Bridgerton Season 3: The Second Clip

On Valentine's Day we got a second clip for season 3, again it was a clip of Penelope and Colin, this time from episode 1.  I provided my thoughts on the first clip here.

The Scene: 

We can see that this scene is at Lady Danbury's residence, and based on it being evening and the way both Colin and Penelope are dressed it is most likely at Lady Danbury's ball, as we know Lady Danbury hosts the first ball of the season, thus this is most likely in the first half of episode 1, showing us that Penelope goes through her makeover relatively early in the episode.   

As I stated above, this scene is almost certainly at Lady Danbury's ball, which makes the conversation important in situating Bridgerton season 3 after Queen Charlotte in terms of 'Bridgerton Time', I explain my theory on this here. During the conversation Colin mentions that Penelope never wrote to him over the summer, as Penelope placed this is the social season following season 2, this means that for season 3 the social season has been delayed and is not taking place in spring, but most likely Autumn. The most plausible reason for the delay of the beginning of the social season is due to the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales which occurred in the beginning of Queen Charlotte. 

Something I noted with this scene is that it is a confrontation scene that echoes back to season 2. The similarities are not only with it being a confrontation, but the location (of sorts) and the context. In both the season 2 initial confrontation between Kate and Anthony, and with this scene, they take place outside at Lady Danbury's ball (in season 2 it was at a conservatory, and here it is at her residence). It is also worth noting that for both of these confrontations we have the female protagonist confronting the male protagonist about something she overheard him saying, though in the case of Penelope what she overheard was from the season before. These similarities with the confrontation of Kate and Anthony in season 2 very much gives a sense of deja vu. 

For me, however, the most interesting part of the scene is when Penelope tells Colin that she didn't know that he 'of all people' could be so cruel. These words convey to Colin how Penelope felt she really did not know him, despite supposedly being a friend for years, these words almost re-set their relationship to one not of friends, but of acquaintances, or even strangers. Setting this story up like this seems odd to me, mostly because it is being marketed as a friends to lovers story, but usually in those kinds of stores we usually see a couple who know each other very well, not those that have known each other for a long time but really don't feel that they know each other well at all, and this is truly a story of two people who don't really know each other at all. We have seen Penelope's epiphany and realisation that she doesn't know Colin, and later we will see Colin in the reverse position when he finds out about Lady Whistledown, something that I think this scene is foreshadowing. 

The Foreshadowing

Bridgerton has built a reputation for calling back to previous words or scenes and foreshadowing. I believe that this scene is foreshadowing a major plot point between Penelope and Colin, but not only is it foreshadowing, I think it is setting up for a later call back to the words spoken by Penelope. 

I believe Penelope's words to Colin "It just never occurred to me that you, of all people, could be so cruel" will come back at her when Colin discovers her secret identity. As I stated above, I believe these words are Penelope's way of letting Colin know that she did not really know him, however, we as viewers are also aware that Colin does not know Penelope either, so it would make sense that these same words would be echoed back to Penelope by Colin to demonstrate that he has come to the realisation that he did not know her either.  

In her Lady Whistledown persona Penelope has been immeasurably cruel to some in society, whilst mildly cruel to others, so there is some irony in her talking to Colin about cruelty when she herself is guilty of the same. As Colin comes to the realisation that he did not know Penelope, did not know she could be so cruel, these words reflected back at her later in the season will demonstrate that he, like her, was hurt by what he sees as her cruelty - as she was by his. 

Bridgerton Season 3: Things I DO NOT want to see in the upcoming season

As we edge closer to the release of season 3 many are thinking about what they would like to see in the season, but I want to start with the things I really don't want to see in Bridgerton season 3.  Below are five things I don't want to see in Bridgerton season 3.  

Kate struggling

I have seen a few Bridgerton fans talk about how they want to see Kate struggling, whether it is as Viscountess, fitting into the family, getting pregnant, or just being a new member of the Ton. After the way that Kate struggled and was unhappy for the majority of season 2 this is not something I want to see for her in season 3.  I really hope that individually, as well as part of the couple and family, Kate and Anthony are happy, as has been indicated by those involved in the show.  

Colin grovelling to Penelope 

Something I have noticed a lot over the last 2 years is a number of Bridgerton fans and viewers expressing a wish for Colin to grovel to Penelope for forgiveness after what he said in season 2.

