5 Things Bridgerton Season 3 Nailed & 5 Things That Could Have Been Better
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VOICE OVER: Emily Brayton
WRITTEN BY: Shaina Higgins
You win some, you lose some! Welcome to MsMojo. After a long wait, we've finally seen all of Bridgerton Season 3, and it was quite the ride. So where did the season shine like a diamond of the first water, and where did it sink like a stone? Beware, gentle viewer, this video will contain spoilers. We'll have a look at female relationships, a disappointing thirst trap, Benedict's direction and more!
Welcome to MsMojo. After a long wait, we’ve finally seen all of Bridgerton Season 3, and it was quite the ride. So where did the season shine like a diamond of the first water, and where did it sink like a stone? Let’s discuss, shall we? Beware, gentle viewer, this video will contain spoilers. What were your favorite and least favorite parts of this season? Tell us about it in the comments section.
Repeatedly sidelined in favor of his other siblings, it’s started to look like the writers just don’t know what to do with the second oldest Bridgerton. When the season opens, Benedict seems ready to get serious about…something. Which, sadly, never materializes. In the book series, his passion for art is a throughline for the character, however, his show counterpart has apparently abandoned his artistic interests completely. It would have been compelling to explore that as the source of his aimlessness, yet the script doesn’t bother. And while we get some character development through his experimentation with Tilly Arnold and her friend Paul, ultimately Benedict’s only commitment is to a lack of commitment. Or is it? Even Benedict doesn’t seem to know. We hope for a more focused arc next season.
It’s a given that “Bridgerton” will fill up our screens with beautiful ball gowns, but there hadn’t been a moment that felt like a big reveal. That changed in Season 3. As Penelope re-launches herself on society, she does it in a shimmering peacock green gown, dropping jaws and turning heads. It’s a moment of well-earned satisfaction for the perpetually ignored former wallflower. In light of Colin’s unkind words behind her back in Season 2, the use of the song “ABCDEFU” feels particularly appropriate. An equally perfect merging of fashion and soundtrack comes in the second half of the season. When Cressida Cowper crashes the Mondrich ball, she struts in to Demi Lovato’s “Confident” like a fiery butterfly, declaring herself reborn as Lady Whistledown. Regardless of where that plot ended up, the moment felt instantly iconic.
Look, we can admit that we come to “Bridgerton” eager for a heat wave. In Season 1, Simon taught us just how distracting dessert spoons could be. Then in Season 2, Anthony’s dip in the lake did anything but cool us down. And in Season 3 we were blown away by Colin’s daring balloon rescue…yeah, no. That last one not so much. We can appreciate Luke Newton’s nice physique, certainly, but watching the men rush to wrangle an errant balloon as if it were a stampeding bull just felt silly. Between Penelope staring at the slow-moving menace rather than just taking a big side step, and the way everyone played the moment like mortal peril, we found ourselves snickering rather than swooning.
“Bridgerton” excels at escapism, but most of its plots feel pretty low stakes. We know these rich, beautiful people are going to overcome their personal issues and end happily ever after. This season, though, the looming specter of Penelope’s secret identity truly felt like it could not only derail the main love story, but inflict significant collateral damage. Just as she should be celebrating her engagement, she finds herself squeezed from multiple directions. Not only does Eloise impose a literal ticking clock on her bombshell secret, but the Queen has a bounty out on Lady Whistledown. One of these things alone would be stressful, but the two together give us the most tension-filled episode we’ve seen yet. We were on the edge of our seats to see how it would resolve.
The promotion of Cressida Cowper from minor mean girl to major player was an unexpected but interesting one. The first half of the season did a good job of humanizing her, both through her friendship with Eloise, and the unhappy home life that drove her to increasing desperation. And her big swing for freedom was undeniably a highlight. Can you imagine a London season with two Lady Whistledowns competing to be declared the real one? The drama that Cressida could unleash as she wielded her newfound power and influence? The possibilities are endless, but unfortunately her whole plot fizzled out entirely. Quickly exposed and then exiled to Wales, Cressida’s tantalizing arc ultimately amounts to very little. It feels like a sad waste of potential.
The Bridgerton matriarch has been more concerned with her children’s personal lives than her own. But after hinting that she might be ready to get back in the game in “Queen Charlotte,” Season 3 started moving pieces into place to allow Violet to have her own grand second-act romance. The introduction of Marcus Anderson was a big, and very welcome, part of this, but there were subtler bits of groundwork laid too. Much was made of Kate taking over the role of Viscountess. And with Gregory heading off to Eton and Eloise to Scotland, it’s clear that Violet’s nest is just about empty. She even starts wearing more shades of purple, hinting that she’s ready to reclaim her identity outside her role of widow and mother.
