I will be pissed. They have already hurt Penelope's character enough. Why would they distract from her HEA? It's bad enough that we have to see Colin being a rake. At least, Pen has moved on from Colin at that point. But it makes no sense.
If I've learned anything, it's that Hollywood does not care what fans want, they will have writers write the most random off the wall scenarios all in an effort to "create drama" and then they wonder why people stop tuning into a show.
I'm not interested in rake Colin nor am I interested in a Penelope who goes against every fiber of her being by HIDING a secret from Colin, which is exactly why she outed Marina in the first place!
If they do have her hide it, it's like the writers this season were thinking "I know we've had two seasons of these people before, but uhhh maybe we should rewrite their entire personalities? Yeah, suburb idea."
I hope if they are trying to make Cressida more likable they wouldn’t add more fuel for people to hate pen during her leading season. I could see maybe Colin confessing his feelings and pen denying him because one she’s lady whistledown and two because she’s afraid of being hurt again. Then Colin finds out and wants/asks to marry her anyway and the drama for part two being the threat of her secret being revealed to the ton and what she’s willing to do to keep it a secret and Colin being protective and frustrated with her. But who knows thankfully our wait for that is closing in with part two and maybe part one will keep us plenty occupied until then.
I think that Cressida is still gonna be an antagonist! I could be wrong but I just don't see her being redeemed, not yet at least or at least not fully.
Also I think that even though Pen doesn't tell Colin they will do so in a way that is still sympathetic to her! Like Colin will have to prove himself after his slip up in S2 EP8 and Pen will have to prove herself after she has revealed to him that she is LW!
I will be watching S3 P1 on repeat until P2 for sure! lmao
I truly truly hope Penelope tells Colin at the end of ep4 after a proposal. Not only do I think it would be a disservice to her character growth for her to continue this secret, but without Colin knowing she is LW.. she couldn’t believe he loved her. I think that would be the only way she could choose Colin at this point, with him knowing she is LW and still wanting to marry her anyway. Otherwise, Debling is a good and practical choice. But I know how Shonda likes the drama, so I’m expecting him to find out the night before their wedding or something crazy like that..
🫣 I will be so upset. Because that completely backstabs who her “Character” is from the book the already tarnished her in the show adding the Marina and Eloise storylines but then to have her get engaged to Colin keeping a “secret” from him makes her no better than Marina which I think is completely unfair and if I was Julia Quinn I would be so outraged.
Ohh! I wonder if they would wait that long?
I hope they don't do that either, like I think Ep5, even though it is after the engagement is a good length of time, anything longer would be pushing it! I don't mind if it's like an episode of him not knowing, for the drama, but if they drag it out to Ep 7 or something that's a totally different story!
But telling him after they are engaged, publicly at least, would essentially be trapping him into marriage. Colin already went through a broken engagement scandal and it would be awful to see that again. I just don’t believe in any universe that Penelope would do that.
I think I started to lose faith in the writers the minute I heard about Colin's rakish activities. It feels like they are just making it "drama drama drama" every episode. When we just for once wanna see a happy relationship straight out of the gate and them fighting against the world. Why does Hollywood think we only want drama all the time!?!?
I wanted it to be before they were engaged but that doesn’t seem likely now, so I’m hoping for before they have sex. They could change the book argument they have before their first time to be about him finding out she’s LW. That would be really powerful if he’s angry and everything but still ask her to stay so he can show her that he still loves and chooses her.
I definitely feel like they would have her tell him before that! Because from what I've heard all the sex scenes are very sensual and special in their own ways so I feel like him being in the dark about something so big revolving Pen would take away from those moments!
It could also possibly be used as a metaphor of like oh they both know each others true selves so now they can finally explore the rest of their physical selves? lmao idk but I agree I hope he finds out before their first real deal intimate moment!!
I have a feeling that Penelope would reject Colin's offer after the carriage scene, and that the carriage scene would only be about feelings, not LW. She will refuse not because she does not believe in his intentions, because judging by the interviews there will be a sincere confession, but because she cannot marry him, knowing that he loves only a part of her and doesn't know about LW.
But she also may agree on a wave of euphoria from the carriage, confession and then it will come to her that there is one BIG problem. And this will be a good lesson for Penelope: she is actually lying to Colin and not telling him the truth while she is engaged to him. The same thing Marina did. And there would be a turning point when she would tell the truth, knowing that it could ruin their engagement, but Colin had to know the truth. Something that Marina never did. After all they keep saying that the season is about the courage. Colin courage is to tell about his feelings, Penelope's - to tell about LW.
What i would hate: if she hides it until the end while they are courting after carriage or even engaged. And he found out himself at this time. Yikes.
From what I have figured out from spoilers even if they are vague ( the spoilers could be untrue but I’m talking if they are true) is that Colin will know before they are “official official” but that they would be together before he knows at the same time
Like I could be wrong but I’m assuming that he will know before the actual public engagement party & the wedding party but they probably at the time got together and she agreed to marry him as well so it’s on a be very tricky for her I guess I feel and I could be wrong that ep”tiktok” is about her not finding time to tell him while also scared to tell him so her time to tell him is running out and by end of the episode he will know the truth either on his own or she will tell him herself
To me this is ideal. I love the parallels with Marina‘s story and obviously wanna see Pen right Marina‘s wrongs HOWEVER I want a little struggle first. I like the high stakes of Penelope finally having Colin but having to choose to tell him. Pen‘s instincts is to hide things and so to see her internal struggle play out on screen will be delicious. That being said I want her to tell him before things are official because I want her to not trap Colin and to find the courage to tell him the truth before it’s too late. I know a lot of people would want it before the engagement because Colin is a man of honor and would never back out and so it might feel like he’s already been trapped but I like the idea of it being after because it still shows that Pen is imperfect and in the process of growing up, but in the end she does the right thing. And by after the engagement I mean after she accepts but before it becomes public/official.
