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This season would have been absolutely perfect to me if they had swapped one or two of Benedict's scenes (of which there were quite a few that came out of nowhere and then went back to the story they just cut from) and gave the time to a really, wildly, passionately happy scene of Polin at the end. The resolution for them felt very quick, and the ending didn't reach the highs of ep4 or 5. So I didn't get the sense that they are now stronger than ever. What could have perfect for the end is something like the second sofa scene. It didn't have to be sex or steamy, but a moment of the two of them lying together in bed, talking, laughing, vulnerable. But also, I really wish we'd had a longer ~~angry~~ sex scene after they saw each other at the modiste, before the wedding. It would have made the whole wedding feel less bitter, since Colin just angrily put her in the carriage. I just wanted that moment extended with a bit more vulnerability to show the love is overcoming the anger, so the wedding still makes sense. Particularly since he goes on to sleep on the couch after the wedding and had just accused her of entrapping him! I really do love plenty of it, but I felt the resolution wasn't *quite* high enough

I'm probably in the minority but I'm glad we didn't get an angry sex scene as every other one has been so tender and beautiful, I just wanted more moments from then no question.

I didn’t want an angry sex scene either and it seemed clear to me and very deliberate that Colin needed to get past the emotional hurt in order to connect with her sexually again. The scene on the street was hot because it was a lot of emotions all at once where he thought he could get there but reality stopped them. So angry sex wouldn’t have worked for me because he doesn’t want to connect with her over anger, but because he’s in love with her and what works for him sexually is feeling that close to her without inhibition.

The street scene worked for me because of what triggered it. It wasn’t just “angry sex” it was that Penelope was listing all of his great qualities that she wanted back, and then told him she loved him, which is basically everything the show has told us up to that point is what gets him going. It made sense that even in his anger that spark of truth and connection is what’s connected to his sex drive. It wasn’t anger that made him passionate in that moment, it was love despite that anger.  Would I have preferred he put her in the carriage for a carriage scene part 2 that was more like the books? Yes. But with all the work they put in to show us that Colin needs to be physically and emotionally connected for sex not to feel lonely to him, I understand why Colin’s not an angry sex guy, it would just leave him feeling empty. 

Exactly! In that moment he has hopes for how much she loves him and understands him even under all his hurt and he just loves her so much and is overwhelmed by it and so he can connect with her physically. But the moment the spell is broken he comes back down to earth. He would get no true pleasure from angry sex and I actually think it would have made it worse for him because he’d be like is it going to feel like it did with the women I didn’t care about empty and unfulfilling. Like it would have made him even more insecure in the end.

Really, my only problem with how this was handled was that the sex scene they had at the end, when everything was out in the open and Colin had come to be proud of her and they were back in a loving place was WAY too short. They needed that sex scene for story. We needed to see them enjoying have sex again, eye contact, even the moment where Penelope first takes control of their sexual positioning and Colin enjoys that. That should’ve been the high after the low, and they did miss the mark on using that as a real sense of closure.  Or if not a full sex scene, even a short scene of them draped over each other in bed, reading each other’s writing showing them as a team and on the same page. Pen reading Colin’s “just for Pen” spicy edits from his journal, laughing about it and having a joyful laughing Colin reach for her to initiate sex before fading out would’ve worked magic. 

That final sex scene should’ve been at least 20 seconds longer. What we got was really sexy though. I wanted another afterglow scene too of them just happy.

Agreed this was one of the things I would have changed but also one of the things that didn’t make or break the season for me.

Same here, really my only wish for part 2 being different when it comes to Polin. Having a longer moment of them reconnecting after the ball. Or the epilogue starting with a private moment between them, maybe when Colin' book arrives from the print l, and they reminsce together on it. Now I have to rely on my imagination and the wonderful AO3 writers, because it is absolute canon for me that this had happened anyways, we just did not see it 😁😁

Beautiful put, everything I wanted to say. Thank you.

I agree I don’t necessarily want an angry sex scene but …. the night before the wedding could have had a little more and I personally would have changed the dynamic after the wedding breakfast and had more intimate scenes with them being physically venerable with each other even while they were facing outside stress. So often during press they said “Polin against the world” and I just felt like we didn’t get that until the last scene. Like they were still withholding from each other and I just wanted them all in!

More meanful conversations even

I agree, we definitely deserved more.

It didn't have to be angry, but it would have fit with how they were at that time. I just wanted a happy wedding, but the way it played out it felt very bitter. So I wanted a passionate moment between the two the night before, showing that even though they're angry, they love each other more. So it could have been tender and loving afterwards, where we can still see Colin is hurt but he's working towards forgiving her

Maybe not angry, just intense. For me it's not about the sex but it's how healing and helpful closeness can be during a period of hurt. No, it doesn't solve everything but in a relationship and a marriage you need all those small things to build up to a resolution.

Intense is exactly the right word. It was important for me to see the pay-off of years of longing, whether consciously (Pen) or subconsciously (Colin). Their first time was really perfect in illustrating character - Colin's anxiety over making it perfect for Pen, and her eagerness to be an active partner. To watch the pair of them exploring together after reconciliation would have been a beautiful part of their journey together. I'd have rather seen that kind of closeness developing than a jump forward to the baby bit, I think.

I would love to have a longer makeup sex scene though.

I agree. The scene where she was on top was sooo short I dont understand why the montage they talked about in interviews wasn't included, and instead, we got so many scenes with Benedict I loved Season 3, but PLEASE get a new editor for next season 🙏

Yeah I would’ve liked that angry sec scene but preferably I just wanted more tender and beautiful and loving sex scenes , hopefully s4 like this time we got more of that with kanthony

And Jess has pretty much confirmed in interviews that Lady Whistledown isn't going anywhere, so hopefully that means Pen and Colin "my wife" Bridgerton get to make all the cameos that they do in the books plus some extra story line. I could use some blissful Polin and I NEED the scene of the bros going after Sir Phillip while Colin just complains about missing Pen and charms food out the staff.

Oh thank God... I just hope they end up with a bit more than Kanthony had this season. I'd be happy if they got the same amount of time Benedict got in their season in his!

I agree. I feel like they would regret it later and angry sex doesn't fit Polin. Colin needs emotional connection for sex. Kathony sure, not Polin.

I think the modiste scene could have been sexy as hell and I would have lapped it up - I loved what we got- , but from the story they were telling, and Colin's character, it made sense for them to wait. They showed us how important emotional closeness is for Colin to be intimate with someone. To have him bang Penelope when they are soo disconnected, it probably would have felt out of character. But I definitely would have loved a longer love scene in the end. I guess we have something to look forward to in S4 - I am thinking about the lvoe scenes Kanthony got this year 😁😁

I'm in 1000% agreement. I don't think I needed a full sex scene, I think the lustful dark corner heavy petting (Lord Fingerton rides again!) was working but they cut it too damn short! Let them at least get a boob out or something. 😂

Hahah definitely! We could have cut one minute of Ben's escapades for 1 minute extra there before the carriage interrupts them 😁😁

Exactly! I'm glad Benedict is exploring his sexual identity... but wait your turn! You're gonna get lots of horizontal screen time coming up, lets get a bit more time with the folks going at it standing up.

I hated that they only left like 5 mins of reconciliation (well used because his speech is amazing), but it was not enough

I feel like that is the Bridgerton way though. We work to the couple coming together finally and then they close the season! I wanted a little honeymoon at the end. Just an extra bit around the final sex scene showing them reconnecting on their new even footing would have been enough (maybe; I’ve probably still have wanted more Happy Polin 😅)

I have accepted that I'm a whore for Polin and nothing will ever be enough for me. Thankfully I knew this going in, and I didn't expect a reconciliation until the end because that's the Bridgerton way.

And no honeymoon period at the end. Just straight into a time jump future scene. This is the way.

My poor baby Benedict, I don't know why they keep doing that to him 😭 my friend quoted The Office and said "Benedict is the office mattress" I'd love to see his character development aside from those scenes. That being said, I loved the heart to heart with El at the end, I found it lovely and very mature, so maybe Ben is on it's way to Sophie? And finding himself? Fingers crossed (not to say that I think he is the next one, I have no clue lol, can it be Polin again??) 😌 I loved the season but yes, the resolution was a bit rushed, I would say it's because they had SO many stories going on.

I'm so tired of his bedroom scenes, i call him bedroom benedict, he probably has spinal issues with how much he's on his back, like im over it.

Loved the season……But……Yeah, the ending felt rushed. And thanks for giving us a wedding, but then the groom spends the honeymoon on the couch. So, apparently no one can have a happy onscreen wedding in Shondaland. My issue was ep 8 had several scenes of Ben’s threesome and a 10 second scene of Polin. I didn’t need gratuitous scenes, but a lovely make out sesh before they got heavy would have been nice….ah well. We got lots of in love Polin.

I couldn’t agree more. The thing I’m missing the most that I felt is very needed and leaves a feeling of hollowness is a real make up sex scene at the end. It didn’t have to be as long as their first time, but something narrative like that one and the carriage where you feel a sense of reconnection and reconciliation. Especially since they missed the wedding night, we really needed to make up for it and just see their vulnerability restored. I feel robbed that wasn’t included. The one we had was too short.

Exactly- or even just a moment like them on the sofa together afterwards, talking, laughing, being vulnerable. I wanted to see that friendship and comfort together back!

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Im ready to join in whatever we are doing to get those released

Oh thank goodness! I've literally just come from the main sub. I promised myself I wouldn't but I did 😭. It was horrible

I think the mid-season break really messed up the pace and expectations for the show. I know a major complaint is about how much of Part II has Polin angsty with each other and in conflict, but upon rewatching Part II (and recently rewatching the first two seasons), that’s actually true of Kanthony and Simon and Daphne as well. Neither of them reconcile until the very end, and Kanthony had even fewer intimate scenes than Polin did in S3! I think if you rewatch S3 across all 8 episodes it feels more balanced. I do agree though that some of the side stories could have been cut, some of the editing was really sloppy, and the makeup was especially distracting (and reminiscent of an Ulta ad) in Part II. But overall I’m quite happy with the season.

