Dearest gentle readers, it’s time for a new season of Bridgerton, and we can’t wait.
On Feb. 14 — Valentine’s Day — the cast of Bridgerton along with Shonda Rhimes, Executive Producer of the show and founder of Shondaland; Jess Brownell, the showrunner; and Julia Quinn, the author of the Bridgerton books, gathered to host a Q&A for fans of the show, including teasers of the upcoming season, reflection on their characters, and more.
Season three of Bridgerton follows the blossoming relationship between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington (or, as the fans call them, Polin!). Colin and Penelope have been friends for years, giving this season a new flavor compared to Daphne and Simon and Anthony and Kate’s seasons.
Source: Netflix
Colin Bridgerton may have some competition for Penelope's hand in Lord Debling. | Source: Netflix
Colin Bridgerton has a major glow-up in season 3. | Source: Netflix
“Usually we’re meeting a new person who’s falling in love with one of our regulars,” says Shonda Rhimes, Executive Producer of Bridgerton and founder of Shondaland. “This time, we know the people who are falling in love. We are already rooting for them because we already know them and I’m excited about that.”
With two established characters helming this season, the Bridgerton season three writers got to lean into tropes that fans haven’t yet seen in the show.
“Friends to lovers allows a little bit more familiarity, a little bit more coziness, and it allows us to lean into classic rom-com tropes,” Brownell says. “We’re playing with those tropes, we’re turning them on their head in some cases. There’s a lot of awkward banter, which I personally love writing.”
From the latest trailers, we know that Eloise Bridgerton, Colin’s brother and Penelope’s former best friend, has taken up a friendship with Cressida Cowper, another debutante who makes fun of Penelope. Eloise and Penelope fall out at the end of season 2 when Eloise discovers Penelope’s identity as Lady Whistledown. Without Penelope by her side, Eloise decides to take the traditions of the Ton more seriously this season.
The sixth Bridgerton child, Francesca, makes her debut in season 3. | Source: Netflix
Eloise takes the marriage mart more seriously in season 3. | Source: Netflix
“It goes against every part of her nature,” says Claudia Jessie, who plays Eloise. “It goes against everything, but I suppose what’s good about Eloise is she’s sort of stubborn. She’s almost in spite of herself. It’s a great opportunity for her to almost, in Eloise’s way, be like, ‘Well, let’s see what everybody’s cracking on with. Let’s see what they’re all banging on about. They seem to be doing this every year with no problem.’ I think it’s a good opportunity to see Eloise do something like this, but still within Eloise’s way. It’s funny.”
During the Q&A, the cast of Bridgerton season 3 also discussed the effects of the limited series Queen Charlotte, which gave more insight into the eccentric characters of the queen, Lady Agatha Danbury, and Violet Bridgerton.
“What I think is really beautiful, and I carry in my heart, is that the fans have now caught up,” says Golda Rosheuvel, who plays Queen Charlotte. “Adjoa and I, when we first started Bridgerton, we did all the work, we did all the research, we did character in depth. I knew about my children, but the audience didn’t. Shonda wrote those kids so beautifully and so complexly that now the audience understands Charlotte as a family woman … Now, the fans have caught up with the three characters that they know and love so well from Bridgerton.”
No matter which characters you can’t wait to see on the screen this season, the cast believes that this season will be living in our heads and hearts rent-free.
“I was a wallflower, and season 3 is for all us wallflowers,” says Adjoa Andoh, who plays the iconic Lady Danbury. “It’s an amazing show … I’m really, really thrilled and proud and slightly baffled that I’m a part of it.”
The third season of Bridgerton is split into two parts, with the first half hitting Netflix on May 16 and the second launching on June 13. Until then, we’ll have to rewatch the first two seasons or reread Romancing Mr. Bridgerton to get our daily dose of Regency romance.
