Warning: This review contains very mild spoilers for Bridgerton season 3, part 1
One of the best things about Bridgerton is its ability to tell a different kind of love story each season. Yes, there is a rotating cast of characters who each get their own storylines, but the central romance — and its dynamics and tropes — stand apart, giving us an opportunity to enjoy and experience something fresh each time. Bridgerton season 3 offers that breath of fresh air in spades. It not only leans into the friendship-to-lovers trope, but asks its characters to examine who they are without their masks to hide behind.
After two seasons of being a wallflower, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) is finally taking things into her own hands. At the end of Bridgerton season 2, Penelope was at her lowest, having overheard Colin (Luke Newton) saying he wouldn’t dream of courting her and her friendship with Eloise (Claudia Jessie) coming to an end after the latter discovers Penelope is Lady Whistledown (Julie Andrews). I was a bit worried about season 3, what with Chris Van Dusen stepping down from showrunner duties and Jess Brownell taking over in the role.
Showrunner changes aren’t always a good thing for a series, but Brownell and her writing team capably and smartly maneuver between developing Colin and Penelope’s budding romance and the fraught tension between the scribe and Eloise, which bleeds over into Eloise’s relationship with Colin. The romance and tension juxtapose each other, offering up the sweetness of Colin and Penelope’s budding relationship — that nicely builds beyond their friendship thanks to a game-changing first kiss — and the stress of maneuvering through life without one’s dearest friend.
Season 3 isn’t as intense or as steamy as season 2 — nor are Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley) in part 1 beyond the premiere, which is frustrating since it robs them of a fully developed story — but it does have its own heat, and plenty of awkward moments. Seeing Colin encourage Penelope to talk to men in a bid to find a husband before the season is over is great because it produces several cringe-worthy moments and endearing blabber that had me chortling. The second-hand embarrassment is immense, but it’s exactly what I love in a friends-to-lovers story.
Their relationship reaches a boiling point, and the transition from friends to something more is handled rather seamlessly. By the time Colin realizes he has feelings for Penelope, the intensity is dialed up, which leads to more longing and jealous gazes from across the ballroom. Part 1 ends just when we want more of it, which makes viewers’ wait for part 2 somewhat frustrating. Coughlan, for her part, fully delivers in her role, balancing Penelope’s fumbling, longing, sadness and wit. Her courtship with Lord Debling (Sam Phillips) also brings another side to her, soothing her nerves while giving her hope.
I was frustrated with Penelope at the end of season 2, but season 3 course-corrected. It had me wanting her accountability while simultaneously rooting for her to have it all. It’s a fine line to walk, but the writing and Coughlan’s layered performance do a lot to deepen Penelope’s character further. Newton’s performance, on the other hand, doesn’t quite match Coughlan’s, but he does especially well when flustered or intently staring at Penelope rather than when he’s simply being serious. He’s best when he’s in a scene with Coughlan, who brings something more profound out in him.
One of the most enjoyable aspects of Bridgerton season 3 is the relationship between its mothers and daughters. Interestingly, Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and Portia Featherington (Polly Walker) are in the same boat this season when it comes to Francesca (played by new cast member Hannah Dodd) and Penelope, respectively. They’ve become accustomed to certain things and are also unsure how to handle their daughters’ views and actions within the marriage mart. Crucially, Bridgerton seasons 3 brings new challenges for Violet and Portia, pushing them outside their comfort zones without sidelining their involvement.
Another lovely theme involves the masks we use in public while we hide our inner selves — whether it’s to impress others or be perceived in a certain, perhaps more “respectable,” way. This applies to Colin and Penelope, and season 3 does a good job of highlighting their discomfort with the roles they have played, while taking care to show their true selves to each other. It makes sense, too, that Penelope struggles to engage, flirt, and be one with society when she’s been on the edges of it for so long.
It gives her dynamic with Colin, who, after having traveled between Bridgerton seasons 2 and 3, has returned with a more confident swagger, some oomph. He’s more comfortable with himself, but still yearns for something deeper than what he’s found thus far. Penelope, meanwhile, feels secure behind Lady Whistledown’s scandal sheet but not with herself. It takes her a minute to adjust and it’s a rather fascinating examination of the writer becoming the story herself, and what that means for Penelope and her relationships.
I’ll admit that it took some adjusting to Bridgerton season 3, but it’s even better upon a second viewing. There’s always a lot going on in this show, with multiple characters and storylines to juggle, including one involving the formerly one-note mean girl Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), whose friendship with Eloise is a nice surprise. To fully immerse myself and ensure I didn’t miss anything, I watched the first four episodes twice, and I appreciated it a lot more the second time around.
Aside from Penelope and Colin’s romance, which will surely have lots of investment, the series manages to not only build upon what came before in season 2, but brings elements over from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. You won’t look at Queen Charlotte’s (Golda Rosheuvel) relationship with Brimsley (Hugh Sachs) the same again, and Lady Danbury’s (Adjoa Andoh) relationship with her brother, Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), isn’t without its thorns. It makes the overall story more engaging.
But beyond the fancy frocks, the orchestral covers of pop songs (GAYLE’s “Abcdefu” is excellently placed), and the flowery, playful lightheartedness, Bridgerton season 3 has a lot going for it in terms of character evolution and the exploration of one’s inner self. Brownell and co. know exactly the story they’re telling and how to move from one scene to the next without missing a beat. Season 3, part 1 doesn’t linger any longer than necessary on any given moment or storyline, while at the same time giving us something fresh within the romance genre.
Yes, it’s a bit vexing that Kate and Anthony, in particular, get short-changed in terms of their story, and Benedict (Luke Thompson) doesn’t seem to be progressing as quickly as I’d like. The season being split in half is also unnecessary, as it risks losing steam before part 2 even airs in June. But Bridgerton continues to do what it does best, and its merits here outweigh any grievances I might have elsewhere. Coughlan’s Penelope may not be the diamond of the season, but she shines bright nonetheless.