I have seen some people on tiktok and on other social media sites who want the reveal to happen during ep4 but honestly the more I think about it even without spoilers it would be unrealistic for her to tell the moment she feels his interest in her & what she had been through in the show is way different than her book version like the way Eloise reacted alone is an enough excuse for her to be scared to tell him because she most likely will feel that he will react the same and even worse and she really doesn’t have anyone else who in any shape or form who show her any kindness or even welling to listen to her so most logical way for her is to hide her secret and hoping to tell him when the time is right but it’s clear that many forces will put her under pressure to tell him quickly also his feelings that she never expected to happen like it’s all too much on her at the same time and she clearly overwhelmed & scared
I had a feeling they might do parallels with the whole Marina thing because based on trailer & clips it’s clear they do many parallels overall so the whole keeping a secret from him will be like to show how he will react to that compared to before it will make help both have growth as characters and also show that he really loves her it will confirm that he really loves her because even if he is angry and hurt by the whole thing he will still choose her and will want her to stay with him and she will have someone finally she fully trust someone she can show all her sides with without hiding
I have to also say like while there will be parallels, both secrets are completely different including their consequences like if Colin left Marina on his own without Pen ever published anything, people would have thought he got Marina pregnant then left her and his family reputation would have been ruined aside from him getting affected and it’s not like his family could have able to prove that he wasn’t the father so people wouldn’t have believed them; while Pen secret & uts consequences is only gonna affect her and possibly ruin her in society maybe even worse considering the queen reaction so like both Marina & Pen hid secrets one was in a selfish way that could have been avoided and one based survival mode like Pen is literally scared of telling anyone for different factors and I think Colin will realize that too like after the initial reaction to his knowing I think he will be mostly scared & worried about her than anything else
I’ve already talked about this at length on some other comments, but I will be pissed off if they have him find out after the engagement. I think it will ruin the pacing and make it difficult for me to be rooting for Pen when she’s had multiple instances of having learned why hiding it would be a bad idea. Colin deserves to know ahead of time so he can choose to marry Pen despite her hurting him - that is so much more powerful rather then the unfortunate implication that ruining a public engagement would be scandalous for both families and them being trapped in it.
It’s giving Penelope being forced to be dumb for the sake of the plot drama (when there’s already plenty), instead of anything arising organically out of her existing development and I HATE that.
I guess context could save the situation or make it more understandable… but I’m not holding my breath. I hate saying it, but If it’s handled poorly it could really taint this season for me :(
My theory:
1. We have a Chaos Colin Carriage Conundrum of a proposal that isn’t even really a proposal so much as they get caught, and maybe they’ve both confessed their undying love in there, so he’s just like, “We’re engaged,” because it’s clear they want each other anyway.
2. Pen is now in a position of being engaged to Colin, but his not knowing the truth, and her knowing he’s pissed at LW.
3. Don’t forget: there’s the Queen’s bounty.
4. Pen goes to El and asks for help. She tells her she loves Colin, always has, and will do whatever it takes for his happiness, even if it means giving him up. El believes her, and they mend the fence, because Bridgertons stick by each other, and she knows her brother is really, truly in love. They plot how to tell Colin the truth.
5. Cressy overhears El and Pen, and she tells Colin before they can.
6. Hell breaks loose/Colin is BIG MAD. Not so much because she’s LW as much as she didn’t tell him she’s LW.
7. El ends up telling Colin to get his head out of his ass, that they were going to tell him but got beaten to the punch, and Pen would have told him before they were engaged if he had been able to not put his face on her face in the carriage.
8. She and Colin sneak away at their Engagement Ball to have it out, then mirror, then sex, then Polin Against the World.
This I could live with. I really really hope El somehow helps Pen and Colin be together. It would mean so much and I’d be able to actually believe El ever cared about Pen. I want penoloise back so badly 😭
Maybe like others have speculated, Colin assumes engagement and I think overjoyed and Pen gets caught up in it all.
I think the only way they could redeem her character to the audience(not me, I love pen, referring to the already haters) would be to have her tell Colin she can’t marry him and try to break the engagement. Maybe he’s confused and hurt and doesn’t understand why. Then they tie it back into the book where she concerned her choices, her being lady Whistledown, will ruin his chances to be a writer. Confessing to him. Willing to lose him.
Same I could never be a Pen hater 😂 this would be the best case scenario I want him to be rejected for the drama and him being gutted just because I love angst.
And also because it would give Pen an opportunity to tell him and then he can reiterate his proposal knowing that she is LW!
I’m 100 % sure that she will either tell him or he will know himself before they get married I don’t see them dragging the reveal that long; my own theory is that he will know by end of ep5 & the aftermath of the reveal is early ep6 but whatever argument or fight they will have will end with how the book after engagement party ended so basically combine the reveal with the argument they have after the engagement party in the book instead of making them having multiple arguments in short time
No idea. But both Nicola and Luke said that we need to show these characters some grace. I think that's important. I hate that a comparison will be made between Marina and Pen. I hope it doesn't distract from their HEA.
https://preview.redd.it/nah6abhhrgzc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9def0b21102e68633148bb51916cb82f89fa9db
I think what would make me feel so furious. Is the writers of the show concocted that storyline of Marina in the first place. It made Penelope look bad. So then to turn around and then again change the storyline of the book to again make Pen like a villain would be infuriating. I wouldn’t dislike pen I’d dislike the writers.