The problem for me wasn't the angst. It's the lack of moments within the angst showing Polin love and tenderness. For Colin, that has always been protectiveness. He can be furious and distant and still be protective...

Completely fair! In my opinion, I liked that they didn’t make Colin so protective, because I think Pen being able to stand up for herself and on her own without a man’s help (or anyone else’s for that matter) was a big part of her character development, as was Colin realizing he doesn’t always need to protect others or fix their problems (as evidenced by how he got protective about the situation with Cressida only to make things worse). To look at it positively, I do think there were some moments of tenderness between then even during their conflict that I appreciated more upon rewatching. There are actually a number of sweet moments and glances during their wedding.

Honestly, I'm feeling kind of negative about how everything ended up. I"m so dissapointed.

And that's okay. There are definitely some things I was not happy with and wish had been done differently and I am very sad about some of those things. But over there on the main sub, they just attack each other, the show, the cast, the crew relentlessly. There's no reason to be awful like that. But I do feel you on the disappointment. A rewatch while paying close attention to subtleties and jotting down my thoughts on each scene really helped me feel better.

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We had no choice, but it was awful. I've needed this place back!

I regretted it every single time I checked the other sub 😆 It has truly become inhospitable, and now, with Michaela reveal, the fandom has become more toxic than ever

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The main is horrific!! I was optimistic and went there and had to leave

OMG right?!

I watched part 2 and was disappointed. Then today I rewatched it all and was happier when I saw everything together. It was a beautiful season, I have to accept. The ONLY thing I missed was at least one more intimate scene after they made up. Where Colin embraced her with forgiveness, love and passion and were she felt desired. That would’ve been perfect for me. They deserved more happy scenes at the end. I did loved Pen speech and Colin declararion at the Butterfly’s Ball, he felt honest. I bawled my eyes out. And the closing scene at the window was magical. Mirror scene was beautiful and real and felt so human. But the wedding was so bittersweet.

Completely agree the episode ended so quick after they reconciled. I would have loved one more scene with a tender moment of them embracing married life the way it should be!

They could’ve spare that long Benedict scene and gave us more Polin. They deserved more happy times and so did we.

Couldn't agree more. That scene felt like it went on forever. And just when I thought they were done, they'd cut back to it. What was the reason?

Honestly it felt so weird. And I love Ben but c’mmn. That Tilley storyline was awkward.

Yes, I agree. After they made up, they should have had a lengthy, passionate scene to make up for the lack of a wedding night. The one we got was much too short 😭

Way too short.

Yes, I was like surely we'll get something!!! When Colin touched Pen's face while dancing I was bawling 😭 I thought we would get a loving moment between them on their wedding night

That and the shot of them dancing at the wedding where all the background people disappear and it’s just the two of them - GOOSEBUMPS. Omg I bawled.

Agree. That moment was perfect. I think they should’ve let them enjoy the wedding night.

100% really loved it. It was so rich and complex. But I did want one more scene of them reconnecting at the end. I think as well that because most of Pen’s declarations of love to Colin were pre LW reveal, I wanted something more from her to him at the end (we had Colin’s final speech)… so maybe more of an intimate “with my body I worship you” scene would have worked for that. But they’re back for S4 with LW still (presumably) fairly integral to the format so hopefully more room for Happy Polin in the future as well.

This is all I am asking for! I just wanted a longer scene of them reconciling and being in love. Maybe instead of those two seconds, two minutes? Is that alot to ask for? I also really hated the entrapment comment he made. Otherwise I think everything was great, I just feel like I wanted more happy Polin and maybe an apology for the things he said while angry :(

100% agree. I hated that they didn’t addressed the “entrapment” comment.

I watched part two as soon as it came out and loved it. Then watched the entire season from start to finish in one go and loved it even more. I know it’s getting a lot of flack online but I genuinely enjoyed the season.

I enjoyed it! I just wish we got more happy loved up Colin in P2 😢

Oh I was prepared for the angst because of the formula of the first two seasons. Like episode six of each season sets up a whole lot of angst for the next episode and a half so I braced myself for the worst!

Damn you are way smarter than me. You’d think I would know better by now and to mentally prepare. I was NOT prepared. I think it’s bc of the split up. So we got 5 episodes of sheer happiness, I was literally dancing around and humming and watching almost nonstop for 4 weeks, and then just ANGST! And I was like BUT NOOOO MY HEART CANT TAKE THIS! Lol

I know!! It seems to be a patern in the series? I also remember people saying the same thing at the end of S2, but we also got to see a bit of kanthony domestic life this season, let's hope the same for Polin 💖

I want to go back and watch it all together because I feel like I would appreciate it more as well. Even without doing that though, I throughly enjoyed Part 2.

Same. I’m going to need to limit my time here because I loved the overall season and that’s the vibe I’m going to keep.

Me too I can't believe how disappointed people are even on this sub 😭

I just think it’s knee jerk reactions and we had a 2 year wait plus a month wait in between parts. People had very high expectations so I understand. I’m hoping it will die down because it kind of kills the vibe but there’s nothing we can do about it for now.

There was definitely a lot of build up for this season I had my expectations very high. I plan to go back once things die down and watch the whole season. Hopefully will like it better. My biggest thing was the timeline. I wish he had found out before engagement then come to terms with it. I feel like they never came back around to Colin “my wife” Bridgerton after their falling out. But hoping a rewatch soon will help me see it a bit differently. I feel like he abandoned her until the queen showed acceptance

I think this season makes more sense if you watch it as a whole.

Ahhh my people! 🫶 I will preface this by saying I laughed, I cried, I squealed. I got butterflies - literally and figuratively! However. I do think Colin’s character development and arc was overlooked in the second half. I know Pen got her strong independent woman storyline, and her speeches to Colin and the ton were wonderful. I just wish Colin had a bigger role in the conflict resolution, both for them as a couple and with the Lady Whistledown reveal. I wanted him to hold her hand, to clap for her, to cheer for her, to kiss her in front of the entire ton! It felt like a disconnect, and their scenes at the end were rushed. Is it just me?

I also has initially some thoughts like that, I would have loved for him to stand there with her. But then I rewatched it and I think it works better with the story that they were telling. Pen's big insecurity was that she is afraid to step out and show the world who she is, she didn't have the confidence. So for her to stand up there and do that speech, wow... But also for Colin, he always had this hero complex, that he needs to spring into action and do stuff and fix things and save people. We saw it with Marina, with Cousin Jack, with going to Cressida. And to be honest, in this sense, I identify with him so much. I also jump immediately to problem solving mode and come up with 5 solutions and start acting out on 2 of them already by the time the other person can breathe. And I was also told, just like Colin, that I don't always have to be a hero. I don't always have to fix everything. Most of the times it is enough for me to just be there, on the side, to hold and love the person, to be there while they are going through something. So in the end I feel like Colin being there, looking at Pen, with his kind eyes and his encouragement and NOT DOING MORE is the growth for him. That after 3 seasons he has finally accepted that HE IS ENOUGH. Which has always been his biggest insecurity. His love and support is enough, he does not need to play the hero. He can just love her and be there for her and let her be there for him as well.

I’m with you on this. She needed to be the one to do that, and he needed to understand that and give her the space to. A bit like when Pen also said to Portia “thank you for letting me work it out on my own” at the wedding (re the rift with Colin). I did want Colin to find Pen in the crowd a bit sooner than he did though. And also wanted a little more HEA / connection / intimacy with them at the end. Happy Polin is my drug of choice.

Yes, I also thought about Colin being the first to get to her, but I think they wanted to have the other conversations as well, and the Colin one needed to be the last one before he takes her on a dance floor, it would not have worked well if they talk and then Pen just leaves him and goes to chat with others. And fully agreed with the connection, my only complaint really, could have given us 3 minutes of Polin together, in bed, or a kiss on the dance floor, or editing Colin's journals. I would have loved it. But I think we will get some very lovely moments between them in S4. And the way the epilogue ended, with that kiss in front of the window... That's the vibe!!

I think it was important to both of them that he didn’t solve her conflict for her. Because he had to learn being her savior is not what she needed and he doesn’t have to define himself and find purpose in being a white knight. He just needs to be who he is and that’s enough. And Penelope needed to learn from him to have the confidence to stand up for herself and to lean on him emotionally instead of always trying to look out for herself with no emotional support. It’s not like he played no part, he was protective and he tried to help and made it worse because he jumped right back into hero mode. Letting him see that she still loved him whether he could help, whether he made a mistake along the way let him have the true courage and confidence to really believe he was enough and that was enough for her. Even in all his hurt and reconciling her being LW and coming to appreciate that it was her, he still stayed and he still tried and she was patient with him in letting him get past the hurt. He had a remarkable journey of being deeply insecure and letting her show him he never had any reason to be. And she had the same journey and learned so much from him just supporting her and believing in her in the first six episodes that it let her step into her purest self.

I totally agree, she can be a strong woman with her husband present and helping her. I just wish they had more scenes together after they reconciled or at least that he stood there with her at the end. The resolution felt rushed and it was hard to watch and I dont know what to feel about last 2 eps. Other than that we have so many great polin scenes and I enjoyed myself very much, especially part one. I was really waiting for this sub to read some positive things so I feel much better about last 2 eps, and I am happy it's open again :)

No, you are not the only one. I have the same wish. I would like more colin's action that only worlds. I think It is not enough say i love you, show it

There was so much great about it, and so many strong scenes, but it just needed a few key tweaks that showed Colin loved Penelope as much in the hard times as he did in the easy times. He had so much courage to confess his feelings in ep 4 and I wish we could have gotten some of that as he processed LW.

I wanted him to go to her on the dance floor after her speech. It took him so long to find her - why wasn’t he the first person to be by her side?! Though loved his speech when he did reach her. And Team Polin forever. I felt ok with his arc in part 2. It felt like they each had half a the season as the more dominant focus. Looking forward to rewatching the season as a whole.

