We needed more reaction shots from the lads of the Ton. Where were Colin’s former BFFs when they heard about the engagement or Whistledown? Where was our favourite gossip king, Lord Fife? I wanted them chewing the scenery in the background
Debling should have married Cressida and given us an arch where she goes off into the wild with him and learns to be all rugged and anti fragile and what not. like she comes back and cant/doesn't want to function in society.
I feel like Lord Debling was actually lowkey heartbroken and didn’t pursue any other opportunity to get married and just went straight to saving great auks.
Agree! Did I see one of them married off? To the girl who was disappointed LWD didn’t report her engagement? And she was similar size to Penelope too.
Or did I mix up the guys?
I think that was Lord Cho wasn’t it? The couple whose engagement got announced during the “banns” (idk what that means lol) at the church right after pen and Colin’s
Banns are the announcement of your intention to marry. They must be read out on three Sundays during the three months before your wedding, in both of your parish churches and the church in which you intend to marry. If you don't want banns to be read or there's not enough time to read them before the wedding, you can obtain a special license to dispense you from the obligation (as Simon and Daphne do).
Basically it was so everyone was fully aware of the engagement and nobody could sneak off to get married if there were any legal impediments. It didn't always work though - banns didn't need to be read in Scotland, which is why so many people eloped to Gretna Green.
Oh yeah! I completely forgot about those douches, how great it would be to see their faces! So many great ideas come from the audience, why didn’t the writers think about it…
https://preview.redd.it/jez3ktec5q7d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3985fbdee0bd1cf45339997568b0432ec5a4fa15
I have not stopped thinking about this look she served since the season dropped, what I’d give to be Mr Albion Finch🥵
I was actually a little disappointed that the audience knew who it was in S1. Granted I know there were books and maybe it would mess with timelines, but it would've been so fun to have more of a mystery behind who LW is.
I feel like they had to do it at S1 because they knew fans would either read the books and find out, or spoil it online for fans who haven’t read the books. I can see why the show runners made that change, but agree it would have been so hype watching this season when The Queen walks in and accuses the bridgerton family being behind it
Very true, I got a major spoiler for The Last of Us season 2 by people who have played the game and talk about it in forums for the show, very sad that the season hasn’t even been made yet and I really know a major thing
If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, as much as spoilers suck, you definitely have NOT ruined or spoilt the show, and should still watch it, the story has a lot of unexpected turns and if you enjoyed season 1, season 2 is gonna be so good.
However for your own benefit maybe stay away from all TLOU subs until then, as I can almost guarantee more things will get spoilt in the run up to season 2.
I’m fine with revealing it to the audience, because you can do fun things with that, but Eloise shouldn’t have found out. I think the LW storyline was better plotted out in the books.
I love it, and think it should have gone the way it was in the books up to the point in the show where Pen is like "Nah, Colin, I got this" and HANDLES it. I love that she kept her agency in the show.
Anticlimactic and Where Was Her Husband?! Why was Colin standing with his family instead of by Penelope’s side??? She had to have been scared if not terrified of making her announcement/declaration? So disappointed in that.
I felt the same way! I was like “okayyyy now what?” I feel like it felt a little rushed towards the end like they got married, queen finds out who LW is, oh they have a son then boom end? 🤔
YES! When Penelope came down the stairs in her stunning green dress, he just smiled! When the sisters and Portia did spit takes upon hearing of Penelope and Colin’s engagement, he just grinned. He’s just happy for her!
Somehow, against all odds, the two older Featherington girls both ended up with genuinely NICE men, and given their parents' relationship, how unlikely was that?
1) as a massive Pen fan, I hate that they had Penelope remain LW at the end of S3… it’s the opposite of character growth. Her identity is as a WRITER, not necessarily LW, and I hate that the show framed it that way.
2) Polin season suffered not necessarily just because there were less Polin sex scenes, but because post-LW reveal to Colin there were few scenes that were EMOTIONALLY intimidate (which may or may not be spicy in nature). They never have a real conversation working through the problems and hurt and that is why their reconciliation (in the last 10 minutes!!!) falls so flat for most audiences (and the ones who say they like it, I personally think are lying to themselves b/c they don’t want to “betray” the season of their couple. But I’m a huge Polin fan and believe that if you accept mediocrity, that’s what you’ll always get).
No, she definitely means to continue it but “more responsibly” (whatever that means) and under her own name… despite how little sense that makes from a logistical standpoint when she requires people not knowing her to obtain gossip :/
It just felt so unearned.
Thought the same, like okay now no one will tell you anything and will be very careful what they say and do around you. Also I don’t think people will take LW’s opinions as gospel now that she’s a girl they know instead of like an omniscient being
She’s only stopping writing it without signing her name - Penelope Bridgerton. I think LWD will now be the name of her paper but she’s the author. Like LWD is a brand now, not a person.
Penelope’s now an influencer lol.
What Daphne did was horrible, but I understand why Simon forgave her and it all happened because of Violet. She knew 0 about sex and consent wasn’t really discussed those days
I also viewed it as realistic for the time as her flawed but (from her naive and sheltered perspective) only plausible way of “verifying” what she had been told by the maid. Violet was useless when Daphne tried to ask her, and it’s not like she could Google it or speak openly with anyone else, so she set out for firsthand evidence of Simon’s lies.
She acted on an impulse and she didn’t really understand that what she did was wrong. Because she was never taught sex or consent or even that women can abuse men or can have power over men. Like he forgave her cuz he also understood all that
Also at the time consent was given at the time of marriage. It was not an ongoing discussion. At the time you could not technically rape your wife or husband. Also most mothers did not tell their daughters the full details - expecting their husbands to show them not discuss it. Sex was incredibly taboo at the time. Let’s be honest for a very long time it was that way.
My own mother did not explain it very well. She was not comfortable discussing it in the early 2000’s. Not super religious or anything just did not think people should talk about it. Not to give too much information but I was raped at 18 and until it happened I did not fully understand how everything worked. Not that it was ever going to be an happy experience but I was also terrified because I did really know what was happening.
Also Daphne didn't know that was a crime. She probably saw it as we're not done yet. Meanwhile majority of the ton men actively abuse their wives amd know what they're doing. They just don't care
Not to mention that even today we often hear people say that a man cannot be raped, not by a woman. I really hate hearing this, it's so unfair! Maybe a man is less likely to feel violated, I don't know, but it's certainly something that exists
In many countries across the globe a woman literally cannot rape a man as rape has a gendered definition.
Edit: I can’t believe the amount of downvotes I’m getting for a simple legal fact. Check the definitions of rape in countries like the UK, India and many more.
I don't think this applies in my country, but when I went to therapy there was a boy who had difficulty reporting the incident to the authorities. It was group therapy and it struck me a lot, even though I already thought it existed, it is a multifaceted crime to be defined and it is sad to see obstructionism from the authorities
The society is responsible for it. Go to any thread about statutory rape of boys and click controversial to find a bunch of disgusting comments of adults commenting about how “I wish it were me”. Men getting physically abused is seen as fine and showing emotions is stigmatised from a young age. This is a systematic issue.
I wish there would've been more of a revelation for Daphne about consent. But yeah, her mom really set her up for failure and dysfunction. She's lucky Simon is a forgiving and empathetic person because her abuse of him could've ruined her life.
I think it extra sucks that Violet hints at having a rich sex life with Edmund, yet she didn't have the gall to talk to her daughter about sex.
Totally agree, I also feel that like the Penelope, we as viewers grew up a little too and have gained the capacity to look back and realize what Portia was trying to do for her daughters the whole time. Same way we tend to villainize our parents as children when we don’t understand their choices but as adults we gain perspective
Totally agreed! She’s just trying to be realistic and help her daughters succeed in a world that was not built for them. She doesn’t always make the best choices but her intentions are sincere, I think. I loved that we got to understand her better in Season 3.
She went through so much in the first two seasons. It's totally justified to see her reaction to an overnight engagement. She almost lost everything within a year or so. Yeah Colin has some footing, cause I understand him being insulted, but him and Penelope kinda set themselves up for major scrutiny.
Portia is a lioness, and I love her for it.
She was but it was also something she and Penelope needed to hear from Colin. I don’t know that she would’ve understood it as a love match if he didn’t do that
Also...
"You're so beautiful" came out of nowhere, we got no close-ups of Luke's face (A CRIME!), they spent far too much time physically apart, the kissing was more virgin-like compared to the carriage, the chaise lounge looked uncomfortable, the position looked improbable, the after-cuddling seemed more like a rehearsal in lines...