I am not a person who wants to see this, yes his words were thoughtless, but to me we had been shown throughout season 2 how thoughtless Colin was to those he supposedly cares about.  Whether it was the way he just took family money, or the way he just turned up at Marina's home, or the way he mocked Anthony when Anthony was at his lowest point, Colin showed very little care or consideration for those around him.  I see the words Colin said to his friends at the end of season 2 as a way for the writers to show his immaturity.   I am not saying that he does not need to acknowledge the words were hurtful and thoughtless because he does, but there is no requirement for him to grovel to Penelope.

    

Eloise 'realising' that Penelope betraying her was in her best interests

One of the things I have seen some of Penelope's fans express a wish to see is Eloise making the first steps to repair their friendship after she has some kind of epiphany and her realising that Penelope was only acting in Eloise's best interests.  This idea infantilises Eloise and suggests that she was not to be trusted with Penelope's secrets, which is ironic when you consider that it was in fact Penelope unable to be trusted with Eloise's secrets. Whilst I want to see the friendship repaired, I really don't want it to be because Eloise has put Penelope on some kind of pedestal as an amazing friend who saved her - or any version of that. For these two to move forward with their friendship they both need to acknowledge their own failings, and they both need to acknowledge how their actions were hurtful to the other, but we also have to see Penelope have some awareness that she cannot continue to make decisions on behalf of those around her, she needs to understand that it is better to be open and honest with her friends, and not deceitful. 

Penelope having no accountability for her actions

In season 1 we saw actions, considered reprehensible by many, taken by the female lead with little to no accountability, in contrast the female lead in season 2 not only had to be accountable for her actions she was held accountable by other characters for the actions and decisions of others that had their own agency and acted for themselves.  I don't want to see a repeat of season 1 in the upcoming season where the main female character does not have any accountability for her actions and words. Penelope will be marrying into one of the pre-eminent families in the Ton, she has written extensively about members of the family, humiliating and almost ruining not only those she wrote about but the younger members of the family by association.  Also, Penelope wrote in a demeaning and dehumanising (and borderline racist) way about the woman who is now the Viscountess and head of the family with her husband.  When it comes to what Penelope wrote about Kate she went too far, and it is something that she needs to be accountable for if she is to not only marry into the family, but end up living in the house with the Viscount and Viscountess.  I believe she also needs to have some accountability for revealing Marina's situation instead of speaking privately to the Bridgertons. It is important for the show to ensure that Penelope is held accountable, if not it could lead some to question Bridgerton's approach to race and colour, as what will be seen is the two white female leads not having to be accountable for their actions, whilst the woman of colour lead was not only accountable for her own actions, but made responsible and held accountable for, others actions and decisions.  

Lady Danbury being Penelope's mentor

This is something that many Penelope fans want to see, and I understand this as it is important in the book, however, I don't see that any friendship between Penelope and Lady Danbury in the show will come across as genuine or natural.  We have not seen these characters have any form of a meaningful interaction in the two seasons that they have both been on the show, to be honest I can't even remember if Lady Danbury has even mentioned Penelope or indicated that she knows who she is (no doubt she does as Lady Danbury knows everyone).  For the show to fabricate something for season 3, that we have not been shown in two seasons requires the audience to suspend belief even more than they already do with Bridgerton.  I feel that any friendship that may happen between Lady Danbury and Penelope will feel more like it is there for fan service rather than for good storytelling.  There are other characters that could play this role for Penelope, with the most obvious being Madame Delacroix.  

What don't you want to see in Bridgerton Season 3?  

Bridgerton Season 3 Theory: Making (sort of) Sense of Bridgerton Time

I was preparing a post on the latest season 3 clip that we saw during the Valentine's Day event, when a line from Colin caught my attention, and I realised that this post was no longer going to be about the clip, but rather making sense of one of those mysteries in the Bridgerton fandom - Bridgerton Time, and specifically the timing from the season 2 epilogue to the beginning of season 3.  

For many trying to reconcile the timelines from the season 2 epilogue to Queen Charlotte to the expected beginning of season 3 has become a bit of a 'big ball of wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff', (yes that is a Dr Who reference).  However, if we don't think too much about Daphne's children (that is something that will never be fully reconciled) the timelines do make sense in terms of what we have been shown about season 3.  

