Throwback Thursday: Who will Eloise's new friend be?

 First posted 8 April 2023

Disclaimer:  This was written before we found out that Ruby Barker isn't returning to Bridgerton for season 3, however, I do not believe that this fact negates the possibility of Marina being Eloise's new friend. 

When the synopsis for S3 was first released it was mentioned that Eloise would make a surprising new friend, since then there has been speculation who this might be. 

Some believe it is a new character Lady Tilly Arnold, and there is speculation that this character will also be connected to Benedict.  There appears to be no basis for the speculation that Lady Tilly will be Eloise's new friend, except that based on her character synopsis some fans don't want her to have anything to do with Polin.  

Some have suggested that Eloise's new friend is Kate, however, I don't think that is who is being referred to.  We saw a glimpse in S2 of the potential friendship between Kate and Eloise, and I believe they will be close as sisters, I believe that Eloise will see Kate as an ally in her family and a woman she can be close to, however, this is something that has previously been hinted at and would not be surprising considering Kate is now the Viscountess. 

My guess is that the surprising new friend for Eloise is Marina, this would help set up Eloise for her own season.  In the books Marina is a cousin of the Bridgertons, and this is why Eloise writes to Sir Philip after Marina's death. In the show there is no familial connection and therefore no reason for Eloise to contact Sir Philip, however if Eloise had been a penpal of Marina's then there is a prompt for Philip to begin the correspondence by notifying Eloise, or as in the book Eloise learns of Marina's death and writes to Philip. Marina is the most logical new friend of Eloise as both Marina and Eloise have been betrayed by Penelope in her Lady Whistledown column, Eloise may feel some kinship with Marina for this reason. 

In S2 I believe it was foreshadowed when Colin made an assumption that Eloise had been writing to Marina, (isn't that what young ladies do, write letters?).  Knowing how S2 ended I believe this was the set up for Eloise to begin writing to Marina.  We also know that Aubrey Hall is close to Romney Hall, which would have made it easy for Eloise to call on Marina during the off season.  

The question is:  If Marina is Eloise's new friend, does Eloise impart the news of Lady Whistledown's identity?  And if she does, how will that play into Season 3. 

Who do you think Eloise's new friend is and why?  Do you think it is Lady Tilly? or Marina? or someone else completely?  

The problem with "Prickly Spinster of a Beast"

 Any suitor wishing to gain an audience with Miss Edwina Sharma, must first tame the rather prickly spinster of a beast otherwise know as her sister. 

This is said by Lady Whistledown at the beginning of episode 2 of the second season of Bridgerton, it is in reference to Kathani 'Kate' Sharma, the female protagonist of the season, a dark skinned Indian woman newly arrived in England.   These words are problematic in a number of ways, and despite meaning to be a nod to Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew they have the undercurrent of sexism and racism that is unpalatable for many modern viewers. That a privileged white woman called a dark skinned woman of colour a beast in a show that prides itself on diversity shows a lack of awareness on the part of the writer and the producers.  In this post I am going to look at the issues of racism with these words and how these words have impacted the way some viewers view Penelope Featherington - and why it is difficult for those viewers to root for her in season 3, causing a problem for the production as a whole.  

Historically terms such as 'animalistic' 'beastly' 'savage' have been used to describe people of colour by Europeans, invoking imagery that associates people of colour with being animals.  In Othello animal imagery is used to demean, diminish and insult the lead character - a Moor - giving the play racist subtext, specific to India it is alleged that Winston Churchill referred to Indians as a 'beastly people with a beastly religion' [this will be the subject of another post], in Pride and Prejudice Mr Darcy states 'every savage can dance' in response to Mr Lucas.  Beast and Beastly have been used in the past as ways to insult others on their manners to imply that people are uncouth and lack the manners of refined society, they are also terms that have been associated with the devil (evil & sin), however, in the context it is used in Bridgerton it is not just a simple insult - it becomes a dehumanising racist trope. 

For some viewers this description of Kate Sharma - the season 2 lead - was more than uncomfortable, it was offensive, and some have said that this was the point that they turned against Penelope as a character, many were not only rightly feeling offended, but also disappointed in the production.  Bridgerton is a show that went out of its way to ensure a diverse cast in a genre that is usually not diverse, it is a show that has cast a dark skinned Indian woman as the romantic lead without turning the character into a caricature, and to have this very same lead referred to as an animal with all the negative connotations that implies for people of colour is tone deaf, and furthermore has hurt the perception of the character that will take the lead in season 3.