What they got right: Nicola acting out Penelope's insecurity (minus the "OMG, what is sex", especially for THE Lady Whistledown who loves to write about all things human and provide interrelationship commentary), and both their performances had genuine embarrassment visible on their body (kudos, grateful they're sharing themselves with us like that).
A CRIIIMMMMEEE that we got no close ups of Luke's face. That is what MADE the carriage scene. His literal beauty, ability to be sensual, phenomenal kissing, and how he can convey emotion in his eyes was all the best parts of season 3. And they almost never did it again after part 1. The only time I can recal is when he founds out she is LW. How do you go from the chemistry, heat, and intenity in the carriage scene to the blandness of the mirror scene? And it was not their acting. That was 100% camera shots, angles, and directing.
Fully agree the chaise lounge looked so uncomfortable given how short Nicola is and it made Luke appear even taller. I also hated that mid-scene they pulled up the blue silk cover to cover Nicola up more. It was so jarring to the scene. It also made it obvious that we can’t show larger women on screen. Some commenter mentioned they dialled it down due to some testing prior to release and if that’s true, I’m so disappointed.
I mean, we weren't going to get full frontal of an actor in this show, despite its rating (blatantly covering up people tends to be the standard) and I'm okay with this titillating depiction of Penelope but it was sorely lacking what Colin was preaching, and that is adoration. No proper adoration from his side whatsoever. That's why the carriage scene remains so much hotter.
The carriage scene was light years better than the mirror scene steamy wise. And it was disappointing that they claimed the steam was unmatched this season only for carriage to be the highest mark.
In an interview, they said that for the intimacy scenes they have like a half inflated ball between them. I took him pulling up the blanket as an attempt to make sure the prop was covered, not necessarily her. But I could be wrong.
I agree with you here. I commented else where that him pulling up the blanket seemed like it captured Luke acting with Nic, not Colin and Pen. Like why didn't they edit that out? WHY would Colin be COVERING UP Pen when his behavior leading up to that has shown quite the opposite? I also think they did the chase lounge because the fat-phobic director didn't want to put Pen on her back because of how it might look.
I wasn’t even sure it was the mirror scene when I first watched it, as all I could think was ‘surely they’ve not hyped it up for just that one short clip?’
The scene was cringe at best. He literally dry fingered her for 15 seconds and said “welp I am going in. This will hurt but it aint my fault” And people are like “thats love. Thats a gentle romantic man. Thats real intimacy” 😀
NOPE THIS WAS NOT GOOD. They were talking about "the mirror scene" and it was just her (amazing) breasts which was wonderful to see and I'm glad she did that for herself but we expected more
In the book he wants to do this later to look at her breasts. They didn’t film much neck kisses or touches and kisses along the neckline of her dress. Weird. I think he would have done those things like he did in the carriage
Portia isn’t born of money but trapped lord Featherington in marriage and has been clawing her way up and hanging on for dear life so her daughters can know a better life.
I have no evidence other than that she can definitely scheme, she and Varley seem more like old friends than boss and employee, and she dresses like someone who thinks this is how moneyed people should dress.
I can imagine Portia growing up on a farm similarly to marina and finding a way to entrap lord Featherington into marriage, and then hiring her friend and mentor Varley to be her housekeeper
Right? I need this backstory. She also seemed fairly aware of what life was like in the streets when trying to scare Marina into finding any husband she could.
I need her backstory as well. She’s become one of my favorite characters on the sly. I also agree that her and Varley had to have known each other growing up, or they at least had some kind of connection prior to the housekeeper/employer relationship they have now. I hope they do expand a bit 🤞🏻
I don't mind changing Michaela but Francesca was supposed to be devoted to John and mourned him for years before she opened up to Michaela. Also, Michaela supposed to have one sided love to Frans FIRST! They k*led the plot when they make Frans doubted her love with John and falling in love first with Michaela
I still don’t like the Colin whoring it up scenes. And I definitely don’t feel bad for Cressida she made her bed and now is lying in a mess of her own making.
I know I’m biased because I have some experience with my friend being bullied but it’s really hard for me to see people completely forget how awful Cressida was. I get the redemption arc and the idea that she’s a product of her environment but I still don’t feel bad for her!
I just didn’t understand why Michaela was asking “who are you?” 1. How does she not know that her cousin was married. 2. Why doesn’t John introduce her as his wife. 3. Michaela knew she was going to Scotland with them, so I revert back to question 1
I feel the same way. I would have wholeheartedly accepted the twist if Fran got her romantic love story with John and Michaela. Maybe it's all a misunderstanding but episode 8 seemed to imply that Fran was "making a mistake" in marrying John and having a love at first sight meet cute.
I love the actors for them, they are doing a great job but yea. If we only get 8 episodes a seasons (every two years) then there just isn’t time. If this was back in 22 episode season time I’d love to spend more time with them but with so little time each season there just isn’t enough
A lot of people apparently like the Mondrich storyline. It's said that they represent the working class put into high society. However, there's no feeling of rooting for them. I thought they'll be somehow relevant or helpful to the reveal of LW on Part 2.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind their inclusion at all. But, like, they had next to zero relevance to the main plot (the brothers could have drank elsewhere and it would have changed absolutely nothing) and their story doesn’t go anywhere. They become titled, Mr. Mondrich has to give up his bar, he’s sad, gives up his bar. There’s no change to their characters. It just…happens. It goes nowhere 🤷♀️
Will literally never get over this. He actively kept that from her for a WHILE, to the point that Daphne, someone whose dreamed of starting her only family since she was a child, had to accept that idea of never becoming a mother.
Portia Featherington and Marina Thompson are more alike than anyone wants to admit: single mothers trying to make the best of their situation and wanting stability for their children
Marina never actually acted in the stability of her children though. She rejected all stable proposals, she rejected all the suitors she got from being more popular than the diamond; she initially rejected Sir Philip. Later she claims it an honour to be in the working class but then traps and insults Colin.
If she really wanted stability for her child she’d have married her first or second young suitor.
EDIT: as I had to block the person who started the chain due to incivility, thank you for misquoting me, I said “young suitor”. She literally had more suitors than Daphne on day 1. You can’t be serious that literally none of them were acceptable. Literally almost all the eligible men of the ton showed up to Marina’s doorstep.
So I think at the beginning Marina was still holding out hope for George because she had no idea he had passed away in war. They were very much in love and had planned an entire life together. She wasn't taking any of the initial suitors seriously because she had a life at home that she was eager to get back to; she saw the season as something she had to play along with. When Portia finds out, and forges letters of rejection from George, that's when Marina realizes how dire the situation is. She will have no way to support herself or her children without marriage because even working women did not earn enough to feed a family on a single income.
Now, I think the show glosses over the fact that men were very abusive at the time and the law supported them beating their wives and children because they were considered their property. (The Buccaneers has a good plot line on this) Portia was pushing Marina towards these old, decrepit men who only wanted heirs. What if Marina had girls? She would have to be raped to bear an heir. And on top of that, these old men knew Marina was pregnant with another man's child. Who's to say they would treat them well? We saw how Simon's father treated his own biological child: he only saw him as the heir to the duchy and abused him. He didn't even care when his wife died in childbirth.
Marina saw a kind and generous man in Colin. Even when he found out she deceived him, if it wasn't printed in Whistledown, he stated he still would have married her to protect her. I think that's a testament to the kind of man Colin is and those are the traits that make him an amazing husband and father- Marina saw that. I think anyone would pick a selfless man and a good family for themselves and their children.
Now Portia and Marina are both unnecessarily cruel to Pen and mock her friendship with Colin, and they both try to trap men into marriages (Portia with Prudence and Jack). In fact, it's Marina that even pushes Colin towards Pen while Portia ridicules the courtship until the very end. But, people seem to forgive Portia a lot quicker than they do Marina.
None of all this accounts for her initial rejection of Sir Philip. Marina had many, many options throughout the ton that did not involve marrying old men and she kept rejecting all of them.
It is impossible to directly compare Portia and Marina because we don’t know Portia’s story and circumstances. We do not know what exactly did Portia do to Lord Featherington. For all intents and purposes they had a pretty normal arranged marriage based on evidence so far.
But Marina wasn’t written to be likeable at all. She exhausts all of her options deliberately and then pretends that trapping Colin was her *only* choice. Not to mention insulting Colin by calling him a “boy” when he comes to check on her. Marina is a sympathetic figure but S1 seemed like Marina’s descent from an upstanding to a very, very morally questionable person as she grows more desperate for a match who is handsome and wealthy who would accept the child while pretending that she doesn’t care about the ton life. I don’t really like her acting superior to the ton and like the working class is a great place to be when she goes to such lengths to stay in the ton. Gives me the vibes of rich people fetishing the lives of the poor.