Image Credit: HowesImages-Dean-Click News and Media via New York Post

We know that the epilogue of season 2 happened after Kate and Anthony returned from 6 months of travelling, but before the beginning of the social season in season 3. Bridgerton's first two seasons had the social season beginning in Spring, which made the costuming for the epilogue seem out of place if it was meant to be late winter / early spring as Kate and Daphne, specifically, were wearing summery dresses. Pictures from early season 3 filming shows what appears to be Colin returning from travelling but before Francesca is presented, the pictures also suggest that he has been absent for some time based on how he is being greeted by his family. This is again confusing for the timeline, as we saw Colin in the epilogue for season 2, and surely that would have only been a few weeks earlier if Kate and Anthony returned right before the social season began in Spring. 

Image Credit: HowesImages-Dean-Click News and Media via New York Post

But, what if the season 2 epilogue didn't happen in early Spring (ie: April), but rather early Summer (late May / early June)?  I can hear some denials of this theory, with some noting that the social season begins in April, and that we see Francesca dressed for a presentation which has always happened at the beginning of the social season in Bridgerton.  Yes, all of these points are correct, until we take into account the beginning of Queen Charlotte.

In the first episode of Queen Charlotte we see the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales and her baby, and it is in this episode that we are told that Anthony is on his honeymoon. This reference to Anthony being on honeymoon gives us a time and place of late 1814, and though Princess Charlotte actually died in 1817, it does appear that the makers of Queen Charlotte kept the month of November the same. Add into this mix contemporary reports that suggested there was deep public mourning for Princess Charlotte due to her popularity, and this forms the beginning of the theory to explain this Bridgerton timeline mystery. 

Image Credit: Liam Daniel/Netflix

In the clip we saw at the Valentine's Day event for Bridgerton season 3 Colin says to Penelope 'I wrote to you this summer', and that helps us set the time and place for the beginning of the social season in Bridgerton season 3. Colin telling Penelope he wrote to her 'last summer' suggests that Colin was travelling last summer, and that this takes place after summer, so likely Autumn. Of course this could be the following Spring (1816), but the next clue in the clip suggests that this season is indeed in 1815. Penelope refers to Colin's words at the Featherington Ball 'last season', so if this was indeed 1816 then she would not be referring to the words as being said in the previous season. The final clue in this clip that suggests it is at the beginning of the social season is that this scene looks to be at the front of Lady Danbury's house, and as we know from both season 2 and Queen Charlotte, Lady Danbury hosts the first ball of every season. 

Also, it is worth noting that during Tudum in 2022 when we saw Nicola Coughlan read the first words of Lady Whistledown from the script for episode 1 it starts with 'Dearest Gentle Reader, we have been apart for far too long...'. At the time it may not have meant anything, but considering that Lady Whistledown as prominent in Queen Charlotte, which took place over the winter period, if it was Spring the new season was to begin then this would not really make much sense as Lady Whistledown would not have been gone for long. However, if the new social season was to be in Autumn, and there had been no Lady Whistledown for Spring and Summer, this makes more sense. 

But why would Bridgerton change the social season from Spring to Autumn?  I think this is where Queen Charlotte plays a part, specifically the beginning of Queen Charlotte with the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales, and her son.  It is highly likely that we could see a narrative where the social season is delayed to later in the year due to Queen Charlotte mourning the loss of her granddaughter and great grandson, thus pushing the social season, and therefore the Bridgerton season, to the Autumn / Winter, as opposed to Spring / Summer.  

But I am sure you are wondering how this fits with the season 2 epilogue, well it then makes sense for Kate and Anthony to have returned from their travels in late April / early May, which would fit with the costumes being more for summer than late winter. This leads to the theory that Kate and Anthony likely left between October and early November for their honeymoon, which places their marriage as possibly taking place after the Harvest at the end of September.  In this scenario what we would see is Kate and Anthony having a public courting and engagement period of approximately 2 months after the Featherington Ball, which would have been in the first few days of August (based on the fact that the Harmony Ball was 25 July).  A delay to the start of the social season would also have allowed Colin to have remained home whilst Kate and Anthony were travelling, and to have been there for the Pall Mall in late April / early May, leaving soon after to travel for several months over summer before returning for the beginning of the social season.  

What I think this tells us is that the changing of the real historical timeline in Queen Charlotte, specifically around the death of Princess Charlotte, was a deliberate choice to set up season 3 to be later in the year.  

Bridgerton Season 3 Speculation: Will Mondrich's new Title, and could it be more important than we think?

At the Bridgerton online fan event on Valentine's Day it was announced that Will Mondrich, played by Martins Imhangbe, will be inheriting a title and entering society within the ton.  Martins Imhangbe posted the picture of Will, Alice and their children to his Instagram, with a caption that hinted at a clue to the title in his name, so let's look at that as it creates for a fascinating theory. 