We love the rich supporting characters who fill out “Bridgerton”’s society landscape, and we can applaud the desire to spotlight more of them. However, this season made the mistake of trying to include all of them at once, diluting the main narrative. Agatha Danbury was a breakout character in “Queen Charlotte,” but here, attempts to explore her backstory further felt rushed and underbaked. Prudence and Phillipa’s race to conceive was given way too much screen time, even if it did…insert one of the season’s funniest moments. Meanwhile, the Mondriches’ unexpected entrance to society, though potentially narratively rich, practically vanished in the second half of the season, and never wove itself into the larger plot. Unless, of course, there’s some long game matchmaking going on here.
“Bridgerton,” is a story about love. Romantic, yes, but also familial and platonic. Season 3 ended with some really beautiful moments between its female characters. After their devastating second season breakup, it was a relief to see Eloise and Penelope reconciled. And one of the most cathartic moments of the series came as Portia not only saw her youngest daughter fully for the first time, but validated her with respect and admiration. The season also continued to develop the wonderful friendship between Agatha and Violet, giving the two women some great opportunities to support and uplift one another. Not only was their long, intertwined past fully and fondly acknowledged, but their shared connection to Marcus makes it likely these two ladies will be true sisters before long.
One of the most frustrating consequences of this season’s overstuffed narrative was the attention that it pulled from what was supposed to be the flagship plotline. “Bridgerton” has been building up to the romance between Penelope and Colin since its very first episode, leaving fans excited to finally see it fully realized. While the first half of the season provided some good moments of anticipation, once the two were officially an item, their relationship was oddly pushed onto the back burner as the Lady Whistledown drama took center stage. Previous seasons managed to balance the wider plot elements with multiple romantic scenes between its lovers. Yet here, “Bridgerton” subverted expectations in the most disappointing way, giving Penelope and Colin comparatively meager screen time as a couple. An unfortunate let down after so much anticipation.
What made the dearth of Polin scenes even more frustrating was how good their few spicy moments together were. Come on, we’re never going to hear “Give Me Everything” the same way again. The infamous carriage scene is one of the show’s best. With the camera focusing primarily on their faces and their reactions, it is both red hot and breathlessly intimate. The sex scene in their future home is a stand out as well. The way they communicate throughout helps to illustrate the foundation of trust these two characters have, adding sweetness to the sensuality. With two such strong scenes, no one could be blamed for wanting to see more of this couple together. You can’t just give us a taste, “Bridgerton,” you have to give us everything.
Could Have Been Better: Benedict’s Direction. Or Lack Thereof
Repeatedly sidelined in favor of his other siblings, it’s started to look like the writers just don’t know what to do with the second oldest Bridgerton. When the season opens, Benedict seems ready to get serious about…something. Which, sadly, never materializes. In the book series, his passion for art is a throughline for the character, however, his show counterpart has apparently abandoned his artistic interests completely. It would have been compelling to explore that as the source of his aimlessness, yet the script doesn’t bother. And while we get some character development through his experimentation with Tilly Arnold and her friend Paul, ultimately Benedict’s only commitment is to a lack of commitment. Or is it? Even Benedict doesn’t seem to know. We hope for a more focused arc next season.
Nailed It: Lately We’ve Been Dressing for Revenge
It’s a given that “Bridgerton” will fill up our screens with beautiful ball gowns, but there hadn’t been a moment that felt like a big reveal. That changed in Season 3. As Penelope re-launches herself on society, she does it in a shimmering peacock green gown, dropping jaws and turning heads. It’s a moment of well-earned satisfaction for the perpetually ignored former wallflower. In light of Colin’s unkind words behind her back in Season 2, the use of the song “ABCDEFU” feels particularly appropriate. An equally perfect merging of fashion and soundtrack comes in the second half of the season. When Cressida Cowper crashes the Mondrich ball, she struts in to Demi Lovato’s “Confident” like a fiery butterfly, declaring herself reborn as Lady Whistledown. Regardless of where that plot ended up, the moment felt instantly iconic.
Could Have Been Better: A Deflating Attempt at a Thirst Trap
Look, we can admit that we come to “Bridgerton” eager for a heat wave. In Season 1, Simon taught us just how distracting dessert spoons could be. Then in Season 2, Anthony’s dip in the lake did anything but cool us down. And in Season 3 we were blown away by Colin’s daring balloon rescue…yeah, no. That last one not so much. We can appreciate Luke Newton’s nice physique, certainly, but watching the men rush to wrangle an errant balloon as if it were a stampeding bull just felt silly. Between Penelope staring at the slow-moving menace rather than just taking a big side step, and the way everyone played the moment like mortal peril, we found ourselves snickering rather than swooning.