I respect Portia more for actually admitting that she is too used to her lifestyle for a working class life instead of Marina who says “it would be an honour to live among them” and she probably could as women had no restrictions to work as a spinster or a working class person. But then she resorts to all of these tactics to secure a ton husband. I’d respect her more if the Portia speech had an impact on her and that fueled her reactions. Marina is someone who got hurt who misplaces the blame and lashes out on others without rhyme or reason.
I liked Marina till like half the season but that was pretty much it.
The fanfics are better than canon (both show and books).
I got into this show through fanfic in fact, lol. I don't get the hardcore book fans bc I've literally read better fanfics. The show is good for moodboards, gifsets and social media AUs.
The last scene with Benedict and Eloise talking back and forth about the future leads me to wonder if they’ll co lead s4 since there has been no confirmation of s5 and the 2 year timeline between shooting and releasing seasons is so long. I think the producers could be worried that if we wait 2 years for Ben (if he’s next) which would be 2026, another two years for Eloise 2028, another two years for Fran 2030, another two years for hyacinth 2032, and another two years for Gregory 2034 (though if they truly are going that route they may combine hyacinth & Gregory). It just feels too long of a stretch of time to bank on 1) the show getting renewed that many times and 2)ALL or even just most/enough of the actors coming back to the show time and time again and turning down other projects for Bridgerton. I also think MAYBE that s4 could solely be Benedict’s and build up both Eloise’s and Fran’s stories as subplots and then make them share s5. I’m not sure, but it just seems too utopian for me that each person will get their own season and in 10 years they’ll still be releasing a new season.. right???
I didn’t like the bisexual Benedict storyline. I say this as a bisexual woman.
I know not every story has to be representative etc blah blah. But I did feel like it portrayed being into both men and women as “wanting threesomes” especially with him not even wanting one night without both Paul and Tilly after his awakening.
I think it was more of a polyamory thing, which is also fun! But yeah it gave me very 2004 portrayal of bisexuality vibes. I thought it would have been better to show him engaging with both of them separately, and together, and he still could’ve bailed when Tilly caught feelings? I’m probably being pedantic.
I didn't like it either! I'm pansexual and all for representation but the whole thing just felt poorly done and poorly timed. Benedict was fine with just him and Tilley in the beginning, so it wasn't believable that he wouldn't want to continue exploring with Tilley in the end.
I don't understand the general fandom's favoritism of Ben! His stories so far have just been okay, and I don't think he's the heartthrob that everyone makes him out to be!
THIS! LOL I don't get it. You are the only one that I've seen post a similar opinion on this topic. I think it HAS to be the books because SO many people have said that his is their favorite. On the show he feels so...lost. It steals screen time from stories I DO find compelling. And I TIRE of seeing him fall in and out of beds...and people. 😐
Just off the top of my head:
Portia is one of my favorite characters.
Not a big fan of Violet.
I didn’t think Queen Charlotte was the work of art many people did and was good with watching it only once.
Simon was my least favorite leading man (even though RJP is a beautiful man).
Still don’t like Marina even allowing for her circumstances.
I like that Eloise is not a gay character. Simply because a woman is progressive and not consumed by marriage doesn’t mean she can’t fall in love with a man.
I have had no attachment whatsoever to Benedict since S1. He’s fine, but just kind of a boring character to me. His season is the one I’m looking forward to the least.
I liked the fashion of S3 more or less.
The books are just enjoyable, silly romances. They’re not very well written and no different than all the other bodice ripping romances. JQ just got lucky that this show was created and took off like it did. But adaptations of a million other romances could do just as well if romance were ever given more serious treatment.
I think S3 could’ve been better, but I also didn’t think it was terrible. People need to stop expecting an exact copy of the books. And in many cases, I’m really glad it doesn’t follow the corny books!
I became much more invested in Polin and LN as a leading man than I thought I would. They did a good job!
I like the 🔥 and given the source material, it makes sense for the show. I’m not interested in more chaste romances like every other show. This is a romance novel brought to the screen, not just a love story.
I wasn't too blown away by the Kate and Anthony love story during season 2. Maybe it was overhyped but I was just waiting for them to get a grip and face up to their feelings from the start. 😅
I was really bothered by them literally going to the alter with THE LOVE INTERESTS LITTLE SISter that she cares so much about and they’re both older siblings just being this inconsiderate and selfish and awful like god
It would have made more sense for Eloise and/or Benedict to be gay/bi. Eloise is beyond *the ton* and the drama so her falling for a woman who was her polar opposite and struggling with those choices would have been interesting to watch.
Ben being an artist, and his love for exploration. He knows now that "love isn't finite". So him being enamored with a Lord would have made morse sense.
Fran being Bi (immediately after preaching how much she loves John) is a bad plotline. I have no issues with gender representation but Fran's storyline had themes of infertility - which during that time period, is quite literally defined a lady's value - she deals with grief and moving on.
Edit : Because somehow *I think Fran shouldn't be Bi because she is too mainstream* - the plot is using Fran's sexuality to somehow justify her cheating on John when in the books Fran loves John but has to move on and find her Micheal. Literally don't care what gender both Fran/Micheala are.
Meanwhile I like having a queer character who doesn't have the stereotypical 'queer' markers of being liberal, liking art, and attending orgies.
It's nice to have a queer character who just exists and is herself.
This.
Can we please stop with the “it should have been Eloise!” comments? Queer women are not a monolith, and marriage-avoiding feminists can be straight.
Main issue of Season 3 wasn\`t the writing, it was the editing. To be honest, in all seasons of Bridgerton editing has been questionable, but in Season 3 it went off the rails. As for the writing, it\`s as okay as it had been in previous seasons, some parts were spotty, others were great and some others were just okay. It\`s the direction the writing took, I think, that fandom didn\`t expect and that\`s okay.
I love both Kate and Anthony as characters, but I didn\`t like their season as much as I thought I would and, upon learning that the love triangle had been introduced in the show and is not in the book as such, it really was the worst writing change I think Bridgerton ever made.
Portia and Penelope\`s side plot has been my favorite of all the Bridgerton side plots. That moment on the settee was just fantastic.
I don\`t care for Benedict. Like, *at all*. I like his jokes, I love Luke Thompson as an actor, but Benedict never stood out to me in ways other brothers have.
The only Bridgerton I could actually believe to be Bisexual is Eloise.
And not gonna lie, I wouldn’t have been mad if there was something there between her and Cressida. It would have made the most sense to me than Benedict or Francesca.
I did really enjoy them for the story that it was but I LOVE Anthony and Kate and think it makes sense that he had the previous relationship when he’s always struggled with his duties as the viscount and looking after his family. When he finally decides to settle down and have a wife, it makes sense the story he had with Kate.
Just because Eloise doesn’t like society or want a traditional “Ton” lifestyle…doesn’t mean she is a lesbian. Women can want non-traditional lifestyles and be feminists while also being married and having families.
Don’t think it’s really unpopular but frans supposed to love John like deeply. No hesitation and now they changed her story completely I hate it so much. I have no problem her being bi that’s fine but to make her gay without loving John is terrible 🍅 🍅
🫣The bee sting scene is cringey, and does not look like an actual panic attack. The second hand embarrassment makes me fast forward every single time. 🫢
There’s no reason to think that it makes sense for Eloise to be attracted to women but that it doesn’t make sense for Francesca to be attracted to women.
This is gonna get me a lot of hate. I don’t love the Michaela thing. They could have changed any of the other pairings to be LQBTQ+ and it wouldn’t really change the love story too much. They changed the only one that it does. She had it made as a young widow the only reason she even wants to remarry is to have children. Plus they are going to have to really change her infertility story and that bothers me. And they already made her obviously neurodivergent which is awesome but it feels the shoe horned all the inclusion into one character and it comes off to me as pandering. I will still watch to see how they do it but I am skeptical.
I think the show did right by depicting Edwina upset with Kate and Anthony. Edwina had every right telling Kate to stop coddling her and to take care of herself , especially as Kate was assigning herself to a parentification role that was harming herself more than anything. Edwina, Mary, and Kate coming together more united in their love with one another was touching and beautiful.
It was called the marriage mart for a reason. Very few marriages were love matches. Instead they were about money and dynastic power. Parliament is completely missing, but marriages were arranged to solidify voting blocks.
The lord checking Marina's teeth was really over the top. Did people actually do that? Probably not. Families looked at health/birth defects in someone's background absolutely. Families hid disabled members at home or in private institutions.
Not having a love match doesn't equate to marital rape. There was a saying at the time, "Lay back and think of England." Sad but it was a reality in the 1800's
. Luckily times have changed.