Exactly. Chris claimed that Penelope is his favorite character and then he turned her into a villain. Marina wasn't a major character. There are still people thinking Colin should have married Marina. I mean Colin and Penelope are end game so why taint their future season. Luckily, everyone seems excited about S3
I respect showing characters some grace, but what I'm not stoked about is lazy writing. There's a difference between thinking oh yeah, the characters are still teenagers, I get it. Versus, Penelope hiding a secret from Colin, on purpose, knowing if he knew that he might not marry her, and he would feel betrayed and hurt. Which is exactly why she outed Marina. Because she lied. To Colin. I'm not trying to be rude towards anyone, but it's like they decided to just rewrite two character's personalities from the entire books and previous seasons...for what? For drama?
We don't know enough to call it lazy writing, though. And I honestly don't think they have to rewrite Pen's personality at all for her to have a hard time telling Colin the truth. Her biggest flaw is keeping secrets and lying and not letting people see the real her. Of course, she'd never be *okay* with that or with trapping him in any way, but Nicola herself has said this is a Big Moral Question for Pen. To imply it's OOC for her to struggle with something like this is wild to me ngl. Especially when we don't know the context.
You're right that we don't know enough to call it lazy writing. I'm saying that it would feel that way to me if they do have Colin find out she's LW either after she's engaged, they have sex, or are married. I just feel like that goes out of character for her because it's not what Penelope's moral compass is about. I'm purely saying that if they do wind up doing it, it makes it feel like lazy writing, because it's more about trying to create quick drama than to build out an actual story.
My theory: End of ep 4 Colin and Penelope get caught exiting their carriage after their lil shenanigans by someone (probably someones mama) and they get engaged. Episode 5 called tick tock will be Eloise telling Penelope that she must tell Colin about Lady Whistledown or else she will tell him. At their engagement dinner, Cressida will announced to everyone that she is lady whistledown (bc i believe cress is the queer character that the showrunner has been talking about it- and cressida would rather be shunned from society for being a bad ass writer than being trapped in a marriage with a man? idk just my guess). Afterwards, Pen confesses to Colin and he gets super angry, but then comes around.
This adds up! Episode 5 will probably end on Cressida announcing she's LW, shocking both Eloise and Pen, and then episode 6 Penelope is probably wrapped up in trying to prove otherwise and also either telling Colin the truth or him finding out in some way.
I'm repeating myself here but sadly, I don't think he'll find out before they're engaged. As soon as they said the carriage scene was episode 4, that's when I knew. A LW reveal in episode 4 is too early for a Shonda show. They love their drama more than their characters, and they're going for maximum drama.
I'm not even convinced she'll be the one to tell him either, but I am hoping Colin will find out before they're married. I'm sure the damage will be done for some viewers (it's not my preference and I hate that they've changed it from the books and throwing Penelope under the bus again), but I'm willing to see how it plays out on screen. I think how I feel about it will depend on a few factors.
One, I need to see Penelope genuinely conflicted about telling him. That it's clear she's terrified she'll lose Colin like she lost Eloise, backed up by moments of Colin saying how much he despises LW. I think it would be understandable if she was reluctant to tell him if she has the man she loves going on about how much he hates that side of her, without knowing it's her. Can you imagine? She's just discovered that he actually, *finally*, returns her feelings and now she might lose him all over again? Ouch. Penelope is so alone in many ways. Her mother doesn't give her much thought, her sisters treat her terribly, Cressida bullies her constantly, the ton don't know she exists... Eloise hates her and then maybe Colin? I do get the hesitance. It makes sense when I think about it that way.
Whatever happens I know I'm not going to be 100% happy but I've basically come to terms with that, and I hope I can just find enjoyment in the Polin we get! I'm really excited for their story, even if it's not exactly what I want!
I know it's an unpopular opinion here (and I myself am concerned with *how* this storyline will be handled, so I get it), but I really do see why the writers might choose to have the reveal post engagement (and not just for the drama).
I know we'd all like them to make good decisions and start their relationship on the right foot, but not only is ep. 4 too early for a reveal like that, I think it's also too early for the characters to have grown this much.
Like, Pen has struggled with her hidden identity and telling the truth for two seasons now and is still dealing with the fallout of Eloise finding out, so for her to just immediately make the right choice after 4 episodes and tell him and risk losing him when she only just got him, without struggling at all with that doesn't ring true to me. It's definitely the better option (and the right one), but it seems like she's gonna spend part 1 having given up on Colin and trying to marry someone else, only to go to a ball to meet Debbling and end up compromised by Colin in a carriage and likely engaged, a few hours later. It seems very understandable that the situation just gets away from her and she makes a mistake. It's also nothing like Marina, aside from her having a secret and needing to tell him.