In context of the show what we have is an established character, who is a privileged white woman, talking about a woman newly arrived in London from India, which at the time was one of Britain's colonies.  Further to this, Penelope had not even met Kate, she had never spoken to her or Edwina, in fact I don't think Penelope spoke to Kate once during season 2, so why did Penelope use such an offensive racist trope to describe Kate?  And how does Penelope redeem herself for this with the viewers?  

In the fan fiction story 'The Engagement of Lady Whistledown' on Archive of our own, writers hptriviachamp and orangepeelshortbreadcookies have included a scene where the Bridgertons are holding Penelope to account for the hurt she has caused due to what she wrote about them, and during this discussion (intervention?) Kate brings up Penelope calling her a beast, (excerpt below reprinted with the permission of the authors - emphasis mine): 

“You did not even know me back then, did you? Of course not. I had just arrived in England after all, from India, of all places. Imagine my surprise when after mere days of being in a new country, my name already made the papers. The whole thing would have been amusing if it weren't so insulting. We had never talked until that point, had we, you and I? I cannot fathom what transgression on my part had branded me to be deserving of such treatment. Does demeaning the existence of a complete stranger make you feel better about yourself, Miss Featherington? Contrary to popular belief,” Kate said with harsh pointedness, “those with my colouring, those from my homeland, are not animals .”

This excerpt encapsulates all that is wrong with Penelope's words, especially the last part, it was a popular belief at the time that people of colour were Indians, for some white Europeans this is a view that persisted into the twentieth century - and still lingers today.  Whether intentionally or not Bridgerton has perpetuated this racist trope in the words of Penelope.  We can hope that there is some accountability from Penelope for these words (along with her other actions), though it is most likely that this line will not be addressed, and the viewers - like Kate - will be expected to welcome Penelope into the family with no accountability for the way she spoke about the Viscountess.  

It has previously been reported that it took the director of episode 7, who was a woman of colour, to bring awareness to the optics of having Kate and Anthony engage in pre-marital sex when Daphne did not, so it is unsurprising that the writer of episode 2 - a white man - did not consider the optics of a white woman calling their Indian female lead a beast.  But it is not just the optics, when you have Americans writing an historical show set in England the nuances of British relations with their colonies is brushed over, not all experiences were the same during the period of European colonisation.  The writers appear to be seeing the English historical setting of Bridgerton through the lens of American history and so the more specific issues within the nations they are writing about is lost, and the result is that this line shows very little understanding of not only the optics of what is being written, but the historical implications in the context of English and Indian relations.   

Whilst the whole phrase is undoubtably sexist, the unnecessary addition of calling Kate a beast added the racist undertones and completely changed both the meaning and the reception to this line.  I do not believe that Penelope is racist per se, and I do not believe that the writers actually meant to write her as saying something racist, but this line - and the reaction from some fans - shows how tone deaf the writers and producers are - not to mention the executives at Netflix who allowed this through.  This should have been flagged, it would not have changed the story at all to re-record the Lady Whistledown voice over for the beginning of this episode.  

By writing Lady Whistledown and Penelope as if they are separate characters the Bridgerton writers have written themselves into one big problem for season 3 because Lady Whistledown's words are Penelope's words to the viewer.  The real challenge is how do they turn the viewers opinion of Penelope around, how do they have Penelope atone for her racism towards Kate who is now the Viscountess Bridgerton - the most senior woman in the family Penelope will be marrying into - and how do the writers make it palatable enough for the viewers to want to have Kate welcome Penelope into her family and into her home?  

Benedict vs Eloise: Which Bridgerton will lead season 4?

Whilst we wait for season 3 of Bridgerton to release some talk within the fandom is around which Bridgerton may take the lead for season 4.  In the lead up to, and in the immediate 4-6 weeks after, season 2 it was assumed season 3 would be Benedict, though after watching season 2 some wondered if it would be switched and Benedict would be delayed - something that proved to happen. 

After the surprise of Colin being moved to season 3 most fans are no longer taking it for granted that Benedict will take the lead for season 4, with some speculating that Eloise could be the Bridgerton elevated to lead for season 4.   There are arguments for and against for both Benedict and Eloise to be the season 4 lead, so let's take a look and see who could come out on top for the Bridgerton lead in season 4.