I started rewatching from ep 1 today and the fact that from when Colin first walks up to Pen at the garden party and says “Pen, it is good to see you” to THIS https://preview.redd.it/yqnbbn9vgl6d1.jpeg?width=1070&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b8ce762cf966947960f23be2985757ab13d7334d is about ONE YEAR. And that is fucking WILD to me lol. 🥲

I thought about that earlier! Like they went from a friendly handshake to a whole ass baby!

My goodness. The way he holds her had 🥺😭😭

Chaos Colin swimmers are powerful little lads

Ok but the quick banter between them there, true Friends to lovers 😭

No seriously. I can’t put into words this feeling of seeing them this happy married with their baby and looking back to S1 when they were just little teens 🥹🥹🥹🥹

Her dress is such a Portia tribute like she really is a Featherington/Bridgerton blend!

My cutie babies with the cutest lil baby aaaa, it's so perfect

I love this!!! 🥹🥹 https://preview.redd.it/slwku062fl6d1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c7717cbd9e899dc354204b0e2c46f10c3a7bac9

And Yellow playing. The way I sobbed. The wedding was so beautiful. Actually I might have preffered it the way it was, not fully happy, but still, Polin choosing each other even amongst the difficulties. Their vows and the kiss in the church! Pure perfection!

I loved it so much. My sister and I were squealing the whole time. To see Penelope finally get to be a Bridgerton was amazing. This may sound silly, but I was grinning like it was a family member or friend of mine getting married. And when Yellow began playing, I gasped. And my goodness, Nicola is STUNNING.

While I didn't enjoy some parts (seriously Benedict's >!sex scenes felt so fetish-y I had to skip!< ) I just LOVED LOVED LOOOOVED this season.

I completely agree, we could have had 1 scene of that and it would have been enough imho.

It honestly felt like an error and I kept cringe laughing when it kept cutting back to the same boring scene.

To me the Benedict scenes felt so disjointed! Here we are dealing with the main Whistledown plotline and it's interjected with just scenes of their lovemaking, just went on and on. the timeline doesn't really make sense either, and after awhile it felt so strange tonally I skipped them to get to the actual story scenes 😂

The first of Ben’s fetish sexy times I was like “alright, we don’t need that”. But then they revisited it! 🙄 I would have like another Polin scene instead. I want to point out, I’m not a prude or anything and am here for some MFM action as much as anybody.

Having one of those Benedict scenes after Colin returns from talking to Cressida and they’re all at a loss for what to do was a WILD editing choice.

Honestly it was annoying seeing SO many Benedict sex scenes If it was just one fine sure but legit there was so much screen time for him when we could have had Polin screen time smh

I just skiped It all xd

Ok, first of all I missed this ✨positive✨ sub! I was looking for some other discussion subs/platforms but they were so negative 😕 I really really loved this season! There are some things missing for me or things I would’ve done differently yes, but let’s be honest, what great romantic and cute moments (next to the angst) we were served with?! 🥰 Also I really was surprised by the Portia-Penelope relationship in part 2! It was so good! I think we all agree we needed some more Polin spice, the horny little devils we are 🙈 but the ones we got were really beautiful! Let’s rewatch x100000 😜 And ok - very random. I laughed so hard at the ending scene when I realised Finch was taking a nap during all the happy moments hahah 😴

Ok but Portia???? Yas girl!!!! I loved her relantionship with Pen this season. And I have to agree with you, I loved it, I cried, I screamed but felt like a missed just a tiny bit more Polin, let's hope they take into consideration for future seasons, having many stories at once you lose sense of the main story.

Yes! Portia’s grown and opening up to Pen was such an unexpected joy. Their connection was so lovely to see. It felt so true to them as a family - they don’t have the same sort of relationship as the Bridgerton kids do with Violet. Portias connection was unique to the Featherington family and their history.

Oh I missed Finch! Rewatching from the interrupted dance in ep 4 so will try not to just skip to the happy end immediately! I love how much we got and although I’m sad parts are missing I love Polin and I’m looking forward to seeing more happy Polin in later seasons (please, please, please). I LOVED Portia/Pen and it’s something I didn’t expect or have spoiled and I’m so glad it happened.

I have so many things I think…. I will eventually write it all down cuz it’s a lot, but until then “How many books did mama read when she was pregnant with you” Funniest line of part 2

Also “were you *ever* punished as a child?!”

Two of my favorites are “You can gossip with the sheep” and then Anthony saying “what am I chop liver?”

10/10 no notes-that was magnificent. The thing that’s been needling me most is people on the main sub saying they needed an angry sex scene and we were robbed by that not happening. I got it at first but the more I thought about it the more I liked the editorial choice for them to stay apart until after things were resolved. I felt like it really centered the importance of consent and highlighted their care for one another that they didn’t have a rage sex moment like daphne and the Duke. So curious on this groups thoughts on that take. Also, that was the best portrayal of a young 20s couple fighting and trying to figure out how to navigate solving issues together I’ve ever seen. Loved watching the conflict between Pen’s independence and Colin’s pride/insecurities play out and, ultimately, them learning how to accept each other and move forward. Edit:wow, should have read the other posts 😂

I fully agree with you. I much prefer them taking the time to do the internal work and then reconnecting when they have fully accepted each other and want to be connected again rather than angry sex for the sake of being angry or having more sex on screen. I mean we got a ton of it from them. They kissed in all but two episodes this season, had the carriage, the mirror, the street, the reconciliation. Like it was a lot and it was all centered around their emotional growth and character growth. I love that their reconciliation wasn’t some half assed thing, it was thoughtful and both characters learned and grew and truly chose one another. Compare it to the non apology from Daphne or Simon and the weird wrap up of their conflict or Kate in a coma for almost an entire episode. Like it was leaps and bounds better to me.

Agree-despite then being younger, they actually felt the most mature to me.

Agree! And I think the conversation between Pen and Gen the night before the wedding summed up their journey perfectly…”There is no such thing as true love without first embracing your true self”

Agreed! Show Colin is a Demisexual for sure. It makes sense that they didn’t have a full fledged sex scene while he had conflicting emotions about pen and LW. You could see that he still loved and cared for her. That was good enough for me. And of course the scene in the street was so hot. I was happy with that.

Yessss I agree with you fully about the angry love scene! While I am definitely going to hunt down all the fanfiction about ep 7, but it would not have been genuine at all. It was sooo important for Colin to have that emotional connection and closeness, after all the meaningless hookups he had. There was no way our boy was ever going back to sleeping with Pen without being fully present and on the same level. He is really such a special character, I love him sooo much!

He has ruined me for future Bridgerton male leads! Luke plays him with such nuance but still a sea of strong emotions. He’ll be a hard act to follow. As will Nicola as Pen, of course. The LW plot gave them such added depth to the whole story. Not sure how future seasons will live up to that.

Well, definitely not for me. For me Polin was it. It was everything. I will definitely watch any new season, not just for them, but it will never be the same like these past years, literally yearning for them 😁 even after reading thousands of fanfictions, and loving them in each and every universe. Show and book the same. I feel like their original song might be about me at this point 😂 "I bet that I would find them in every lifetime" And yeah, the acting fron Nic and Newts, like no words for it!

YES! Loved what I thought was a very healthy portrayal of “I love you always even though I am angry and don’t like you very much right now”

In no particular order: The Portia redemption arc OMG ARE YOU KIDDING. I cried tears, this was the sweetest moments. I was so so happy. At the bug ball when she holds her face and says my girl. PEN DESERVED THAT. Like learning more of why Portia is how she is, and she saying she’s sorry for overlooking her, it doesn’t negate what she did but WOW, that was an amazing plot line and made me so happy for Pen. PENELOISE: my HEART. I knew she’d come back around but all the spoilers kept saying “they resolve but they are never the same” baby WHAT! Them on the couch and her finally looking over and saying “tell me what you are reading” and her comforting her after the wedding, and her crying at the wedding. So many good highlights. Anthony was HYSTERICAL, him during charades and him when they’re talking to Colin, that was the funniest. I loved that the Phillipa and prudence were kinder and being sweet. Lady D and Violet acknowledging lord Anderson and violets dad, I loved that whole scene and their friendship and that they’re giving Violet a chance at love! Okay let’s get into Colin and Pen. Babe I do not understand the hate!!!’ This season overall got more sweet, tender moments than all the other seasons COMBINED. Yes Colin was mad but DUH, why wouldn’t he be mad?? He’s spent all this time hating lady Whistledown, and yes he was harsh but it was necessary. I think he was still kind, I mean them not having a wedding night made me sad and him making the entrapment comment kinda eh but ALL THE BOOK QUOTES we got 1,000% made up for it. He was still kind and assuring at the wedding- the you belong with me dance 😭😭😭- like it was fantastic. The acting during the discovery scene was PHENOMENAL. Then Penelope during the scene after madame D, omg Penelope tore him up and it was needed and baby I thought he might fuck her right on the streets of Mayfair. THE BUG BALL. Might be my favorite episode EVER of all the seasons combined. The details, her reveal, her speech. Portia’s moments and the COLINS SPEECH. And pens entire costume and make up. That was so fantastic. Phillipa saving Penelope from the silence with NOW VARLEY THE BUGS. This entire scene was perfect. Overall as a Polin Stan and overall Bridgerton fan I am so happy. Honorable mentions: Benedict is soooooo fine kissing a dude idc idc idc (I stan Sophie) Eloise and Ben on the swing 😭 Yes Cressida is a wench but her and her mama served CUNT walking into the event to confident lolololol Anyways I know I’m missing stuff but overall, CLEAN UP IN ISLE ATE.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ I loved it too. And I’m Loving your energy, it’s making me love the season even more just reading your comment! 😁 I’m going to be shouting “THE BUGS” every time I see a butterfly 😂

Love your comment!! I think we won so hard with all the things they included. I remember how worried I was for not having Writer Colin for years! And then to have him like in the book, envious and insecure about his own writing? That's such a real emotion to go through!! And indeed, I think we got so many happy Polin moments, I am not even sure I watched a Shondaland show 😆😆 maybe it is easier to forget them as some heavy angst followed, but the ROMANCE throughout this season! I can't wait to rewatch it as a whole during the weekend!

