The first four episodes of Bridgerton Season 3 debuted on May 16th. This season is based on the Julia Quinn novel Romancing Mister Bridgerton and focuses on the romance between Colin Bridgerton, the third son, and Penelope Featherington. The second part of season 3 will air on June 13th.
Netflix had the brilliant idea to split the season into two parts, thus guaranteeing that their audience would have the subscription for at least two months. This is a bold move – not because I would expect anything less from Netflix or any streaming service, but because it gives audiences time to reflect on the first half of the season. One of the “strengths” of Netflix’s programming is that it all comes out at once, so you can binge-watch an entire season before having to stop and critically think, “Wait, was that any good?”
Shows like “X-Men ’97” released one episode a week, giving audiences time to analyze each episode and make predictions for future episodes. This choice created a sense of camaraderie amongst the fandom while also giving the audience time to reflect on the quality of each episode. Luckily, each episode was very good.
With shows like “Bridgerton,” I don’t find myself reflecting on the individual episodes as much as the season as a whole. I found that with last season, as much as I enjoyed the romance between Anthony and Kate, there was quite a bit I disliked or didn’t care about. However, by the end of episode 8, I was so happy that Kate and Anthony were finally together that it overwhelmed my other less-than-positive emotions.
By the end of episode 4 of Bridgerton’s 3rd season, once again I had mixed feelings. As the second part of the season is debuting so soon, it seemed like it was time to review the good and bad parts of the first half of the season.
The Good
Penelope’s Wardrobe
Nicola Coughlan is so beautiful. She looked stunning in everything she wore this season, and those soft greens did wonders for her complexion, transforming her from Big Bird’s sad cousin into what I assume Irish Mermaids look like. I spent most of my time watching this show debating whether or not I should throw out everything I own to purchase dupes of her wardrobe. Those gem-encrusted gowns look excruciating to wear for the actors, but the sacrifice seems worth it when they make you look that good.
Francesca
This quiet cutie and her social anxiety captured my heart. When I wrote about what I wanted to see in Season 3 of Bridgerton, I had hoped that her gentle courtship with John Stirling would occur. So far, their offbeat friendship has been a welcome reprieve from some of the more dramatic elements of the season. Many viewers have speculated that Francesca Bridgerton is neurodivergent, which has not been confirmed by anyone on the show. If that were what the creators and Francesca’s actress were trying to accomplish, that would be something to be proud of, especially when people on the autism spectrum often struggle to find love themselves. Either way, Francesca’s love story suggests that there is someone out there for everyone, you just have to step away from the crowd to find them.
Disability Representation
We got a debutante speaking British Sign Language! And Lord Remington, who seems like a very cool dude, is in a wheelchair! I wish we could have spent more time with these characters, especially the debutante because I bet her experience navigating society would be extremely interesting. Bridgerton is easily the kind of show that could craft a happy narrative for characters with disabilities, so I hope the showrunners learn something from this positive fan reaction and explore these storylines in future episodes.
Cressida
In my dumb bingo sheet, I made a joke that Cressida might be allowed to have a personality and a soul instead of acting as the one-note bitch she’s been in seasons one and two. Her characterization this season, as well as her genuine friendship with Eloise, were also a welcome change of pace from previous seasons. It’s nice to see a deeper, insecure side to Cressida, because her life doesn’t look easy.
On a side note, I love that people are making queer fan art of Cressida and Eloise, and that Cressida’s actress is sharing that art on her social media.
The Mondrichs
If Will and Alice Mondrich were in the Bridgerton books, then I don’t remember them. In seasons one and two, I didn’t dislike their story so much as feeling disinterest. If I were to reflect on “why,” I would say it was because the juxtaposition between the extreme wealth and priviledge of the Bridgertons (and their partners), with the working class trials of the Mondrich’s, didn’t make sense. If anything, the Mondrich’s took out of the fantasy that “Bridgerton” successfully wove. However, this season is a little different, as the Mondrich’s must contend with a sudden rise in social position when their son inherits a title. Watching Alice and Will navigate the social intricacies of the ton while staying true to themselves has been refreshing.
The Featheringtons
Sometimes the Featherington’s work, and sometimes they don’t. I get that they serve as a comedic foil to the Bridgertons, and I think they’re necessary for the show, but sometimes I feel as though the writers don’t know what to do with them. This season their plot is “get one of the Featherington girls pregnant ASAP for inheritance reasons” and it’s been pretty entertaining. I loved the revelation that Philippa Featherington is a married woman with no idea how sex works. She and Daphne could have a conversation about that.
Kanthony
The still of Simone Ashley wearing the off-white gown with flowers in her hair should be rendered into an oil painting. Kate Bridgerton is sublimely beautiful, and I love that this season she’s allowed to “let her hair down” and be blissfully in love with Anthony. Their coupling last season was so full of conflict that it was nice to watch them interact with each other without fear of Edwina barging into the room with that kicked-puppy look on her face.