Nailed It: The Ticking Clock
“Bridgerton” excels at escapism, but most of its plots feel pretty low stakes. We know these rich, beautiful people are going to overcome their personal issues and end happily ever after. This season, though, the looming specter of Penelope’s secret identity truly felt like it could not only derail the main love story, but inflict significant collateral damage. Just as she should be celebrating her engagement, she finds herself squeezed from multiple directions. Not only does Eloise impose a literal ticking clock on her bombshell secret, but the Queen has a bounty out on Lady Whistledown. One of these things alone would be stressful, but the two together give us the most tension-filled episode we’ve seen yet. We were on the edge of our seats to see how it would resolve.
Could Have Been Better: Cressida’s Circular Plot
The promotion of Cressida Cowper from minor mean girl to major player was an unexpected but interesting one. The first half of the season did a good job of humanizing her, both through her friendship with Eloise, and the unhappy home life that drove her to increasing desperation. And her big swing for freedom was undeniably a highlight. Can you imagine a London season with two Lady Whistledowns competing to be declared the real one? The drama that Cressida could unleash as she wielded her newfound power and influence? The possibilities are endless, but unfortunately her whole plot fizzled out entirely. Quickly exposed and then exiled to Wales, Cressida’s tantalizing arc ultimately amounts to very little. It feels like a sad waste of potential.
Nailed It: Sowing the Seeds for Violet
The Bridgerton matriarch has been more concerned with her children’s personal lives than her own. But after hinting that she might be ready to get back in the game in “Queen Charlotte,” Season 3 started moving pieces into place to allow Violet to have her own grand second-act romance. The introduction of Marcus Anderson was a big, and very welcome, part of this, but there were subtler bits of groundwork laid too. Much was made of Kate taking over the role of Viscountess. And with Gregory heading off to Eton and Eloise to Scotland, it’s clear that Violet’s nest is just about empty. She even starts wearing more shades of purple, hinting that she’s ready to reclaim her identity outside her role of widow and mother.
Could Have Been Better: Too Many Side Plots
We love the rich supporting characters who fill out “Bridgerton”’s society landscape, and we can applaud the desire to spotlight more of them. However, this season made the mistake of trying to include all of them at once, diluting the main narrative. Agatha Danbury was a breakout character in “Queen Charlotte,” but here, attempts to explore her backstory further felt rushed and underbaked. Prudence and Phillipa’s race to conceive was given way too much screen time, even if it did…insert one of the season’s funniest moments. Meanwhile, the Mondriches’ unexpected entrance to society, though potentially narratively rich, practically vanished in the second half of the season, and never wove itself into the larger plot. Unless, of course, there’s some long game matchmaking going on here.
Nailed It: The Female Relationships
“Bridgerton,” is a story about love. Romantic, yes, but also familial and platonic. Season 3 ended with some really beautiful moments between its female characters. After their devastating second season breakup, it was a relief to see Eloise and Penelope reconciled. And one of the most cathartic moments of the series came as Portia not only saw her youngest daughter fully for the first time, but validated her with respect and admiration. The season also continued to develop the wonderful friendship between Agatha and Violet, giving the two women some great opportunities to support and uplift one another. Not only was their long, intertwined past fully and fondly acknowledged, but their shared connection to Marcus makes it likely these two ladies will be true sisters before long.
Could Have Been Better: A Shortage of Polin
One of the most frustrating consequences of this season’s overstuffed narrative was the attention that it pulled from what was supposed to be the flagship plotline. “Bridgerton” has been building up to the romance between Penelope and Colin since its very first episode, leaving fans excited to finally see it fully realized. While the first half of the season provided some good moments of anticipation, once the two were officially an item, their relationship was oddly pushed onto the back burner as the Lady Whistledown drama took center stage. Previous seasons managed to balance the wider plot elements with multiple romantic scenes between its lovers. Yet here, “Bridgerton” subverted expectations in the most disappointing way, giving Penelope and Colin comparatively meager screen time as a couple. An unfortunate let down after so much anticipation.
Nailed It: The Steamy Scenes We Did Get
What made the dearth of Polin scenes even more frustrating was how good their few spicy moments together were. Come on, we’re never going to hear “Give Me Everything” the same way again. The infamous carriage scene is one of the show’s best. With the camera focusing primarily on their faces and their reactions, it is both red hot and breathlessly intimate. The sex scene in their future home is a stand out as well. The way they communicate throughout helps to illustrate the foundation of trust these two characters have, adding sweetness to the sensuality. With two such strong scenes, no one could be blamed for wanting to see more of this couple together. You can’t just give us a taste, “Bridgerton,” you have to give us everything.