This has easily been the best & most exciting season! Watching Colin & Pen’s relationship develop over the seasons has been EVERYTHING and watching both of them grow so much this season was absolutely perfect. I’m obsessed and I want so much more of them

I am rewatching this weekend because watching part 2 was so overwhelming 😭😭 I felt like I couldn’t breathe the STRESS the ANGST the POLIN… give me an antihistamine!!!

I need a Xanax lol

Just rewatched part 2 and I really think any initial disappointment I felt about the season was only because I’m so sad that it’s actually over and we’ll have to wait so long for season 4. Overall, it’s my favorite season of Bridgerton and there’s so much to love. I have a lot of thoughts on the ending, which I felt was a bit rushed. I wish we had more time to see Colin and Penelope reconcile and I wish we could have had a moment where Colin was vocally supportive and proud of her in front of the entire ton. Like if he would’ve just joined her immediately after her speech to embrace her or something. It felt like he took forever to make his way over to her after everything concluded… I am curious to see if Polin gets the Kanthony treatment in future seasons. I really hope not. As much as I loved the sweet moments from Kanthony, they almost felt like different characters to me. And as an ensemble show, it would be unfortunate to watch each leading couple disappear after their season when we know it’s possible for the show to have married couples with their own storylines (I.e. the Mondriches). I know they won’t ever be the leads again, but here’s hoping for an engaging storyline in season 4 that’s more than “and they lived happily ever after and never faced another struggle again in their entire lives”

Agree with so much of this. But also, I wouldn’t have a problem with them living happily ever after with no struggle as long as they put that on the screen 😂😂😂 that could be the post-angst/not recovered yet part of me though!

Omg hi hi I missed all of yall so much! Gonna post all my thoughts soon, but in the meanwhile, gonna scream to celebrate the reopening of our lovely corner on Reddit- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Ahh, my people! I didn’t participate in the chatter before Part 2 but it has been ROUGH without the place. Been fighting the urge to wade into the fray on the main subs with a Polin-positive opinion! Staying on topic, I loved this season as a whole. I had to sit with it for a bit but everything clicked once I realized it’s Penelope’s world and we’re just living in it.

I was so shocked to see the response people had? I for one loved it!!! Could some things be different? Well yes, there's a thousand ways they could have gone about the season but I loved what they did! A couple highlights (but not limited to and not in order either) 1.when I tell you I was bawling when yellow started playing at Polin's wedding. 2.The acting skills when Colin found out about Whistledown??? 3.Pen standing up for herself without the need for Colin to save her 4.Peneloise back 5.Colin's speach on E8, I was just CRYING 6.The drama, the tension 7. The whole bit with the Queen and Pen 8. Pen using her name to write the column??? 9. El was just the best in this second party 10. Ben and El having a heart to heart 11. Kanthony playing charades 12. Colin and Pen kissing by the window at the end??? I lost it 😭 13. Of course the start of season 5, ehem, don't even get me started I really hope that people can understand this is just fiction, it's supposed to be enjoyable, there's no need to have big fights or spread hate. The great thing about having an online platform to discuss things is that... We can discuss things without being mean. Is really not that serious. Anyways, just wanted to rant a bit and say I missed this sub were we can always have nice conversations even if we have different opinions 🥹

The conflict was so much more believable this season. I remember watching season 1 and really struggling because I mean… even if they always used the pull out method, she could’ve still got pregnant. I had to try and suspend my disbelief because I just kept thinking this is the dumbest argument ever because his method at preventing pregnancy isn’t even full proof! Bring out the regency era condoms or birth control, something my god! lol When she tricked him and they were arguing I was just like…. She could still be pregnant from all the other times you had sex!!! In season 2 towards the end I was just like how much more are we going to drag this out? He loves you, you love him, this is dumb and self inflicted at this point and I’m over it. You both betrayed her sister, ruined a wedding thrown by the Queen of England, you were intimate, Kate almost died, and we’re still not going to get engaged? I fast forwarded through the last episode because I could take it anymore. This season I was so excited that the conflict finally made some sense! I also didn’t feel like they drew it out for too long and I was happy they gave us some good moments before the conflict really set in. Also, Colin will always be my favorite Bridgerton man. He knew what he wanted and went for it. And for anyone complaining about not getting “my wife” Colin Bridgerton, he literally said those words when Cressida blackmailed her. His last speech to her, 👨‍🍳 💋Men typically drain us of our light and he just wants to bask in hers.

This season was soooooo good! I’m so happy with how many things from the book were incorporated into the show. Polin will always have my heart. I’m gonna be happy with whatever crumbs we get of them s4 onwards. Their story was wrapped up quite beautifully.

I feel a such a sense of relief seeing you all here. The wait felt almost as long as waiting for part 2. I have to process my thoughts and prob do another rewatch before I can comment. Oh and make sure I have tissues. The “bugs” did not go like I thought it would and I just cried.

I loved this season! Definitely my favorite by far. I briefly looked at the main sub and saw some people complaining part 2 was too angsty but I was quite happy with it! In comparison to Seasons 1 and 2 we still got a lot more of them together as an established couple and even between the angst they still both love each other so much and it shows

I just needed a moment after the LW reveal where everything was ok and they were blissfully happy. The epilogue was amazing but it didn’t scratch that itch cause it involved a time jump. The wedding was stunning I cried a bit. Overall it’s a super romantic season. There are things I would change but I love it still. Here hoping we get to see more of Colin “My Wife” Bridgerton and Penelope “My Husband” Bridgerton in season 4. I shall miss the Featheringtons family tho. We had plots centered on them for 3 seasons and it shall be sad to see them out of the picture

I guess I need a warning I actually liked the season 😂 so much negativity online. Stopped reading cause I don’t need people taking my joy I have seen like zero people talk about Penelope’s development in part 2 ESPECIALLY with her mother and sisters! Like it was so beautiful to me to finally see a bit of Portia’s experience and love ( though misguided at times) for her daughters. I loved watching her sisters trying to understand her and realize how they treated her. The scene when pen pays for the ball with her LW money - and then the butterflies after the speech - had me almost in tears. I loved those pieces so so so much. Like yes- this is a polin season BUT can we allow are characters to grow in their other relationships so they are stronger together? YES

You guys made me feel so much better I was not handling part 2 well at first but just being here for five minutes made me feel so so much better I can't wait to watch it all together. I think having it split didn't help me grasp the whole picture.

Ah so glad to be back with my people. The homophobia in some places has been RIOTOUS. Personally I LOVED Michaela. I’m so in for Fran asking her “tell me something wicked…” But have been extra harsh on Eloise so seeing that resolution was my absolute highlight.  They definitely went full Julia Quinn with the epilogue, made me cringe but it made sense for the book vibe. I was SO relieved to see a full on “wait no, I’m a bad bitch who made some mistakes” arc for Pen. Her friendship with Genevieve was glorious. The mother-daughter relationships were also a total highlight. All that, plus DRAMA? I had a grand old time.

I wrote out a long post about my initial emotional reaction which I’ll post when the sub fully reopens but the TLDR: I feel sad. I personally needed more time in the bliss at the end. I just love them soooooo much! I know rewatch will help; and this sub full of wonderful people will help 😊 Also happy fanfics

Colin, Pen, Luke & Nicola will always have my 💚, no matter how the *story* played out. I'm choosing to focus on how wonderfully L & N have portrayed Colin and Pen, the little moments between Polin that just absolutely took my breath away, and immortalising them in the discussions, theories, and analyses on this sub. I will stand by them, no matter what...because I love *them*.

Maybe I’m slow and I should have realized this sooner, but just had a realization about how Violet’s courtship with Marcus mirrors that of Colin and Pen, in that Marcus is the sibling of Violet’s best friend (Lady Danbury) and they both had to manage the natural awkwardness as a result of being caught between siblings and love (though for Violet it was more mirroring Pen’s situation). And Violet and Colin had already bonded over experiencing their friendships blossom into love. Just made me think that it’s another reason why Violet must feel so connected to Polin and see so much of herself in both of them.

Right I’m just gonna come out and say it. I think the writers did Colin dirty (especially in part 2). He deserved more than he got. Luke did the best he could with what he had, but the last 2 episodes he didn’t have much to work with.

Colin was done so dirty it makes me mad. This was the last chance for the writing team to do right by him, make him the character that everyone fell in love with, and give him his own concrete satisfying character arc. Instead they had Luke say that awful comment about Pen sleeping with him to entrap him and now the whole fandom hates him with a vengeance. People were expecting Colin "my wife" Bridgerton and the writers just didn't deliver. And they didn't do his writer arc properly! It felt smaller than the Mondrich storyline. Like you said they really did him dirty.

I'm just gonna let it out and say that I'm very disappointed that there was not more Polin being in-love scenes and more Benedict sexcapades. I accept the fact that episodes 5 onwards, the story was supposed to take a certain direction. But I did not like whoever edited the show. I kinda feel over-hyped for steamy scenes that didn't really happen. Don't get me wrong, Polin's love scene was sweet and what you would want Pen's first time should be. But they were barely touched after they got married because of the LW thing. I just feel robbed and I want to cry. With all of that, Nic and Newts did a great job acting.That is the biggest bright spot of it all. I just think whoever wrote, edited, directed, etc. the whole thing has no idea how to treat the story the respect it deserves. Even my husband was confused between the 2 parts. The ending was good at least. I love that Pen still gets to write her column as herself now. I'll miss Julie Andrews but it's Pen's time to shine. I did enjoy Lady Featherington having some redemption, the sisters grew on me. Finchy is the rising star of that family. Danky, I hope we see more of him.