Eloise

The reasons why Eloise could be considered as the season 4 lead are varied, here are some of the more popular reasons that fans have for Eloise being season 4: 

• The show will not want to do 3 Bridgerton brothers in a row.  This is a solid theory, but there are counter arguments to this. 
• It is widely believed that season 3 will be Penelope's season as opposed to Colin's season, thus having  Colin as the 'love interest' similar to both Daphne and Kate before him, meaning that the main character development will focus on Penelope not on Colin.  This has the potential to give the feeling of season 3 not actually being a Bridgerton season, but rather a Featherington season, especially as we have already been introduced the Featherington family - and some will argue they have had more development than some of the Bridgertons that the show is about.
• Eloise's book love interest has already been introduced into the show
• That Philip has already been introduced leads some fans to believe that if the show is not renewed beyond season 4 then season 4 is more than likely going to be Eloise's story - and this is a very strong possibility.
• Philip has been introduced, and as such we know he is a white man, which is problematic for some sections of the fandom who were hooked by the diversity of the casting and having people of colour in lead roles - they see two white couples in a row as the production only being performative in their claims of diversity in the show.  This could work against the production if they go ahead with Eloise in season 4.  
• Eloise has more development as a character. 
• This is something that can't be overlooked, one of the reasons for moving Penelope's story forward was that the production had already spent time developing her as a character, this can be said for Eloise as well.  It is also believed that Eloise will play a large part in Colin and Penelope's story, and there is a lot with her character to do after the way that season 2 ended, and the rift between Eloise and Penelope.  

Despite there being compelling reasons for Eloise being moved to season 4, ahead of Benedict, there are also reasons that fans have put forward as to why her season won't be season 4: 

• The set up for Eloise hasn't really happened, as it had for Penelope.  Whilst Eloise as a character has been well developed some believe that the show hasn't spent enough time on the set up of her love story. 
• Counter to this is the fact that in a way her story is being set up, and potentially was set up further in season 2.  Marina, and Philip, have been introduced, as have Oliver and Amanda (of a sorts), thus the main players for Eloise's story are already in the Bridgerton Universe.  It wouldn't take much for the rest of the set up to occur during season 3, with Marina's death being discussed in the first episode and Eloise beginning her letter writing to Philip.  
• The twins aren't old enough yet. 
• This is something that lends to the idea that the story will remain the same as the book, however, as we have seen Bridgerton as a production is more than happy to deviate wildly from the books, as such there is no guarantee that Eloise's story will follow that of the book - in fact we already know it won't be an exact replica as the key releationships of Philip, Marina and the twins has changed significantly.  
• The Pall Mall theory had Eloise getting hoop 5, indicating season 5 for Eloise.  
• This is an imperfect fan theory, all we do know from the production is that they made it so that Colin got his ball through hoop 3 as a sign he would be season 3, but all the hoops following could be open to interpretation.  
• Benedict has to be before Eloise as his cottage is near Romney Hall, and it features in Eloise's book. 
• This is something that has already been changed as in the show Romney Hall has been situated as being near Aubrey Hall, thus the location of My Cottage in the book could easily be changed to be Aubrey Hall.  

Betsy Beers has previously said that she loves Eloise as a character, and she has also said that her favourite pairing in the show is Eloise and Penelope (collectively known as Peneloise), this indicates that she - and maybe others in the production team - have a view that Penelope and Eloise are a team, and as Penelope will be marrying and moving on in season 3 it is possible that they use this - as with the books have Penelope's marriage the catalyst for Eloise to run away, however, this could be changed to having Benedict's marriage as the catalyst rather than Penelope's. 

Benedict

As with Eloise there is more than one reason for why Benedict should be season 4: 

