From harboring secret feelings for her best friend’s brother to a steamy rendezvous in a moving carriage, Penelope Featherington’s (Nicola Coughlan) romance with Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) has come a long way. Bridgerton Season 3 has served the audience a dreamy storyline bursting at the seams with powerful messages, breathtaking ball gowns, and raging fornication. The story of Penelope the wallflower finally finding her footing, backed by the love of her life, touched hearts and evoked endless happy tears. While fans of the show were quite skeptical about the pairing at first glance, the duo went on to prove that true love knows no bounds. Tread lightly, for there are spoilers ahead!
The popular romance period drama Bridgerton requires no introduction. Based on Julia Quinn’s acclaimed book series of the same name, the show has garnered massive fanfare since its debut in December 2020. Bridgerton Season 3 explores the friends-to-lovers romance between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington and is adapted from the fourth novel from Quinn’s series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Avid fans of the show have been waiting with bated breath to watch the unlikely love story take flight, and it’s safe to say they were not disappointed. Penelope and Colin’s story unfolded organically in a way that the audience could relate to. A season and pairing quite like no other, let’s dive into all the beautiful aspects of their slow-burn romance!
Only a True Writer Can Understand The Plight of Another
There’s nothing quite like a love story between two passionate writers. Viewers were livid at Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) for her shoddy attempt at trying to take over as Lady Whistledown. But nothing compares to Colin’s enrage over Cressida’s blackmailing of his wife! In a love story birthed from the exchange of letters over the years, Colin — and the viewers — realize that he is not just protective of Penelope, but also her writing. However, it took him time to come to terms with the fact that she hid her secret identity from him while simultaneously dealing with his envy and male ego over her accomplishments.
Eventually, the power of her words helped him gain perspective when he re-read her letters and realized how gifted and talented she was. His love for her made it possible for him to look beyond the hurt. By the end, Colin could appreciate Penelope’s talent as it dawned on him that Whisteldown is a huge part of his wife’s identity.
It was incredibly moving for viewers when he revealed while conversing with Cressida that Penelope not writing to him on his travels had bothered him. Fans were thrilled that the season ended with Colin accepting Penelope’s opinions to finish his book which showed the mutual respect that existed in their dynamic. Not to forget the empowering ending that shows Penelope publishing her work with her own name, rather than hiding behind Whistledown’s identity.
Penelope and Colin Had The Best Wedding In Bridgerton
The sensational show that Bridgerton is, viewers were always left with a void due to the lackluster weddings in Seasons 1 and 2. Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon (Regé-Jean Page) had a shotgun wedding with minimal guests. On the other hand, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate’s (Simone Ashley) wedding didn’t even make it to the screen. Thankfully, though Penelope and Colin’s fairytale wedding was breathtaking, to say the least. With the most tasteful flower arrangement cascading on either side of the aisle to Penelope’s dazzling blush pink wedding gown, the whole affair was a masterpiece.
The choice of having the classical rendition of Coldplay’s “Yellow” play when she walked down the aisle as Colin gazed into her eyes had the audience smiling from ear to ear. The moment when a nervous Penelope looked towards Colin and instantly felt confident was the perfect culmination of their friends-to-lovers romance. The heartfelt vows and the unexpected dance scene made their wedding an unforgettable moment in the show’s history.
The Bumps in Their Relationship Only Made Them Stronger
The best aspect of a friend-to-lovers romance is that having sincere conversations with each other comes naturally. Penelope’s identity as Whistledown proved to be the major bump in the duo’s dynamic. But the repercussions were far less dramatic than viewers had anticipated. The conflict only pushes Penelope and Colin to be more honest with each other. The situation makes them realize that they love each other far too much to let anything come in between.
A scene that really cements this love story is when Colin stands up to Penelope’s mother (Polly Walker) when she hurls vile accusations, which just goes to show the extent of Colin’s love. Be it the Queen (Golda Rosheuvel), Cressida, or even Eloise (Claudia Jessie), on occasion, there’s not a person in the world that could deter their bond.
The Intimate Scenes Are a Refreshing Change
The intimate scenes between Colin and Penelope were a refreshing change from the usual Bridgerton copulation. For starters, the fact that Colin is a man who values consent just makes him infinitely hotter. The scandalous carriage scene has had viewers at a loss for words in the past weeks — especially with Colin’s attention to detail on finger placement (if you know, you know). The mirror scene, however, is one of the more endearing sex scenes across the whole show. While the seductive foreplay and tasteful nudity were enormously engaging, it’s the raw aspects that make it unique.
Colin guides Penelope on how to pleasure him, warns her about the ensuing pain, and even tells her to give him “five minutes” when she wants to go again. The sequence is extremely realistic and a fabulous attempt at portraying the awkward aspects of sex. Even Ariana Grande’s song “pov” as the background music was tastefully chosen to cater to the nuanced depiction of Penelope’s first time. However, the greatest takeaway from the season that stands out is Colin’s enthusiastic use of his magical fingers — safe to say the viewers are certainly not complaining!
The Duo Underwent Significant Character Development
Steamy snogging and passionate confessions aside, Penelope and Colin have gone through substantial character development across the seasons. The duo has helped each other grow in a lot of ways, especially in Season 3. Starting from Colin offering to help Penelope secure a match to when she expressed how his behavior had been out of character at the beginning of the season. Colin went from a stoic rake who cared for nothing to a supportive husband who took pride in loving his wife and taking a stand for her. On the other hand, Penelope learned to love herself, express her opinions, and hold her ground when she was subject to aspersions.
When Colin said, “If my only purpose in life is to love a woman as great as you, then I will be a very fulfilled man indeed,” viewers could feel how much he had grown from his first appearance in Bridgerton Season 1. Penelope’s unwavering love for Colin and refusal to bow down to Cressida’s blackmail prove to be redeeming factors that enable viewers to forgive her actions from Season 2. The leading pair graced fans with a pure, earnest relationship filled with love and respect, making Bridgerton Season 3 a delightful watch. Check out the key moments and character developments from Bridgerton Season 3.
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