Dearest gentle reader, it is time to return to the ton as Netflix releases a new season of Bridgerton.
When we left the ton last season, Penelope Fetherington (Nicola Coughlan) had been secretly pining for her long-time crush Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), who was still totally oblivious of her admiration towards him. However, all her dreams of a romantic union with Colin were shattered when she overheard him telling his friends that he would never court her. To top off the heartbreak, Eloise (Claudia Jessie) discovered that Penelope was Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews), resulting in them having a devastating fight, ending their childhood friendship.
When we pick up with the first four episodes of season three, only a small amount of time has passed, and Kate (Simone Ashley) and Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) are living in a post-honeymoon bliss. Meanwhile, Penelope is still broken after the events of the previous season.
Eloise and Penelope’s friendship is still in tatters, made worse by having to spend time around each other in society where Penelope watches Eloise develop a friendship with frenemy Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen). Elsewhere, Colin has returned from his travels but its going to take a while before he realises his mistake.
Meanwhile, Francesca Bridgerton (played this season by Hannah Dodd) enters the marriage mart, and Penelope’s sisters race to produce an heir.
There’s a stack of new faces this season, including Lord Debling (Sam Phillips), the kind, respectful and vegetarian naturalist looking for a wife to handle his estate while he travels the world, who charms Penelope.
Showrunner Jess Burnell serves up the friends-to-lovers trope that lets Newton and Coughlan’s chemistry shine, making the two-part season investment worth it.
4 Stars
Part one of season 3 of Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix, with part two dropping June 13.