• They have already skipped his book, he should be next or it will upset fans even more.  This is a very real problem for the production, the key is the general audience who may not care, but book fans do care, and many are threatening to not only skip season 3, but also season 4, if it is not announced that Benedict is season 4. 
• To counter this, said simply - the production doesn't care.  The production won't care that fans will turn off, or be upset if they skip over Benedict again, they have their vision for the series that they have mapped out, and as such will not change the order they have decided on if Benedict is not set down to be season 4. 
• There shouldn't be two white couples in a row.  This is a reason that is brought up by many fans, especially in response to those claiming that the show won't have three brothers in a row.  This is a tricky reason, but I can see it could be a consideration for a show that has marketed itself on subverting the historical drama genre by having a more diverse cast.  There has also already been issues raised by fans and writers/bloggers as to the risk that the show has of being seen as to not be serious about diversity, but rather performative.  To have two all white couples in a row could play into this perception, and turn off some of the viewers they gained as a result of the diverse casting for leads.  Bridgerton is a show that marketed itself on its diversity, it is widely believed that Sophie will be a woman of colour, so to have Penelope and Colin followed by Eloise and Philip will have some questioning this commitment to diverse casting.  
• There is no guarantee that Bridgerton would cast Sophie as a woman of colour, this is only speculation and a view that is propositioned based on season 1 and season 2 where one half of the pairing was a person of colour. Without a casting announcement for Sophie this argument in favour of Benedict is hard to either put forward, or to counter, because whilst we know who Eloise's pairing is with we don't know anything about who will play Sophie. 
• Further, Benedict's book is a Cinderella retelling, and considered problematic, and they see the story as being even more problematic if Sophie is a woman of colour, which leads some to suggest that either Benedict's story is being delayed whilst the production work through the best way to tell his story, and it is easier for the production to do two couples that don't appear, on the surface at least, as problematic. 
• Benedict ended season 2 in crisis, he was at his lowest point, as was Penelope in the same season, and Anthony went to in season 1. This has been set up to suggest an arc for Benedict that leads to him finding his purpose and gaining confidence in his talent - two things that were part of his story with Sophie. To me this is one of the biggest indicators that Benedict is more likely to be season 4 than Eloise. 

So, who is likely to be the season 4 Bridgerton lead? 

Despite the compelling reasoning for Eloise to be season 4, and her advanced character development, I still believe that Benedict will be season 4. Based on season 2, I don't believe that Eloise has yet hit her rock bottom in order to set her up for her season. Of course we do not know what season 3 will bring for either Benedict or Eloise, but with a Peneloise reconciliation this is likely to lift Eloise from where she was left in season 2, whilst we can only see Benedict potentially going lower than where he was. 

Who do you think will be season 4? 

Throwback Thursday: Casting Mystery of Banita Sandhu

First posted on Tumbler 10 April 2023

Update:  Last week a couple of media articles came out about Banita Sandhu where she was described as a Bridgerton star, further, one of the articles referred to her role as 'pivotal'.  These articles have again got fans speculating on her role in season 3.  

Last year the casting for three new Original Characters was announced by the Bridgerton official account, we have very little information to go on who they are and how they fit in to the show, but it is not those three that have got some parts of the fandom excited, but rather the (unannounced) casting of Banita Sands. 

According to Banita's agent website she is playing a character called Sita Malhorta, and is listed as a recurring character in Season 3.  As fans speculate on who Sita Malhorta may be, and wonder why she was not announced with the other new original characters, two main theories have emerged. 

1. Sita Malhorta is a code name for Sophia Maria, the names of book character Sophie Beckett. If this is the case then this means the viewers will be introduced to Sophie in S3 and Benedict will finally have his season in Season 4.
2. Sita Malhorta is Kate's mother, and she will appear in some form of flashback or dream sequence. If this is who the character is then that will mean we would be getting more than one flashback / dream sequence of Kate and her mother as Banita is listed as recurring and will likely be in multiple episodes. This will please fans of Kate due to the lack of attention many feel her character received during her own season.

There are two further theories I have seen, however, these do not appear to be as popular as the first two. 

1. Sita Malhorta will be the nanny for baby Edmund. I find this theory unlikely due to her being credited with a first name and surname. In the credits for the show, with the exception of a select few, none of the staff for any of the houses are credited with names, even ones that have speaking roles (such as footman John). So the fact that Banita is credited with a name, and listed as a recurring character I do not think she will be domestic staff, unless she is Sophie.
2. The final theory is that she is a cousin of Kate's. I am not sure where this idea came from, except the fact that Banita is Indian. I also don't see a reason for a cousin of Kate's to be present in London during the season for multiple seasons, this will again give Kate a storyline centred around a family member as opposed to her having a storyline that is focussed on her and her growth as a character.

My personal view is that one of the first two theories are the most likely.  

If she is Kate's mother, I can see an arc with Kate perhaps having dreams of her mother, this can be as a result of her becoming pregnant, or just being anxious in her new role.  Whilst it will be unusual for such a storyline to go over multiple episodes, it isn't unheard of as in Season 1 Simon's flashbacks lasted more than one episode.  