Image Credit:  Martins Imhangbe Instagram

The character of Will was loosely based on real life regency boxer Bill Richmond, so much so that his surname is the two syllables of Richmond's name inverted, thus is it possible that Will's title will be the name reverted?  The caption from Martins' Instagram post suggests that could be a possibility with him inverting Coming Soon to be Soon Come. If these clues are leading us to this conclusion, it means we will see Will and his family take the title Richmond, a title that has a fascinating real life history which could lead to an interesting storyline if this history is utilised in Bridgerton. 

Richmond was originally a medieval title granted at first by William the Conqueror, styled as Earl of Richmond.  This title merged with the crown in the early Tudor period as the last Earl of Richmond ascended the throne as King Henry VII, it is now considered extinct as an earldom, however, it has been replaced by the Duke of Richmond title, which remains in use today.  

The first Duke of Richmond was Henry Fitzroy, who was granted the title in 1525.  Henry Fitzroy was the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII to Elizabeth Blount.  This creation of the title did not last long, reverting to the crown upon the death of Henry Fitzroy, however, there were several further creations of the title with the most recent creation (the fourth) of the title, being in 1675 for the illegitimate son of King Charles II, and it is this creation that the current Duke of Richmond is descended from. 

The Richmond title has always been associated with Royalty, either directly or loosely through the subsidiary titles as well as the main title.  The main subsidiary title for the Duke of Richmond is that of Earl of March, this is a title that has previously been held by two Kings (Edward IV and Edward V), and like the Dukedom holds an important place in the Royal History of the United Kingdom.  It is also interesting to note that the current Duke of Richmond holds three Dukedoms (Duke of Richmond, Duke of Lennox, and Duke of Gordon), this is equal to HRH The Prince of Wales who is the only other person in the United Kingdom to hold three Dukedoms (Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothesay, and Duke of Cambridge).  

Image Credit:  Netflix

So have Bridgerton leaned into this history, in more ways than one, and made Will's new title the Duke of Richmond? If so, have they also taken inspiration from the Royal Connections of the title and applied them to Will Mondrich? The other possibilities is that the show will go further back in history, making Will the Earl of Richmond, or ignoring the real life history around the title and make him a Baron or Viscount, and the cryptic post from Martins is just a red herring. 

Will Mondrich, as a character, was created based on a real life individual so it is not a big jump of logic to consider that in making him titled the show also uses a real life title for him. 

Using the idea that the show does use the real life history of the Duke of Richmond title as a basis for this storyline, will they lean into the full history of it being used as a title for the illegitimate son of a member of the Royal Family?  Could Will have Royal connections, thus giving a possible storyline in future seasons for Queen Charlotte if Lady Whistledown is revealed fully in season 3?  

What do you think?  

Do you believe that Will's title could be the Richmond title?  Do you think that the show could use the real life title of Duke of Richmond and it's Royal History to set up a storyline for Will for future seasons?  

Bridgerton Season 3 Promotion: What might we get at the Virtual Fan Event?

At 0700 Pacific Time on Valentine's Day, a virtual event will be held for Bridgerton Season 3.  The event includes numerous members of the cast, as well as Julia Quinn and Shonda Rhimes, Influencer Cat Quinn is also going to be in attendance.  

So, what might we expect from this event?  In order to gain a clue we can look back at the virtual fan event that was held for season 2 on Valentine's Day 2022.  

As with this event, the season 2 event required pre-registration, with the number of places filling quickly and registration closing within hours of opening.  

The season 2 event had four cast members - Simone Ashley (the season 2 lead), Charithra Chandra, Nicola Coughlan, and Golda Rosheveul, along with Julia Quinn, and it was moderated by Netflix Tudum writer Ariana Romero.  The cast responded to questions about the season and their characters, but also three short clips were shown in addition to the clips, the teaser poster and teaser trailer were also released.  It should be noted that a couple of days before the event several new stills were also released.  

Taking into account that season 3 - unlike season 1 and season 2 - is split into two, I expect there will be less stills made available up to the release on 16 May, as they will only be wanting to release stills from Part 1 (episodes 1-4) and whilst there may be some more stills released this week I am not expecting it, however, I do think that the season 2 event can give us an indication for the virtual fan event this week. 

At the fan event for season 2 the final thing to see was the 1 minute teaser trailer, and I do think that we will get a short 1 minute teaser trailer for season 2, part 1, at the fan event. But I don't think this is all we will be getting. 

