Netflix’s acclaimed 19th-century-styled “Bridgerton” has returned for the first half of its third season, and it’s more luxuriant and engaging than audiences might recollect. Season 3 opens as a new crop of debutantes enters the marriage marketplace. As the young women get ready to dazzle Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), the latest Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews) gossip newsletter is being handed out. In Season 3, Part 1, familiar faces are spotlit, new and developing friendships flourish, and blooming romances infuse an air of freshness into the show.
The catalyst for all this transformation begins with the metamorphosis of Penelope Featherington (an astounding Nicola Coughlan). Back in London after a summer spent in the rural area, Penelope is in the same place we last saw her. Yet, everything surrounding her has changed.
Still on the outs with her former best friend, Eloise (Claudia Jessie), following their explosive blowup at the end of Season 2, and annoyed with Colin (Luke Newton) for the derogatory remarks he made about her, Penelope is a solo wolf. Although she’s leaned on her work as Lady Whistledown in the past, the thought of being at the mercy of the whims of her cunning mother, Portia (Polly Walker), or her shallow and cruel sisters, Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Philippa (Harriet Cains), has become unbearable. Therefore, Penelope decides her only recourse is to find a husband.
Regrettably, stepping into the marriage market for a third season, garbed in loud, gaudy apparel with a slew of terrible ringlet curls piled on her head, isn’t going to do. Penelope’s opening chore is to revamp her wardrobe. She tosses aside her childish lemon gowns and instead drapes herself in stunning baby blue and seafoam green silks (creations from “Bridgerton” costume designer John Glaser), styling her red hair in soft waves and carefully swirled baby hairs (the work of hair and makeup artist Erika Ökvist). Notwithstanding her new look, learning to chat up prospective suitors isn’t a skill Penelope can buy from the modiste.
As Penelope wallows in self-doubt, Colin is completely at ease with himself and the women vying for his attention. Following his months-long travels across Europe, he’s returned to London wearing a rugged new look. Desperate to get back into Penelope’s good graces, Colin offers to help her learn to flirt with gentlemen. Nevertheless, seeing Penelope’s confidence bloom while gaining the attention of the eccentric but attractive Lord Debling (Sam Phillip), Colin starts to view Penelope in a new light. The chemistry between the leads in “Bridgerton” and “Queen Charlotte” has consistently been praised. Still, there is something about seeing the bond between Colin and Penelope transform from comfortably platonic to yearning and passionate that elevates this journey.
Coughlan and Newton have always had a beautiful rapport, but watching Colin realize he desires Penelope sensually, which is revealed through his fixation on her lips and a newfound fascination with everything she’s doing, creates a sparkling tension throughout Part 1 that threatens to explode off the screen. In reality, during a carriage ride after a ball at the end of Episode 4, “Old Friends,” it nearly does.
As usual, diversity is at the forefront of “Bridgerton.” This season, the Mondrichs, Alice (Emma Naomi) and Will (Martins Imhangbe), are no longer reserved to the sidelines. In addition, differently-abled members of the Ton are highlighted, including a deaf debutante and a wheelchair-bound Lord. This inclusivity reinforces Shondaland and Netflix’s pledge to bringing all six Bridgerton siblings’ love tales to the screen while addressing and representing a 21st-century viewing audience.
Also, even if Polin is held firmly in the spotlight, new showrunner Jess Brownell and her writers dish up some mouthwatering subplots. They take the time to disclose some of the layers of characters who had formerly been on the sidelines of the narrative. Francesca (Hannah Dodd replacing Ruby Stokes), the pianoforte-loving sixth Bridgerton sibling, is also making her debut on the marriage marketplace. While she’s just as stunning and poised as her older sister, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), Francesca has her own unique ideas regarding love and partnership.
Like Penelope, the blonde and statuesque Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) is trying to snag a husband for the third year in a row. Despite her sour disposition, audiences learn that there is more to Cressida than her snide remarks and competitive nature. Like all of the women in the Ton, the future trajectory of her life depends on her getting a suitable marriage proposal, which is no small feat.
As usual, Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) are bending the Ton to their will in the background, but it’s Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) who gets to do much more than mothering this season. “Bridgerton” Season 3, Part 1 marks the start of Polin’s electric romance, but that’s simply the core of the story. Pursuing what you want is the theme that anchors these initial four episodes. Although various characters approach this tactic in a plethora of ways, watching Penelope choose herself (and Lady Whistledown) even when she’s uncertain about the outcome is extremely heartening. Moreover, it’s a reminder that even if you get exactly what you want, it might come at a cost.
Nicola Coughlan Requested to Be Very Naked in Bridgerton Season 3 as a Statement Against Body Shamers: ‘I Want to Remember How Hot I Looked’
“Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan recently shared with the Los Angeles Times how she found filming sex scenes with co-star Luke Newton in Season 3 to be unexpectedly liberating. Despite feeling nervous initially, Coughlan recounted, “By the end of the day, we were both lying under a blanket, not clothed, just chilling. We were like, ‘This is why nudists do it.’”
In a profile published by Stylist, Coughlan revealed her strong determination to go “very naked” in a scene for “Bridgerton” Season 3. This decision was a direct response to online trolls who criticized her weight, showing her defiance and confidence in her own body.
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