Here's Why Bridgerton Season 3 Will Be Different In Tone From Its Predecessors

Summary

• Expect Bridgerton Season 3 to unfold in a completely new way for the series.
• The next leads of the romantic drama are very different from the protagonists of the first two seasons.
• In addition, the dynamic between Colin and Penelope is something the show has never tackled before.

When Nicola Coughlan said that Bridgerton Season 3 will be the most romantic yet, it caused a lot of discussion on the fans' social media accounts. Some thought these words suggested that the previous two stories didn't have enough romance, others were sure that the star was just promoting her solo story.

In truth, what Coughlan probably meant was that Season 3, which will be released in two parts on Netflix on May 16 and June 13 next year, will be very different in tone from the first two chapters. And she certainly had a good reason for saying that.

Even without knowing the plot details of the romantic arc between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, we can assume that it will unfold in a completely new way. Here's why.

Colin

If Simon Basset and Anthony Bridgerton were two variations on the same broken hero, Bridgerton's next male lead is something else entirely.

Both Season 1 and 2 protagonists were traumatized by their past and reluctant to embrace love, even a little hostile to the idea of it. As a result, they both seemed closed off and distant. Their love interests had to break through their stony veneer, which took a lot of screen time.

Colin is different. He may have had a bit of a setback in terms of swearing off women in Season 2 because of his history with Marina, but openly and outwardly he wants to be loved, he wants to be somebody's hero, he wants to have a married life and a family.

He may no longer trust his own instincts, but he's ready to give in to love when it knocks on his door.

Penelope

Season 3's female lead is also very different from her predecessors. Both Daphne Bridgerton and Kate Sharma were deeply invested in being firstborn daughters and the responsibilities that come with that. They were more concerned with honoring their families than pursuing their own desires and dreams.

That's why it took them a while to realize their feelings for Simon and Anthony, and the focus of their stories was on fighting inner demons and freeing themselves.

Penelope is not like that. She is the third daughter and is considered somewhat undesirable on the marriage scene. That takes a lot of pressure off her. On top of that, she is a successful writer and has a purpose in life other than being a wife.

That said, Pen, like Colin, dreams of a love match and has been pining for the third Bridgerton for years. So there's no need for the series to show the slow process of falling in love with her and Colin.

Colin & Penelope

Overall, the third main couple has a very different dynamic than the previous two. This is the first time the show tackles the friends-to-lovers trope with established characters.

If in Seasons 1 and 2 we needed time to get used to Simon and Kate as newcomers, in the next chapter both leads have been known and loved by the fans for a long time.

Given the amount of inner demons in the first two entries, the main conflict there came from the protagonists pushing each other away. It can't be the same in the Penelope/Colin story.

They just need a little push to fall into each other's arms, which is likely to happen early on. And the main drama in this case will come from outside. The hunt for Lady Whistledown, for example, is a great source of that.

Isn't standing together against the whole world one of the most swoon-worthy storylines? That's probably what Nicola Coughlan meant when she teased the romantic nature of Season 3.