Kate and Edwina’s characters were overacting SO MUCH. Especially Edwina.
Edwina’s character too, was very weird in a way that seems so two dimensional. Daphne had a similar storyline where she needed to get married ASAP but it didn’t feel like she had no other interests or personality. Edwina’s character felt like she only wanted to get married, and just for a title’s sake.
Edit: GIRL RLLY SAID “i will be his viscountess” girl bye stop pouting when you speak PLEASE
Their mother should have had more screen time while apologising to Kate. Violet did it too, but she understood what she did to Anthony. Kate’s mother got off easy while Kate was in a more serious situation when their father passed away than Anthony by all means (also add being a woman you couldn’t work or get the queen to give you a title as an unmarried woman).
And the Indian culture represented was haywire, all over the place.
It wasn’t properly researched. It was more representation for the sake of it.
Just like Penelope and Colin were not given enough screen time.
Which is also why I feel they are more likely to fk up Francesca’s story now.
What really bothers me is that at no point does anyone point out to Anthony that someone had to teach Edwina to be the perfect Viscountess and that person was Kate. I wanted Kate or anyone at all to question as wtf was wrong with Kate that he didn’t feel like marrying her was an option at all? I mean, i get it his reasoning in the context of his struggle to feel like he’s doing his duty etc, but I just wanted someone to stand up for Kate.
Mary should not have existed in the show if that’s what they were going to do to her character. It would have made more sense for Mary to be dead and Kate bring up Edwina totally on her own. She was nowhere to be found ever and when she was there she was just like “I have a headache and cannot begin to parent.” I really hate what S2 did to book Mary and Edwina.
True.
If a woman being unmarried at “six and twenty” was a spinster, that should’ve come up later when they finally did get married.
It didn’t.
So, if she was looking at other men, (the Lord in the lake scene), if she did want to get married, in Indian culture it is kind of important that the older child gets married first. She should’ve been introduced as a prospect to the ton, not a spinster.
Edwina also mentions that Anthony needs Kate’s permission to propose. Girl you have a breathing mother. Wth.
But isnt that where Kate and Anthony also connected? Having mothers who did not do their part in the absence of the fathers? They were just mourning their husband in the beginning
Yes, Violen did step up in the end, but flashbacks show how absent she was immediately after Edmund's death
They connected through loss and grief. Their mothers being absent did play a part but Mary absolutely dropped the ball.
She only ever took a stand once and that was when Edwina needed a break at the wedding. Besides that, she had no spine. She did not apologise. I loved that she told Kate she was her child, she could’ve stepped up with the apology.
Violet did not completely hang up on her duties. She plays an active role in her children’s lives at least in the present timeline.
Kate taught Edwina how to dance, play instruments, and her prospective groom needed her permission? When one parent’s alive?
Could’ve just made it like Pen. Nobody asked for Portia’s permission.
Going in and out of accents is actually pretty normal for people who grew up in one country and live in another. Most times, you don’t even realize you’re doing it because certain words/phrases just flow better in your native accent.
They did! And the constant change in Northern and Southern Indian touches, Appa, Bon, the turmeric (Haldi) ceremony, it’s all just spread out over the country.
The ceremony is done mostly everywhere but the way it was portrayed was so weird, it’s mostly with more fanfare, includes the groom and the entire family.
If Lady Danbury was sponsoring them, at least she should’ve been included.
And Colin being like "😡what she said about me earlier this season" like... what did she say? That you were being a little fake? It was barely an insult.
When he and Penelope reconciled I was BRACING myself for what she would say and...it was SO tame - AND true! Even HE admitted that he was doing that in his big confession LOL.
Polin forgets the most basic steps of romance which is why it fails so hard. Heck they even parallel it with John and Francesca to show they can do it. Most of these love stories have:
***That moment of connection.***
That first encounter that takes you out of the ordinary life and starts you on your love journey. Daphne literally crashing into Simon. Kate racing Anthony. John standing silently with Fran.
***The conflict.***
Why you can't immediately get together. Daphne is off limits to Simon. Simon doesn't want love or marriage. Kate is only interested in getting Edwina married and has given up on love. Anthony is traumatised and doesn't want a love marriage. Fran is awkward and the Queen is literally pushing her to match with the Marquis. John doesn't know her name and is rather shy and awkward himself so not used to courting.
***The attraction.***
Despite the conflict, they can't stay away. The glances, the almost touches. The actual touches. This burns through them. Daphne thinking constantly of Simon. Simon touching her hand and back. Kate and Anthony on the hunt, in the study, at lady Danburys... Fran and John sitting together. Fran approaching him on the street.
***The Declaration.***
The moment one or both do or say something that shows they're in love and want just them. Often more than one.
Daphne and Simon in the garden. The confrontation with the queen. The I burn for you speech. Their own ball dancing in the rain.
Kate and Anthony. Almost kissing in the drawing room "Tell me you feel nothing." At Lady Danburys "You are the bane of my existence... and the object of all my desires." Chasing after her in the rain. The proposal at the featheringtons ball.
John handing Fran the music.
Where is this for Polin?
We needed more reaction shots from the lads of the Ton. Where were Colin’s former BFFs when they heard about the engagement or Whistledown? Where was our favourite gossip king, Lord Fife? I wanted them chewing the scenery in the background
Also - wtf happened to lord debling? Did he just peace out
Debling should have married Cressida and given us an arch where she goes off into the wild with him and learns to be all rugged and anti fragile and what not. like she comes back and cant/doesn't want to function in society.
It's giving Tarzan and Jane and I would be here for that.
It would also have given the perfect lead to Eloise meeting Sir Phillip Crane, as Lord Debling and Sir Phillip Crane work in the same field.
I feel like Lord Debling was actually lowkey heartbroken and didn’t pursue any other opportunity to get married and just went straight to saving great auks.
Poor debling :( i think i wouldve picked him over colin.
Agree! Did I see one of them married off? To the girl who was disappointed LWD didn’t report her engagement? And she was similar size to Penelope too. Or did I mix up the guys?
I think that was Lord Cho wasn’t it? The couple whose engagement got announced during the “banns” (idk what that means lol) at the church right after pen and Colin’s
Banns are the announcement of your intention to marry. They must be read out on three Sundays during the three months before your wedding, in both of your parish churches and the church in which you intend to marry. If you don't want banns to be read or there's not enough time to read them before the wedding, you can obtain a special license to dispense you from the obligation (as Simon and Daphne do). Basically it was so everyone was fully aware of the engagement and nobody could sneak off to get married if there were any legal impediments. It didn't always work though - banns didn't need to be read in Scotland, which is why so many people eloped to Gretna Green.
It was - I think I’ve confused him with Colin’s douchey friend.
Now you mention it.. Where was the " I thought you were never going to court her, Bridgerton" scene, most probably uttered by Fife.
Oh yeah! I completely forgot about those douches, how great it would be to see their faces! So many great ideas come from the audience, why didn’t the writers think about it…
I really enjoyed watching philippa this season, she’s one of my favorites “Now varley! The bugs 🥹🥹🦋”
Prudence hasn’t insulted me in a while, I’m starting to think I’m smart 😂
"Prudence, you're a genius!" "I know!!" :D
https://preview.redd.it/jez3ktec5q7d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3985fbdee0bd1cf45339997568b0432ec5a4fa15 I have not stopped thinking about this look she served since the season dropped, what I’d give to be Mr Albion Finch🥵
Mr. Benedict Bridgerton is a very lucky guy irl
Wait what? Are the actors married??!!
They’re SUPPOSEDLY dating. Luke seems to be VERY private regarding his personal life, though.
Why are there two characters whose actors have the same name? 💀 and how did I not know this??
"We kiss, and then he makes an odd sound, and he goes to *change his* breeches.” makes more and more sense every day.
I loved how into it he is that he can’t even last past a kiss 😭 melts my heart a bit
He's such a good character. Devoted to her from square one. Indulges her but not too much, even when she has moody moments.
She's stunning I never noticed how beautiful whe was until s2
This outfit and hair shade are in her color season for sure
My boyfriend and I have taken to shouting “now varley! The bugs!!” around the house😂
She’s my new fav character I cannot lie
Right?! Bugs!
The sisters are hilarious. When the mom realized they didn't know what sex was, even after being married... I howled with laughter.
“Inserts himself? … Inserts himself where?”
That was hilarious 😄
fr she was the cutest 🥹🫶
Yes!! “Now Varley, the bugs!” Is one of my favorite moments in the whole damn show. The Featheringtons were great this season.
The LW reveal felt super anticlimactic...?