However, I think the most likely of these theories is that she could be Sophie, but her character (for S3 anyway) will be called Sita Malhorta.  Rather than it being a codename from the production, I think the name will be a pseudonym Sophie uses in order to remain 'hidden' and the reveal of her real name will potentially be in the final episode.  This could be a good tactic for the show to use, essentially hiding Sophie in plain sight of the viewers.  For this to work however, she will need to meet Benedict in a different way to how she does in the books, in order to attempt to throw the viewers off the scent.  Though with many in the fandom thinking she will be Sophie maybe this subterfuge will no longer work. 

Of course, with all my theories, I could be completely wrong, and she is just another debutante who appears at a few balls, and has no connection to any of the Bridgertons at all.  

I would be interested in your view.  

Who will be the antagonist for Polin in season 3?

As we get closer to Bridgerton season 3 many fans have been speculating on what might happen in the season, how it may be the same as - or different from - the book.  Will the coveted carriage or mirror scenes happen? Will the Ton find out about Lady Whistledown? Will this be the end of Lady Whistledown? But one question that hasn't gained much notice is Who will be Polin's antagonist? 

In each season the main couple has had an antagonist, though as with most things in Bridgerton it wasn't as straightforward as one person creating the obstacle for the couple, but rather the way I see it is that the main obstacle was internal, which was represented by - or aided by - one character.  

In season 1 it was Simon that had the internal obstacle to the final HEA with Daphne that had to be overcome, but that was an internal conflict that worked alongside the overt antagonism of Anthony who was actively working against the pairing of Simon and Daphne. 

In season 2 it was more complex with both Anthony and Kate having an internal obstacle to overcome before they could be together, and for both of them this was represented by Edwina who became the primary antagonist in the season.  

I have seen some theories for the Polin antagonist whereby someone wants to expose Penelope as Lady Whistledown thereby threatening her HEA with Colin, however, I think that for these two (and the added Lady Whistledown factor) it will be more complex, and it could be more like season 2 than season 1 in terms of how it plays out.  

For Polin Lady Whistledown will play a part in the antagonism, this is the internal conflict that Penelope has to come to terms with and resolve before she can have her full HEA.  But that won't be the only conflict for them, because like in season 2 I believe there could be a character connected to all three (Colin, Penelope and Lady Whistledown) that will be the representation of this conflict, and work as an overt antagonist to them both.  But who?  

My first thought when Polin were announced as season 3 was that it would be Marina, but as Ruby Barker is not returning I don't think she will play as big a role in Polin's story as I first though, if she has any role at all, so my thinking shifted, and I realised that season 2 actually showed us who the potential antagonist could be, and it is the same antagonist that has always been present in Polin's story so far - Eloise. 

Several times throughout season 2 we saw Eloise actively (if unknowingly) work against both Penelope, and Polin - who can forget the exchange at the races: 

E (to Pen): I finally found you 

P: you always do

E (to Colin): you have been back a matter of hours, yet you're already in my way 

Penelope's response said so much about how she viewed Eloise at that point, as the person interfering in her time with Colin, meanwhile Eloise looks on Colin as being the person to get between her and Penelope.  

But more than just being a physical presence at inconvenient times Eloise now knows Penelope's secret, and I truly believe she isn't as blind to Penelope's feelings for Colin as it appears, I think that is why Eloise brought Colin up in the fight with Penelope during the Featherington Ball in episode 8 as well, there was little need to bring him up as such, but she did, and I see this foreshadowing Eloise as the antagonist for Polin in season 3.  

As I said above, I think the Polin story could be similar to season 2 in terms of how they play out the antagonistic relationships.  Penelope, like Anthony in season 2, has an internal conflict to resolve, she needs to reconcile her Lady Whistledown persona - and what she has said as Lady Whistledown - with who she is and wants to be in order to open herself up to true love and a HEA.  Colin on the other hand, like Kate, will have a different conflict to resolve, that of his love for Penelope with his love for his family, especially if his feelings for Penelope begin before Penelope and Eloise have repaired their relationship.  Colin will also have the conflict of his love for Penelope with finding out she is Lady Whistledown and reconciling the two in order for them to truly move forward.  

In conclusion, I think Eloise in season 3 could be a large part of Colin and Penelope's story, and I think she will be the primary antagonist in the season, being the catalyst for the conflict - both internal and external - for Colin and Penelope.  