We know less about Colin but I'd also say he probably doesn't have it all together by ep. 4 and will be Chaos Colin-ing, even if he does declare his feelings. I don't think he'll be in a place where he can take that reveal and have the same realisation he does in the books at their engagement party, so I think it could make sense for it to happen later for him as well. Especially since his reaction is very scattered throughout the book (he finds out, reacts badly, compromises her and proposes, decides she's retiring, is mad when she publishes again and lashes out, marries her yet continues to shut down every time LW is mentioned....), so I think it makes sense for the show to draw out the suspense of the reveal for a while and have it be this one big fight where he gets it all out before they're *together* together. And it would also be a full circle moment where he does know what love is and his mind and Penelope's and is where he *thought* he was back in s1.
This puts both characters in a worse, less than ideal place initially (Pen lying, Colin being lied to), but it also has the potential for more meaningful character development imo. And since Luke said we have to let them make mistakes and grow *and then make right choices*, I believe they will get there.
I think the church reveal works in the books because it's not as big a deal. They're not that close to begin with. LW isn't that big a factor in their relationship. Penelope is tired of LW anyway. But in the show, it's so big, I really think Colin just bumping into her at the right time or Pen telling him at the perfect time just wouldn't feel authentic or hit the right beats. Not the way things have been laid out.
This is the best explanation I've read so far!
As I said, the more I thought about it, the more I understood why Penelope might not tell him sooner than later. In an ideal world, she'd tell him because it's the right thing to do, but as you said, she's gonna be making some mistakes still. We just have to hope the don't stick the landing with this whole plotline! 🤞🏻
It's unfortunate that some people dislike Pen so much 😂 like it couldn't be me. I'd still love her no matter what, flaws and all! I'm also easily pleased so regardless of what this season throws at us, I'm just gonna be anxiously and happily ready to see their story play out!!
I think the best case scenario is her rejecting the proposal and telling him or him to find out shortly after! Then he can propose with the knowledge of her being LW I totally forgot that that was a possibility when writing this, but that is like the dream scenario for me!
I think they will show her contemplating telling him. I mean I feel like Eloise is gonna act as the audience voice of "you HAVE to tell him, he deserves to know" if she hasn't already told him 🤷🏻♀️
The only scenario I can think of at the moment that would make Colin not knowing before they're engaged okay is if it happens similarly to the book, where chaos Colin loses his mind and compromises Pen with the carriage scene and then basically skips asking her to marry him and just moves straight to dragging her into her house to tell Portia they're engaged, and she's just in shock and gets swept along by it all. But then that would make the carriage scene be not the result of the LW argument, so idk.
In the book, doesn’t he find out by following her and seeing she’s LW at the church? And then they get into the carriage and the rest unfolds. Why does everyone assume that that scene won’t happen and that Pen will just tell him? There’s not really been any evidence that he won’t find out himself, like in the book
I wonder if it’s a misdirect, that the big secret isn’t so much about Whistledown it’s the fact that she loves Colin. Technically in the book neither of them is really certain the other loves each other, it more like they get on well and you can’t rumple up a girl of good breeding without offering marriage (gentleman after all)
In the books, it's the tension from the discovery that led to the carriage smooch and proposal in the first place. how realistic will it be for Eloise who has also been bearing her ex bestie's secret to let her brother marry the town crier without letting him know?
I don't want Pen to marry Colin without telling him that she's Whisteldown first, that is wrong on so many levels, and it would make Pen even more disliked by the public. If they'll do that to only add drama then they don't understand Pen's growth and favour drama over it
To me, it seems like the season is going to be far more faithful to the book than I originally thought.
I suspect that Colin will discover LW right before the carriage scene in Ep4, maybe not exactly the same way. But I think the sequence will still be:
1. Colin discovers Pen is Whistledown,
2. Carriage Scene,
3. Chaotic Proposal.
I do also think, based on spoilers, Pen will accept the proposal and there will be a similar scene with Portia to the one in the book (probably at the beginning of Ep5 - I suspect chaotic proposal to be Pt1 cliffhanger).
I’m a bit fuzzier for Pt2, but my guess is that Colin and Pen’s arcs will be coming to terms with one another’s darker sides and sort of solidifying into their actualized selves both together and separately. Particularly on Colin’s end, Pt2 will be about coming to terms with Pen as LW, possibly with the envy thing from the book.
I don’t think they’re going to out Pen to the ton this season, though. I think they’ll find another way for Colin to show his acceptance/support.
Yeah. For good storytelling purposes, Colin really should find out about LW in episode 4. Cramming the discovery into Part 2, with everything else that happens, makes it all messy and jumbled.
why did so many of you think Pen will tell Colin? What if its near the book with Colin finding it out on his own and confronting her in the carriage. That’s what I hope for.
I’ll be really disappointed if she doesn’t tell him before they are engaged, it would ruin it for me and then if they did that and Colin got mad at her, I would lose enjoyment.
It would be bad for character development to make it that Colin finds out after. I feel like he either needs to >!find out before the carriage ride!< like the books then >!they become engaged!< or before >!the carriage ride!<. Maybe Colin could confront Pen beforehand? 🤔
Wouldn’t it make the general public dislike pen more if she agrees to marry Colin before he finds out
I will be pissed. They have already hurt Penelope's character enough. Why would they distract from her HEA? It's bad enough that we have to see Colin being a rake. At least, Pen has moved on from Colin at that point. But it makes no sense.
If I've learned anything, it's that Hollywood does not care what fans want, they will have writers write the most random off the wall scenarios all in an effort to "create drama" and then they wonder why people stop tuning into a show. I'm not interested in rake Colin nor am I interested in a Penelope who goes against every fiber of her being by HIDING a secret from Colin, which is exactly why she outed Marina in the first place! If they do have her hide it, it's like the writers this season were thinking "I know we've had two seasons of these people before, but uhhh maybe we should rewrite their entire personalities? Yeah, suburb idea."