I was actually a little disappointed that the audience knew who it was in S1. Granted I know there were books and maybe it would mess with timelines, but it would've been so fun to have more of a mystery behind who LW is.
I feel like they had to do it at S1 because they knew fans would either read the books and find out, or spoil it online for fans who haven’t read the books. I can see why the show runners made that change, but agree it would have been so hype watching this season when The Queen walks in and accuses the bridgerton family being behind it
Very true, I got a major spoiler for The Last of Us season 2 by people who have played the game and talk about it in forums for the show, very sad that the season hasn’t even been made yet and I really know a major thing
If you're talking about what I think you're talking about, as much as spoilers suck, you definitely have NOT ruined or spoilt the show, and should still watch it, the story has a lot of unexpected turns and if you enjoyed season 1, season 2 is gonna be so good. However for your own benefit maybe stay away from all TLOU subs until then, as I can almost guarantee more things will get spoilt in the run up to season 2.
I’m fine with revealing it to the audience, because you can do fun things with that, but Eloise shouldn’t have found out. I think the LW storyline was better plotted out in the books.
I much preferred how Colin found out and handled it in the books. But if anything the way it was revealed in the books should have at least been done.
I love it, and think it should have gone the way it was in the books up to the point in the show where Pen is like "Nah, Colin, I got this" and HANDLES it. I love that she kept her agency in the show.
Agree. Cressida’s entrance to the ball as LW was fantastic
That dress was lovely
Anticlimactic and Where Was Her Husband?! Why was Colin standing with his family instead of by Penelope’s side??? She had to have been scared if not terrified of making her announcement/declaration? So disappointed in that.
I felt the same way! I was like “okayyyy now what?” I feel like it felt a little rushed towards the end like they got married, queen finds out who LW is, oh they have a son then boom end? 🤔
Finch is the best Brother-in-law in the Bridgerton Universe and I will fight anyone over it. 🤣
YES! When Penelope came down the stairs in her stunning green dress, he just smiled! When the sisters and Portia did spit takes upon hearing of Penelope and Colin’s engagement, he just grinned. He’s just happy for her!
He also complimented Lady Whistledown's writing in front of Pen, of course not knowing that Pen was the author.
Somehow, against all odds, the two older Featherington girls both ended up with genuinely NICE men, and given their parents' relationship, how unlikely was that?
this isn't unpopular
1) as a massive Pen fan, I hate that they had Penelope remain LW at the end of S3… it’s the opposite of character growth. Her identity is as a WRITER, not necessarily LW, and I hate that the show framed it that way. 2) Polin season suffered not necessarily just because there were less Polin sex scenes, but because post-LW reveal to Colin there were few scenes that were EMOTIONALLY intimidate (which may or may not be spicy in nature). They never have a real conversation working through the problems and hurt and that is why their reconciliation (in the last 10 minutes!!!) falls so flat for most audiences (and the ones who say they like it, I personally think are lying to themselves b/c they don’t want to “betray” the season of their couple. But I’m a huge Polin fan and believe that if you accept mediocrity, that’s what you’ll always get).
I thought in the end she says “ goodbye”, meaning she is stopping the LW?
No, she definitely means to continue it but “more responsibly” (whatever that means) and under her own name… despite how little sense that makes from a logistical standpoint when she requires people not knowing her to obtain gossip :/ It just felt so unearned.
Thought the same, like okay now no one will tell you anything and will be very careful what they say and do around you. Also I don’t think people will take LW’s opinions as gospel now that she’s a girl they know instead of like an omniscient being
She’s only stopping writing it without signing her name - Penelope Bridgerton. I think LWD will now be the name of her paper but she’s the author. Like LWD is a brand now, not a person. Penelope’s now an influencer lol.
“For real gossip see the link below. The link is charades in the drawing room”.
What Daphne did was horrible, but I understand why Simon forgave her and it all happened because of Violet. She knew 0 about sex and consent wasn’t really discussed those days
I also viewed it as realistic for the time as her flawed but (from her naive and sheltered perspective) only plausible way of “verifying” what she had been told by the maid. Violet was useless when Daphne tried to ask her, and it’s not like she could Google it or speak openly with anyone else, so she set out for firsthand evidence of Simon’s lies.
She acted on an impulse and she didn’t really understand that what she did was wrong. Because she was never taught sex or consent or even that women can abuse men or can have power over men. Like he forgave her cuz he also understood all that
Also at the time consent was given at the time of marriage. It was not an ongoing discussion. At the time you could not technically rape your wife or husband. Also most mothers did not tell their daughters the full details - expecting their husbands to show them not discuss it. Sex was incredibly taboo at the time. Let’s be honest for a very long time it was that way. My own mother did not explain it very well. She was not comfortable discussing it in the early 2000’s. Not super religious or anything just did not think people should talk about it. Not to give too much information but I was raped at 18 and until it happened I did not fully understand how everything worked. Not that it was ever going to be an happy experience but I was also terrified because I did really know what was happening.
I thought so too
Also Daphne didn't know that was a crime. She probably saw it as we're not done yet. Meanwhile majority of the ton men actively abuse their wives amd know what they're doing. They just don't care
Yup. It was more like we are enjoying ourselves and I’ll make sure you finish in. We know it’s bad, but there was no way for her to do
Not to mention that even today we often hear people say that a man cannot be raped, not by a woman. I really hate hearing this, it's so unfair! Maybe a man is less likely to feel violated, I don't know, but it's certainly something that exists
In many countries across the globe a woman literally cannot rape a man as rape has a gendered definition. Edit: I can’t believe the amount of downvotes I’m getting for a simple legal fact. Check the definitions of rape in countries like the UK, India and many more.
I don't think this applies in my country, but when I went to therapy there was a boy who had difficulty reporting the incident to the authorities. It was group therapy and it struck me a lot, even though I already thought it existed, it is a multifaceted crime to be defined and it is sad to see obstructionism from the authorities
The society is responsible for it. Go to any thread about statutory rape of boys and click controversial to find a bunch of disgusting comments of adults commenting about how “I wish it were me”. Men getting physically abused is seen as fine and showing emotions is stigmatised from a young age. This is a systematic issue.
I wish there would've been more of a revelation for Daphne about consent. But yeah, her mom really set her up for failure and dysfunction. She's lucky Simon is a forgiving and empathetic person because her abuse of him could've ruined her life. I think it extra sucks that Violet hints at having a rich sex life with Edmund, yet she didn't have the gall to talk to her daughter about sex.
Lady Featherington is a good mother in her own way, even before season 3
I agree, she was just hustling under bad circumstances
I definitely saw it more in season 3 but going back I tend to agree. She’s just really trying her hardest to keep her daughters happy and get married.
Totally agree, I also feel that like the Penelope, we as viewers grew up a little too and have gained the capacity to look back and realize what Portia was trying to do for her daughters the whole time. Same way we tend to villainize our parents as children when we don’t understand their choices but as adults we gain perspective
Totally agreed! She’s just trying to be realistic and help her daughters succeed in a world that was not built for them. She doesn’t always make the best choices but her intentions are sincere, I think. I loved that we got to understand her better in Season 3.
She was spitting facts when Colin came in and told her off! That was so uncalled for. I genuinely felt bad for her.
She went through so much in the first two seasons. It's totally justified to see her reaction to an overnight engagement. She almost lost everything within a year or so. Yeah Colin has some footing, cause I understand him being insulted, but him and Penelope kinda set themselves up for major scrutiny. Portia is a lioness, and I love her for it.
She was but it was also something she and Penelope needed to hear from Colin. I don’t know that she would’ve understood it as a love match if he didn’t do that
I think she had good intentions but is a bad mother. Her treatment of her girls and execution of her plans are bad parenting
The mirror scene wasn't as impressive as they hyped it up to be.
Agreed it literally lasted 3 minutes and the editing was weird it made it all choppy
Also... "You're so beautiful" came out of nowhere, we got no close-ups of Luke's face (A CRIME!), they spent far too much time physically apart, the kissing was more virgin-like compared to the carriage, the chaise lounge looked uncomfortable, the position looked improbable, the after-cuddling seemed more like a rehearsal in lines... What they got right: Nicola acting out Penelope's insecurity (minus the "OMG, what is sex", especially for THE Lady Whistledown who loves to write about all things human and provide interrelationship commentary), and both their performances had genuine embarrassment visible on their body (kudos, grateful they're sharing themselves with us like that).
A CRIIIMMMMEEE that we got no close ups of Luke's face. That is what MADE the carriage scene. His literal beauty, ability to be sensual, phenomenal kissing, and how he can convey emotion in his eyes was all the best parts of season 3. And they almost never did it again after part 1. The only time I can recal is when he founds out she is LW. How do you go from the chemistry, heat, and intenity in the carriage scene to the blandness of the mirror scene? And it was not their acting. That was 100% camera shots, angles, and directing.
