Bridgerton Season 3: Part One

Dearest Reader, the long-awaited return of Bridgerton has finally arrived.

I have been completely enthralled with Bridgerton since it debuted on Netflix during the pandemic in 2020. For many, the first season created a compelling regency era escape that the series was able to successfully replicate in its second season, despite losing Simon, one of the most beloved main characters in the second season. 

Those who have read the books or have watched seasons one and two, have become familiar with how each season is centered around a different member of the Bridgerton family. Season one focused on Daphne (the eldest sister) as she navigated her societal debut and eventual marriage to Simon. In season two, the story followed Anthony’s (the eldest brother) journey through finding a wife and becoming Viscount. Both seasons were equally compelling, albeit in different ways. Which meant I had pretty high expectations going into season three. 

At the end of season two Penelope Featherington was revealed to be Lady Whistledown who, until now, was the anonymous and infamous town gossip behind the majority of the drama that takes place. Since this bombshell was revealed to none of the characters, except Eloise Bridgerton, there was much speculation about how future events would unfold. So, it was only natural this season would focus primarily on Penelope and her relationship to the Bridgerton family. 

Although I have largely enjoyed the newest season so far, there are a few aspects of this season’s story line that make me hesitate in saying it will live up to those high expectations. The most notable being the reiteration of the “fake dating” trope that was explored by Simon and Daphne in season one. This plot point is likely in keeping with the original story told in the book series, but I was still a bit miffed at seeing it played out again regardless. However, I must  give credit where credit is due, and admit that I am excited by the direction this trope is taking the story in.  I have also been impressed by the way the repetition of this trope is being used to introduce the revelation of new information into the plot. Its reintroduction has paved the way for unforeseen consequences and intriguing character arcs. 

However, reusing this trope opens the door to some potential pitfalls for this season. Despite this repetition having been handled well so far, it does inevitably make for some predictable future events. I also fear that in light of this, the show could fall into a trap that so many others have. The trap of having jarring plot twists for plot twists sake. Many shows have done this in the past to avoid predictability and it is usually to the detriment of the story’s cohesion. So, it will be interesting to see how this all works out in the second half of season three. I am nevertheless hopeful that the writers have some tricks up their sleeves. 

Aside from the fake dating trope, things do look promising. One of the biggest reasons for this is that Bridgerton has maintained its core identity despite the large and consistent transitions in its story line. In addition to following Penelope this season, we also follow Daphne’s younger sister Francesca as she navigates her own debut in society and everything that comes with it. Her perspective on the relationship between societal expectations and marriage is very vague in comparison to the rest of her family. Not only does this do a good job of setting her story apart from the others, it also adds a layer of intrigue to the course of events. 

Overall, this season has started off well and part one has laid the groundwork for an exciting part two. Despite being a bit weary of the possibility of another repetitive and predictable story line, I am looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.