Bridgerton season 3 is here!
My plan was to leisurely watch one episode a week over the month between the first episodes dropping and the June 13 arrival of the final four episodes. Instead, I devoured all the available episodes in one night and have been soothing myself with Bridgerton thirst memes while I wait for the finale.
Anyone else counting down the days?
In the meantime, I’ve been rewatching the series, yet again. I liked season 3 of Bridgerton on my first watch, but I adored it when I took a second look, for five reasons.
#1 The show is better than the book
Past seasons of Bridgerton have taken liberties with the side characters of Julia Quinn’s series, but the main romance storylines have hewed fairly closely to the original, even when we wished they hadn’t. Season 3 features Colin Bridgerton falling for his longtime friend, bookish, socially awkward Penelope Featheringon.
In the book Romancing Mr Bridgerton, Penelope catches Colin’s attention after she loses weight and is wearing more fashionable clothing. She is still “curvy” but after four books of waiting for Colin to notice Penelope’s gigantic crush on him, I was not impressed that Colin Bridgerton couldn’t see what Penelope had to offer until she physically altered herself.
People of all shapes and sizes deserve love. It was hard for me to respect book-Colin for not noticing Penelope sooner, and I hated that it took weight loss for other people to treat Penelope with respect or interest. Bridgerton Season 3 jettisons the weight loss storyline, proving how it was unnecessary in the first place.
As I said in our review of Bridgerton season 1, I’m tired of historical stories that can imagine a world without racism, but not one without the same tired fatphobia. Romancing Mr Bridgerton has always been a bittersweet book for me, and I spent my first watch of season 3 on tenterhooks waiting to see if a diet-a-thon appeared. On my rewatch I could relax and enjoy the romance without worrying I’d want to punch Colin in the face.
#2 Penelope Featherington is my new crush
Something I love about being bisexual is playing the Bridgerton crush lottery where I try to guess which character I will have a crush on each season. Season 1 was Simon, Duke of Hastings. Season 2 was a polyamorous sandwich with Anthony and Kate. And this season is all Penelope, all the time.
Penelope has always been one of my favorite characters in Bridgerton. She loves novels despite being critiqued for reading too much; she’s bullied by her family and the ton but ultimately finds a way to parlay her social invisibility into a secret social power.
I would like to say that my love for Penelope in season 3 of Bridgerton is because of the character’s mind but that would be a lie. My mouth fell open every time Nicola Coughlan appeared on screen looking luminous.
May I recommend the scene where Penelope nonchalantly eats cake while Colin stares at her like he’s starving.
#3 Consent is sexy
Bridgerton Season 3 has some solid sex scenes, and the first appears in episode 4 of season 3. Colin and Penelope get busy in a moving carriage after he finally admits his feelings. Should you need to know exactly when the scene appears, for, ahem, research purposes, I suggest searching “carriage scene” on social media for the many reaction videos.
Throughout the season, Colin always asks for permission before he touches Penelope, and I loved seeing how consent was scorchingly integrated into the carriage sex scene.
#4 The redemption of a mean girl
Lady Cressida is the nemesis of many of the Bridgerton girls during the book series. In the first two seasons of Bridgerton, Cressida is jealous, conniving, and highly visible with her enormous puffed sleeves and gravity-defying hair reminiscent of the 1990s.
The newest season of Bridgeron deviates from the books, showing us a more nuanced portrayal of Cressida after she befriends Eloise Bridgerton and divulges some of the reasons behind her desperate behavior in the marriage mart. I appreciate the shift away from a one-dimensional bully, and I’m excited to see how Cressida’s storyline plays out in the second half of the season.
#5 Colin gets a smackdown
Non-romance fans sometimes claim romance readers are attracted to the genre because of the “unrealistic” fantasy of attentive heroes who are nothing like reality. But my favorite romance fantasy is actually watching young women in their 20s unapologetically smack down the people in their lives who are trying to control and constrain them.
At the beginning of season 3 of Bridgerton, Colin has a big hole to dig himself out of before he and Penelope can start their love story. Season two ended with Colin cluelessly unaware when Penelope overhears him announce to a group of laughing pals that he would never court her.