Throwback Thursday: Is there anything to the Pall Mall Theory? If so what does it tell us about season 4

First posted on Tumblr 10 April 2023

After Season 2 aired, and that Pall Mall game, fans began to speculate what - if any - easter eggs may have been hiding.  When it was announced that Season 3 was Colin and Penelope many fans felt vindicated saying that the Pall Mall game showed the order of the siblings stories as Colin got his ball through the third hoop not the fourth, something that was confirmed by the production, at least in relation to setting up Colin and Penelope.  But since then a number of misremembered moments from the show have popped up and many point to it as evidence that Benedict will be Season 4.  So let's look at each hoop one by one and see if this will tell us anything about Season 4.  

Hoop 1:  We don't see it, but we hear Daphne gets her ball through the first hoop.  This correlates with Season 1 being Daphne and Simon's story.  So far the theory holds. 

Hoop 2:  Despite some fans online claiming we see Anthony get his ball through hoop 2, it is actually Kate that we see put her ball through hoop 2 not Anthony (who actually hits the hoop and puts his ball off course slightly).  This correlates with Season 2 being Kate and Anthony. 

Hoop 3:  We see Colin getting his ball through hoop 3.  Again correlating with the order of the siblings stories in the show. 

Hoop 4:  This is where the theory wobbles slightly.  Despite some fans claiming we see Benedict getting his ball through Hoop 4, it is Kate (again) that gets her ball through hoop 4.  When this is pointed out, and that it doesn't actually provide evidence that Benedict will be S4, the theory suddenly shifts from being about the season order to this showing how many children Kate and Anthony have, a little convenient for some, but I don't think that is the reason it is Kate we see here.  I will get to my theory on this later. 

Hoop 5:  This is where Eloise gets her ball through the hoop, this tracks with Eloise's book being number 5, and could indicate that Eloise is Season 5. 

Now, what do I think it means.  I do think that it is an indication of which stories are being told each season, as I don't think the show would start off showing this (for 1-3) and then abandon the symbolism, Bridgerton in Season 1 and Season 2 was all about laying the foundations for the future of the show.  In each season's love story we have had the main character and then the 'love interest', the character who doesn't get as much told about their background and motivations.  My theory is as follows: 

Hoop 1:  Daphne and Simon.  Daphne was the 'love interest' for Simon.  It was Simon's background that we saw more of and developed, we saw his relationship with his father, he had the flashbacks, and it was centred around his motivations.  Essentially Daphne was the love interest. 

Hoop 2:  Kate and Anthony.  As with Daphne and Simon's story, it is the man that has the main focus again, with us seeing more of Anthony's background, Anthony's motivations, and it is Anthony whom we see flashbacks for.  Kate was the love interest. 

Hoop 3:  This is where my theory kicks in to tell us more about the season.  It is Colin that gets his ball through the hoop.  I believe Colin will be the love interest, it will be Penelope that we see unfolding more as a character, it will be her background, her motivations, and her story that will be focussed on, and I believe it will be her story that gets flashbacks not Colin's, we have already had a hint of this with a flashback for Lady Whistledown in season 2. 

Hoop 4:  The reason I believe that Kate was the one we saw get her ball through the hoop is because she was the 'holding' character.  I believe that this does show that Season 4 will be Benedict, but not for the reason many suggest.  I think that Kate was the one used for this hoop for two reasons.  1. Sophie will be the love interest, and she had yet to be cast, so they used Kate to represent her, and 2. There will be a connection between Kate and Sophie, whether Sophie comes in as Kate's maid, or it symbolises a close friendship between the two of them. 

Hoop 5:  I believe that this indicates more than one thing.  As well as showing that Eloise will be Season 5, and that the story will most likely focus more on Philip's story, it shows the intent of how long Bridgerton will go for.  I think that this is the last hoop we see indicates that at the time this was filmed the production knew the show would be renewed for at least one more season, it may also be an indication that we will only get five seasons of Bridgerton.  

In summary, I think the Pall Mall theory is certainly a good theory, but that it is the love interest in each story that we see getting their ball through the hoop (with the exception of Sophie).  What I believe this tells us is that, with the exception of Season 3, the stories will be primarily focused on the male half of the pairings, not the female half, but also that we will be getting Benedict's story in Season 4.  

Of course I could be completely wrong, but what do you all think? Do you think the Pall Mall theory is valid, or do you think fans are just reaching? 

Update:  Since writing this I have seen someone make an interesting point about Hoop 3 and a reasoning for it, which actually fits in with what I think will happen in season 3.  We initially see Benedict hit and miss Hoop 3, some have suggested that this indicates it was meant to be Benedict's season based on the book order, but was changed for the show to Colin, however, I agree with the alternate reasoning I have seen.  Benedict hits and misses because he will meet his love interest in season 3, but won't actually know her until season 4, this correlates with a theory I have that Benedict and Sophie meet early in season 3 and this forms Benedict's arc for season 3.  

