Bridgerton Season 3 'Retiring' Whistledown For Good Might Be a Mistake

Dearest Gentle Reader, can you imagine the Bridgerverse without Julie Andrews' magnificent narration? Come on, you have to admit that you heard her legendary rolling 'R' in your head while reading the previous sentence. In Bridgerton's two seasons and one spin-off, Lady Whistledown has become not only a major character, but the device that drives the plot of the romantic series. And that is where the key challenge for Season 3 lies.

Since the upcoming season is based on Julia Quinn's fourth novel, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, and centers on the love story of Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, it's clear that both protagonists will have to undergo significant character development in order to be together. For Colin, this simply means understanding that his true love has always been near and acting on it, but for Penelope, the change is much more serious.

In the show, the Lady Whistledown column is no longer the innocent hobby it is in the books. The elusive gossip writer seems to have struck a chord with every noble family in the ton, including the royal one. More importantly, Penelope makes people act. If it weren't for the Whistledown articles, would the Queen be so obsessed with having an heir? Would Colin be marrying Marina? Would Eloise still be seeing Theo?

The Netflix show has clearly made Penelope's secret occupation its centerpiece and driving force, and that's why it can't just repeat Lady Whistledown's book arc and 'retire' her after Season 3. While Quinn's Penelope reveals herself to the ton to the round of applause and stops writing after her wedding to Colin, Shonda Rhimes' Penelope will never walk away that easily after hurting so many people.

Besides, if the hit show is renewed until Season 8 to adapt all of Quinn's books, which is a distinct possibility given its popularity, it will need Lady Whistledown's narration. So there seem to be only three ways the Season 3 storyline can go, each with its own drawbacks.

Either Penelope doesn't reveal her secret identity and continues to write after her marriage, which will ruin her credibility and character development because she won't be able to remain unbiased. Or she manages to redeem herself, get along with the Queen, and become an official journalist providing social commentary, which, let's face it, is unrealistic. Lastly, someone else may pick up the baton and start writing as Lady Whistledown, which will take us back to Season 1.

All three paths are dubious. Hopefully, the writers will find a fourth way that both honors Penelope's character and satisfies the audience.