Cutting the Dark Sex Storyline May Have Saved Bridgerton Season 3

Back in 2020, Shonda Rhimes, the brilliant mind behind award-winning shows like Grey's Anatomy and Scandal, gave us something hot, new and completely binge-worthy: Bridgerton. Adapted from the book series of the same name, Bridgerton has given us two sweet and swoon worthy love stories set in high society Regency-era England, and we have a third season to look forward to.

However, the production of Season 3 was anything but smooth, with delays caused not only by the writers' strike, but also by massive rewrites after the season began to take a darker turn, prompting Rhimes and others to make some drastic changes. Those changes included the complete removal of an intimate scene that had become too intense.

So what?

At this point, we've probably seen more Bridgerton sex scenes than we can count, so what's one more? We have seen all kinds of them, taking place in all kinds of risque locations, and we are well used to it by now. Season 3 is based on the 4th Bridgerton book, which many readers found to have an underwhelming lack of sex, so what could this scene have been?

Fans suggest that it could be the scene with the angry Collin dragging Penelope into the dark corner and... let's say the term 'dubious consent' exists for a reason.

Necessary changes

There have been many changes, big and small, between Julia Quinn's Bridgerton novels and the award winning Netflix adaptation, but those working behind the scenes felt that cutting out this scene was truly necessary, because although Bridgerton fans are used to seeing things getting hot and heavy, this particular moment was too dark for the show's standards.

To make matters worse, season 3 is already at risk of being gloomy, with Marina's involvement in Colin and Penelope's story. Marina Thompson, Pen's cousin, fell pregnant with twins out of wedlock, and hastily tried to marry Colin whilst keeping the pregnancy a secret. Obviously, this plan failed, but Marina's future continues to look bleak, with a loveless marriage and eventual attempt at ending her own life.

Bridgerton needs to keep things light, or risk losing its appeal

There's a lot to love about this steamy, romantic drama, but in order to keep the spark alive with its fans, Bridgerton needs to be careful not to stray off the path. The show has covered more somber issues, but manages to keep the dark storylines to a minimum, and keep the drama appealing.

Fans have waited a long time to finally see Colin and Penelope turn from friends to lovers, and the story we all expect to see is sweet and clumsy and romantic, and the last thing Bridgerton producers would want to do is cloud a happy union with dark or controversial sex scenes.

We are yet to know the release date for the delayed, and highly anticipated third season, but we can expect it to be just as blush inducing, and light, as previous seasons.