You get a glow-up, you get a glow-up, everybody gets a glow-up!
Welcome to the first half ofBridgertonseason 3, gentle reader!
Its Penelopes time to shine, so lets hope a newly tan Colin will prove himself worthy of her.
Luke Newton, Nicola Coughlan.Liam Daniel/Netflix
That goes for the audience, too.
Dont miss that dual Anthony/Benedict (Luke Thompson) head tilt as Colin boasts about his time abroad.
Honestly, Colins bronzer era makes me ask whether theres such a thing astoomuch self-confidence.
Nicola Coughlan.Laurence Cendrowicz/Netflix
Since their awfulseason-ending fight, Eloise has befriended Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), Penelopes sneering bully.
Portias just grateful that Penelopes a spinster and therefore available to be her mother’s lifelong caretaker.
(You know, where Colin recently was.)
Jonathan Bailey, Simone Ashley.Liam Daniel/Netflix
Time to ditch the citrus and catch a husband!
So these are the undercurrents as we head to the first ball of the season.
Upon the Featheringtons arrival, Penelope dramatically throws off her cloak to reveal her new look.
Luke Newton.Liam Daniel/Netflix
And friends, its fantastic.
Her hair is down and beautifully draped over one shoulder, and her sparkly peacock-blue dress is a knockout.
Colin stops talking mid-sentence when he gets a glimpse of her, AS HE SHOULD.
Martins Imhangbe as Will Mondrich and Luke Thompson as Benedict Bridgerton.Liam Daniel/Netflix
Shes awkward, and the men beat a hasty retreat as Eloise watches worriedly from a distance.
But its Francesca who comes to stand with Penelope.
Pen warns her not to get buttonholed as a wallflower, but thats fine with Fran.
Claudia Jessie, Hannah Dodd.Liam Daniel/Netflix
Eloise stammers a horrified apology, and UGH, I need these two to make up already.
This rift is breaking my heart.
When Pen flees the ballroom, Colin follows to ask whats wrong between the two of them.
Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton, Adjoa Andoh as Lady Agatha Danbury, Golda Rosheuvel as Queen Charlotte, Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, and David Mumeni as Lord Samadani.Liam Daniel/Netflix
After all, she didnt respond to his letters, although, Admittedly, very few did.
Penelope unloads whats been weighing on her heart since last season.
Then she heads home and starts furiously writing.
Ruth Gemmell as Lady Violet Bridgerton, Hannah Dodd as Francesca Bridgerton, and Florence Hunt as Hyacinth Bridgerton.Liam Daniel/Netflix
Much like not grocery shopping hungry, its never advisable to Whistledown angry.
The next day, Cressida crows to Eloise about sending Penelope a message.
(Good thing weve solved that problewait, what’s that?.Darn.)
Jessica Madsen, Claudia Jessie.Liam Daniel/Netflix
So on one hand, Portias a mother of daughters doing her best under an oppressive, patriarchal system.
On the other hand, be nicer to Penelope!
Yep, Penelope Whistledowned angry.
Your serve, your majesty.
WILD of Penelope to keep picking fights with the queen.
And then we come to Colin.
And does Mr. Bridgerton even know?
Those are the stakes, my babies!
On dits
Episode 2: “How Bright the Moon”
See that guy over there?
The one in bed with two women whose names we never learn?
Im not sure thats the guy you want teaching you how to catch a husband.
She waves her fan and flutters her lashes and generally looks like shes having a hot flash.
(As always, though, the corset/neckline combo does great things for Coughlans cleavage.)
Incidentally, that hat/horse incident is how Penelope and Colins book,Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, opens.
Yet again, Colin asks what happened with Eloise, and yet again hes rebuffed.
It is a nice little runner this season that hes worried about this broken friendship.
Alice is also at the modistes to get her late great aunts gowns fitted.
Madame Delacroix encourages her to embrace change, but Alice is reluctant to alter the old-fashioned gowns.
Shes delighted by the inherited jewelry, though.
Penelopes jumpy, but being in Colins presence relaxes her enough to let her cleverness flow.
The two lock gazes as she tells him that his remarkably blue eyes shine even brighter when hes kind.
Um, hypothetically, of course.
She steps away from it for about two seconds before snatching it back up and eagerly continuing to read.
Pens flustered too, and she flees the house like a thief.
Eloise spots her but turns away without a word.
In the carriage on the way to the ball that night, Eloise complains to Colin about it.
Again he asks what the heck happened, and Eloise clams up before stiffly asking, How is she?
When Colin explains their husband hunt, Eloise urges him to keep their arrangement secret.
He and Penelope then proceed to aggressively hang out at the ball.
Do not forget that.
Correct, Bronze Colin!
(Her mistake, that is, not the dead horse.
Cressida notices Eloises distress and encourages her to pretend that Penelope is dead.
Thats… not bad advice, actually.
), whispers erupt around them.
(Someone standing nearby heard Eloise share the info earlier and is the culprit.)