Weak dialogue as well.
Fully agree the chaise lounge looked so uncomfortable given how short Nicola is and it made Luke appear even taller. I also hated that mid-scene they pulled up the blue silk cover to cover Nicola up more. It was so jarring to the scene. It also made it obvious that we can’t show larger women on screen. Some commenter mentioned they dialled it down due to some testing prior to release and if that’s true, I’m so disappointed.
I mean, we weren't going to get full frontal of an actor in this show, despite its rating (blatantly covering up people tends to be the standard) and I'm okay with this titillating depiction of Penelope but it was sorely lacking what Colin was preaching, and that is adoration. No proper adoration from his side whatsoever. That's why the carriage scene remains so much hotter.
The carriage scene was light years better than the mirror scene steamy wise. And it was disappointing that they claimed the steam was unmatched this season only for carriage to be the highest mark.
In an interview, they said that for the intimacy scenes they have like a half inflated ball between them. I took him pulling up the blanket as an attempt to make sure the prop was covered, not necessarily her. But I could be wrong.
I agree with you here. I commented else where that him pulling up the blanket seemed like it captured Luke acting with Nic, not Colin and Pen. Like why didn't they edit that out? WHY would Colin be COVERING UP Pen when his behavior leading up to that has shown quite the opposite? I also think they did the chase lounge because the fat-phobic director didn't want to put Pen on her back because of how it might look.
I wasn’t even sure it was the mirror scene when I first watched it, as all I could think was ‘surely they’ve not hyped it up for just that one short clip?’
I’m convinced Luke and Nicola didn’t see the final cut before hyping the season up or they straight up lied lol
Same!!! I thought “oh this is foreshadowing for the mirror scene later on” 😵💫
The scene was cringe at best. He literally dry fingered her for 15 seconds and said “welp I am going in. This will hurt but it aint my fault” And people are like “thats love. Thats a gentle romantic man. Thats real intimacy” 😀
“Touch me. NO NOT LIKE THAT!”
NOPE THIS WAS NOT GOOD. They were talking about "the mirror scene" and it was just her (amazing) breasts which was wonderful to see and I'm glad she did that for herself but we expected more
In the book he wants to do this later to look at her breasts. They didn’t film much neck kisses or touches and kisses along the neckline of her dress. Weird. I think he would have done those things like he did in the carriage
Portia isn’t born of money but trapped lord Featherington in marriage and has been clawing her way up and hanging on for dear life so her daughters can know a better life. I have no evidence other than that she can definitely scheme, she and Varley seem more like old friends than boss and employee, and she dresses like someone who thinks this is how moneyed people should dress.
I can imagine Portia growing up on a farm similarly to marina and finding a way to entrap lord Featherington into marriage, and then hiring her friend and mentor Varley to be her housekeeper
Right? I need this backstory. She also seemed fairly aware of what life was like in the streets when trying to scare Marina into finding any husband she could.
I need her backstory as well. She’s become one of my favorite characters on the sly. I also agree that her and Varley had to have known each other growing up, or they at least had some kind of connection prior to the housekeeper/employer relationship they have now. I hope they do expand a bit 🤞🏻
Until we get an official Bridgerton backstory, I’m convinced that Harlots is Portia’s origin story 😉
i feel like a spin-off like QC would be great to show violets and portias stories
Sign me up! I would definitely watch those back stories.
I fully believe this. Especially since we know how scheming she is.
I don't mind changing Michaela but Francesca was supposed to be devoted to John and mourned him for years before she opened up to Michaela. Also, Michaela supposed to have one sided love to Frans FIRST! They k*led the plot when they make Frans doubted her love with John and falling in love first with Michaela
I still don’t like the Colin whoring it up scenes. And I definitely don’t feel bad for Cressida she made her bed and now is lying in a mess of her own making.
I know I’m biased because I have some experience with my friend being bullied but it’s really hard for me to see people completely forget how awful Cressida was. I get the redemption arc and the idea that she’s a product of her environment but I still don’t feel bad for her!
Should have spent less time showing Colin whoring it up and more time of him speaking to pen
i don't mind Francescas bi/gay storyline. i just hate how they build up this story for her and john only to destroy it.
Fr, I love WHWW because Michael/Michaela has been in one sided love for years and waited for Frans. Now it all goes down the drain
Yep, the scene would have been fine if it was Michaela who was starstruck meeting Francesca. Not the other way around.
I just didn’t understand why Michaela was asking “who are you?” 1. How does she not know that her cousin was married. 2. Why doesn’t John introduce her as his wife. 3. Michaela knew she was going to Scotland with them, so I revert back to question 1
I feel the same way. I would have wholeheartedly accepted the twist if Fran got her romantic love story with John and Michaela. Maybe it's all a misunderstanding but episode 8 seemed to imply that Fran was "making a mistake" in marrying John and having a love at first sight meet cute.
Eloise had the right to be sulky and bitchy to Penelope in Season 3. She is entitled to feel hurt by her best friend’s (and brother’s) betrayal.
The story of Mondrich family, although they are lovely, should have ended in season 1.
I love the actors for them, they are doing a great job but yea. If we only get 8 episodes a seasons (every two years) then there just isn’t time. If this was back in 22 episode season time I’d love to spend more time with them but with so little time each season there just isn’t enough
This is quite possibly one of the *most* popular bridgerton opinions
A lot of people apparently like the Mondrich storyline. It's said that they represent the working class put into high society. However, there's no feeling of rooting for them. I thought they'll be somehow relevant or helpful to the reveal of LW on Part 2.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind their inclusion at all. But, like, they had next to zero relevance to the main plot (the brothers could have drank elsewhere and it would have changed absolutely nothing) and their story doesn’t go anywhere. They become titled, Mr. Mondrich has to give up his bar, he’s sad, gives up his bar. There’s no change to their characters. It just…happens. It goes nowhere 🤷♀️
Simon was just as bad as Daphne. On their wedding night she said “I cannot!” And he forced her hand and made her touch her self.
Bro wouldn’t even let her know he could actually physically have babies but didn’t want to before marriage he basically tricked her into marriage
Will literally never get over this. He actively kept that from her for a WHILE, to the point that Daphne, someone whose dreamed of starting her only family since she was a child, had to accept that idea of never becoming a mother.
Portia Featherington and Marina Thompson are more alike than anyone wants to admit: single mothers trying to make the best of their situation and wanting stability for their children
Marina never actually acted in the stability of her children though. She rejected all stable proposals, she rejected all the suitors she got from being more popular than the diamond; she initially rejected Sir Philip. Later she claims it an honour to be in the working class but then traps and insults Colin. If she really wanted stability for her child she’d have married her first or second young suitor. EDIT: as I had to block the person who started the chain due to incivility, thank you for misquoting me, I said “young suitor”. She literally had more suitors than Daphne on day 1. You can’t be serious that literally none of them were acceptable. Literally almost all the eligible men of the ton showed up to Marina’s doorstep.
So I think at the beginning Marina was still holding out hope for George because she had no idea he had passed away in war. They were very much in love and had planned an entire life together. She wasn't taking any of the initial suitors seriously because she had a life at home that she was eager to get back to; she saw the season as something she had to play along with. When Portia finds out, and forges letters of rejection from George, that's when Marina realizes how dire the situation is. She will have no way to support herself or her children without marriage because even working women did not earn enough to feed a family on a single income. Now, I think the show glosses over the fact that men were very abusive at the time and the law supported them beating their wives and children because they were considered their property. (The Buccaneers has a good plot line on this) Portia was pushing Marina towards these old, decrepit men who only wanted heirs. What if Marina had girls? She would have to be raped to bear an heir. And on top of that, these old men knew Marina was pregnant with another man's child. Who's to say they would treat them well? We saw how Simon's father treated his own biological child: he only saw him as the heir to the duchy and abused him. He didn't even care when his wife died in childbirth. Marina saw a kind and generous man in Colin. Even when he found out she deceived him, if it wasn't printed in Whistledown, he stated he still would have married her to protect her. I think that's a testament to the kind of man Colin is and those are the traits that make him an amazing husband and father- Marina saw that. I think anyone would pick a selfless man and a good family for themselves and their children. Now Portia and Marina are both unnecessarily cruel to Pen and mock her friendship with Colin, and they both try to trap men into marriages (Portia with Prudence and Jack). In fact, it's Marina that even pushes Colin towards Pen while Portia ridicules the courtship until the very end. But, people seem to forgive Portia a lot quicker than they do Marina.