At the event for season 2 three additional scenes from episode one were released.  The first scene was the one with Kate, Edwina, Lady Mary and Lady Danbury entering the Conservatory Ball, and Kate saying she wasn't looking for a match.  The second scene was the one of Penelope and Eloise in the daffodil field talking about the pressures of being out in society.  The third scene was the one of Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury talking about Lady Whistledown ahead of the presentation of the debutantes.  

For the season 3 event, I think it is possible we could get 3 additional scenes, but what will be is hard to say.  If I were to guess I would suggest, one of Peneloise, maybe one of the Bridgertons - possibly involving Benedict or Francesca, or maybe Kate, and possibly one of Queen Charlotte.  

The season 2 teaser poster was released at the fan event, however, I don't think we will get a poster for season 3 this week as the teaser poster has already been released, but never say never, it could still happen with the main poster (and book cover) being released.  

There is of course one more thing that we could get along with a teaser trailer - or instead of the teaser trailer, and that is a Season 1 and Season 2 recap, similar to the recap done for Season 1 ahead of the Season 2 release.  This is a long shot in my opinion, as the Season 1 recap was released about a week before the release of Season 2, so I would expect any recaps to be released around a week ahead of the release of Part 1.  

What do you think we will get for the event on Valentine's Day?  Do you have low expectations, or are you excited and think there will be a lot of content released?  

Note: As of writing this, 11 days after the registration opened, guests are still able to register to attend, if you want to try for a place. 

Bridgerton Promotion: A Look Back at the Season 2 Teaser Poster

Earlier this week I looked at the messaging from the first teaser poster for season 3, but how does this compare to previous seasons?  

Image Credit: Jason Bell

There was no teaser poster for season 1, so I will look at the teaser poster for season 2.  

The teaser poster for season 2 was released on 14 February 2022, approximately 5 and a half weeks prior to the release of season 2 on 25 March 2022.  

This poster features a Pall Mall Mallet with a bee settled on it placed in the foreground focus, and in the background, slightly out of focus, is the lead couple with their backs to the camera, but turned towards each other, possibly suggesting a private conversation.  

The message in the poster was concise, clear and stayed on track with the main theme that had been discussed in articles and interviews with the showrunner, this being the theme of competition and the idea of winning. One of the secondary themes of the season was that of Kate and Anthony being mirrors - reflecting each others personalities and experiences, this is hinted at in the poster with their poses mirroring each other, but this is not obvious, and the focus of the message remains on the idea of competition and games. 

This contrasts with the season 3 poster in terms of how the themes of the season are being messaged, with the main theme being discussed not being visually represented in the poster itself. 

Bridgerton Season 3 Promotion: The Teaser Poster

On Christmas Day 2023 the Bridgerton Account posted the teaser poster for season 3.

Image Credit: Jason Bell for Netflix

As with all marketing, the goal of the Bridgerton season 3 promotion is to attract viewers, both new viewers and returning viewers, through specific messaging, so what is the specific messaging that this teaser poster is sending?

Colour Theme

The colour theme for season 3 has moved away from the softer Bridgerton blues and lilacs, and towards the bolder, harsher - and some would say tackier - Featherington colours of Green and Gold.  

This change to the colour scheme appears to be signalling a move away from the Bridgertons as a focus for season 3, and towards the Featheringtons, or at least one Featherington, to be the centre of the story, this could be a risky move for a show that is called Bridgerton.  The Featheringtons are not universally loved, and for those viewers that get the message that this season is focussed on the Featheringtons it may work against the show as some viewers decide that it is not for them.  

The image

The image on the poster is of a mirror reflecting Penelope's face.  Now, whilst I understand the imagery is potentially fan service, or is a nod to an earlier cover of the book, from the perspective of what we have been told about the themes of the season the image does not feel cohesive with those ideas, and seems to be introducing different themes and analogies, all of which sends a confused message. Further, the image could inadvertently send a negative message to the casual viewer who has not read the book, or is involved in the fandom.  

I have seen the image of Penelope looking at her reflection compared with the image of Narcissus falling in love with his own reflection, another comparison has been with the image of the Evil Queen from Snow White looking into her mirror.  It can be argued that these comparisons are from overly negative people who dislike the character of Penelope, and whilst this may be true, the Bridgerton promotional team should still be concerned that this is an interpretation of the image that some are spreading on social media, and most likely among their offline friends and family as well.  

