Bridgerton Season 3's Rumored Split Release is a Guaranteed Trainwreck
Recently, it's been rumored in the Bridgerton fandom that Netflix might release the long-awaited Season 3 in two parts, as they did with Seasons 4 of both Stranger Things and You.
While such a move is easily explained by the streaming service's willingness to drive up subscription numbers, fans have expressed their frustration with the perspective. More than that, they are certain that such a schedule could hurt the beloved Regency-era show.
Since its premiere, Bridgerton has become popular with millions of viewers as a "comfort food" show that helps escape the harshness of reality. Each season consists of eight one-hour episodes, which many viewers have found to be the perfect formula for easy binge-watching.
What's more, each season tells a new, cohesive, and wholesome love story for one of the Bridgerton siblings. Partly because of the books on which the show is based, partly because of the very idea of a romance genre, viewers know from the very beginning that the characters will surely get their happily ever after.
The entertainment and addictiveness come from their journey to the happy finale, not the suspense and twists.
So while it makes sense to split Stranger Things and You, which are long and dense enough for it, in the case of Bridgerton it could kill the whole idea of the show. When a season is split into two parts, the first usually ends with a cliffhanger that leaves people wanting more and discussing the mid-season finale on social media.
Bridgerton just doesn't have room for that kind of cliffhanger that could keep people on the edge of their seats for a month or more. And what possible mid-season finale could the season have if not a happy ending for the main love story?
So without a way to hook casual viewers for the second part of the season, Netflix could actually see a drop in viewership numbers. Fans feel that people new to the show may lose interest if the story is interrupted and never return for the second part when it comes out.
Whether or not the streaming service will follow the wishes of its viewers and release Bridgerton Season 3 in one part, time will tell. Fans can only hope that their patience will be rewarded with the whole story instead of half of it.