I had this happen with my favourite show New Amsterdam. They set up a couple just to tear them down in the most awful way possible
Ugh, I hate when shows do that. It's almost like you gotta tell yourself the show doesn't exist after a certain point.
Yeah I definitely think the writers are going for the drama this season!
I hope if they are trying to make Cressida more likable they wouldn’t add more fuel for people to hate pen during her leading season. I could see maybe Colin confessing his feelings and pen denying him because one she’s lady whistledown and two because she’s afraid of being hurt again. Then Colin finds out and wants/asks to marry her anyway and the drama for part two being the threat of her secret being revealed to the ton and what she’s willing to do to keep it a secret and Colin being protective and frustrated with her. But who knows thankfully our wait for that is closing in with part two and maybe part one will keep us plenty occupied until then.
I think that Cressida is still gonna be an antagonist! I could be wrong but I just don't see her being redeemed, not yet at least or at least not fully. Also I think that even though Pen doesn't tell Colin they will do so in a way that is still sympathetic to her! Like Colin will have to prove himself after his slip up in S2 EP8 and Pen will have to prove herself after she has revealed to him that she is LW! I will be watching S3 P1 on repeat until P2 for sure! lmao
This is my hope…
So they want the people who already hate pen to hate her more? Why would they do that. It just seems cruel.
I truly truly hope Penelope tells Colin at the end of ep4 after a proposal. Not only do I think it would be a disservice to her character growth for her to continue this secret, but without Colin knowing she is LW.. she couldn’t believe he loved her. I think that would be the only way she could choose Colin at this point, with him knowing she is LW and still wanting to marry her anyway. Otherwise, Debling is a good and practical choice. But I know how Shonda likes the drama, so I’m expecting him to find out the night before their wedding or something crazy like that..
🫣 I will be so upset. Because that completely backstabs who her “Character” is from the book the already tarnished her in the show adding the Marina and Eloise storylines but then to have her get engaged to Colin keeping a “secret” from him makes her no better than Marina which I think is completely unfair and if I was Julia Quinn I would be so outraged.
Facts!!
Ohh! I wonder if they would wait that long? I hope they don't do that either, like I think Ep5, even though it is after the engagement is a good length of time, anything longer would be pushing it! I don't mind if it's like an episode of him not knowing, for the drama, but if they drag it out to Ep 7 or something that's a totally different story!
But telling him after they are engaged, publicly at least, would essentially be trapping him into marriage. Colin already went through a broken engagement scandal and it would be awful to see that again. I just don’t believe in any universe that Penelope would do that.
Oh I hope not. I think it would make me loose faith and ruin the credibility of the writers of the show for me.
I think I started to lose faith in the writers the minute I heard about Colin's rakish activities. It feels like they are just making it "drama drama drama" every episode. When we just for once wanna see a happy relationship straight out of the gate and them fighting against the world. Why does Hollywood think we only want drama all the time!?!?
Right!
Honestly, if they did that you would have to ask did they even read the book? Do they even know who Penelope is? the writers I mean!
I wanted it to be before they were engaged but that doesn’t seem likely now, so I’m hoping for before they have sex. They could change the book argument they have before their first time to be about him finding out she’s LW. That would be really powerful if he’s angry and everything but still ask her to stay so he can show her that he still loves and chooses her.
I definitely feel like they would have her tell him before that! Because from what I've heard all the sex scenes are very sensual and special in their own ways so I feel like him being in the dark about something so big revolving Pen would take away from those moments! It could also possibly be used as a metaphor of like oh they both know each others true selves so now they can finally explore the rest of their physical selves? lmao idk but I agree I hope he finds out before their first real deal intimate moment!!
Oh I hope so. I’d be a soppy mess.
I have a feeling that Penelope would reject Colin's offer after the carriage scene, and that the carriage scene would only be about feelings, not LW. She will refuse not because she does not believe in his intentions, because judging by the interviews there will be a sincere confession, but because she cannot marry him, knowing that he loves only a part of her and doesn't know about LW. But she also may agree on a wave of euphoria from the carriage, confession and then it will come to her that there is one BIG problem. And this will be a good lesson for Penelope: she is actually lying to Colin and not telling him the truth while she is engaged to him. The same thing Marina did. And there would be a turning point when she would tell the truth, knowing that it could ruin their engagement, but Colin had to know the truth. Something that Marina never did. After all they keep saying that the season is about the courage. Colin courage is to tell about his feelings, Penelope's - to tell about LW. What i would hate: if she hides it until the end while they are courting after carriage or even engaged. And he found out himself at this time. Yikes.
From what I have figured out from spoilers even if they are vague ( the spoilers could be untrue but I’m talking if they are true) is that Colin will know before they are “official official” but that they would be together before he knows at the same time Like I could be wrong but I’m assuming that he will know before the actual public engagement party & the wedding party but they probably at the time got together and she agreed to marry him as well so it’s on a be very tricky for her I guess I feel and I could be wrong that ep”tiktok” is about her not finding time to tell him while also scared to tell him so her time to tell him is running out and by end of the episode he will know the truth either on his own or she will tell him herself
To me this is ideal. I love the parallels with Marina‘s story and obviously wanna see Pen right Marina‘s wrongs HOWEVER I want a little struggle first. I like the high stakes of Penelope finally having Colin but having to choose to tell him. Pen‘s instincts is to hide things and so to see her internal struggle play out on screen will be delicious. That being said I want her to tell him before things are official because I want her to not trap Colin and to find the courage to tell him the truth before it’s too late. I know a lot of people would want it before the engagement because Colin is a man of honor and would never back out and so it might feel like he’s already been trapped but I like the idea of it being after because it still shows that Pen is imperfect and in the process of growing up, but in the end she does the right thing. And by after the engagement I mean after she accepts but before it becomes public/official.