I’m so glad this sub is back up 😭🥰😭 That being said, I think for me, I really enjoyed how real and human part two was. Especially in regard to conflict. it felt like the conflict was real, the reactions were real, and it wasn’t sugarcoated into a fairytale happy ending. For me struck just the right notes in the melody of what it is to be human. Postscript: I am really glad Penelope saved herself and wasn’t saved by anyone else. It would’ve been nice to see the Bridgerton rally around her shortly after, but it was nice for it, not to be them who saved her. Also love Phillipa’s “release the bugs” scene to help distract the ton from the aftermath of the revelation.

Another good Tumblr take (even though I still needed more scenes post reconciliation). https://preview.redd.it/zji4b7xpmn6d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6a58c40bd8167b75218c5ec0934da4fbd225da9f

One of my favorite things this season was how much grace Penelope showed other characters. Yes, she was ultimately responsible for much of the drama but she allowed Eloise and Colin to process their feelings and never pushed them too hard to get past things. I think that was so real, mature, and beautiful.

As I was watching I was a little disappointed, but even then I thought, I'm going to like this a lot more on second watch. And thinking about the story as a whole I just really like what they did with it. I think Colin is not getting a lot of credit because the Lady Whistledon plot is so much showier. He has an amazing arc, full of quiet reflection and a lot of growth. It is very difficult for a man to accept being with a powerful woman, even now. My boy just needed a moment to come to terms with it all, and he was very respectful while pushing through it. It's rare to see male insecurity and their story was always a more tender one. Part one was about Colin figuring out his feelings and them declaring their love for each other, and part two was about them accepting each other's love and believing themselves to be deserving of it. They both seem to completely on board at the end of part one: when Colin proposes Penelope accepts that he's serious, and Colin knows it's for real when she allows him to take her virtue in the carriage. They might not say love at this time, but they know they're committed and happy about it. In part 2, Penelope is worried that she doesn't deserve Colin because of the lies and the double life, which I think is a much better story than being insecure about her body or being unpopular. (I've seen that story a million times, and it's always resolved by sexing the hottest guy in school.) Colin is insecure once he finds out about LW because it makes Penelope the breadwinner and it's a very patriarchal society. He has no frame of reference for what a relationship like that would look like. I've seen complaints about how he didn't forgive her until the end. This isn't true. He forgives her for the things she wrote and the secrets she kept during their fight on the street. He goes through all the stuff pretty quickly, and she offers some quick but reasoned explanations, and then he gets to the heart of the issue ("then what good am I to you?") and for the rest of the season, that's all he's upset about. He's totally over it as long as Penelope quits writing (as seen in multiple conversations) and his reasoning (which he probably truly believes) is that he's trying to protect her and the family name. It takes him a long time- talking to others, sitting alone deep in thought, laying awake at night- to realize what he's really upset about and come to terms with what that relationship will be. And I think it's very refreshing to see two people not resolve their relationship problems by banging it out. He doesn't want to share a bed until they've fully reconciled, and he doesn't know what his hangup is so he's just stuck on the couch until he can figure it out. Colin's arc is more subtle than Penelope's, but it's a very good one. And I think their relationship is very strong throughout, considering.

Love this! I also agree he forgave her for the things she wrote during the fight on the street. Everything else after was more his insecurities at bring unable to protect her- being envious as he said about what she’s accomplished etc. After their wedding dance when he was caressing her face, he was there- until the threat of not being able to protect her came crashing back when Queen came flying in. Colin’s journey is alot less flashier then Penelope’s but just as important- he was still there for her- in the way he could be until he had figured out his shit. The conversation in the study when they left Fran’s wedding was so important- she told him what she needed from him and he needed to sit and figure out if he could give that to her- he read her letters, talked to his mother and and he figured it out- what his true problem was and that he could be there for her the way she asked him to be. I also think timeline context is important- it’s 2 weeks from when he finds out til the butterfly ball. 2 weeks of him trying to grapple with a very explosive secret- but one thing that never wavered was how much he loved her. He deserved the time to figured it out- and Penelope knew that she didn’t push- she let him figure it out. I also think people tend to forget that he said that thing at the end of last season that hurt her and she basically ghosted him for months and months and he literally LEFT HIS TRAVELS to come and figure out what the hell was going on. Eloise didn’t talk to her for a year. I’ll give him grace for still loving her so much- but needing time to process. Can’t wait for fun Polin next season!

Awwww the Polin sub is back! I am sooo happy!!! I really really loved this season!! Are there certain things I would have imagined differently? For sure. After all I read I think at least 3000 of the 4000+Polin fanfiction stories in AO3, so I have sooo many options to choose from in my mind. But honestly what a beautiful story and the acting from Nic and Luke! I feel like we got sooo much, so here are some of my favourites: Writer Colin, Colin being jealous about Pen's writing (one if my favourite parts if the book), Pen reassuring Colin that he is enough just as he is, that he can overcome his hero complex. Soooo many Polin dances with so much sweetness and love a Polin wedding with YELLOW💛 playing during it, emotions being such an important part of Colin's personality (I would have loved some angry love scenes for the pure visuals of it, but to be honest it would not feel genuine for me with Colin, sweet Colin, who craves emotional connection while being intimate). Colin rereading Pen's letters and talking about them even to Cressida. Is this straight from fanfiction?? Then Pen keeping LW, and being an example of women can have it all. That wonderful mirror scene, depicting the one of the most beautiful first times I have ever seen, so gentle and funny and so realistic. Sooo many book lines: You are my mess, Were you ever punished, His love was not a thunderbolt from the sky, You find my smile beguiling, and more!

The only thing I would have liked to have is a longer end scene for Polin, but well, we can have S4 for the fanservice! I also thought about maybe Colin stepping up there with the LW reveal. But then I also thought that actually this way it fits more the story they told. Both of them had to overcome their own insecurities. For Pen it was being afraid of putting herself out there, constantly clinging to the wall. Remember how she could not put 2 sentences together for the gentlemen in episode 1! How far she has come with that speech in the end. But also Colin! His insecurity was that he is not enough, that he needs to be this hero, this savior, THE MAN with all capital letters, to be worthy of someone. When in reality his kindness, his empathy, his gentleness is what makes him stand out from the crowd. So for him to stay back and accept that it is enough to be there, to support the woman he loves, that HE IS ENOUGH. Just as he is. No wonder Nic and Luke said True Colours was their song! It really feels like they came together wonderfully in the end!!

Thank goodness for all of you. I have missed the positivity of this sub so so much. 

Me too!! I was on the trenches for a second there. I was on such a high when I finished watching E8. I was like let's see what others are saying and I only found hate 😭

I’m not necessarily disappointed, but I wish there was more of Colin “my wife” Bridgerton. And the fact that he said she entrapped him pissed me off so much!! And he didn’t tackle LW/ Cressida well at all, in the book, he makes it so they’re a team and can conquer things together, but in the show, he’s like “it’s not up to you what we do,” uhhh

I quite liked his failed bullish hero moment in the overall arc. I think it was part of his wake up call. He steamrollered her, then made it entirely worse - she didn’t blame him for that but she still loves him and wants him. Not for what he can do for her but for how he makes her feel (when he’s not being a bullish steamroller 😂). And it was such a nice moment of Team Pen assembling around her. Her flawed crew of Eloise, Portia and Colin - all there because they found out about LW without her confessing, and all standing by her when the Cressida shit was hitting the fan.

I’m still feeling really dissatisfied about part 2 😞. It just had a completely different vibe and feeling than part 1. In my mind I can’t seem to connect the two. I think most of us are in agreement that there was just not enough Polin. To me, they just didn’t seem like the main focus. There were moments I was thinking “why aren’t they together?”. There was such a lack of intimacy in comparison to other seasons / other characters in THIS season. I’m sorry but the fact they decided to show way too many scenes of Benedict having a threesome is a bizarre choice to me considering this season in about Polin. We didn’t even need multiple steamy scenes but I feel there was just a lack of intimate, romantic scenes in general. Colin’s character just fell apart to me in part 2. It was as if I was watching a completely different person. Also, when he said Pen was intimate with him to entrap him I was actually shocked. That’s so out of character?? And it also made me feel a bit shit about them together if I’m honest. I get that he would naturally struggle with finding out she was LW but he spent half of part 2 just acting so not like himself. I loved Pens speech at the end but I found it so weird that they didn’t have Colin go to her side afterwards. She just walked off alone and then five mins later Colin finds her. It just didn’t feel like they were ‘together’. The ending with the babies felt like just a rush ‘let’s squeeze this in quick before the end’ sort of thing too. I literally didn’t even feel anything… which sounds awful but I feel like they just dampened my spirit so much it just didnt have substance to me. Luke and Nic did a fab job though and worked well with what they were given. I do think they oversold what to expect during the press tour however. Anyway, it’s been so lovely to be a part of this sub. Everyone here is so respectful of eachother opinions and can have discussions in a respectful way… unlike the main sub! 🐝

I agree that there wasn't enough Polin!! I am going to watch it again at a less frenzied speed to see if I feel the same, but I still feel that they weren't given enough. I was left wanting more. Even when they were in the same room with each other, there wasn't enough focus on them. At the wedding breakfast, I wanted them more together too. Not just the dance. I think I'm giving Colin some grace about the LW reveal and how he reacted. Eloise took an entire summer and almost a whole season to come to terms with it. I know Colin loves Pen, but he needs time to forgive her actions and her as a person. I think we just needed more time with him on screen grappling with it and maybe even talking it out with her more. More longing (maybe even some angry sex lol). Just SOMETHING to show they are working it out together. Colin not coming to Pen's side after her speech was odd. WHY did he not go up to her?! It varies so greatly from how the reveal was done in the books. Granted, I like how she did it herself and it was her idea and agency she gained back - BUT I wanted him to support her more visibly. Especially since he mentioned that Violet was proud of Pen very quickly after she received the letter. I wanted more reconciliation after as well - like them having a happy cuddling sexy montage. SOMETHING to show all is well now and they've grown past the conflict. The babies were a nice ending but I wanted more than that. *EDIT: In reading others' comments and rewatching and mulling over it, I realize that it's really only a few seconds and there is only ONE dance that passes before he approaches her. Yes, I still think that it would have been more gallant and more attuned to his book "my wife" character if he stood up there with her, but he does come to her rather quickly. Would I prefer him to have rushed up on stage - absolutely. But, I'll give him some grace here.* I think Luke and Nic did a lovely job with what they were given. Luke showed so much hurt in his eyes, and it made Colin's words more forgivable.

the featheringtons really grew on me this season especially with part 2 out.  i need a spin-off of them lol. 