The second aspect of this image is that it appears to be focussing on the idea of a makeover for Penelope.  Whilst the 'glow up' or 'makeover' may not be a big plot point in the season, to be leaning into it in official promotion sends a message that this is potentially a story where the man falls in love after a makeover, in a 2019 article for Cosmopolitan on the problematic aspects of the movie She's All That, Melissa Blake calls this the 'Hot after Makeover Trope', and it is one that the Bridgerton marketing team run the risk of associating Bridgerton season 3 with through these types of images.  

Overall I believe the imagery used presents a number of problems with the messaging about what season 3 is about.  The associations with negative imagery within myth and fairy tales could taint the season for a few - or it could work in its favour if people tune in expecting to see Penelope as the villain.  More problematic is the messaging that this season is about Penelope changing her appearance to find love, this takes away from what Penelope and Colin's story should be about.  

Additionally, this messaging has raised the question for some fans of how big a role Colin - or any of the Bridgertons - will be playing in the season, or even if the season will be focussed on the romance, or on Penelope's journey with the romance being secondary. 

Bridgerton Season 3: The First Clip

I had planned a different post for today, but decided to do one on my initial thoughts on the clip released today instead. 

In a word I would describe this as underwhelming, though there were some positives from the clip along side the negatives, but I will begin with some speculation on the scene and where it fits in.

The scene

What we see is Penelope and Colin alone together in the Bridgerton House drawing room (not even a maid present), so it seems to be assumed that no-one else knows Penelope is in the house - I can't imagine Violet or Kate allowing them to remain in the drawing room alone without a chaperone. There is no context around which episode this is, but I would say it is most likely towards the end of episode 1, or in episode 2. 

So, was Penelope invited over? If so, by whom? Did Colin invite her over? Did one of the ladies invite her over and she just found herself left alone in the drawing room with Colin, but then I would imagine a staff member would remain to chaperone. 

Or maybe Penelope just wandered over by herself, and dropped in, as she has done previously. If so, does this mean her feud with Eloise is over? I wouldn't think so based on how Penelope (and Colin) reacted when they heard (who appears to be) Eloise outside the door. 

It is conceivable that Penelope is there to visit Colin, whether invited or just turning up, and that Colin is keeping his ongoing friendship with Penelope a secret. I have seen the suggestion that their romance happens primarily alone in rooms together, and that other characters will be unaware of the developing romance, almost like a secret or forbidden romance. This will be an interesting choice by the production as it is very much the way that Kate and Anthony's romance was conducted, and it may feel all too much like re-doing season 2. We won't know for sure until the season releases in May. 

The Good

The more I see of the new looks for Colin and Penelope, the more I like them, especially the colours chosen for Penelope. I will say the only thing I found disappointing about her costume in this clip is the scarf tied around her neck, it was yet another anachronistic styling choice for this season, and really took me out of the whole Regency era fantasy, as I found it too modern. It made me think of the 1950s pin up models who wore tiny shorts, shirts with a scarf around their neck, or maybe one of the Pink Ladies from Grease (Marti comes to mind from the Olivia Newton John/John Travolta film). Other than that one styling choice, in general I quite liked Penelope's look. Penelope's hair is remaining with the curls, which I do see as being an improvement on the 'Rita Hayworth' hairstyle, it does seem to suit her. I notice she has some floral inspired hair adornments, not too dissimilar to what we saw on Kate in the leaked filming pictures in 2022. 

I notice on the seat behind Penelope and Colin is what looks like a green shawl, it may be part of Penelope's outfit, though the shade of green looks to clash with her dress. It could also belong to Eloise and just be left in the drawing room. We have seen an image of Eloise with a similar style shawl, a style which was favoured by Kate in season 2, and which the Bridgerton girls could have picked up for themselves.

I like Colin's darker colour palette for this season, it doesn't feel as juvenile as previous seasons colours have, and feels more aligned with the sophisticated looks of Benedict and Anthony as opposed to the childish look of Gregory. 

The Bad

I felt incredibly underwhelmed with this scene, it was hard to know if they were going for serious, flirty, comedic or intense longing, but more than that I did not really see any incredibly chemistry, whether friend or lovers.  Despite not having seen much chemistry with these two over the previous seasons, I wondered if that was because I really wasn't taking much notice of them as such, and thought that when they were in the spotlight I would see what others saw, but sadly I am still not seeing the chemistry between them, whatever they were trying to convey felt forced to me. 

This is not to say that when the season comes out something won't be there, but for me at this point I am just feeling a big sense of disappointment as I really did want to be excited about this season, and so far very little has come out that has made me excited.