5 Reasons Single Women Can’t Relate to Bridget Jones’s Dating Life in 2026 (3 of 3)

4. Smug married friends vs. Smug married friends with Instagram Stories

Bridget’s world blessed us with one of the most poignant concepts in history—the “smug marrieds. “If you’re in your late twenties or thirties, there’s a very high chance that half of your friends still want to party like it’s 1999, while the other half are discussing diaper-changing tips and showing you hundreds of photos of their “cute” newborn child. Babies are not cute, people. Stop gaslighting us.

Back in the early 2000s, the smugness primarily occurred in person, allowing you to endure it a few times a year and continue living normally. Today, your married friends and parent friends can be annoying online, too. Why would you not want to sit through weekly baby updates, holiday photos, and cringe slideshows, right?

5. Post-date notes in toilet stalls vs. group chats that know everything

Bridget had her besties Jude, Shazzer, and Tom to talk to, as well as emergency phone calls and bathroom breakdowns that needed to be experienced and understood. Modern singles have access to all of that, but now these interactions occur instantly in group chats, complete with photos and emojis.

It is now considered rude not to spill the post-date tea to your inner circle, complete with screenshots of texts, voice notes, and sometimes even photos of his unmentionables. After analyzing whether the “Heyy girl” had too many or not enough y’s, someone will always say, “Don’t reply,” while the others will try to convince you which emoji would make you look less desperate. Nobody is ever normal today.