As a reformed people pleaser in her forties, I often fantasize about going back in a time machine and verbally eviscerating the various mansplainers who stunned me into silence in my early twenties. Reading romances is perhaps the closest I’m going to get to that pleasure. There’s something deeply cathartic about seeing the self-confidence of a 40-year-old inserted into the body of a 20-year-old.
This is part of the reason, perhaps, that Penelope’s long-awaited dressing down of Colin Bridgerton was so delicious. It’s short, but satisfying, and is followed by many scenes of a tortured Colin pining after Penelope. The actor who plays Colin is very pretty, and he is exceptionally talented at looking longingly at his co-star.
But the real wish fulfillment for me in season three of Bridgerton is watching Penelope Featherington merge her privately strong and publicly meek personalities. The wallflower finally steps off the wall and learns her own worth.
Are you watching Bridgerton? Are you excited for part two of Season 3?
Yes to all of this! Especially the Nicola Coughlan/Penelope Featherington crush. I think one of the things that helped me understand my bisexuality better is when I started to think about what characters I ship and why. Lots of times in a M/F ships that I’m really excited for, I’m attracted to both. Not always, but often. And honestly, Luke Newton, who plays Colin, is a good looking guy and seems very sweet, but this one is pretty tilted toward the Penelope side.
I think the one thing I miss from the book is that there is so much internal thought going on, but of course, Bridgerton already has a narrator and losing internal thought is just trade off you have to accept for TV/movies.
I’m searching around the greater DC area for Devon cream or clotted cream that I plan to have with my scones at 4 AM the day of the premiere of the 2nd part. If anyone has any leads, share!
@Jill Q.: Do you have a nearby CostPlus/World Market? They often sell clotted cream.
Wegmans sells clotted cream. AllRecipes has a recipe from Chef John to make it yourself using non-ultrapasturized cream, which Wegmans also sells.
Jill Q make sure to put your jam on first!
Ooh, Jazzlet stirring the shit, bringing in UNSOLICITED the which-comes-first-cream-or-jam debate!
I agree that on multiple levels the show is better than the books. Everything that makes it more of a thoughtful, smart wish-fulfillment fantasy — the over-the-top, cupcake-delicious historically inaccurate costumes/makeup/hairstyles; the hugely diverse cast; the witty use of modern music; the jettisoning of the weight-loss plot — has helped me enjoy the show more than the novels. But this season, alas, Colin is a big nothingburger for me. Not sure whether to blame the casting or the writing or the fact that Nicola Coughlan is just a stunning charismatic hilarious brilliant genius whom NO ONE would be good enough for. But with the complete imbalance between these two characters is making this season a rough go for me. (And honestly, tho I’m told the actors are good friends in real life, they had so little chemistry together in the carriage scene that I had to look away in discomfort … and I LOVED the schmexy times in the first two seasons, so it’s not prudishness!)
I am, however, intrigued by the redemption of Cressida; we love a nuanced take on a mean girl. I also hope Eloise will have more to do in the second half of the season — I think I miss her and Penelope’s friendship as much as the characters do.
@JillQ: If you live in NW DC or nearby Chevy Chase, MD, go to Rodman’s. They have Devon cream, lots of European jams, and more English biscuits than one could eat in a lifetime.
I understand and agree with much of the review, and I’ve not watch Season 3 yet so could be totally off base, but I think that the scene where Penelope overhears Colin talking about how he could never court her might actually be better in the book. First of all, he was talking to his brothers on the steps of the Bridgerton house, so not quite as mean as him talking to friends. To me it felt more like a younger brother trying to sound grown-up when talking to his older brothers. Second, Penelope dressed him down in the moment, so it felt powerful that she was able to talk to him that way immediately, no dithering, no excuses, no coming up with the right answer only when it was too late.
Yes to everything except I don’t know why (probably the reasons @marjorie mentioned) but the pairing is a little lackluster for me! Honestly, I’m watching season 3 for everything other than Penelope & Colin’s get-together. I loved the deeper diving into Cressida’s character too, and hope she gets her own happy-after. Love Violet’s maybe second act too, which the books didn’t go into. But what I would really really like season 4 to be about? Eloise & Lord Debling!! I can’t help thinking they would suit each other so, so, so well. And I really love Eloise’s character and the way the actress plays her! Oh, and I wonder what they will do with Francesca’s storyline!!
Watching S3 but mostly shipping Eloise/Penelope in my head because they have mad ex vibes and Colin boooores me to tears.
