| Showrunner | Jess Brownell |
| Directors | Tricia Brock, Andrew Ahn, Bille Woodruff, Tom Verica |
| Writers | Jess Brownell, Sarah L. Thompson, Eli Wilson Pelton, Annabelle Hood, Azia Squire, Geetika Lizardi, Daniel Robinson |
| Cast | Adjoa Andoh, Julie Andrews, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Claudia Jessie, Ben Miller, Luke Newton, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Thompson, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, Simone Ashley, Shelley Conn, Martins Imhangbe, Calam Lynch, Rupert Young, Victor Alli, Joanna Bobin, Dominic Coleman, Hannah Dodd, Daniel Francis, Jessica Madsen, Hannah New |
| Episodes | 8 |
| Genre | Romance, Drama |
| Platform | Netflix |
– No Spoilers –
In the third season, amidst the hustle and bustle of Colin Bridgerton coming back home looking rather dashing and stealing the hearts of the ton, Penelope Featherington finds herself a little lost as she nurses her broken heart and tries to find a husband who understands her passions in life while also coming to terms with her friendship with Eloise, who now knows the real identity of Lady Whistledown.
This is it – this is the season that we have waited for to love thoroughly and no one is disappointed (at least, I hope not). We finally have an arc for Penelope which is not only inspiring but so heart-achingly relatable. Penelope Featherington is trying to be something more than Lady Whistledown this season and trying to find new avenues that will fulfil her life, along with, of course, her old passions. With the enemies-to-lovers trope behind us, we now delve into the friends-to-lovers trope and we dive into it with warmth and kindness while bringing out the cruelty of the world.
I think this season has outdone itself with the social commentary. The way we see Cressida as a bit more than a meanie and her relationship with Eloise, who is still unhappy with Penelope after last season, is somehow very realistic. Her words surrounding how society pits young women against each other are just so real and heartbreaking. Throughout this season (at least, the first four episodes), we see her in-depth and try to understand her as a person, which although not taking the shine away from Penelope of Francesca, does give us an insight into the perils of women who are “out of their prime”.
This season also showcases the problems, pains and happiness of many different people, although the focus is somewhat more so on Penelope. I guess one can say that women’s hearts’ desires find a way to come out of the box this season as everyone just wants to find their truth and for those truths to be seen by others surrounding them. Penelope and Cressida’s story, although a bit different, is the same in a way such that you feel for both of them at the same time – wanting out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of their home and understanding all too well that there is no other way rather than to find a husband.
Also Read: Bridgerton Season 2 Review: Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley in a Decently Salacious Sequel
The series’s introduction of the first introverted Bridgerton does also not go unnoticed by viewers as we see Francesca, played oh-so beautifully by Hannah Dodd this season, wanting to get out of the chaos but warm embrace of her family and making a much quieter life of her own with someone else. Her character, too, is one that people can relate to in every scene as you see the turbulence inside her as she wants a life for herself that is hard to find in the chaos of the London wedding market.
Apart from the key players this season, there is the ever-charming Ruth Gemmell, who is truly one of the warmest TV mothers I have ever seen. Just being in the Bridgerton house feels light and frothy, one where you can always find an understanding ear to listen to your problems. Apart from her, we also have Lady Portia Featherington, who, this season, is interestingly a little less cruel and has moments of motherly love for Penelope. These moments are rare but Polly Walker showcases a side to Portia that is both vulnerable and conflicted of the state of affairs of the Featherington estate. Thus, although you want to hate her, you do somehow get her intentions this season.
Nicola Coughlan, juggling the various confounding feelings within her as Penelope, is absolutely fantastic in every scene she is in. She is truly a diamond of the ton this season, much more so, in fact, than Francesca. The latter is beautiful, of course, but there’s a charm, wit and glow to Penelope this season that will make anyone’s heart flutter. The way Coughlan portrays the various facets of her character is nothing short of extraordinary in every scene of the word. Her chemistry with Luke Newton’s Colin has the beauty of youthful friendship which slowly becomes something more. Episode 4 left me spellbound as they danced around each other (not literally) and came to their own conclusions.
Bridgerton has always been a show that beautifully brings out the social issues that make sense in modern times. The issues surrounding women’s plights are the most apparent and, as with this season well, they are highlighted in a way that will be apparent to anyone but will still be extremely juicy. I have said it before and I will say it again, Shonda Rhimes has a way with her shows that make them hard to stop watching and the beautiful sceneries coupled with the fantastic characters and dialogues just add to those feelings. In spite of the cliched plotlines and viewers knowing exactly where it is going, the way tension and anticipation is built into the story makes Bridgerton stand out.
Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 Review: Final Thoughts
The only complaint I have for this season is that they are releasing it in two parts. With a fantastic cast that only gets better every season and a storyline that is not just relatable but extremely beautiful to watch, Bridgerton Season 3 has already delivered a worthy “intro”; we just have to wait for the next part to air!
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