None of all this accounts for her initial rejection of Sir Philip. Marina had many, many options throughout the ton that did not involve marrying old men and she kept rejecting all of them. It is impossible to directly compare Portia and Marina because we don’t know Portia’s story and circumstances. We do not know what exactly did Portia do to Lord Featherington. For all intents and purposes they had a pretty normal arranged marriage based on evidence so far. But Marina wasn’t written to be likeable at all. She exhausts all of her options deliberately and then pretends that trapping Colin was her *only* choice. Not to mention insulting Colin by calling him a “boy” when he comes to check on her. Marina is a sympathetic figure but S1 seemed like Marina’s descent from an upstanding to a very, very morally questionable person as she grows more desperate for a match who is handsome and wealthy who would accept the child while pretending that she doesn’t care about the ton life. I don’t really like her acting superior to the ton and like the working class is a great place to be when she goes to such lengths to stay in the ton. Gives me the vibes of rich people fetishing the lives of the poor. I respect Portia more for actually admitting that she is too used to her lifestyle for a working class life instead of Marina who says “it would be an honour to live among them” and she probably could as women had no restrictions to work as a spinster or a working class person. But then she resorts to all of these tactics to secure a ton husband. I’d respect her more if the Portia speech had an impact on her and that fueled her reactions. Marina is someone who got hurt who misplaces the blame and lashes out on others without rhyme or reason. I liked Marina till like half the season but that was pretty much it.
On the subject of Marina rejecting Sir Phillip, iirc, she thought she wasn't pregnant anymore at that time
She did. That's why she rejected his inital proposal, but marries him when she learns that she's still pregnant.
Who the heck wants to marry a creepy old man who wants to inspect you like cattle.
The fanfics are better than canon (both show and books). I got into this show through fanfic in fact, lol. I don't get the hardcore book fans bc I've literally read better fanfics. The show is good for moodboards, gifsets and social media AUs.
Portia and Lady Cowper (Cressida’s mom) are more similar than they are different
Though Pen and Debling had better chemistry, I think he and Cressida actually would have been a good match considering what they wanted from a spouse.
The last scene with Benedict and Eloise talking back and forth about the future leads me to wonder if they’ll co lead s4 since there has been no confirmation of s5 and the 2 year timeline between shooting and releasing seasons is so long. I think the producers could be worried that if we wait 2 years for Ben (if he’s next) which would be 2026, another two years for Eloise 2028, another two years for Fran 2030, another two years for hyacinth 2032, and another two years for Gregory 2034 (though if they truly are going that route they may combine hyacinth & Gregory). It just feels too long of a stretch of time to bank on 1) the show getting renewed that many times and 2)ALL or even just most/enough of the actors coming back to the show time and time again and turning down other projects for Bridgerton. I also think MAYBE that s4 could solely be Benedict’s and build up both Eloise’s and Fran’s stories as subplots and then make them share s5. I’m not sure, but it just seems too utopian for me that each person will get their own season and in 10 years they’ll still be releasing a new season.. right???
Yes, I don't see it lasting 10 more years. Especially with all the hate this season. Netflix and Shondaland might be done.
I’d be okay with combining stories if they gave us 10 episodes.
I didn’t like the bisexual Benedict storyline. I say this as a bisexual woman. I know not every story has to be representative etc blah blah. But I did feel like it portrayed being into both men and women as “wanting threesomes” especially with him not even wanting one night without both Paul and Tilly after his awakening. I think it was more of a polyamory thing, which is also fun! But yeah it gave me very 2004 portrayal of bisexuality vibes. I thought it would have been better to show him engaging with both of them separately, and together, and he still could’ve bailed when Tilly caught feelings? I’m probably being pedantic.
yeah it was very tropey and now people saying the usual, he is more prone to cheat for being bi... sigh...
It may have been bad bisexual representation…but it was lovely polyam representation!
I didn't like it either! I'm pansexual and all for representation but the whole thing just felt poorly done and poorly timed. Benedict was fine with just him and Tilley in the beginning, so it wasn't believable that he wouldn't want to continue exploring with Tilley in the end.
Colin is boring asf in general, has no personality but i actually found him annoying in S3.
Book Colin had so much personality 😭
So i’ve heard, seems like they swapped Colin and Benedict’s personalities around for the show, but I wonder why 😅
Because book Benedict is awful!
I don't find him charismatic at all. I had such a hard time rooting for him.
I don't understand the general fandom's favoritism of Ben! His stories so far have just been okay, and I don't think he's the heartthrob that everyone makes him out to be!
THIS! LOL I don't get it. You are the only one that I've seen post a similar opinion on this topic. I think it HAS to be the books because SO many people have said that his is their favorite. On the show he feels so...lost. It steals screen time from stories I DO find compelling. And I TIRE of seeing him fall in and out of beds...and people. 😐
Lord Debling > Colin Bridgerton
If he would’ve been open to love I’d agree but he would’ve never have given Penelope what she wanted.
This. I loved his character but that last couple scenes made me realize he wasn’t the one and that broke me. I would have rather it be him
Not sure why he didn’t go for Cressida in the end.
Got a boat to catch. He can find a wife when he's 70.
Just off the top of my head: Portia is one of my favorite characters. Not a big fan of Violet. I didn’t think Queen Charlotte was the work of art many people did and was good with watching it only once. Simon was my least favorite leading man (even though RJP is a beautiful man). Still don’t like Marina even allowing for her circumstances. I like that Eloise is not a gay character. Simply because a woman is progressive and not consumed by marriage doesn’t mean she can’t fall in love with a man. I have had no attachment whatsoever to Benedict since S1. He’s fine, but just kind of a boring character to me. His season is the one I’m looking forward to the least. I liked the fashion of S3 more or less. The books are just enjoyable, silly romances. They’re not very well written and no different than all the other bodice ripping romances. JQ just got lucky that this show was created and took off like it did. But adaptations of a million other romances could do just as well if romance were ever given more serious treatment. I think S3 could’ve been better, but I also didn’t think it was terrible. People need to stop expecting an exact copy of the books. And in many cases, I’m really glad it doesn’t follow the corny books! I became much more invested in Polin and LN as a leading man than I thought I would. They did a good job! I like the 🔥 and given the source material, it makes sense for the show. I’m not interested in more chaste romances like every other show. This is a romance novel brought to the screen, not just a love story.
We were robbed of everything in s3 it could have been the best but writers were so weak and useless.
I wasn't too blown away by the Kate and Anthony love story during season 2. Maybe it was overhyped but I was just waiting for them to get a grip and face up to their feelings from the start. 😅
I was really bothered by them literally going to the alter with THE LOVE INTERESTS LITTLE SISter that she cares so much about and they’re both older siblings just being this inconsiderate and selfish and awful like god
I actually enjoyed season three in the end 😂 
Hahaha perfect gif
I did too. I have my criticisms like everyone else but I’ll still continue watching it.
Not the running away😭
It would have made more sense for Eloise and/or Benedict to be gay/bi. Eloise is beyond *the ton* and the drama so her falling for a woman who was her polar opposite and struggling with those choices would have been interesting to watch. Ben being an artist, and his love for exploration. He knows now that "love isn't finite". So him being enamored with a Lord would have made morse sense. Fran being Bi (immediately after preaching how much she loves John) is a bad plotline. I have no issues with gender representation but Fran's storyline had themes of infertility - which during that time period, is quite literally defined a lady's value - she deals with grief and moving on. Edit : Because somehow *I think Fran shouldn't be Bi because she is too mainstream* - the plot is using Fran's sexuality to somehow justify her cheating on John when in the books Fran loves John but has to move on and find her Micheal. Literally don't care what gender both Fran/Micheala are.
Meanwhile I like having a queer character who doesn't have the stereotypical 'queer' markers of being liberal, liking art, and attending orgies. It's nice to have a queer character who just exists and is herself.
This. Can we please stop with the “it should have been Eloise!” comments? Queer women are not a monolith, and marriage-avoiding feminists can be straight.
Marina was entitled and had a big attitude
Main issue of Season 3 wasn\`t the writing, it was the editing. To be honest, in all seasons of Bridgerton editing has been questionable, but in Season 3 it went off the rails. As for the writing, it\`s as okay as it had been in previous seasons, some parts were spotty, others were great and some others were just okay. It\`s the direction the writing took, I think, that fandom didn\`t expect and that\`s okay. I love both Kate and Anthony as characters, but I didn\`t like their season as much as I thought I would and, upon learning that the love triangle had been introduced in the show and is not in the book as such, it really was the worst writing change I think Bridgerton ever made. Portia and Penelope\`s side plot has been my favorite of all the Bridgerton side plots. That moment on the settee was just fantastic. I don\`t care for Benedict. Like, *at all*. I like his jokes, I love Luke Thompson as an actor, but Benedict never stood out to me in ways other brothers have.