I do like the redemption of Cressida though.
@JillQ – If you’re in (or willing to travel to) NoVa, the Pure Pasty in Vienna has some British groceries to go with the pasties, and there’s also a place in Clarendon in Arlington that is a combo cigar store and British grocery – it’s called something like Classic Cigars British Goodies. I didn’t notice clotted cream but they have a fair selection of things. And I’ve seen clotted cream in my Safeway and in Trader Joe’s too.
I am hugely impressed with Penelope and massively underwhelmed by Colin. He is not a good actor, I find him unattractive, and his character is just a huge drip. It’s a struggke to watch him but I am blown away by every one of Penelope’s scenes. She is awesome and she deserves someone better!
Another one of the ‘colin and pen getting together isn’t the best storyline’ people. Yay that it’s happening for you, pen, but it genuinely seems a bit rushed given we’d not even seen one idle glance from colin / slight grumpiness at others attention in previous series.
Cressida: the hair, the outfits, the absolute desperation to get married that you’re really feeling and trying to break out of the mean girl mould but failing. I’m wondering if she’s ace queer given she’s not exactly crushing on Eloise. Marry her, Lord Debling!
Lady Featherington is a study in facepalm and I’m here for it. I love her judgement of Pen’s new wardrobe as really boring. (Pastels, Debbie?) Nice to have a reason for the citrus.
Writers, please let Benedict kiss a man, would it kill you?
I find myself pretty meh on this season so far. I’ll admit, ROMANCING MR. BRIDGERTON is not my favorite book in the series, so I wasn’t particularly excited for the Colin/Penelope pairing anyway, and so far the show is not changing my mind. Colin and Penelope spend barely any time togther onscreeen…they’ve had maybe 3 actual conversations so far? I don’t believe in them as friends, let alone potential romantic partners.
I’m also concerned about the overall lack of plot. In the book, the main story engine was the revelation of Lady Whistledown’s identity. But since the show revealed that back in season 1, what’s left for the rest of this season? Most of the secondary storylines are just spinning their wheels too (the Mondriches’ social ambivalence, Benedict’s latest meaningless fling, the queen’s boredom). I enjoy the pretty people in the pretty costumes gazing longingly at each other, but I also want something to happen!
@KarenD Pen totally deserves someone better than Colin. Especially because I think he was one of the few really miscast actors on the show. A pity.
Is anyone else loving Francesca as much as I am? She’s pretty and delightful! And I think well cast. Her B plot needs some work though.
Admittedly my exposure to Bridgerton is mostly kibitzing over my partner’s shoulder while she’s trying to watch in peace. Still, I find the Bridgerton brothers blah — Anthony’s pouty (I refuse to feel sorry for a viscount), Benedict is 90% hair, and Colin’s all mouth and no trousers. I’m here for the Bridgerton sisters though, #TeamEloise.
Stumbled across a clotted cream recipe: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/how-to-make-clotted-cream/
I am such a Jonathan Bailey fangirl that he can do no wrong for me. I think the two big differences between S2 and S3 are that Anthony genuinely had to humble himself to win Kate (as he should), and there was really good chemistry between Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley. Colin just…was there…and just kind of demanded marriage…and all the drama is on Pen’s side. And I also don’t see great chemistry (even after today’s mirror scene).
Cutting out the awful weight loss plot and making Penelope’s glow-up all about confidence, pursuing what she wants in life, and fabulous dresses is a much-needed change, but otherwise I tend to prefer the book Colin! Book Colin is outwardly cheerful, charming and confident, and feels inwardly lost in a way that doesn’t get expressed as poor behavior–and, like Susan said, his comments about Penelope, while hurtful, weren’t personally directed at her and were said in confidence with his brothers. Show Colin is really insecure or interested in social approval, and mocking a close friend in front of a bunch of douchey strangers because he wouldn’t want anyone to think he’s interested in her is the kind of sin I could maaaaaybeee forgive in a high school romance after a lot of groveling of character growth, but I find it really hard to overlook in an adult character, especially since his apology is pretty handwavy in the show. I agree with others that I think there’s a pretty big charisma gap between the two of them (to be fair, Nicola Coughlan is ludicrously charming and adorable, so that would be true with most other actors). I did prefer Pen’s chemistry with the actor who played Debling, though that might have more to do with my weakness for marriage-of-convenience turned slow-burn romance plots than with anything on the show itself.
