Falling for a TV show isn't exactly like falling for a romantic relationship, but the parallels are undeniable. There's the initial flirtation, where you sample an episode or two to gauge its appeal. If it resonates, there's the moment of commitment, when you decide to stick around and see the story unfold.
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| Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton in 'Bridgerton.' LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX |
Then comes the long haul: with each new season, the series has the chance to deepen and mature, or to stagnate. With its third season (fourth if you include the spinoff Queen Charlotte), Netflix’s Bridgerton is no longer in the early days of its relationship with viewers, and unfortunately, it shows.
While the latest chapter delivers on all the expected elements — a virginal heroine, a rakish hero, high-society scandal, and instrumental pop covers — it's the first season where the formula feels more familiar than thrilling.
To be sure, there's still plenty of enjoyment to be had in the Regency-era marriage market, now under the direction of showrunner Jess Brownell, who takes over from creator Chris Van Dusen. The main storyline centers around the series' most endearing character, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) — the wallflower who secretly controls the entire ton as Lady Whistledown, the anonymous writer of its most infamous scandal sheet.
For years, Penelope has harbored feelings for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), her kind-hearted friend and neighbor. When Colin returns from his grand tour of Europe just as Penelope decides to get serious about finding a husband, their long-simmering feelings finally come to the forefront.
After years in supporting roles, Newton and Coughlan both receive the trademark Bridgerton glow-up for their moment in the spotlight. Colin doesn't make it past the opening credits of the premiere before he strips off his shirt, drawing amused teasing from his older brothers Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Benedict (Luke Thompson).
And Penelope, dressed by costume designer John Glazer in shimmering, elaborate ensembles that evoke more fairy-tale fantasy than strict historical accuracy, has never looked more enchanting. In their most passionate moments together, Coughlan and Newton radiate a tenderness that dispels any doubts about the characters' deep affection for each other.
On the whole, however, this season lacks the exuberance of earlier ones. Technically, there's still plenty of skin. Previous leads Anthony and Kate (Simone Ashley) spend much of their return wrapped in bedsheets, deep in the bliss of their honeymoon phase. Colin, now more dashing than ever after his travels, flirts with every eligible bachelorette in London by day and frequents brothels by night.
Meanwhile, Benedict is yet again stuck in an aimless subplot that, at least in the six of eight episodes I've seen, serves no apparent purpose beyond fulfilling the season’s sex scene quota. But the delicious yearning that has been Bridgerton's hallmark is significantly dulled by the fact that there's not much actually keeping the would-be couple apart. It's simply a matter of waiting for Colin to realize his feelings for Penelope — and even once he does, he's so slow to act that one might be tempted to root for her other suitor, the scandalously vegetarian Lord Debling (Sam Phillips).
Moreover, despite the friends-to-lovers premise, we get little sense of what Colin and Penelope are like as buddies before the awkwardness of attraction sets in. Combined with the fact that Colin is written with little of the rich inner life that Penelope enjoys (his declaration that love is all he cares about is sweet but also makes him one-dimensional), the relationship that should be the heart of this season feels uneven.
If anything, the most poignant love story is the one between Penelope and Colin’s younger sister, Eloise (Claudia Jessie). The childhood besties' bond was shattered last season by Eloise's discovery of Penelope's secret activities as Whistledown. Since then, Eloise has warmed up to mean-girl Cressida (an amusing Jessica Madsen), while Penelope has retreated into the company of her intolerable family.
Yet neither woman seems able to get the other off her mind. When Penelope unveils her makeover at a party, it’s Eloise, not Colin, who can't tear her eyes away. When Penelope sets her sights on Colin, it’s Eloise, not Debling, who reacts with the anguish of a jilted lover. It’s enough to make one wonder what a Bridgerton bold enough to break from Julia Quinn’s source material could have been.
Instead, we get a Bridgerton that’s determined to stick to the plan, even if it looks less exciting now than it might have once. In a break from its usual angst, one of this season’s romantic subplots eschews torment entirely. Francesca (Hannah Dodd), the third Bridgerton sister, makes her debut into society with no interest in falling head over heels—only in finding an appropriate partner who might be able to provide her with peaceful, quiet contentment.
Her mother (Ruth Gemmell) is skeptical, wanting more for her daughter. But Francesca pushes back. “Not every attachment must be dramatic and hard fought,” she argues. She speaks like someone who’s seen this story too many times already, and isn’t especially eager to play it all over again.
