The third season of Bridgerton 
, releasing its first four episodes on May 16 and the last four on June 13, centers on the romance between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and his longtime friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Unfortunately, Colin’s rather unremarkable character and Penelope’s occasional villainy make their love story less engaging. Additionally, the chemistry between Newton and Coughlan doesn't quite match the high standards of previous seasons. Yet, the issues with Bridgerton go beyond the leads.
What were once charming period inaccuracies in season one now feel stale. The costumes are excessively gaudy, and despite Penelope’s style upgrade, her gowns still look cheap, as do everyone else’s. Cressida Cowper's bizarre hairpieces are particularly off-putting. The string covers of pop music, which initially captivated audiences, now feel gimmicky and distracting, often taking a moment to recognize and usually irrelevant to the scenes they accompany.
Bridgerton has always bent genre rules, but this season highlights the show’s disregard for what makes Regency romance captivating. Historical inaccuracy is one thing—Bridgerton’s diverse casting still brings a refreshing richness to its characters—but straying from genre conventions undermines the period setting. For example, why would Anthony let Francesca (Hannah Dodd) wander off alone at a ball, especially given the trouble it caused Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor)? The frequent unsupervised interactions between unmarried men and women weaken the inherent tension of adhering to strict propriety.
Additionally, the quintessential Shonda Rhimes "Powerful Female Character" trope feels out of place here. Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) is portrayed as "not like other moms" because she prioritizes love over status for her children's marriages. However, her actions still revolve around marrying off her children and gaining Queen Charlotte's favor, which contradicts her supposed values and makes her motivations seem muddled. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), who previously shone with her comic imperiousness, is now fixated on matchmaking, a pursuit that feels beneath her and detracts from her authority. Her match-making efforts often fail, and the plots frequently revolve around defying her, further diminishing her supposed power.
, releasing its first four episodes on May 16 and the last four on June 13, centers on the romance between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and his longtime friend Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Unfortunately, Colin’s rather unremarkable character and Penelope’s occasional villainy make their love story less engaging. Additionally, the chemistry between Newton and Coughlan doesn't quite match the high standards of previous seasons. Yet, the issues with Bridgerton go beyond the leads.What were once charming period inaccuracies in season one now feel stale. The costumes are excessively gaudy, and despite Penelope’s style upgrade, her gowns still look cheap, as do everyone else’s. Cressida Cowper's bizarre hairpieces are particularly off-putting. The string covers of pop music, which initially captivated audiences, now feel gimmicky and distracting, often taking a moment to recognize and usually irrelevant to the scenes they accompany.
Bridgerton has always bent genre rules, but this season highlights the show’s disregard for what makes Regency romance captivating. Historical inaccuracy is one thing—Bridgerton’s diverse casting still brings a refreshing richness to its characters—but straying from genre conventions undermines the period setting. For example, why would Anthony let Francesca (Hannah Dodd) wander off alone at a ball, especially given the trouble it caused Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor)? The frequent unsupervised interactions between unmarried men and women weaken the inherent tension of adhering to strict propriety.
Additionally, the quintessential Shonda Rhimes "Powerful Female Character" trope feels out of place here. Lady Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) is portrayed as "not like other moms" because she prioritizes love over status for her children's marriages. However, her actions still revolve around marrying off her children and gaining Queen Charlotte's favor, which contradicts her supposed values and makes her motivations seem muddled. Meanwhile, Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel), who previously shone with her comic imperiousness, is now fixated on matchmaking, a pursuit that feels beneath her and detracts from her authority. Her match-making efforts often fail, and the plots frequently revolve around defying her, further diminishing her supposed power.