Good point from Innie; Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley had amazing chemistry … as did Rege-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor, and I think that like Luke Newton, neither Ashley nor Dynevor is a particularly strong actor. At least the first two seasons’ female leads gave Bailey and Page SOMETHING to work with, unlike Luke Newton, offering nada. (Bailey and Page could have charisma with a jar of peanut butter, tho. I was practically in tears watching Page and Chris Pine smolder at each other in the Dungeons & Dragons movie!)
Ok this is going to be a bit long, sorry about that. I really liked Luke Newton’s portrayal of Colin Bridgerton, but I think the writing let his character down because it was so Penelope centric and it appears they did not want to take the time to do any Colin/Penelope flashbacks to set up their friendship connection. Middle child syndrome is real – “who am I in comparison to my 2 older brothers or younger siblings who have talents or get attention.” I think Colin is the ultimate Cinnamon Roll hero – they did not use flashbacks to show his gentleness and kindness from previous seasons like him picking up and comforting Daphne’s squalling baby from Eloise. My personal take is that I think Colin’s European Travels helped him discover where a woman’s G-spot was, and giving pleasure in that way changed his self esteem and how he thought about himself in that maybe he was actually good at something and that spills into the start of Season 3 as he is ‘trying on’ this new persona. Not sure I would characterize Colin as a Rake in the start of Season 3, just a serious charming Flirt with no intention of following through with the single ladies. In family scenes when he can be himself, he appears uncomfortable about all the attention. I think they needed to more clearly show that when he was with Penelope as well he did not have to put on the Flirt/Rake persona and he just became kind Colin again and how much her not writing to him already had him waking up by missing their connection he had taken for granted. Loved that of all the men in the series, his character would absolutely have elicited consent as a default, and very interesting they used the take where (Luke inhabiting Colin) carefully rearranged Pen’s dress at the end of the carriage scene with only a couple of fingers.
They only hinted but did not hammer home that the journal entry of Luke’s was around why an act so intimate felt so impersonal, which was laid down even more in the scene with the icky dudes who were his peers when he was asking “..doesn’t the sex make you feel lonely” as well as the second brothel scene which has sparked some demi-sexual conversations online.
I also think they missed emphasizing that in many Regency Romances, one of the main roles of the male character is Protector, ie most of Stephanie Laurens Cynster heroes. I think they missed the boat in not showing how hard it was for Colin to not be able to protect or prevent the pain and devastation his family, especially Eloise, experienced at Lady Whistledown’s hands. I understand they shot other versions of the Whistledown reveal scene, but again I think Luke so inhabited the character of Colin, in one take he spontaneously started to cry, expressing Colin’s absolute devastation and heartbreak that Penelope was the one behind harming Eloise and destroying Marina’s reputation forever and I am glad that is the take they chose to include. It also explains the ‘…what good am I to you” line the night before they married, ie if I can’t protect you, what the hell is my role?
I am also unhappy with the fictitious entrapment plot line because in the book the carriage scene takes place as the ending to the Whistledown reveal.
Sorry people are dissing Luke’s performance, I think much of the weakness lies in making plot Penelope centric with intentionally making Colin the undeserving foil who just needs to worship her and not be a strong and equal partner. There were also some very strange editing choices – several times I kept thinking, so if you filmed this scene for several hours and have so many takes, why would editors choose that clip?? Also very unhappy that after all the drama before and after the wedding, that fans were not treated to an HEA wedding consummation night, (similar to their first time) after all the angsty build up. They did not understand that those few seconds were not satisfying – they built us up for hours and then zip, don’t blink or you will miss it, rather than letting us enjoy (wallow?) in their honest wedding night. I’m glad Colin did not want to consummate the marriage when there was so much unresolved between them, as I don’t think angry sex is the Colin/Pen vibe. The whole point of the season was their HEA and viewers did not get to enjoy it – we wanted to know they were deliriously happy and things were going to be more than OK. Suspect they might save that for next season and pleased Luke has indicated there have been very preliminary conversations about Colin and Penelope bringing the Rom/Com aspect for season 4.
Sorry for rambling on, know there will be dissenting opinions, but just needed to get a few things off my chest…