sloths and tacos. You can keep up with her on Instagram @SarahMinaOsman and at Bluesky @sarahminaosman.bsky.social.