RECAP: “Bridgerton" Season 3, Part 2
Dearest Gentle Reader, we return to the 'Ton for the back half of Season 3. And although I had some qualms with the first four episodes -- which were an improvement over the dull Season 2, but still struggled to fully find their groove -- I thought the concluding four episodes were almost all terrific. In my opinion, Season 3 is a huge improvement over Season 2, and on the whole probably at the level of Season 1. There were some sequences and plotlines I actually enjoyed more than I've enjoyed anything else on this show.
I'll go over each storyline in order of interest/success, in my opinion, from least to most. Note that if you have not yet watched the "Queen Charlotte" prequel mini-series, I would try to squeeze it in before you start these episodes. At least one plotline directly references events from that show, and I was bummed to not be in the loop about it.
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The Mondrich Family: NOBODY CARES. My god, this pointless storyline. And the Mondriches are ALWAYS PRESENT, even in the background of scenes. This show does so many things so right, that when it screws something up, it's even more apparent. Forcing the Mondriches on the viewers so insistently, when they seemingly have very little to do with the overarching plot of the series, is done with so little finesse that it has actually made me actively dislike these characters. They seemed to be suggesting a friendship between the young lord Mondrich and the youngest Bridgerton son, but my god, what a dull, joyless, pointless plotline they keep subjecting us to here.
Anthony & Kate Bridgerton: I thought they were fully writing Anthony and Kate off at the end of the first bunch of episodes, when they escaped to the countryside to fuck each other's brains out. But no! They were back for much of the back half, now expecting a child and offering relationship advice to a conflicted Colin. This is how you do a narrative hand-off. Anthony and Kate are by no means the focus, but viewers are invested in their happiness. Them interacting with the next leads cultivates viewer bonds with the next main Bridgerton. Etc. I maintain that part of the issue with Season 2 is that Simon was completely absent (I don't even think Simon was mentioned this season), and Daphne felt like she was in crisis. In the end, Anthony and Kate decide to travel to India so that Anthony can learn about Kate's culture as they prepare for the birth of their child. It's a good narrative way to send them off, and I do suspect we either will not see them again, or see them VERY sparingly. Especially Anthony, since Jonathan Bailey is basically everywhere right now.
Francesca Bridgerton: The Bridgerton whose coming-out season we were ostensibly following sees an understated but in-character resolution to her arc, as she and her chosen match -- the equally subdued Lord Kilmartin -- convince Francesca's mother and family that they are a good love match, and try to backseat drive Violet into securing permission from Queen Charlotte to wed. Francesca and Kilmartin had a very dull, private ceremony in line with their vibes, and then Francesca announced that she would be moving to the Scottish Highlands to live in Kilmartin's castle in the middle of nowhere. Great for silence-loving Francesca, less great for Mama Violet. The most interesting element of this entire storyline came in the final moments of the season, when we were introduced to their traveling companion, Lord Kilmartin's cousin, the magnetic Michaela Stirling. Francesca's reaction to meeting Michaela was fascinating, let's just say that. More to come, as this storyline seems to be taking a significant deviation from the source material...
Lady Danbury: Lady Danbury's personal arc of making peace with her estranged younger brother was one of the more legitimately moving arcs this season. There was clear enmity between them -- at least on Danbury's part -- when he was introduced in the first half, and once Lady Danbury realized that her brother had interest in her friend, Violet, she immediately started chucking thirsty widows at him to distract. He realized what she was doing, and the two of them had a confrontation that put to rest decades of mostly one-sided grudges. And this is where you needed to have watched "Queen Charlotte" to fully understand what was going on. That series paints a picture of an unhappy life for the young Lady Danbury, and gives scandalous insight into her connection with the Bridgerton family -- which is further referenced directly here in her interactions with Violet. Again, if you have not yet watched "Queen Charlotte," and you haven't started Season 3B, I'd advise trying to squeeze it in first. The ultimate result is Danbury feels even more connected to the main Bridgerton plot than ever before.
Violet Bridgerton: Violet's arc this season is a familiar one, navigating her children's eccentricities as she tries to pair them all off. But we do get some personal growth for Violet here. Her penny-drop moment when she realizes that she has a very narrow understanding of what makes a good match, vis-a-vis Francesca's much more subdued romantic connection, was actually quite sweet. Her restraint while watching as the Colin and Penelope drama played out showed significant maturity on her part. And finally, she herself became the object of affection, as Lady Danbury's brother made very clear his intentions. A good season for Violet, and with Anthony and Kate effectively out of the picture going forward, she remains the matriarch of the clan as, presumably, Benedict and Eloise are next up to bat.