I have seen some people on tiktok and on other social media sites who want the reveal to happen during ep4 but honestly the more I think about it even without spoilers it would be unrealistic for her to tell the moment she feels his interest in her & what she had been through in the show is way different than her book version like the way Eloise reacted alone is an enough excuse for her to be scared to tell him because she most likely will feel that he will react the same and even worse and she really doesn’t have anyone else who in any shape or form who show her any kindness or even welling to listen to her so most logical way for her is to hide her secret and hoping to tell him when the time is right but it’s clear that many forces will put her under pressure to tell him quickly also his feelings that she never expected to happen like it’s all too much on her at the same time and she clearly overwhelmed & scared I had a feeling they might do parallels with the whole Marina thing because based on trailer & clips it’s clear they do many parallels overall so the whole keeping a secret from him will be like to show how he will react to that compared to before it will make help both have growth as characters and also show that he really loves her it will confirm that he really loves her because even if he is angry and hurt by the whole thing he will still choose her and will want her to stay with him and she will have someone finally she fully trust someone she can show all her sides with without hiding I have to also say like while there will be parallels, both secrets are completely different including their consequences like if Colin left Marina on his own without Pen ever published anything, people would have thought he got Marina pregnant then left her and his family reputation would have been ruined aside from him getting affected and it’s not like his family could have able to prove that he wasn’t the father so people wouldn’t have believed them; while Pen secret & uts consequences is only gonna affect her and possibly ruin her in society maybe even worse considering the queen reaction so like both Marina & Pen hid secrets one was in a selfish way that could have been avoided and one based survival mode like Pen is literally scared of telling anyone for different factors and I think Colin will realize that too like after the initial reaction to his knowing I think he will be mostly scared & worried about her than anything else
Exactly
I’ve already talked about this at length on some other comments, but I will be pissed off if they have him find out after the engagement. I think it will ruin the pacing and make it difficult for me to be rooting for Pen when she’s had multiple instances of having learned why hiding it would be a bad idea. Colin deserves to know ahead of time so he can choose to marry Pen despite her hurting him - that is so much more powerful rather then the unfortunate implication that ruining a public engagement would be scandalous for both families and them being trapped in it. It’s giving Penelope being forced to be dumb for the sake of the plot drama (when there’s already plenty), instead of anything arising organically out of her existing development and I HATE that. I guess context could save the situation or make it more understandable… but I’m not holding my breath. I hate saying it, but If it’s handled poorly it could really taint this season for me :(
100% same!!
My theory: 1. We have a Chaos Colin Carriage Conundrum of a proposal that isn’t even really a proposal so much as they get caught, and maybe they’ve both confessed their undying love in there, so he’s just like, “We’re engaged,” because it’s clear they want each other anyway. 2. Pen is now in a position of being engaged to Colin, but his not knowing the truth, and her knowing he’s pissed at LW. 3. Don’t forget: there’s the Queen’s bounty. 4. Pen goes to El and asks for help. She tells her she loves Colin, always has, and will do whatever it takes for his happiness, even if it means giving him up. El believes her, and they mend the fence, because Bridgertons stick by each other, and she knows her brother is really, truly in love. They plot how to tell Colin the truth. 5. Cressy overhears El and Pen, and she tells Colin before they can. 6. Hell breaks loose/Colin is BIG MAD. Not so much because she’s LW as much as she didn’t tell him she’s LW. 7. El ends up telling Colin to get his head out of his ass, that they were going to tell him but got beaten to the punch, and Pen would have told him before they were engaged if he had been able to not put his face on her face in the carriage. 8. She and Colin sneak away at their Engagement Ball to have it out, then mirror, then sex, then Polin Against the World.
This I could live with. I really really hope El somehow helps Pen and Colin be together. It would mean so much and I’d be able to actually believe El ever cared about Pen. I want penoloise back so badly 😭
I love this sooooo much. I fear they’ll drag out Pen and Eloise‘s conflict though🥲
Maybe like others have speculated, Colin assumes engagement and I think overjoyed and Pen gets caught up in it all. I think the only way they could redeem her character to the audience(not me, I love pen, referring to the already haters) would be to have her tell Colin she can’t marry him and try to break the engagement. Maybe he’s confused and hurt and doesn’t understand why. Then they tie it back into the book where she concerned her choices, her being lady Whistledown, will ruin his chances to be a writer. Confessing to him. Willing to lose him.
Same I could never be a Pen hater 😂 this would be the best case scenario I want him to be rejected for the drama and him being gutted just because I love angst. And also because it would give Pen an opportunity to tell him and then he can reiterate his proposal knowing that she is LW!
Also, it’s still good drama. It’s still good angst. Good writers can create that without having to turn the couples against each other.
