Part 2 must urgently change one thing

Bridgerton is back and that is a reason for romance fans around the world to rejoice. After two seasons of yearning, wallflower Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) is finally allowed to step out of the friend zone in season 3 and pursue her feelings for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). What is unexpected, however, is how effortlessly this happens in the first four episodes – something that urgently needs to change in the second part of the season.

The third season of Bridgerton has not yet had enough friction

Penelope has played her way into the hearts of fans since season 1, and not just because of her secret second identity as Regency gossip, Lady Whistledown. As Eloise Bridgerton’s (Claudia Jessie) friend, she set high BFF goals for viewers and, as a compassionate moral compass, was always the most upright member of the self-absorbed Featherington clan. So it’s no wonder that the creative team around series creator Chris Van Dusen decided to not to make us wait any longer for Pen’s romantic fulfillmentbut instead to elevate the fourth book in Julia Quinn’s novel series * to the third season of the Netflix hit.

We have waited a long time for Penelope to grow out of her duckling status, take off her yellow clothes and act on her secret feelings for Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). Season 3 is all the more surprising in the first four episodes with a hasty Action gallopInstead of letting the long-simmering emotional world of the two main characters simmer a little longer, everything suddenly happens very quickly:

What Bridgerton used to take eight episodes to complete is now rushed through in half the time. By speeding up the pace everything is going a bit too smoothlyAfter 16 episodes of little romantic morsels, we suddenly have to wolf down the main course in four hours. We don’t even have time to imagine Pen with someone else before she’s in Colin’s arms.

Here, the Netflix series relies too much on us remembering the languishing looks of the previous seasons. But cinematic love always needs conflictespecially in a serial narrative. Otherwise, we’ll soon be as bored as the queen who, at the beginning, is fed up with crowning yet another young lady as the “diamond” of the ball season. After Polin was so hotly anticipated, Season 3 suddenly runs the risk of becoming the least romantic (because: smoothest) love story of the series.

Bridgerton must be careful in season 3 not to work through its romantic pattern listlessly

The fact that Bridgerton is a romantic series Love Tropes supports, so “recurring patterns, motifs or themes” in love stories (via Piper ) is not in itself reprehensible. After all, few people watch love films to be surprised by them. That is why the well-known Fake dating-Premise of Daphne and Simon in the historical context of Season 1 as well as the Enemies to Lovers-Scheme of Kate and Anthony in Season 2.

Season 3 of Bridgerton now wants to be a classic Friends to Lovers-narrative. This time, however, the series runs the risk of relying too much on the themes prepared by other rom-coms and, as a result, not formulated enough. Why let Colin slowly realize what he has in Penelope, when a kiss and a dream are enough to bring about a change of heart in a matter of seconds? Why let Penelope woo a vegetarian lord, when her true love is already so close that she has to feel him on the hem of her skirt?

“Polin” (Penelope & Colin) is so accepted from the beginning as an imminent family tree extension that Bridgerton prefers to start the third season with Additional topics that threaten to outshine the lovers. Kate and Anthony show so much passion in episode 1 that it is difficult for the new lovers to match it. They also have to share the spotlight with debutante Francesca Bridgerton, which has understandable reasons for the course of their future story, but at the same time takes up time that should actually belong to Polin.

Penelope and Colin’s love needs more room for drama in the second part of the third season

The fact that Bridgerton’s latest romance already feels so complete after the fourth episode of the third season is not exactly beneficial for the season split. After the marriage proposal, which doesn’t really work as a cliffhanger, many will certainly ask themselves what is to come next. The only hope is the logical conclusion that the last four episodes provide plenty of conflict material mustif everything has been going smoothly so far.

For example, there is the question of whether Colin will discover Penelope’s piquant secret * after he has already threatened Lady Whistledown (unknown) to bring down. In addition, a reconciliation between Penelope and Eloise continues to be discussed, along with the question of how Eloise will react to her brother’s connection with her former best friend after the Whistledown fraud. Colin’s behavior recently indicates that he too is a Secret carries around with him.

So there would be plenty of potential drama for a more exciting second half of the season. However, all this must contribute to the love storyif Bridgerton wants to get back on track in season 3 and find its old strength. Because in order for gossip Lady Whistledown to really have something of value to report, the tone needs to be heated up a bit. And so we To really enjoy Bridgerton, the heart needs more nourishment than just quick, satisfying fast food. A romantic meal shouldn’t be rushed and sometimes needs to simmer a little longer to find real flavor.

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