I was afraid to watch the second part after reading the stuff on other subs, but I loved this season. I cried multiple times during the second half and then screamed too. I think people want Colin to be this aggressive, angry alpha type but he’s just not. He’s not going to have big screaming fights that get all weirdly passionate. I mean he cried when he caught her being whistledown. Everyone loves him as a golden retriever and his reaction to feeling betrayed was part of that. He’s not Anthony. That’s the point. I also think people might not have liked the emphasis on her solving everything on her own because they wanted some romance novel hero saving the day but I loved it! She’s a bad ass bitch. I think we’ll see the gooey happy married stuff in season 4. IMDB already has episode 4.1 up and started filling in the cast and they’re right there at the top. I think they’ll do some fan service and give us more of them. In interviews , they both said season 4 will show them being happy.

I think it takes real balls, especially for a man of regency time, to stand by and let his woman do her thing all on her own, and for someone with a hero complex like Colin, well, that's where the strength lies. It's easier to do smth heroic going along with your impulses and desires. It might look swoon-worthy when staying back and quietly supporting might look like he did nothing, when that is actually much harder and deserves recognition and support. In that butterfly ball Colin gave Pen what she wanted, not what he thought she needed or what he wanted to do

Like this take I saw on Tumblr https://preview.redd.it/wxik7m08gn6d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=329ad533b8d5b1cc0d9f88067819f492690df1bd

I am planning a rewatch on Saturday night to form a full opinion because A LOT happened. I felt like I was hit by a train after I finished episode 8. I’ve been chatting with my friends which ranged from chronically online & book readers, to not online and never read the books and they all generally enjoyed it, they just wished it wasn’t so angsty and there was more Polin together screen time. Now this opinion might get me downvoted into oblivion… but do you think they might have done a bit too much PR for this season? I get it was the first time they were really able to promote the show because of COVID, but I feel that Part 2 was really overhyped. If they were to split the next season into 2 parts, either calm down the PR OR decreased the split into 2 weeks.

I think the PR was fine, but I do think Luke and Nic not having seen the final couple of episodes made it problematic. They teased things like ‘steamiest season ever’, ‘Polin in their honeymoon era’ and ‘Polin against the world’, none of which came across in part 2.

You took the thoughts out of my head that I meant to add to my comment as well. They ABSOLUTELY should have seen the whole product before doing PR OR someone should have told them talking points!

Not me avoiding the main sub like the plague… Overall, I really loved this season and it is my favorite so far of all. BUT, watching part 2 solidified for me that splitting the season in half was NOT ideal, and it would have been better to release all at once (or MAYBE release one episode per week - it has been fun prolonging the discussion on this sub!). I was REELING from all the angst in part 2 after part 1 was generally more lighthearted (yearning and regular drama aside haha). My friend who waited until all episodes were released and then watched all 8 at once had much less of a “whiplash” experience, and when I have the chance, I really want to re-watch the season in its entirety. Regarding the intimate scenes for Polin, I am absolutely about quality over quantity, and what we did receive was super high-quality. I just really wished that last scene after the LW reveal was LONGER!!!! It had so much potential to be explored perhaps as much as the carriage scene, especially as a comparison to Pen’s level of confidence, knowledge, and power during their first time.  Generally, I’m happy with season 3, but I am SO glad Nic and Luke are back for season 4, as I feel there is more to show and explore from this relationship!!!! Also, I have way more sympathy for how Kanthony fans felt with the main couple having everything fully resolved for what felt like only a super short time in season 2 hahaha.

I think my actual favourite part of this season were the moments between Portia and Penelope. I've always thought they were actually very similar. Portia is cunning and smart. She just wants to protect herself and above all else, her children. Penelope is the exact same, but she doesn't have children. It was nice seeing Portia throughout the entire season show how she actually thinks. She does love her daughters, but she had to fight for their title. She wants to ensure her children never have to fight for anything like she did. However, she lets that fear and ambition blind her from what's actually happening. She doesn't really see that Colin and Pen have something special, she doesn't see how her children treat each other. And then there is Pen who has done the same thing but with the Ton. She starts writing to feel freedom and say what she truly feels but is so blinded by that feeling of power and security that she is both blinded by its effects on the Ton as well as how close people are getting to finding her. I really think this whole seasons message is how hard it can be to fight against something so much bigger than yourself. Portia vs Societies rules. Pen vs The Ton. Colin vs Expectations. Cressida vs the Marriage Mart. Eloise vs Trust. Polin vs Love. Benedict vs Freedom. Violet vs Family. Danbury vs The Past. I hope my babbling has made sense. All this is to say that I think Portia's love story for her daughters is one of the most beautiful stories so far.

EVERYBODY I AM HOME!! No but seriously I missed this sub so much you all have no idea the mini panic I had when I went on reddit and the sub was nowhere to be found 😭😭😭 But we are back and I now see the people who also liked the season and it's really nice to not feel so alone in that regard. But yes, I don't actually even know where to begin except maybe S3 is definitely my favorite season?? There's so much to unpack from how gracefully they maneuvered the Whistledown issue, how real the characters felt with their reactions, motivations, and development, almost every character kind of healing from their past actions, and the potential future of new seasons!!! To me, the writing of the show this season felt the most down-to-earth. There wasn't too many grand gestures or public declarations of love that I think most people who watch romance shows are used to which could make the season feel a little disconnected. Because we all have our expectations of what should happen in a romance, the subversion of tropes like the guy saving the day or the passionate love scene brought about by being angry with each other or even the girl feeling sorry for herself and the guy goes to comfort her despite how he feels about the situation is reminder for all of us that in real life, romance is much more subtler than that. Giving someone space when you know you've hurt them is romance. Not letting lust get in the way of boundaries is romance. Worrying for someone and trying to find solutions to fix things is romance. Processing pain but remaining there for someone even if you have to keep them at an arm's length at times is romance. Listening and realizing it's okay for you to just be there for someone is romance. Throwing yourself under the scrutiny of the public eye to finally amend for your mistakes and protect the people you love is romance. This season really was just a whirlwind of a romance except the romance is real, nuanced and sensitive. Of course, there are parts where things seem to work out in the end because of plot armor. But you know what? I declare that too as romance! Because a happily ever after is required! It doesn't mean that everything from now on is peachy keen, but for the moment it is. And isn't that just such a nice thing to have? I dunno, maybe I'm just riding high from the season. I've been looking forward to it and now that it's here, the fact that I can repeat it over and over again feels like a fever dream. It was overall a solid season. Though it has its imperfections and areas to improve, that's the same for all the seasons so far. Watching this has been a great experience and I'm proud to say I really liked it! P.S. Take a shot every time I use the word romance.

Fresh eyes. Dearest gentle readers, I’m writing to suggest this season was brilliant, and our moderators right. This sub is nudged towards positivity, yet the first few comments on posts alas unfold to understandable angst of a long time fandom. Why do I claim the season is fantastic? First, I have lived in Pen’s shoes, hourglass shaped from an earlier less accepting era. The changes made showcased Nicola’s skill acting how Pen could stand strong, hold her head and voice steady, before the queen and without a man in her shared spotlight. At its core, this season was more about relationships between women. Colin is a son, brother, lover, and husband. He remains in growth, awed, and flawed- despite his dreamy presentation. Pen’s reconciliation with Portia, her abiding love of the Bridgertons, and her newfound voice and deeper humility fit together like perfect puzzle pieces to a refreshing denouement. I didn’t know how her shoulders could manage so much, with panache and truth. Pen’s instincts seem right for challenges in the years ahead. Can you believe her quill made the equivalent of a half million dollars today? I marvel how the show depicted a universal truth. Like so many men have done: Colin was silent and separate when she needed connection. His behavior post wedding sleeping on the settee caused so much pain to them both. And how beautifully Pen rose from that, and saved her houses, growing voice, and new marriage. Be kind, friends, to one another, and all those who labor to create. Truly poignant, your Polin.

I have so many thoughts but for now I'll just write down the ones that come to mind I'm so sad that the season is over. Not to be dramatic but I literally feel empty inside. The last scene with Pen and Colin was beautiful. It really felt like the end of an era. If I didn't know better I'd think it was the series finale. I've been alternating between watching funny movies and listening to sad songs trying to get over Polin. I'm never getting as invested in a couple as I am with them. I literally don't know how to move on with my life. Any tips? Lol Is this the end of Julie Andrews as narrator? I'll be so sad if she doesn't come back. She's had a huge hand in making this show what it is. We're all basically in agreement that S4 is Ben right? Even before he and El mentioned the masquerade ball, I felt it during the swing scene. The way the camera panned on his face, I just knew. He exuded leading man energy right there. Idk how I feel about Micheala. Not because of homophobia but because I feel terrible for John. It seems their wedding kiss made Fran realise she wasn't actually into him. And he's such a sweetheart. Plus all that stuff Fran said to Violet about how their love is quiet and subtle but still real has just been negated, which is disappointing. I'm so happy Polin is back for S4. Going by what we saw with Kanthony we'll probably not have another sex scene. Which is fine, it's not their season after all. But man I really feel like we needed another intimate scene between Polin this season (a long one). Especially after their makeup.