What did younger sons in the Regency period do?

During the Regency period in the aristocracy, peerage and families of means, the eldest son would inherit everything on the death of the father, but what of younger sons - the so-called 'spare' and the others?  What would younger sons do so that they were not reliant on their elder brothers to keep them and their family?  

If the younger sons did receive any income from an annuity, or grant, it would only be a small fraction of the estate income that the eldest son, for example the eldest may inherit an estate that would earn them anywhere from £10,000 to £20,000 per year, (about £1million - £2million today), whilst a younger son may only get about £1000-£2000 a year (about £100,000-£200,000 today).   For most people today that would be enough to live a more than comfortable life with, but for a member of the peerage, including a younger son, it would most likely not be enough for him and his family when you take into account the household expenses, stabling the horses, carriages, dowries, education costs for the children (especially the sons), then the cost of a daughter's societal debut.  It all adds up for the younger son if they wish to keep their place in society, so in order to not be a burden on their elder brother and his family the younger son would have to find a way to make their own money.  

For these younger sons there were very few careers that they could enter and maintain their social status, often they would become officers in the military (army or navy), or they would enter the church and become a clergyman, or they could enter the legal profession as a barrister.  Medicine was rather dubious as an occupational choice for these sons, even though physicians were considered gentleman.  Some may have entered into trade using family connections, professions such as banking were socially acceptable, whilst others would be sent to the colonies (India or the Caribbean) in order to make their fortune.   

Some could make their fortune, and most could make a decent living that would supplement any annuity they received, and in very rare instances they may receive a peerage in their own right.  Arthur Wellesley was a younger son of an Earl, so to make his way he gained a commission into the army at the age of 18, where he made his mark during the Napoleonic Wars, and was made the Duke of Wellington in 1814. This is a rare occurrence, but also not unheard of for younger sons to receive a peerage for service to the Crown.  

The curse of the younger son is that whilst they grew up in luxury not needing to work, in adulthood they will need to forge a career in a socially acceptable profession in order to continue to live a life they are used to, and for the second son there was the added burden of being the heir apparent until such time that their elder brother had a son to supplant him.  

15 Things I would like to see in Season 3

With Bridgerton Season 3 due for release sometime in the near(ish) future, everyone has a view on what should and shouldn't be in the season, from subplots to specifics on the main plot, so I have made a list of 15 things I would like to see in season 3 below.  It will be interesting to see how many of these are in the season. 