Harsh, succinct, and true and fromCressida, no less.
And now a quick intermission to discuss the importance of proper sex education.
It flattens my hair!
Looks like Portias going to have to institute a breeding program like theyre giant pandas at the zoo.
Charlotte applauds Francescas confidence.
Sparkling, one might say.
Danbury gives a meaningful cane tap.
Ummm, anybody else worried about them being this happy by only episode 2?
Back home, Penelope cries as she writes the next Whistledown installment detailing her own scandal.
Portia bursts in to yell about Penelope being reckless and thinking she could actually find catch husband.
Geez, no wonder her safe space was at Bridgerton House and not here.
Later that night, her maid summons Pen to the garden, where Colins waiting.
Does Colin clock that odd statement and maybe file it away for later?
hey, Colin, she whispers.
And kiss.And kiss a little more.
Mission accomplished, Penelope thanks him and heads back inside, leaving him gobsmacked in the garden.
Its not Pens dream.
I was in shambles at this reveal.
The next morning, Colin loudly tells his siblings that he did!
Then talk turns to Lady Whistledown, and everyone agrees that Penelopes fortunate to have a friend like Colin.
Pen immediately accepts her apology and invites her to stay and talk about books.
Aww, ya big dumb dummy!
You kissed someone you like and respect, and now you dont know what to do about it!
Okay, whos ready for some hot air balloon madness?
I certainly wasnt, but what a perfect spectacle to center this episode around.
Otherwise, shell be forced to re-wear her dresses this season.
He doesnt read Lady Whistledown and congratulates Penelope on her willingness to step away from the herd.
He also breathlessly asks Eloise, Did she say anything about me?
when she mentions talking to Penelope earlier.
Now we need him todosomething about it.
Then he goes back to grumbling about what a weirdo Debling is.
Benedicts still avoiding the overly attached debutante he danced with earlier, so he ducks into a nearby tent.
It sends Pen flopping onto her bed in despair.
Naturally, a balloon launch calls for a ball that night.
And that man, friends, is Lady Danburys BROTHER!
Ill keep you updated as more details emerge from this developing situation.
As the queens favor now rests on Francesca, she sends her high-ranking husband candidate into battle.
They stand side by side and enjoy the silence together.
(Book readers, zip it!)
Their chemistrys great, and Benedict asks her to dance.
(Book readers, zip it!)
who prefers to experience the great outdoors from behind her drawing-room window.
Then he gives her Cressidas lemonade, which literally made me fist pump in victory on Pens behalf.
He gathered the courage to ask, Violet says.
Then she follows his gaze to Penelope and understands what hes really asking.
The final hour of season 3, part 1 is about to steam up some carriage windows.
But he wants a practical, happy wife with her own interests.
Colin is not, and hits the town with his boys.
Hes still a gentleman, though, and agrees to watch them entertain each other.
(Yes,GBBOhas tackled this treat.)
His name is John Stirling, Lord Kilmartin, and Francesca is pleased to officially meet him.
But when she mentions the frustrating time signature, John strides off, leaving her miffed.
Cressidas also having a bad day.
After seeing the dark, dreary Cowper house, Cressidas exuberantly bombastic hair and gowns are even more head-scratching.
But I love them, and I hope they never change.
Be smart, Penelope.
Society turns Cressidas into Portias, and if the Penelopes are lucky, theyll make it out unscathed.
Deblings proposal will happen at the ball tonight, and Colin begs off, claiming a hangover.
At the ball, a pair of dancers perform a passionate pas de deux for the ton.
While it moves Penelope, their state of undress scandalizes an older couple.
Shes pleased to see Francesca with Samadani and hopes this success will improve her standing with Whistledown.
While Violet never wants to disappoint the queen, shes happy when her children are happy.
She also looks happy when Marcus approaches her.
He says that if Francesca doesnt marry for love, she can still have a good marriage.
That was his experience with his late wife, although hed like a love match for his second go-round.
After this meaningful exchange, Marcus asks his sister to hey meddle in his love life.
Agatha thinks he wants her help raking about town (great expression!)
but its pretty clear hes actually out to pick some violets.
Well, one Violet in particular.
And hey, he calls her beautiful, which Penelope deserves to hear over and over again.
Just, ya know, maybe from a guy who loves her.
(His dance with Cressida filled in some blanks for him.)
Penelope is yet again left crying at a ball.
Asking for Colins help was clearly a mistake.
…Or was it?
Penelope heads for home in the Featherington carriage, and Colin chases it down to climb in with her.
Penelope accuses him of ruining her best chance at marriage by making Debling think he cares about her.
Then Colin sinks to his knees to confess that hedoeshave feelings for her.
He watches Penelope as she falls apart and kisses her as she comes back to Earth.
Then a knock interrupts.
Still breathing hard, he offers her his hand and I mean that both literally and figuratively.
For Gods sake, Penelope Featherington, are you going to marry me or not?