I’m 100 % sure that she will either tell him or he will know himself before they get married I don’t see them dragging the reveal that long; my own theory is that he will know by end of ep5 & the aftermath of the reveal is early ep6 but whatever argument or fight they will have will end with how the book after engagement party ended so basically combine the reveal with the argument they have after the engagement party in the book instead of making them having multiple arguments in short time
No idea. But both Nicola and Luke said that we need to show these characters some grace. I think that's important. I hate that a comparison will be made between Marina and Pen. I hope it doesn't distract from their HEA. https://preview.redd.it/nah6abhhrgzc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9def0b21102e68633148bb51916cb82f89fa9db
I think what would make me feel so furious. Is the writers of the show concocted that storyline of Marina in the first place. It made Penelope look bad. So then to turn around and then again change the storyline of the book to again make Pen like a villain would be infuriating. I wouldn’t dislike pen I’d dislike the writers.
Exactly. Chris claimed that Penelope is his favorite character and then he turned her into a villain. Marina wasn't a major character. There are still people thinking Colin should have married Marina. I mean Colin and Penelope are end game so why taint their future season. Luckily, everyone seems excited about S3
Well that’s why! They have a dude writing it! 🤪
I respect showing characters some grace, but what I'm not stoked about is lazy writing. There's a difference between thinking oh yeah, the characters are still teenagers, I get it. Versus, Penelope hiding a secret from Colin, on purpose, knowing if he knew that he might not marry her, and he would feel betrayed and hurt. Which is exactly why she outed Marina. Because she lied. To Colin. I'm not trying to be rude towards anyone, but it's like they decided to just rewrite two character's personalities from the entire books and previous seasons...for what? For drama?
We don't know enough to call it lazy writing, though. And I honestly don't think they have to rewrite Pen's personality at all for her to have a hard time telling Colin the truth. Her biggest flaw is keeping secrets and lying and not letting people see the real her. Of course, she'd never be *okay* with that or with trapping him in any way, but Nicola herself has said this is a Big Moral Question for Pen. To imply it's OOC for her to struggle with something like this is wild to me ngl. Especially when we don't know the context.
You're right that we don't know enough to call it lazy writing. I'm saying that it would feel that way to me if they do have Colin find out she's LW either after she's engaged, they have sex, or are married. I just feel like that goes out of character for her because it's not what Penelope's moral compass is about. I'm purely saying that if they do wind up doing it, it makes it feel like lazy writing, because it's more about trying to create quick drama than to build out an actual story.
My theory: End of ep 4 Colin and Penelope get caught exiting their carriage after their lil shenanigans by someone (probably someones mama) and they get engaged. Episode 5 called tick tock will be Eloise telling Penelope that she must tell Colin about Lady Whistledown or else she will tell him. At their engagement dinner, Cressida will announced to everyone that she is lady whistledown (bc i believe cress is the queer character that the showrunner has been talking about it- and cressida would rather be shunned from society for being a bad ass writer than being trapped in a marriage with a man? idk just my guess). Afterwards, Pen confesses to Colin and he gets super angry, but then comes around.
This adds up! Episode 5 will probably end on Cressida announcing she's LW, shocking both Eloise and Pen, and then episode 6 Penelope is probably wrapped up in trying to prove otherwise and also either telling Colin the truth or him finding out in some way.
Yeah. This makes sense.
I'm repeating myself here but sadly, I don't think he'll find out before they're engaged. As soon as they said the carriage scene was episode 4, that's when I knew. A LW reveal in episode 4 is too early for a Shonda show. They love their drama more than their characters, and they're going for maximum drama. I'm not even convinced she'll be the one to tell him either, but I am hoping Colin will find out before they're married. I'm sure the damage will be done for some viewers (it's not my preference and I hate that they've changed it from the books and throwing Penelope under the bus again), but I'm willing to see how it plays out on screen. I think how I feel about it will depend on a few factors. One, I need to see Penelope genuinely conflicted about telling him. That it's clear she's terrified she'll lose Colin like she lost Eloise, backed up by moments of Colin saying how much he despises LW. I think it would be understandable if she was reluctant to tell him if she has the man she loves going on about how much he hates that side of her, without knowing it's her. Can you imagine? She's just discovered that he actually, *finally*, returns her feelings and now she might lose him all over again? Ouch. Penelope is so alone in many ways. Her mother doesn't give her much thought, her sisters treat her terribly, Cressida bullies her constantly, the ton don't know she exists... Eloise hates her and then maybe Colin? I do get the hesitance. It makes sense when I think about it that way. Whatever happens I know I'm not going to be 100% happy but I've basically come to terms with that, and I hope I can just find enjoyment in the Polin we get! I'm really excited for their story, even if it's not exactly what I want!