1. Lady Whistledown reveal: I personally see the reveal of Lady Whistledown and the ending of the column as a major part of the character development for Penelope, and for her to be truly accepting of herself and able to love herself, and those around her, in a healthy way Lady Whistledown needs to be revealed and ended. This is not to say that Penelope should give up writing, but rather I think she should turn her focus to something more positive and healthy for her and those around her. 
2. Penelope apologising to the Bridgertons: Bridgerton has not been very good with having some characters show remorse, or apologising, and the production has a reputation for brushing over some serious actions by characters, but I think if there was ever a season - and a character - to turn that around, it is Penelope in season 3. Unfortunately in the show Penelope writing her Lady Whistledown column has not been lighthearted or kind, and she has caused hurt and distress, as well as scandal, and if she is to become a welcomed member of the Bridgerton family I do think that she needs to apologise to them for what she has written. 
3. Francesca and John:  Francesca will be having her first season, and it is expected that she will marry John in this season, thus beginning her journey ahead of her season (if we get that far). Francesca has been largely absent in the previous two seasons, so to see her take centre stage in a subplot with a courtship and wedding will be a great way to really introduce her to the viewers. 
4. Eloise writing to Marina:  We know that Eloise gets an unexpected new friend in season 3, and whilst many have their opinions on who it may be, I think it should be Marina.  After the revelations at the end of season 2 I think we should see Eloise having reached out to Marina via letter, and they begin a correspondence.  This will also help to set up Eloise's season, and give a reason for her to begin to write to Philip when the time comes.  I also think that this has been foreshadowed in season 2 with a short comment from Colin about whether Eloise has been writing to Marina, because that is what 'ladies do'.  
5. Baby Edmund:  This goes without saying. Sometimes it feels like Baby Edmund is the most anticipated baby since the (then) Duchess of Cambridge was pregnant with Prince George!  The question is what form will Edmund take? Will we only see Kate pregnant towards the end of the season, or will we see Edmund make an appearance?  Time will tell, but whichever way they go I really hope that we see him in some form during season 3. 
6. Kate presenting Francesca:  I think this would be a good way to call back to season 2 when Anthony told his mother that his wife would be responsible for launching his sisters into society.  For most young ladies their launch into society began with their presentation to the Queen, and for Kate to take her place as Viscountess Bridgerton, and be responsible for launching Anthony's sisters into society, we should see her presenting Francesca. 
7. New portraits:  With the recasting of Francesca it goes without saying that it is most likely that the portraits in Bridgerton House will be changed.  We have already seen that a portrait of Violet and Edmund is now in the drawing room of the house, so what I think we should see is the portraits on the stairs change to one of the three youngest girls (Eloise, Francesca and Hyacinth) and one of the three youngest boys (Benedict, Colin and Gregory) with a portrait of Kate and Anthony in pride of place on the landing where (currently) the portraits of Gregory and Hyacinth are, with the Simon and Daphne portrait in some other location in the house and either mentioned - or shown in the background. Alternatively, the portrait of Kate and Anthony could replace the one of Edmund in Anthony's study, and the portrait of Simon and Daphne is on the landing. 
8. The appearance of Sophie/Lady in Silver:  Benedict needs a decent storyline not just another season of drinking and having meaningless hook ups. I think that he should have a storyline where his arc is about locating the mysterious Lady in Silver.  She can appear in the first or second episode, and then reappear in the final episode, maybe we will see glimpses of her during the season.  However they do it there is a high expectation she could appear in order to set up Benedict's story for season 4 (eternally optimistic he will be season 4). 
9. Kate's past: The show was lacking a lot in showing the viewers what shaped Kate as a person, even in season 1 we got a glimpse into what shaped Daphne despite a lack of defined backstory.  Time was spent to provide a partial backstory for Penelope, who would be taking the lead in season 3, but very little time in developing Kate's backstory, so I would like to see that developed and added into season 3, perhaps with a flashback similar to what we had for Penelope in season 2.  
10. My Cottage: To link in with the appearance of Sophie/Lady in Silver I think the show could have Benedict purchasing My Cottage or Anthony purchasing it for him, perhaps towards the end of the season. In the books My Cottage is close to Romney Hall, however, I don't see that this would be necessary in the show as season 2 set up that Romney Hall is close to Aubrey Hall instead. There was a person on Twitter who made the suggestion that Lady Danbury's old house/cottage from the Queen Charlotte series will become Benedict's, which is an interesting theory and could tie in the main Bridgerton show with Queen Charlotte in a way that links directly to the source material as well. 
11. Colin finds his purpose: For two seasons we see Colin not really having a purpose, he travelled - then spent much of his time talking about his travels. Colin hasn't had as much character development to date as some of the other characters, and this is his season, so I expect to see more development for Colin and see him taking control of his life and gaining a purpose. Furthermore I would like to see him earning his own money, and learning the value of money, so that he isn't so reliant on Anthony and the family money as he has been. 
12. Colin buys a house: As Colin is to be married I would like to see him buy himself a house, or see Anthony purchasing him a house, in order for Colin and Penelope to be truly independent from Anthony. As a married lady Penelope deserves to be running a household of her own and not be subservient to her sister-in-law (as she would be if they lived in Bridgerton House), and Colin should be showing that he has matured and is able to provide for a family of their own. 
13. Prudence gets married: I really don't want to encourage too much in the way of Featherington storylines, but after two seasons of failing, and with both her sisters married/marrying, it is only right that Prudence gets married as well in season 3. Who she will marry is open to speculation (and I know there is a lot of speculation about her potential groom). This ties into number 14... 
14. Featherington heir storyline ending: In season 2 it was hinted there could be an ongoing Featherington heir storyline, if the writers are wanting to go down this path then I think season 3, with the focus on a Featherington, is the perfect season to end this storyline and tying up all the Featherington loose ends. Whether it be that one of the girls (most likely Philippa) has a boy, or whether Portia is found out and the scheme is revealed thus nullifying her plans, in my opinion it just needs to end and not drag out. 
15. Kate's culture: This is the one thing I am most worried about with respect to Bridgerton going forward. I really don't want to see the production just get lazy and have Kate assimilate and lose the essence of her culture. I would like to see Kate integrate her culture into her life as a Bridgerton, it is an essential part of the character created in season 2, and as such I don't want the show to lose that.