7 Major Ways Bridgerton Season 3 is About to Go Off Book
Netflix's Pen and Colin are very different from their book counterparts.
Season 3 of Bridgerton is one of the most anticipated Netflix premieres this year (fingers crossed). The focus of this upcoming season will be on the relationship between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope 'Pen' Featherington, as described in the fourth book of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.
Aside from the obvious change in the order in which the Bridgerton siblings find their happily ever after (Colin jumps before Benedict), Colin and Pen's story will have to make a few key changes from its source material in order to preserve the continuity of the main plot and the on-screen character arcs.
Time Jump
Romancing Mister Bridgerton jumps 12 years after Benedict's solo novel, showing Penelope as a 28-year-old spinster and Colin as a 33-year-old respectable gentleman. While it works quite well in the book series, such a big jump is not possible in the Netflix Bridgerverse as it could completely ruin the timeline of the show.
It has already been revealed that Pen will still be recovering from Colin's hurtful words in the Season 2 finale, so the new episodes will most likely take place in the 1815 social season, right after Queen Charlotte.
Hurtful Words
The ‘would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington’ line was in the book, but it was far less significant. If in the show it is set to kick off the whole romance, in the novel it was just an awkward moment when Colin said it to his brothers and then saw Pen standing nearby. He then apologized profusely, and the incident was basically forgotten.
Bonding Time
In Quinn's novel, Colin and Pen reunite after years apart and bond over writing and Colin's passion for travel. It will be different in the show. The official synopsis says that Pen will decide to find a tolerable husband and Colin will help her return the friendship ruined by his rudeness. That's how they get together.
Spinster Status
After a time jump in Quinn's Bridgerverse, Pen is considered a spinster, which gives her the freedom not to worry about finding a husband and to be herself instead. In the show, however, Penelope is in her third social season and is determined to find a husband to free herself from her controlling mother.
Portia Featherington
Netflix's Lady Featherington has already been given a much larger arc than her book counterpart, and there is no doubt that in Season 3 she will have to undergo a major transformation and finally accept her daughter, which is not even an issue in the novel.
Pen and Eloise
In Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Eloise remains Penelope's best friend and does not even play a major role because her own story develops at the same time. In the show, things are different. The friends are in a huge feud over Pen's big secret, and there's no doubt that it will backfire on Penelope and Colin's relationship.
Lady Whistledown
Lady Whistledown and her gossip column play a much more prominent role in the show than in the books. It is already impossible for Penelope to come forward as an elusive writer and not suffer consequences as in the novel. Besides, she can't just give up writing at this point.