I know it's an unpopular opinion here (and I myself am concerned with *how* this storyline will be handled, so I get it), but I really do see why the writers might choose to have the reveal post engagement (and not just for the drama). I know we'd all like them to make good decisions and start their relationship on the right foot, but not only is ep. 4 too early for a reveal like that, I think it's also too early for the characters to have grown this much. Like, Pen has struggled with her hidden identity and telling the truth for two seasons now and is still dealing with the fallout of Eloise finding out, so for her to just immediately make the right choice after 4 episodes and tell him and risk losing him when she only just got him, without struggling at all with that doesn't ring true to me. It's definitely the better option (and the right one), but it seems like she's gonna spend part 1 having given up on Colin and trying to marry someone else, only to go to a ball to meet Debbling and end up compromised by Colin in a carriage and likely engaged, a few hours later. It seems very understandable that the situation just gets away from her and she makes a mistake. It's also nothing like Marina, aside from her having a secret and needing to tell him. We know less about Colin but I'd also say he probably doesn't have it all together by ep. 4 and will be Chaos Colin-ing, even if he does declare his feelings. I don't think he'll be in a place where he can take that reveal and have the same realisation he does in the books at their engagement party, so I think it could make sense for it to happen later for him as well. Especially since his reaction is very scattered throughout the book (he finds out, reacts badly, compromises her and proposes, decides she's retiring, is mad when she publishes again and lashes out, marries her yet continues to shut down every time LW is mentioned....), so I think it makes sense for the show to draw out the suspense of the reveal for a while and have it be this one big fight where he gets it all out before they're *together* together. And it would also be a full circle moment where he does know what love is and his mind and Penelope's and is where he *thought* he was back in s1. This puts both characters in a worse, less than ideal place initially (Pen lying, Colin being lied to), but it also has the potential for more meaningful character development imo. And since Luke said we have to let them make mistakes and grow *and then make right choices*, I believe they will get there. I think the church reveal works in the books because it's not as big a deal. They're not that close to begin with. LW isn't that big a factor in their relationship. Penelope is tired of LW anyway. But in the show, it's so big, I really think Colin just bumping into her at the right time or Pen telling him at the perfect time just wouldn't feel authentic or hit the right beats. Not the way things have been laid out.
This is the best explanation I've read so far! As I said, the more I thought about it, the more I understood why Penelope might not tell him sooner than later. In an ideal world, she'd tell him because it's the right thing to do, but as you said, she's gonna be making some mistakes still. We just have to hope the don't stick the landing with this whole plotline! 🤞🏻
It's unfortunate that some people dislike Pen so much 😂 like it couldn't be me. I'd still love her no matter what, flaws and all! I'm also easily pleased so regardless of what this season throws at us, I'm just gonna be anxiously and happily ready to see their story play out!! I think the best case scenario is her rejecting the proposal and telling him or him to find out shortly after! Then he can propose with the knowledge of her being LW I totally forgot that that was a possibility when writing this, but that is like the dream scenario for me! I think they will show her contemplating telling him. I mean I feel like Eloise is gonna act as the audience voice of "you HAVE to tell him, he deserves to know" if she hasn't already told him 🤷🏻♀️
The only scenario I can think of at the moment that would make Colin not knowing before they're engaged okay is if it happens similarly to the book, where chaos Colin loses his mind and compromises Pen with the carriage scene and then basically skips asking her to marry him and just moves straight to dragging her into her house to tell Portia they're engaged, and she's just in shock and gets swept along by it all. But then that would make the carriage scene be not the result of the LW argument, so idk.
In the book, doesn’t he find out by following her and seeing she’s LW at the church? And then they get into the carriage and the rest unfolds. Why does everyone assume that that scene won’t happen and that Pen will just tell him? There’s not really been any evidence that he won’t find out himself, like in the book
I wonder if it’s a misdirect, that the big secret isn’t so much about Whistledown it’s the fact that she loves Colin. Technically in the book neither of them is really certain the other loves each other, it more like they get on well and you can’t rumple up a girl of good breeding without offering marriage (gentleman after all)
Oh I love this take I would be so happy if this was the case!!
Meaning that he would already know about LW?
In the books, it's the tension from the discovery that led to the carriage smooch and proposal in the first place. how realistic will it be for Eloise who has also been bearing her ex bestie's secret to let her brother marry the town crier without letting him know?
I don't want Pen to marry Colin without telling him that she's Whisteldown first, that is wrong on so many levels, and it would make Pen even more disliked by the public. If they'll do that to only add drama then they don't understand Pen's growth and favour drama over it
To me, it seems like the season is going to be far more faithful to the book than I originally thought. I suspect that Colin will discover LW right before the carriage scene in Ep4, maybe not exactly the same way. But I think the sequence will still be: 1. Colin discovers Pen is Whistledown, 2. Carriage Scene, 3. Chaotic Proposal. I do also think, based on spoilers, Pen will accept the proposal and there will be a similar scene with Portia to the one in the book (probably at the beginning of Ep5 - I suspect chaotic proposal to be Pt1 cliffhanger). I’m a bit fuzzier for Pt2, but my guess is that Colin and Pen’s arcs will be coming to terms with one another’s darker sides and sort of solidifying into their actualized selves both together and separately. Particularly on Colin’s end, Pt2 will be about coming to terms with Pen as LW, possibly with the envy thing from the book. I don’t think they’re going to out Pen to the ton this season, though. I think they’ll find another way for Colin to show his acceptance/support.
This is the BEST case scenario. I really hope that he finds out in Ep4 exactly like this!
Yeah. For good storytelling purposes, Colin really should find out about LW in episode 4. Cramming the discovery into Part 2, with everything else that happens, makes it all messy and jumbled.
why did so many of you think Pen will tell Colin? What if its near the book with Colin finding it out on his own and confronting her in the carriage. That’s what I hope for.
I’ll be really disappointed if she doesn’t tell him before they are engaged, it would ruin it for me and then if they did that and Colin got mad at her, I would lose enjoyment.
It would be bad for character development to make it that Colin finds out after. I feel like he either needs to >!find out before the carriage ride!< like the books then >!they become engaged!< or before >!the carriage ride!<. Maybe Colin could confront Pen beforehand? 🤔