All ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 Episodes, Ranked
No question which episode ranks the best!
Dearest gentle reader, have you gone ahead and binged all of Bridgerton season 3 part 2, rewatched part 1, then watched the whole season at a stretch, now feeling an existential crisis? This author understands!
In terms of writing, this season has felt like the weakest so far—ironic, since this is Polin season, and Penelope’s character is a writer, the Lady Whistledown herself. While she gets a great arc, and the Featheringtons are clearly my favorite family right now, it is Mister Colin Bridgerton, Miss Cressida Cowper, Miss Eloise Bridgerton, and a few more characters who deserved better.
But that’s not to say this season didn’t have its moments. Based on those, let’s rank all of the Bridgerton season 3 episodes, from the so-so ones to the best one!
8. “Forces of Nature” (Episode 3)
Confession: The whole “Colin saving Penelope from the out-of-control hot air balloon” thing was a bit silly—not a great episode for romance, methinks.
But episode 3, “Forces of Nature,” did give us a PenEloise yearning moment, when Eloise visits Pen because the latter hasn’t been out in society after Lady Whistledown wrote about her and Colin’s collaboration to find her a husband. Pen almost crying, desperate for her friend as she asks Eloise if she’d like to come in and check out some new books … I teared up!
7. “Romancing Mister Bridgerton” (Episode 6)
Compared to the other episodes, episode 6, “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” doesn’t have much going on. The highlights for me in this episode were Polin dancing in the church (cute!), and Francesca telling Violet, “Not every attachment must be dramatic and hard-fought.” She’s right, sometimes you just want what’s easy and comforting rather than adventurous and constantly keeping you on your toes with the drama.
6. “Out of the Shadows” (Episode 1)
Our post-season 2 Kanthony-thirsty souls are satiated with Anthony unable to leave his wife alone for even a second, right from episode 1, “Out of the Shadows”! And Penelope Featherington serves face and body with that makeover, with the best reaction being from her brother-in-law, Albion Finch!
5. “How Bright the Moon” (Episode 2)
Yeah, I know, the flirting classes, and the kiss, and Pen meeting Lord Remington are all fine reasons for episode 2, “How Bright the Moon,” to rank here. But that one line!
4. “Old Friends” (Episode 4)
I don’t think we can count on our fingers anymore how many times we’ve rewatched the carriage scene, but episode 4, “Old Friends,” earns its flowers for a few more scenes that struck a chord. When the Earl comes calling for Francesca and they sit in silence, the best date idea since forever? Or when Portia tells Penelope that love is okay but what’s truly romantic is security. Where’s the lie? Polly Walker always gets the best lines, and does she deliver!
Also a favourite? Eloise calling on Cressida Cowper when it is calling hour for the gentlemen suitors! Remember when we all had hopes that something would come from their relationship this season? Sigh!
3. “Joining of Hands” (Episode 7)
Bridgerton season 3 part 2 really is the better half because my top 3 episodes are all from it, starting with Episode 7, “Joining of Hands.”
With Colin finally finding out Penelope is Lady Whistledown, this episode starts off high on heartbreak and yearning. I love the scene of the two of them in the middle of the street, unable to control their desires and engaging in some angry making out! And then the wedding, where Nicola Coughlan, in that beautiful bridal dress, takes your breath away!
This is an episode of reconciliations and friendships—Pen and Colin being somewhat on the mend; Pen’s bachelorette (of sorts) with Genevieve, while Colin gets some sage advice from Kate and Anthony; Lady Danbury and her brother Lord Marcus; Eloise and Penelope; and Benedict and Sophie getting a threesome. This is also the episode of The Two Whistledowns, and it is perfectly executed, with Julie Andrews’ voiceover returning when the real Whistledown is being read!
The episode has its weaknesses, though: the rather ridiculous Kanthony decision of traveling to India (they looked adorable making it though) and Cressida finding out Whistledown’s identity by simply bribing a worker at a print shop, when all the Queen’s men couldn’t do it.
2. “Into The Light” (Episode 8)
The finale of Bridgerton season 3, “Into The Light” really does feel like the sun shining on your face on a bright summer day, with butterflies all around—possibly because of Penelope’s big speech to the ton and Philippa yelling, “Now, Varley! The bugs!” And that epilogue where Prudence declares her daughter might be a writer like her aunt! The Featheringtons did transform into butterflies, didn’t they?
The Lady Whistledown secret is finally out in the open, and it’s hilarious when Penelope reveals she can afford to pay off Cressida because she’s made quite the dough writing her scandal sheet. I’m not a fan of how Colin deals with Cressida, and how her arc ends here, though.
But the episode does have some truly heartwarming moments. Nostalgia hits watching Eloise and Pen sit on that couch together, friends again, and Eloise and Benedict on the swing. Their scene later in the episode might just tell you who season 4 is going to be about. There’s also Pen sponsoring the Dankworth-Finch Ball and letting her sisters think their mother did it, and Violet finally understanding Francesca, the latter’s happiness at being married, and the introduction that hits her like lightning—Michaela Stirling!
1. “Tick Tock” (Episode 5)
Yes, of course, the Mirror Scene wins for its beautiful portrayal of a woman’s first time having sex, a sensitive Colin, and Nicola Coughlan’s gorgeous goddess-like curvy body worshipped onscreen. But this episode has so much more; it’s a complete entertainment package in itself.
We also get Colin (with his unwashed hand) rushing into tell the Bridgertons of his proposal and Francesca’s absolute delight that Penelope was going to be her sister, Anthony and Kate’s return and some more Kanthony mushiness, that scene where he and Benedict tease Colin, and Colin shutting down Portia and forbidding her from ever speaking down to Pen because she’s now a Bridgerton!
And then there’s the engagement party which starts off all fun and games but crescendo-es as the clock strikes midnight. Eloise’s ultimatum to Penelope comes due, Kanthony announce they’re pregnant, and Cressida announces she’s Lady Whistledown! And let’s not forget the title card, which shows the Bridgerton tree all shaken up by a storm! It almost makes up for splitting this season into two. 10/10 no notes!
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