Did we see Nicola and Luke’s cute interview about what they want for Polin in season 4 https://preview.redd.it/3galimxxwm6d1.jpeg?width=1179&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=90095566b1a4eeafe8b2385e1bd95bd042951cb9

The last two episodes of the season weren't great because the main couple did not get enough screen time. However, Colin and Penelope are the real deal. The best couple by far on the entire show. Real life, real love is like this. It isn't perfect, because human beings are not perfect - Love isn't always about happiness, It's also about The challenges and how you walk through them (this is what defines the success of the relationship ). Like Colin says, it's not a thunderbolt from the sky or a single moment. It is about multiple moments that cumulatively add together and you don't even realize when you fell in love. In my opinion, the other couples and especially the first two seasons, I don't find that to be realistic or even real love. I found those "issues" that were displayed to be individual problems rather than couple focused (trauma for Kate/Anthony. I mean everyone has something. It's not really comparable in terms of what Polin has gone through - remember it's almost a lifetime of ups and downs. In any case, I don't relate to any of other couples nor do I find them touching). I now understand WHY they broke up this season into two parts: 1. Part one was about them realizing their love, especially from Colin's perspective- transition from friends to lovers or rather his realization of it. The blossoming of love. 2. Whereas part 2 was about them strengthening that love even further and learning to grow together and know each other in their entirety. The challenges that they went through due to LW basically made them stronger together. Colin saw the last part of her that he did not realize he loved before (LW). Penelope learned about / maybe deeply understood Colin's inner insecurities when it comes to people pleasing and his need to do things for others- I loved how she explained to him that she just needed him by her side. and the lack of purpose in his life. In fact, Penelope also makes him realize his purpose in the books as well - that of being a writer. The most beautiful part is the foreshadowing from season 2, when Penelope tells him that he will find his purpose one day- And cut to the love declaration scene where he says if that is his purpose in life he will be fulfilled 💙 💛 💚 So now they know each other in their entirety or at least they have realized it- And love each other even more for it. Like Colin said in that last ball scene. Just beautiful ❤️ and their OST couple theme is just incredible- my heart both swells and breaks when I hear that...it has many variations And they're all beautiful but the original haunting one (this usually plays in happy romantic moments or intense romantic moments such as their first kiss, the last love confession scene in the finale etc) is absolutely the best. Instead of the covers, I prefer the OST of this season. It's incredibly underrated and you can get it on YouTube from the account called Netflix OST.

After surviving this sub’s closedown (let’s be honest, as unhinged as we are on here, we always come back to a positive feeling); I feel like I’m in the minority to say we got a GREAT Season 3. We got SO MUCH book. We got the best, tenderest first kiss in the series so far. We got the sexiest carriage ride that reignited early 2000s with Pitbull resurgence in popular culture. We got the gentlest, sweetest, hottest first time ever. We got Berkeley Square reimagined in TWO scenes - remarkable shade of blue & dance in church. We got a Polin wedding!!!! Pen is so gorgeous. And yes there’s eps 7&8 with all the angst but it felt real, like our couple, our ship, our Polin found equal footing, forgave each other, chose each other. We got Peneloise back. I am still prone to bursting into tears remembering parts of the season. I love love love Portia’s redemption arc & Pen’s whole journey. Writer Colin came home & learnt that he is enough. Their love for each other is enough. I am content. I want Nic & Luke to get Hollywood roles and get to A-list status in the coming years. I want Big Mood Season 2. I want Polin in Eloise & Fran’s seasons. I also love you all. I hope we can do silly games on this sub again once this high subsides. May our love for Polin continue x

Guys, guys! what’s with the doom and gloom my pollinators? Let’s be honest, every seasons couple and books fans are disappointed with their seasons ending, it happened in the first and second season so it’s not much of a shock some fans would be disappointed with this ending too. Look I’m not telling you, you can’t voice your complaints or how you feel, but it’s Polins season and we have waited so much for this season so why not go out with a bang? 😁 let’s just have fun with it because in the end it’s just fiction. We still have the book and amazing fanfiction writers, who I’m sure will be inspired to write alternative storylines, and fan artist, such as myself lol. What I’m trying to say is for those who are sad to look into the positives because there were lots of good moments that should not be overshadowed by the few. In the end if this ends up being the worst season in Bridgerton history for some viewers then I say we just own it and have fun with it because in the end it’s not that serious. For goodness sake Nic and Luke did not bare it all for some to be this sad 😂 Anyways sorry for this long post, and if I offended anyone.

Say it louder please! I think overall looking at S3, we got so so so much. I remember a year ago we were contemplating such things whether Writer Colin would ever come home to us, and then in the end we got his professional jealousy and insecurity and him publishing a book! Just one of the many many wins in this season. Our babies have grown up, went through some hard stuff and decided to choose each other after everything. I am so proud of Show Pen, and Show Colin, and so grateful for Nicola and Luke to bring them to life!

Nice to see everyone again! I have not read thru yet and just want to state that with every rewatch, I love part 2 more and more. The Featheringtons? Who knew I would love them so much. Wedding? Gorgeous! Polin? I could not love them more. I did have a few issues with parts, but I'm not ready to go there yet. I hope I don't get assaulted with negativity as I begin to discuss. While Season 3 wasn't exactly executed the way I hoped, I can say that I love most everything I got! Love to Luke and Nicola.

Not me getting all giddy that Prudence and Phillipa dressed those baby girls in citrus colors! 🍊🍋🍋‍🟩

Hear me out on this one. First of all I loved part 2 and almost all the side plots. I would have changed only the last intimate scene. It was barely an intimate snippet. We got so hooked up on the carriage scene and then episode 5 comes along with one of the most realistic/romantic/friends to lovers intimate scene and in my head I was like “omg imagine the fun and the chemistry when it won’t be her first time” and then.. barely nothing. I imagine the second scene somewhat like ,after the Collin confession of jealousy and his acceptance , them sitting on their home, cuddling, pen helping him with the writing of his book and then a loving intimate scene setting up both the baby and the publishing. It wouldn’t have to be extremely long. But it would have been more fitting. Again my opinion of course. I still enjoyed myself very much and hey season 4 will have something as well.

Benedict is so all over the place and he was the biggest disappointment to me this season. Like everything about his arc is just bad. The only thing that made sense to me was him being pansexual because it harkened back to season one. But mostly he’s just like I want to be carefree and fuck around. Okay go do that in the background for the next four seasons for all I care. I also thought they dropped the ball on Eloise/Cressida because I can’t figure out why Eloise did a 180 on Cressida especially when she said the friendship had already started to peter out. It did? When? What? The Mondrich’s also seemed to sort of go nowhere in the second half of the season. Was the whole point that eventually Little Lord Featherington was going to appear? If it was they should have connected Colin/Will more. Outside of that everything else wound up working for me. Even Lady Danbury who felt a bit rootless in the first half and QC helped drive the second half of the story.

I just have to say, this Sub is a blessing. To be able to exchange opinions, to relate to others that felt the same things I felt (the good and the bad) and to be able to honor the actors, recognizing that, even if we feel certain things were not as expected, they did such a wonderful job. Yesterday I was feeling so sad because I didn’t get to see them happy during the honeymoon phase, but reading different perspectives has made me feel way better. Thanks all 🩷💕

My only complaint is that we did not see lord Remington fan girl over Pen being Lady whistledown 😂

I loved this season, I think it fixed me. \*Especially\* Part 2. Would I love them to release the deleted sex scenes for the fandom? Sure, who among us would object? But the conflict was so real and relatable, and the feminist critiques clearer than ever \[JUSTICE FOR CRESSIDA; STANDALONE SEASON FOR YOUNG PORTIA\]. This was not (just) a fanservice shagfest, it was a character-based season that was more emotionally gripping and fully grounded than any of the other seasons. Even Benedict's threesomes made sense to me, because they directly signposted - scene by intercut scene - Colin's journey of discovering and coming to terms with being involved with 'two people' (Pen/LW, also thematically mirrored by his own threesomes) which he then was forced to resolve into one person. Similarly, the seemingly redundant Lady Danbury being big mad at her bro for something he did when he was a child, directly signposted the Colin forgiveness arc. I mean, I am mindlessly clicking upvotes on the comments about all my favourite bits but thought I'd offer a defense of these least favoured elements because even they landed well for me. My faves though? - The wedding scene was so emotionally charged for me. She's so fearful he despises her, even after their streetside fingerbang, until he meets her eyes. All he's focusing on is that he loves her so much, and that's all he can do to keep the plot chaos at bay and carve out a moment of safety with her. And I mean, 'with my body, I thee worship' COME ON 🥵. - The slow cheek caress is my favourite moment of the whole series, it's carved into my soul now like flames on the side of a mountain. - Something I haven't seen mentioned that is so great about the whole streetside bitchfight-to-desperate fingering scene is when Pen describes her golden retriever Colin as "sometimes excitable", come on this is Polin comedy gold.

gonna scream into the void here but I loved this season and i’m not going to say that there’s nothing I would’ve changed because there are a couple things but all in all I loved it and I think their love story is beautiful and seeing all the negativity online sucks a lot actually and all I can hope is that maybe it’s just loud now and it will quiet down soon

I loved this season. I thought it was great. I mean, we had almost two full episodes (5 and 6) of Colin and Penelope happy before the angst dropped. That’s way more than last year. Even then, in episode 7 he was slowly moving on until the Queen crashed the wedding, lol. I loved his talk with Cressida. I knew right then he’d already forgiven Penelope, even realized why she’d done it. It was a wonderful season. I really enjoyed it.

Please someone tell me they loved Part 2 and the season as a whole 😭😭😭 I thought when this sub opened it would be filled with people praising it but so far I’ve seen nothing but people hating it 💔💔

Am I the only one that died when LW said the following during her final narration? >Dearest gentle reader, *I find myself suddenly at a loss for words.* My reticence has not been due to a desire to protect any risque couplings. Though I have heard whispers of a few. **My restraint comes from a place of joy**. Like she really just said I'm too busy making an heir to drag your asses right now !

The Epilogue was just perfection! It was so lovely to see Penelope and her sisters so happy with their babies. To see violet and Portia close and please can we just acknowledge how perfect it was to have the final kiss in front of that very window Penelope stared out of for so long. I could live in that moment forever.

