‘Bridgerton’ Switches Things Up, Makes Colin and Penelope the Focus of Season Three

Bridgerton will be switching up the order of its upcoming love matches. Rather than Benedict’s love story being the focus of the upcoming third season, it has been confirmed that it will instead be about the romance between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Coughlan shared this news during Sunday’s FYSEE panel, according to Variety, presenting the TV series’ first official stray from the book order of Julia Quinn’s romance novel series.

It has been clear as day since season one that Penelope is in love with Colin, for reasons that have never been clear to this humble author. Colin was enthralled with another, and despite multiple hints, he still hasn’t noticed. As the older brother of her best friend, Colin is undoubtedly interesting to Penelope, but we will see how the series makes us love Colin.

While, in the TV adaptation, Penelope is also Lady Whistledown, there were many changes made to that character and their function in the show that crafted her as a more malevolent force. We also have the shakeup of Eloise Bridgerton knowing the truth about her best friend and how that might play into any potential romance drama. The fourth book in the series is titled Romancing Mister Bridgerton:

Everyone knows that Colin Bridgerton is the most charming man in London. Penelope Featherington has secretly adored her best friend’s brother for…well, it feels like forever. After half a lifetime of watching Colin Bridgerton from afar, she thinks she knows everything about him, until she stumbles across his deepest secret…and fears she doesn’t know him at all.

Colin Bridgerton is tired of being thought nothing but an empty-headed charmer, tired of everyone’s preoccupation with the notorious gossip columnist Lady Whistledown, who can’t seem to publish an edition without mentioning him in the first paragraph. But when Colin returns to London from a trip abroad he discovers nothing in his life is quite the same – especially Penelope Featherington! The girl haunting his dreams. But when he discovers that Penelope has secrets of her own, this elusive bachelor must decide…is she his biggest threat – or his promise of a happy ending?

It promises to be a juicy adventure. Plus, now they can take some extra time to establish Benedict as being bisexual. There have been a few other shakeups in Bridgerton behind the scenes. Creator Chris Van Dusen, who has been running the ship, stepped down as showrunner following Season 2. Francesca Bridgerton, who was played by Ruby Sokes, was replaced by Hannah Dodd following Sokes landing the lead role in another Netflix show.

Considering Bridgerton is currently two for two in terms of successful seasons, let’s hope that season three continues the trend.

(via Variety, image: Netflix)