Arriving almost two years after Anthony and Kate’s whirlwind romance, Shondaland hit Bridgerton returns to Regency London for more spicy intrigue and juicy gossip, courtesy of Lady Whistledown. Romancing Mister Bridgerton, cataloguing the unconventional love story between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), becomes the central adaptation of the two-part, eight-episode third season. Opting to skip author Julia Quinn’s third novel and jump straight into the fourth, this decision may prove divisive before even pressing play. Certainly, one can immediately see why Benedict and Sophie have taken a backseat. The series has been building up the central focus here since the beginning. Etching a wonderful message alongside its usual sexually-charged passions, Bridgerton forges on for an unforgettable depiction of a less memorable book.
Lady Whistledown’s zippy narration, courtesy of Julie Andrews, brings us right back into the action. A new “season” has begun, which marks a promising start for any fresh debutante to become the “diamond” of Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). A new Bridgerton girl reaches the age to make her debut in high society: Francesca (Ruby Stokes). Naturally, Colin has just returned from travels in Paris, and positions himself to be the newest “prize” every woman lusts over. Something appears to be different about Colin, changed irrevocably from his travels abroad. Antiquated gender norms cannot be attacked when it comes to Bridgerton—this is Regency London, after all. We know right from the top what to expect, and spend half the time anticipating its arrival.
In season one’s finale, Penelope was revealed as Lady Whistledown, the secret scribe cataloging the gossipy comings and goings of the wealthy and privileged. Season two found Whistledown’s identity discovered by her best friend, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie). This resulted in a disastrous falling-out that seemed to spell certain doom for their friendship. To make matters worse, Penelope overheard Eloise’s eligible brother, Colin, say that he would never court someone like her. Coming from the lips of a man she not only crushed on, but viewed as a genuine friend, was almost too much to bear for poor Penelope. Yet still, she forges on. Penelope no longer wants to be considered undesirable. She changes up her entire wardrobe, and has a whole new attitude about wooing potential prospects. Not even her own family will take Penelope seriously. Still, a casual flirtation between Penelope and Colin may reopen old wounds. Can a friendly handshake lead to more?
In his eagerness to win back what they once had, Colin offers to teach Penelope “charm” classes to help her bag a prospective suitor once and for all. What happens when the person Penelope has pined after for years finally takes notice of her innate beauty? Playing up on the whole trope of a love interest being in plain sight, the workings of this newfangled relationship is obvious from the second it begins. Additionally, at this point they know what the audience wants to see. The female gaze lovingly provides. Within the first ten minutes of its debut episode, Colin has gone shirtless, and we see plenty of skin from the male cast throughout the season. Perhaps Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton lack the chemistry of past Bridgerton pairings, but that matters not—audiences will be rooting for Penelope and Colin to consummate their relationship as their magnetic draw intoxicates.
Speaking of chemistry, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley), still in post-wedded bliss, are sprinkled here and there during the season. Sparing use of the couple emphasizes how strong they were previously. If round two dialed down the sexuality significantly, this time around, the creatives crank things up exponentially. Back, too, are the anachronistic instrumentals synonymous with the Bridgerton brand. “Cheap Thrills” and Billie Eilish’s “Happier Than Ever” are both utilized in vital moments. As always, these add to the overall atmosphere of the show. Without the stunning costume design and poignant soundtrack, Penelope’s storyline still grounds the romantic elements in genuine sweetness.
Aside from the Colin/Penelope drama, many different side stories are added for good measure. Eloise remains conflicted about Penelope as Whistledown, put in a difficult spot by way of her brother’s sudden infatuation for the girl. Additionally, Eloise has befriended the awful Cressida (Jessica Madsen), who seems to be the literal antithesis of Eloise. A stirring Featherington family plot threatens to destroy what they hold dear. Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) shares a connection with new character Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis), the Kent family have come into a serious inheritance, and whilst Queen Charlotte may have less to do, her hair pieces are just as elegant and intricate as ever.
After being very impressed with the Queen Charlotte spin-off miniseries, I was anxiously awaiting my time to revisit Bridgerton. Thankfully, the series does not skip a bit in immersing us in this signature world of salaciousness and rich characterwork. Nicola Coughlan performs her finest acting yet as Penelope. The added texture to Penelope’s relationships only works as well as it does because the creators took the time and care to build them up over the course of the show. Arriving here feels like the natural next step for Penelope. Where we go further is anyone’s guess—as long as it maintains consistency and continues to titillate, Bridgerton will remain beloved for years to come.
Lady Whistledown implores you to tune in to Netflix for more Bridgerton, with Part 1 hitting the presses on May 16th, and Part 2 arriving June 13th.
