7 Ways Netflix's Colin Bridgerton Had a Harder Time Than His Book Counterpart

It is no secret that Netflix and Shondaland have made many changes to their adaptation of Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novel cycle. Some of these changes are quite significant, such as adding original characters like Genevieve Delacroix or Lady Tilley Arnold, or changing certain storylines. Colin Bridgerton's story seems to have suffered the most changes, resulting in more drama for the character.

Here are seven ways that Colin's arc on the show is more difficult than his arc in the book.

The Marina Drama

While Marina Crane exists in Julia Quinn's novels, she never appears on the page, and the book's Colin knows her only by word of mouth. Netflix's Colin, on the other hand, is manipulated into getting involved with her and almost ends up in a fraudulent marriage from which he is rescued by Lady Whistledown.

A Pre-Existing Relationship with Penelope

In the books, Colin and Penelope have known each other for a long time through Eloise, but their relationship has never been as close as their show counterparts. On Netflix's Bridgerton, Penelope and Colin wrote letters to each other throughout the year, which allowed them to build a connection. So it must have been terribly painful for Colin to learn that he didn't really know the person he thought was a good friend of his.

Lady Whistledown vs. The Bridgertons

Colin's beef with Lady Whistledown is not as serious in Julia Quinn's novels, as the scribe never wrote anything particularly shameful about the Bridgertons. Meanwhile, Netflix's Colin had to deal with the fact that the woman he loves and is engaged to had trashed his family in her column, albeit with good intentions.

The Lord Debling Twist

Since Lord Debling is an original character from the show, Colin in the book never had to feel inferior to Penelope's other suitor, who is by all accounts a better catch for her. He never had to think that Pen would be better off with another man.

The Tardy Lady Whistledown Revelation

In the book, Colin learned of Penelope's secret before their engagement. He had time to process this information and his feelings about it, and to forgive Pen. On the show, however, the revelation happened after their engagement, so Colin felt trapped by Penelope.

The Queen Charlotte Interference

In the book, Colin didn't get the shock of Queen Charlotte threatening the entire Bridgerton family to reveal who Lady Whistledown is, which really raised the stakes for him and Penelope on the show.

Maturity

After all, Colin is in his thirties in the novel, he's a much more mature individual whose heart is more resilient to the anxiety caused by life's twists and turns. On the show, he is in his early twenties, so everything still feels like a big deal to him and takes a toll on his emotional stability.