Well, dear readers, Bridgerton season 3 has come to a thrilling and heartwarming close but as with tradition, love and drama are never far away. While season 3 has delivered on several promises, it also came with several problems and questions. Shall we begin our review of this season? Be warned, there will be spoilers.
The good
Practically every character, with some obvious exceptions of Daphne and Simon Basset, has returned for season 3. This includes Will and Alice Mondrich, Anthony and Kate Bridgerton, Cressida Cowper, Genevieve Delacroix, and Penelope’s newlywed sisters Prudence Huxley and Philippa Finch.
We’re introduced to a plethora of new characters as well, including Lady Danbury’s brother Marcus, Lord Debling, Lord Kilmartin, and Tilley Arnold. Our collective cast of familiar faces picks the story back up from where we often leave it, at the start of a new season for the ton.
Women are ready to find a husband, men are either ready to find a wife or avoid the subject entirely, and everyone cannot wait to devour the latest gossip from Lady Whistledown. The characters are well developed once more with each of them acting (most of the time) as they should be.
Penelope is still sour about Colin’s secret admission to never want to court her and so she decides to take matters into her own hands for once. Anthony and Kate’s romance isn’t over the top, but believable and heartfelt.Will and Alice’s relationship remains stable and equally heartfelt as they continue to work as a team through all of life’s changes and so forth. However, it is in the minor details that things get a little mes
The bad
Unfortunately because the cast is so full, with a character for practically every viewer to enjoy and relate to, this season felt awfully packed and rushed. Season 3 consisted of a lot, and I do mean A LOT, of side plots running alongside the main story of Penelope and Colin falling in love.
We have Francesca Bridgerton debuting and struggling with the process, while being pressured to fall for someone she doesn’t love, finding actual love, getting married, and leaving London. We have Benedict Bridgerton who is still trying to find himself while meeting and having a situationship with Tilley Arnold. He suddenly agrees to a relationship with her and her male friend, when he previously avoided these types of relationships, only to then decide a relationship was not what he was seeking. It’s actually freedom, breaking Tilley’s heart.
We have Eloise Bridgerton juggling her relationship with her brother while dodging Penelope, refusing to tell anyone why they had a falling out and deciding to become friends with Cressida Cowper (really, Eloise, weren’t you supposed to be the smart one in your family?). She seemingly somehow changes Cressida’s life and perspective but also not because Cressida doesn’t change by the end of the season.
There’s Portia Featherington struggling to keep her lie about the sudden family fortune that she essentially blackmailed Jack Featherington into handing over from last season, which means she needs her wed daughters to bear a male heir while juggling Penelope’s engagement, trying to mend their relationship and learning of her daughter’s Lady Whistledown secret. Are you out of breath yet? Are you following along alright?
I haven’t even mentioned Anthony and Kate returning home so he can become Viscount of the Bridgerton household. But Kate cannot become Viscountess as that role is still held by Violet Bridgerton (Anthony’s mother). By the end of the season, they are expecting their first child, which their announcement keeps getting derailed by other side plots and the two really don’t resolve anything but agree to visit Kate’s family in India.
Somehow Violet isn’t aware or told that she won’t meet her grandchild, but I guess she’s too preoccupied with Francesca and Marcus to really notice. Nor have I mentioned Cressida’s situation of trying to find a husband to prevent an arranged marriage, Queen Charlotte’s endless mission to uncover Lady Whistledown, and Penelope’s own struggles of whether she will continue writing as Lady Whistledown or retire her pen forever.
When Penelope does reveal herself to the ton in a moment that reminded me of Mean Girls, everyone is seemingly ok with it. Not to mention Colin gets over Penelope’s secret pretty fast. So you can see just from trying to process all of the information I provided, this season was just too crammed? Either some plots should have been completely abandoned and reserved for Bridgerton season 4, or season 3 should have had at least two more episodes. I still didn’t uncover all of the side plots by the way. There is just so many.
The Wonderful
Let’s be honest, we were all rooting for Penelope and Colin to have their happy ending, which they do have and then some, as Penelope gives birth to a boy and her sisters have girls. This means her son is the Featherington heir. Even though Penelope is able to restore her relationship with her mother and sisters, justice has been served!
In fact, everyone gets their happy ending. Francesca and the Earl of Kilmartin have their small and meaningful wedding as planned. Francesca is also able to get away from her family and go to Scotland to be with her husband, Eloise in tow! Though perhpas not all will be well with the newlywed couple as Francesca is immediately drawn to his cousin, Michaela, who is also tagging along.
Violet Bridgerton not only accepts that Lady Danbury had an affair with her father (although that was glossed over so fast you can blink and miss it), but possibly open her heart to a new love with Marcus. Lady Danbury resolves her bad blood with Marcus and even guides Queen Charlotte into letting her personal feud with Lady Whistledown go.
Anthony and Kate are still happily married and going to be parents for the first time. They manage to make their own happiness, choosing to go to India to visit Kate’s family where she’ll give birth, rather than worry about the Bridgerton household.
Will decides to sell his club and live a new life of luxury with his wife and family, proving his growth and allowing new possibilities to blossom. Even Cressida gets her happy ending by avoiding an arranged marriage and getting sent away to live with her aunt who will change Cressida’s entire lifestyle. Oh wait, that’s not a happy ending for her? Again, justice has been served!
The only real open-ended and unhappy ending is Benedict’s, again. His relationship is over, again, and now he’s alone as Eloise, the one sibling who was most similar to him as they didn’t meet society’s expectations, has gone to Scotland with Francesca and her husband.
Overall Bridgerton season 3 was enjoyable and romantic. It was a pleasure to see characters we’ve grown to love and know since the beginning, and it’s equally refreshing to see how each Bridgerton romance unfolds. Although I wouldn’t be opposed to a drama-free romance for at least one Bridgerton child. We can save all that for someone else to deal with next season.
