Below are some of my initial thoughts about the first part of season 3. I am deliberately not discussing some aspects of the first four episodes to save for some more comprehensive posts over the next four weeks.
Image Credit: Netflix
The Good:
- The Bridgerton Family dynamics: I love how these actors all work together, and it seems that Kate has fit in to the family well giving an added dimension to the interactions. One sweet moment showing Kate as part of the family was during Francesca's presentation when she looked over at Kate for reassurance, and that is something I thought worked well to show Kate fitting in to the family.
- The Race for the Featherington Heir: I will admit I was not looking forward to yet more Featherington shenanigans after season 2, however, the competition between Prudence and Philippa gave some really great comedic moments in my opinion. Bessie Carter and Harriet Cains certainly have some great chemistry onscreen, and they play these characters well. Add into that Philippa's cluelessness and the comedy is there for the taking.
- Francesca and John: Despite not having much of them in the first part I liked their scenes together, both Hannah Dodd and Victor Alli are playing these introverts so well. The way that John seems to instinctively understand Francesca is so sweet, and very much reminds me of Kate and Anthony's instinctive understanding of each other but without the angst and tension.
- Debling and Dankworth: Whilst I am not overly excited by a lot of original characters in the show, I do find both Debling and Dankworth engaging characters. Dankworth is a perfect match for Prudence in how he adores her and is so sweet (or is that dim?) that he doesn't care about her snarky comments, and Debling is a very interesting character with depth to him that lacks in other characters at times.
- Hyacinth Bridgerton: I am going to say it... some of the more memorable lines from the season so far are from Hyacinth! I love her interactions with her family, and especially how she just doesn't care about what she says to them. Also, I think this season really shows Florence Hunt (and Wil Tilston) developing some really good comedic timing, and they certainly have a great dynamic with each other as well as with other family members.
- Penelope's Makeover: In general I am not a fan of the 'girl gets a makeover and guy falls in love' trope, and this season is no different. However, some (not all) of Penelope's new looks are a vast improvement and the colour palette is certainly much more complimentary.
The Bad
- Polin Chemistry: What more to say, the scenes with Penelope and Colin just feel like two people reading from a book. I have seen where there was not chemistry read with Nicola and Luke Newton, and it shows onscreen. Luke Newton has chemistry with his fellow family cast members, and Nicola has chemistry with Claudia and with Sam Philips, but they just don't seem to have chemistry with each other which makes their love story feel unbelievable.
- Queen Charlotte: The storyline so far with Queen Charlotte seems to be a rinse and repeat of the first two seasons, and to be honest it feels tired and past its use by date. They really could have easily got away with her just being in the presentation scene and no more, explaining it away as her still mourning the loss of her granddaughter, however instead they insert her into the storyline but appear to have no ideas on what to do with her that they are just repeating the same storyline from the previous seasons.
- The Mondrich storyline: This is not a dig at the actors, they are both perfectly good and I do enjoy watching them, but the storyline just feels out of place. I am prepared to change my mind on this if they show this somehow connecting into the main storyline (I am still hanging out for Colin to take over the club), but in the first part it feels like the storyline was shoehorned in just to give the actors more to do in the show. Probably not a popular opinion, but perhaps this storyline could have been made into a short (4 episode) limited series as a spin off, it doesn't feel like it belongs in the Bridgerton world.
- Benedict's storyline: Again, this is not about the actor as Luke Thompson is one of the best of the actors on Bridgerton, but rather this is about the writers and show runner again showing a lack of imagination and not actually giving Benedict much of a story that isn't a repeat in the previous seasons. I had hoped for better from Benedict, and this is a storyline in which I hope to change my mind on in part 2 as we see how it could connect either with Benedict's arc or with the main storyline, but I fear that it is just another situation of the writers not knowing what to do with Benedict so having him do the same thing again and again, which is ironic when you consider their reasoning for moving Penelope and Colin's story to season 3.
- Colin's personality transplant: I am just not buying this new version of Colin, and as with the Mondrich and Benedict storylines I am hoping that this is a plot device and not what they are wanting to make Colin into. I can see it as being part of his character arc, and that will work if they go that route, however, there is also the possibility that the writers and show runner just thought that they needed to turn Colin into this type of man to be the leading man of the season, and it just doesn't work in my opinion.
The Ugly
- Ruffles, ruffles and more ruffles (and some ribbons): Some of the costuming is over the top with being very 'girly', though it is good to see Eloise's excess of ruffles being commented on, as her style in season 2 was much better for her character. And what is with the ribbons in the hair? the costuming this season so far seems a bit hit and miss, I can only hope it will improve in part 2. In saying.