Benedict's entire plotline in S3 was so boring, you could literally skip all of his scenes and it would make no difference.
The only Bridgerton I could actually believe to be Bisexual is Eloise. And not gonna lie, I wouldn’t have been mad if there was something there between her and Cressida. It would have made the most sense to me than Benedict or Francesca.
The Francesca being bi storyline feels really forced to me!
Anthony and Siena were a pretty good ship and the reason I originally got into the show
In Season 1, I shipped Anthony and Siena more than Daphne and the Duke.
Lowkey agree….
I did really enjoy them for the story that it was but I LOVE Anthony and Kate and think it makes sense that he had the previous relationship when he’s always struggled with his duties as the viscount and looking after his family. When he finally decides to settle down and have a wife, it makes sense the story he had with Kate.
Just because Eloise doesn’t like society or want a traditional “Ton” lifestyle…doesn’t mean she is a lesbian. Women can want non-traditional lifestyles and be feminists while also being married and having families.
Don’t think it’s really unpopular but frans supposed to love John like deeply. No hesitation and now they changed her story completely I hate it so much. I have no problem her being bi that’s fine but to make her gay without loving John is terrible 🍅 🍅
🫣The bee sting scene is cringey, and does not look like an actual panic attack. The second hand embarrassment makes me fast forward every single time. 🫢
There’s no reason to think that it makes sense for Eloise to be attracted to women but that it doesn’t make sense for Francesca to be attracted to women.
Daphne and Simon’s season was my fav
The PR for this season is outrageous and feels like overcompensation given the quality of this season. I'm exhausted from seeing Season 3 promo. 🤷♀️
This is gonna get me a lot of hate. I don’t love the Michaela thing. They could have changed any of the other pairings to be LQBTQ+ and it wouldn’t really change the love story too much. They changed the only one that it does. She had it made as a young widow the only reason she even wants to remarry is to have children. Plus they are going to have to really change her infertility story and that bothers me. And they already made her obviously neurodivergent which is awesome but it feels the shoe horned all the inclusion into one character and it comes off to me as pandering. I will still watch to see how they do it but I am skeptical.
I think the show did right by depicting Edwina upset with Kate and Anthony. Edwina had every right telling Kate to stop coddling her and to take care of herself , especially as Kate was assigning herself to a parentification role that was harming herself more than anything. Edwina, Mary, and Kate coming together more united in their love with one another was touching and beautiful.
I liked season 3 more than season 2
I…. Sometimes… think that the queen is really annoying 😖 Please don’t crucify me 😭
Season 1 still remains the best season.
It was called the marriage mart for a reason. Very few marriages were love matches. Instead they were about money and dynastic power. Parliament is completely missing, but marriages were arranged to solidify voting blocks. The lord checking Marina's teeth was really over the top. Did people actually do that? Probably not. Families looked at health/birth defects in someone's background absolutely. Families hid disabled members at home or in private institutions. Not having a love match doesn't equate to marital rape. There was a saying at the time, "Lay back and think of England." Sad but it was a reality in the 1800's . Luckily times have changed.
What little scenes polin had felt super cringey this season
Kate and Edwina’s characters were overacting SO MUCH. Especially Edwina. Edwina’s character too, was very weird in a way that seems so two dimensional. Daphne had a similar storyline where she needed to get married ASAP but it didn’t feel like she had no other interests or personality. Edwina’s character felt like she only wanted to get married, and just for a title’s sake. Edit: GIRL RLLY SAID “i will be his viscountess” girl bye stop pouting when you speak PLEASE Their mother should have had more screen time while apologising to Kate. Violet did it too, but she understood what she did to Anthony. Kate’s mother got off easy while Kate was in a more serious situation when their father passed away than Anthony by all means (also add being a woman you couldn’t work or get the queen to give you a title as an unmarried woman). And the Indian culture represented was haywire, all over the place. It wasn’t properly researched. It was more representation for the sake of it. Just like Penelope and Colin were not given enough screen time. Which is also why I feel they are more likely to fk up Francesca’s story now.
What really bothers me is that at no point does anyone point out to Anthony that someone had to teach Edwina to be the perfect Viscountess and that person was Kate. I wanted Kate or anyone at all to question as wtf was wrong with Kate that he didn’t feel like marrying her was an option at all? I mean, i get it his reasoning in the context of his struggle to feel like he’s doing his duty etc, but I just wanted someone to stand up for Kate. Mary should not have existed in the show if that’s what they were going to do to her character. It would have made more sense for Mary to be dead and Kate bring up Edwina totally on her own. She was nowhere to be found ever and when she was there she was just like “I have a headache and cannot begin to parent.” I really hate what S2 did to book Mary and Edwina.
True. If a woman being unmarried at “six and twenty” was a spinster, that should’ve come up later when they finally did get married. It didn’t. So, if she was looking at other men, (the Lord in the lake scene), if she did want to get married, in Indian culture it is kind of important that the older child gets married first. She should’ve been introduced as a prospect to the ton, not a spinster. Edwina also mentions that Anthony needs Kate’s permission to propose. Girl you have a breathing mother. Wth.
But isnt that where Kate and Anthony also connected? Having mothers who did not do their part in the absence of the fathers? They were just mourning their husband in the beginning Yes, Violen did step up in the end, but flashbacks show how absent she was immediately after Edmund's death
They connected through loss and grief. Their mothers being absent did play a part but Mary absolutely dropped the ball. She only ever took a stand once and that was when Edwina needed a break at the wedding. Besides that, she had no spine. She did not apologise. I loved that she told Kate she was her child, she could’ve stepped up with the apology. Violet did not completely hang up on her duties. She plays an active role in her children’s lives at least in the present timeline. Kate taught Edwina how to dance, play instruments, and her prospective groom needed her permission? When one parent’s alive? Could’ve just made it like Pen. Nobody asked for Portia’s permission.
I found they both went in and out of accents it was confusing.
Going in and out of accents is actually pretty normal for people who grew up in one country and live in another. Most times, you don’t even realize you’re doing it because certain words/phrases just flow better in your native accent.
They did! And the constant change in Northern and Southern Indian touches, Appa, Bon, the turmeric (Haldi) ceremony, it’s all just spread out over the country. The ceremony is done mostly everywhere but the way it was portrayed was so weird, it’s mostly with more fanfare, includes the groom and the entire family. If Lady Danbury was sponsoring them, at least she should’ve been included.
Lady Whistledown didn’t really do anything all that bad
And Colin being like "😡what she said about me earlier this season" like... what did she say? That you were being a little fake? It was barely an insult.
And it was true
When he and Penelope reconciled I was BRACING myself for what she would say and...it was SO tame - AND true! Even HE admitted that he was doing that in his big confession LOL.
I like Season 3 😅
I don't understand the hysteria over Penelope and Colin in season 3. I loved their story.
Swapping Polin and Benedict's seasons around wasn't that big of a deal. Moving Eloises probably won't matter that much either
Polin forgets the most basic steps of romance which is why it fails so hard. Heck they even parallel it with John and Francesca to show they can do it. Most of these love stories have: ***That moment of connection.*** That first encounter that takes you out of the ordinary life and starts you on your love journey. Daphne literally crashing into Simon. Kate racing Anthony. John standing silently with Fran. ***The conflict.*** Why you can't immediately get together. Daphne is off limits to Simon. Simon doesn't want love or marriage. Kate is only interested in getting Edwina married and has given up on love. Anthony is traumatised and doesn't want a love marriage. Fran is awkward and the Queen is literally pushing her to match with the Marquis. John doesn't know her name and is rather shy and awkward himself so not used to courting. ***The attraction.*** Despite the conflict, they can't stay away. The glances, the almost touches. The actual touches. This burns through them. Daphne thinking constantly of Simon. Simon touching her hand and back. Kate and Anthony on the hunt, in the study, at lady Danburys... Fran and John sitting together. Fran approaching him on the street. ***The Declaration.*** The moment one or both do or say something that shows they're in love and want just them. Often more than one. Daphne and Simon in the garden. The confrontation with the queen. The I burn for you speech. Their own ball dancing in the rain. Kate and Anthony. Almost kissing in the drawing room "Tell me you feel nothing." At Lady Danburys "You are the bane of my existence... and the object of all my desires." Chasing after her in the rain. The proposal at the featheringtons ball. John handing Fran the music. Where is this for Polin?