The Bad
Colin’s Threesome
It’s not often that a scene in a show makes me regret having vision, but this one managed to do so. I get that Bridgerton needs a certain amount of T&A to distinguish it from other period pieces, but this scene felt extremely forced in a way that undermines the romantic nature of the show.
Colin’s Personality in General
I found Colin’s newfound “charm” extremely off-putting, but what’s even worse is the number of people online defending that creative decision. “He’s doing a bad impression of his brothers! It’s supposed to give you the ick!”
Yeah, that’s not exactly how that works. I understand that the character was putting on a mask and acting the way he thought society wanted him to act, but then the narrative continued to support his actions. The young girls were dropping their handkerchiefs in front of him, and his “boys” thought he was cool enough to invite him out for drinks, showing that the ton happily accepted his charming playboy persona. I would have believed his character more if I’d seen him stumble socially or show genuine interest in his hobbies. The closest I felt like we got to that was the scene where he sat out his already paid-for threesome, which was only slightly less barf than his other threesome scene.
Eloise’s Privilege
Eloise, some women are getting married because it is their only means of securing an income, which they need to survive. It’s awesome that you were raised in a loving, supportive, and wealthy family that has emboldened you to feel like you can do anything you want with no consequences, but that is not the case for most women.
Also, was it really necessary to throw shade at your peers for enjoying embroidery? It’s a beautiful art form that society has minimized because women enjoy and excel in it.
Benedict’s Romance
I’m guessing the showrunners just had no idea what to do with his character this season. So they decided to throw a bland romance with a saucy widower his way. At least with Benedict’s art storyline, he had an actual interest, which could turn into something more interesting. With this storyline, it’s just about two attractive, unattached people dating. The only way I could see this current storyline being remotely interesting is if his current fling is revealed to be the evil stepmother of his future love interest. Otherwise, I have no reason to care about this romance.
Kate and Anthony’s Lack of Storyline
After everything those two endured, the best storyline the writers could think up was “Kate and Anthony need more alone time”? I could easily think of twenty possible plot lines with those characters that would have been more interesting. And yes, I realize that Simone Ashley and Jonathan Bailey have other engagements and needed a reason to be off-screen, but there are more compelling ways to excuse character absences on TV. I wish the story had involved more than “lets go on a longer vacation.” Just because I’m feeling generous, here are a couple of storylines that I think would have been better:
- Even though Kate is now a viscountess, her lack of social status prior to her marriage makes other members of the ton doubt her position. (Note: this was a significant plot point in Benedict’s book, but based on how this show has handled class differences, I don’t know if it will be an issue by the time his storyline rolls around)
- Kate loves Anthony but hates living in London and misses India. She wants to return but doesn’t know if Anthony will go with her. Spoiler alert: he does, which explains why the actors aren’t present in multiple episodes.
- Although “Bridgerton” takes place in a sort of post-racial fantasy land where love conquers racism, those good feelings don’t extend to the countries England has colonized. Kate is from India, which has a very complicated relationship with England. What if Kate were to express her hopes that India gains independence? That opinion would not go over well with her new peers or even her new family. Boom, now we have conflict.
- Kate struggles to conceive that precious heir, possibly driving a wedge between her and Anthony. This could lead to a discussion about what their relationship (and the Bridgerton line) would be like without an heir. It could also be an opportunity to shed light on a subject like infertility, which many women struggle with, and romance novels often like to pretend doesn’t exist.
I could throw out a few more ideas, but I don’t want to do the writers’ jobs for them.
The General Lack of Internal Logic
Sometimes, when I’m watching “Bridgerton,” it feels like the rules of polite society are written to accommodate whatever the writers need to happen in that episode. Penelope is often doing whatever she wants without a chaperone, including hanging out unsupervised with Colin. Anthony was able to marry spinster nobody Kate with zero social consequences. Eloise probably should have been shunned after that whole “fraternizing with political radicals” news got out, yet she’s doing fine. Oh, and the big one: racism no longer exists in this society, but sexism and homophobia do. These may seem like minor issues, but they make it more difficult for me to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the show. If I don’t understand the rules, then I won’t know what is at stake if a character breaks one. I hope the writing is more consistent on this front.
So, dearest, gentle readers, what are your thoughts about Season 3? By the time you read this, the second half of the season will likely be out. Those episodes could invalidate all of my complaints. Or I’m right about everything, and the writers will need to be extra creative by the time they adapt Benedict and Sophie’s storyline.
Happy Hagfish 
Unfortunately, I haven’t watched past season 1. I’ve always loved the actress Nicola Coughlan though because in Derry Girls she is hilarious! I remember the Colin brother being a bit snobby.
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After this season I think I’d classify Colin as “completely oblivious to his own privilege” and “way out of his league with Penelope”
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