Benedict Bridgerton: Speaking of which, let's discuss Benedict's arc. When we left off, Benedict had begun a torrid affair with ravishing young widow, Lady Tilley, a certified hot slut if I ever saw one. This continued in the back half with a new element: Tilley introduces Benedict to her close friend, Paul. And when Benedict catches the two of them getting hot and heavy, Paul invites Benedict to join them in the boudoir. Benedict is at first scandalized by such a suggestion, but eventually listens to Tilley's advice -- to not just go along with what society expects people to do; to explore and live life to its fullest -- and joins the two of them for Summer 2024's hottest trend: throuples. Many of Benedict's scenes in the final two episodes are him in the throes of passion with Tilley or Paul, or both, up until Tilley drops the bomb that, actually, she doesn't just want to be fuck buds; she wants something serious with Benedict. And Benedict shoots her down! He explains that he's really not looking for anything serious, and he wants to play the field and be a full-on bohemian. This somewhat mirrors Colin's plot going into this season, but with the added bisexual element that they teased for Benedict earlier in the series, during his flirtation with the art collective. A Benedict reveling in his chaotic bisexuality could be a lot of fun, and I assume next season is all his. So I'll be curious where this goes.
Eloise Bridgerton: I actually loved Eloise's arc this season. From the unexpected friendship with Cressida, to her borderline villainous turn trying to force Penelope into confessing her secret to Colin, Eloise had a lot of juice to squeeze here. It may have happened more quickly than I would have liked, but they only had eight episodes. Given that short runway, I thought the hairpin turns in her relationships with Penelope, Colin, and Cressida were all handled as artfully as they could have been, and I especially liked her continued bond with Benedict. Now that the other Bridgerton elder sons are likely to be abroad, I expect the two of them will be relying on each other as they get their own arcs. Speaking of which, I genuinely have no idea where they're going with Eloise from a romantic perspective. I honestly thought they were going to pair her up with a woman, possibly Cressida, but given what seems to be coming in the Francesca plotline, I no longer find that likely. She seems set on seeing the world, then changing it. So I doubt her partner will be found in the 'Ton. As we leave this season, she is accompanying Francesca to Scotland. So perhaps she will find love abroad.
The Featheringtons: While this season was technically Colin and Penelope's (let's be honest, more Penelope's), it was also a wonderful showcase for the Featheringtons as a family. Philippa and Prudence were an absolute delight this whole season, growing beyond their wicked stepsister act to provide some great comic moments as well as some genuine emotional growth. But mother Portia was the real star here. Over and over again, even in these last four episodes, she had 10/10 scenes with Penelope, as the two of them learned about each other's various schemes, and then worked together to figure out how to navigate the fallout as they threatened to burst into public view. When you think of the Featheringtons in Season 1, who were largely one-dimensional secondary antagonists, and look at the depth and interest in the characters this season, you'll realize how skilled the writers of this show are. Some of my favorite moments this season were courtesy of Featheringtons, and I don't necessarily mean Penelope.
Cressida Cowper: Cressida may be my VIP of this season. Like the Featheringtons, she started out as a tertiary antagonist, really more of a nuisance to Eloise and Penelope than anything. That changed this season, when she became Eloise's surprise rebound friend, and Cressida blossomed into a multifaceted, complex character we were actually rooting for. I cannot have been the only person who privately cheered when she realized that she could use the Whistledown hunt to get herself out of her terrible arranged marriage to that old boor. One of the core themes of this show -- and especially this season -- is how little agency women of this time period had, and Cressida was willing to sacrifice her entire standing in society to get out of a miserable match. I live. Obviously, that didn't go as planned -- though I loved her attempts to be Fake Whistledown -- and then she, you know, turned to blackmail. As one does. By the end of the season, Cressida is pretty fucked. Her friendship with Eloise is seemingly over (blackmail will do that). She is humiliated in front of the entirety of society. Her family has sent her off to live with her joyless aunt in the countryside. Will this be the end of Cressida Cowper? Or will she rise again with revenge on her mind? I hope it's the latter, because I think Jessica Madsen is doing wonderful work with this character.
Colin & Penelope: It's only fitting that the main couple of the season take the top spot. If Season 2 had too little plot for its main couple (the only thing keeping Anthony and Kate apart was nonentity Edwina and their inherent stubbornness, and we've all seen or read The Taming of the Shrew), the back half of Season 3 was filled with twists and turns for Colin and Penelope. I honestly wasn't sure how this relationship would end up, right up to the final episode. Would Penelope bow to pressure and reveal her Whistledown secret to Colin? Could she even realistically keep it from him? Once that happened, could Colin forgive her? If he could forgive her, what would happen when the Queen fixed her gaze on the Bridgerton family as the likely source for the column and threatened retribution unless one of them confessed? How could they navigate blackmail threats? Would Colin lie to his own family to get the pay-off money? Could he move past his rage or would he seek an annulment? It was great soapy fun and I thought both actors delivered fully in these four episodes. I had serious doubts about Polin after the end of Part 1, because the chemistry just did not seem like it was there when they went from friends to lovers. But I was buying it these episodes. It was both super sweet and quite steamy. Really good work by both Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton. It was a satisfying, well-earned happy ending for that couple, and possibly of the Whistledown arc? It feels like the whole show has to change after this, because I cannot imagine they're going to have nearly the access to Coughlan as they have up until now...
So what did you think of Part 2? Are you happy with how things left off? Were our opinions scandalous? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
