For four years now, I’ve felt like a mix of Lady Whistledown and Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel): looking forward to the debutante ball to follow the romantic encounters and disagreements of the inclusive and modern society of the Bridgerton universe. I’ve never read Julia Quinn‘s books, but obviously – like her – I devoured Jane Austen, so I bought into the image of the idealized romance of those pre-Victorian years. Stunning costumes, a precise and fun soundtrack, and good performances from a diverse and stunningly beautiful cast. Wouldn’t that be the perfect escapism? Course is!

At this point, only aliens have not been impacted by the fever and innovation of the Bridgerton series on Netflix, our salvation during the pandemic which did not drop the ball in the second season and elevated it even further with the spin-off Queen Charlotte. We reach the third season with who I consider to be the most interesting character who is not part of the huge Bridgerton family that gives the series its title.

Yes, let’s follow Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), the overweight, shy, and intelligent friend, BEAUTIFUL and God, secretly Mrs Whistledown, shrewd observer of society, the undercover reporter, the social columnist who exposes the Court’s most scandalous secrets. Every love story – apart from the queen herself with King George III, which brought us to tears and raised the quality of Bridgerton – pales in comparison to the story and evolution of Penelope.

Remembering how we got here

The Bridgerton family, in theory, has the leading role with its eight children and widowed Viscountess Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). In the first season, the eldest daughter, Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor) led us into the universe established today, by winning over the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page). In the second, it was the turn of Daphne’s older brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey), the head of the family after his father’s death, who “needs” to find a viscountess for a wife and falls in love with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). In theory, the third season would be about Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), but in reality, it’s about Penelope.

For being “different” in a society that chooses “diamonds” among elegant women looking for a husband, Penelope went almost unnoticed in the premiere, as the best friend of Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) and when we discovered in the second season that she was the feared “blogger” Lady Whistledown we certainly don’t lose sight of her anymore.

Pen is part of a repressive and perpetually penniless family, led by her self-interested mother, Portia (Polly Walker). He has two obnoxious sisters, Prudence (Bessie Carter), and Philippa (Harriet Cains). She makes a lot more sense with the Bridgertons than her relatives.

Penelópe’s first drama is losing the trust of Eloise, who discovers that she is Whistledown and does not accept how under the pseudonym she spreads harmful rumors about the Bridgertons, even though they are in many cases well-intentioned. Eloise broke off the friendship but kept the secret, which is now the biggest obstacle between Penélope and Colin.

And now?

The revelation of author Lady Whistledown changed the dynamics of the show because now we are divided when the harsh words of the “Bridgerton friend” are revealed by Whistledown. Of course, it doesn’t help that she has always been in love with Colin, initially as dull as she was, now a handsome man that all single women are enchanted with an eye as a potential husband. He sets out to help Penelope find a husband, but who didn’t imagine that the spell would turn against the sorcerer?

Yes, in the first season, we didn’t know anyone, but the cast has maintained its stars and we have followed their changes in line with the story. An extra delight of continuity.

In this third stage of the story, knowing who Penelope really is and who she has always loved, we see how “fact and fiction” are deliciously confused. The season is divided into two parts (because Netflix refuses to admit that the strategy of releasing EVERYTHING at once is not necessarily as sealing as thought, a topic for another post), so it’s quick to marathon the first phase.

Basically, Penelope continues to face the challenge of maintaining her anonymity as Lady Whistledown while she finally starts looking for a husband. Of course, Colin would be perfect, but he doesn’t know the truth yet. His expected reaction is similar to that of his sister, Louise, who already knows about Penelope’s livelihood, but hasn’t told anyone. That’s why the bombastic conclusion of this first stage is even more exciting. After all, there are only four episodes and one month until the final four premiere. Without revealing details to avoid spoilers, since we know how the stories always conclude, the construction of the drama is effective.

How can you not love Bridgerton?

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