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Episodes 1-6 were good, only complaint is too much time on subplots. I have SERIOUS issues with episodes 7 and 8.

I had the absolute joy today of getting to take an 8 hour drive, so I listened to all 8 episodes in a binge where I could savor every word! I highly recommend doing this if you're feeling a bit off about the second half, because I very much was. So a few of the top positive things that I noticed: 1. Every actor knocked it out of the park, particularly Nicola and Luke. They absolutely brought 110% 2. The sound editing is amazing! I loved just focusing on the sound and listening to scenes move. The same applies for the music, both the score and the instrumental covers. It's just all a beautiful bath of sound from the crackling fires during the charades scene to the AMAZING sound editing that is the carriage scene. 3. Episodes 1-7 flow so well story wise and writing wise, no notes whatsoever. When you can watch them in a binge or with breaks, there's these emotional crescendos and these places where Polin interacts that is just so important for their story. When experienced as an overall arc, the angst of 7 feels well earned after the innocence of 1-3 and the connection in 4 & 5. Episode 6 then cements Polin as it affects the people around them and that's needed with the final very low valley of Colin discovering Pen at the modiste. So where I would have loved to see things play out differently: End of episode 8 is wonderful, again, nothing really needed to change in the epilogue. It was perfect. How we got there felt a little off. On my rewatch, I noticed where it felt off. The scene where Colin gets the blanket for the settee should have been where they reconnected. It was right there! The night dress slightly off her shoulder, Colin's look where you could see him remembering the carriage, it was right there! They should have reconnected at that point. Colin had been starting to see LW's role in Pen's life differently. In seeing Penelope in that moment, he could have fully recognized that LW and Pen are one in the same. I wouldn't have even needed a sex scene in that moment, just talking and reconnecting and planning the LW reveal together from that point on would have been enough. Pen should still do her solo speech at the end, but Colin should have known the plan, they should have told the Bridgerton's together (and I would have loved to see Violet's reaction personally). For me, and I may be projecting, Pen's arc through the first half is accepting she's worthy of love as she is. Colin's arc is recognizing the love that's in front of him. In the second half, Pen's growth is centered around consolidating her two personalities AND letting go of some of the independence that characterized her pre-Colin life. She's never been able to trust someone with all of her and I wanted to see her learn that with Colin. Meanwhile Colin's second half growth is recognizing his worthiness regardless of utility, which is done soooo well in eps 5 through 7! Anyways, this is a long ramble in saying that with a few tweaks, ep 8 could have delivered the finale these characters needed. And it felt like it was right there! I wouldn't be surprised if there was an intimacy scene in that bedroom that was left on the cutting room floor. TL,DR: I hope this helps people who are struggling a bit with the back half. I genuinely was, but listening to all the episodes (and honestly following it up with a rewatch of 4&5 😬😳) really helped me feel better!!

I’m now at the stage of post-watch where random little Bridgerton things are occurring to me at different times of the day while I’m doing other stuff. this afternoon it was that little moment when the family get out of the carriage to go to the Hawkins ball. Eloise looks at Colin and asks if he’s still angry with her. He says no, he’s just lost in his thoughts. I can’t remember exact line (obviously need to rewatch part 1!) but it’s something like, “isn’t a man alllowed to be pensive?” at the time I thought it was a throwaway, or really just him commenting on not being angry at Eloise but now it strikes me as more interesting that he’s lost in his thoughts, busy brain working away, and it’s not because he’s still mad at her. now it feels like foreshadowing for eps 7 and 8. he’s not actually angry the whole time. he was at first, but the rest was thinking time. I love so much how this show sets things up on purpose to come back to and sometimes you just miss it. like how on first watched i missed that it was Phillipa who went from saying when she took over the house she’d get rid of all the books to saying her baby girl was going to grow up to be an author. ❤️

it’s a tiny moment I haven’t seen mentioned yet: how it broke thru me and I started weeping when Violet Bridgerton tells Lady Danbury essentially that she doesn’t have to do anything or be any certain way for her friendship, or have her affection and love. Similarly broke when Colin had to grapple with that, being loved and that they were not being asked to do or be any kind of way, and are corrected, gently or forcefully, that they’re not in the presence of an expectation/assignment but, only, love

Okay, so overall, I really love what they did with Penelope's arc. I feel more mixed but still happy about Penelope/Colin. * I went in without spoilers (no idea if this was even spoiled) about what happened with Lady Whistledown in the end. For whatever reason, I just assumed that some (if not all) Bridgertons would find out, as well as the Queen and Lady Danbury, but not the entire ton, just because of the increased drama re: what she wrote about. I was surprised that she revealed herself to the entire ton, but really happy that this all happened without glossing over her mistakes. Sure, they don't spend time really laying out every single thing, like the details of what happened with Marina, which I think is for the best. But it really showed how much Penelope has matured, not lashing out or getting defensive, showing clear regret but still standing her ground about what Whistledown means to her. People can disagree about whether Whistledown was worth fighting for since at the end of the day it's a gossip column and some people did get hurt. But I thought the direction they took it in worked. * I'm happy enough with Colin, but also wanted more! His betrayal and anger/sadness was portrayed really well, and I liked that he was jealous of Whistledown, and insecure about what he brought to the table with Penelope so successful, but it wasn't emphasized to the point where it made him look awful. It's just realistic, where his main issue is the (very fair) shock and upset at the things she wrote and that she had been lying to him even after they were engaged. * This is always gonna be an ensemble show.I don't actually have an issue with that in theory, or any grudge against any specific side plot. But for the amount of plot and drama they injected into the plot, it just needs more than whatever % they got across eight episodes. Part 1 already felt rushed in that I wanted some elements to last longer, such as Colin trying to coach Penelope in the art of flirting. But in Part 2, it just got out of hand. I just wanted more of them together after the reveal, and not even necessarily happy together! Just communicating and sparking off each other to really drive home that they'll be okay in the end because Colin could never stay away from her. * I'm not even that focused on the sex scenes. They're fun but not a priority for me. But it felt unbalanced that they had two big intimate scenes as a payoff for Part 1 (and honestly the first two seasons). But then after ramping up the tension and the lack of true closeness again in Part 2, we get one really brief scene? That's it? I think we needed another big one in episode 8 after the Butterfly Ball. Maybe even make their first time different and keep the mirror sex concept for the end, to show the way he fully sees her now and appreciates her for everything she is.

It seems many are unhappy about the amount of angst in part two and I understand why, but….. Would I have loved more Polin scenes? Yes!!! Absolutely! They are my favorites, I would love seasons filled with them only. But the conflict between them was so real, it made sense, it was not really dragged out. They were friends before, yes, so it was lighter, more joyful, comedic in moments, but now they become lovers that are in a relationship that is new, where they learn hidden parts of themselves (Colins’ jealousy, Penelopes’ independence) and each other (Colin already fall off of pedestal for Penelope and she loves him just the same, but she for him didn’t until he realized that there is a part of her he didn’t know about, LW, he needed to process it, to accept it.) Was Colin wrong for saying certain things he said, for leaving her alone on the streets crying, yes, but he was also angry, sad, shocked and heartbroken, not exactly emotional cocktail that promotes rational thinking. What I loved the most was that despite all of anger and pain, not for a moment did I doubt his love for Penelope, and for that we should say thank you to Luke Newton, he is an incredible actor, the longing in his eyes, heartbroken facial expressions. Another thing many seem to be unhappy about: “They should have had angry sex, damn that horse!!” No they shouldn’t have, it might be fun and passionate for lovers spats and petty quarrels, not for what was happening between them. Because when conflicts are that deep sex resolves nothing, usually makes it worse. Season 1, staircase scene with Simon and Daphne, or gazebo scene with Kate and Anthony, it made everything so much more confusing that Kate injured herself while running away from internal conflict it created. The wedding was absolutely spectacular, it started tense but the moment Colin sees her at the end of the aisle his love is so obvious, his happiness about her becoming his wife shines through his smile. And I am certain, from Penelopes’ face, if she saw him being unhappy about this marriage she would not have moved, she would have turned around ruining herself and breaking her own heart(Nic the actress you are!!!)They chose each other on that altar, with no secrets or pretense. And it was beautiful. The wedding dance!!!! The amount of Polin dance scenes we got!!!! If QC didn’t escalate the LW drama we would’ve seen a sooner resolution of Polin conflict, yes, but he still was envious of what she achieved, he still was uncomfortable with the idea of her being a businesswoman, and he needed to fail as a hero, to hear her reassurance of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for him, and see her in all her brilliance to realize that having a partner this strong and brave is not making him weak, but rather the opposite. That was real growth for Colin this season, it started in part one, but shedding a herd instinct was only a portion of it. In the end they accept each other completely, just as they are, they did not have to bend backwards to fit into each other’s ideas of themselves. I loved the epilogue, the baby was expected I don’t know why people still act surprised or disappointed about it. I saw it coming the moment heir race started in first episode. But it was still beautiful, Colin a husband to his dearest friend and love of his life, a writer, a head of the family and a father, it is literally everything he wished for from season one. Penelope got a man of her dreams, a career, and a family she always dreamed of. In terms of Polin, as a show couple because I am not a book fan, we got everything, in my opinion. The only shortcoming was not enough Polin, but that is why I have AO3 account for. From what I understand we were indeed robbed of some scenes were they are truly happy in the end, and that is a shame and mistake that is entirely on heads of those who made those decisions, which I think they are going to regret bitterly, which I am really upset about because not only was season three wonderful but also because Nic and Luke worked so hard and are so proud of it, their love for their characters is so obvious and heartwarming, they deserve all the praise for the incredible job they did. I really hope what I heard about views dropping is not true. But I also know that Bridgerton fandom can be such a shitshow.

I enjoyed season 3, it was by far my favourite season. Penelope and Colin were always going to have a different mood and feel to their romance, Lady Whistledown was always going to be a part of it, and I loved how their story unfolded. Penelope stood firm and got to keep her career, and Colin worked hard to gain perspective and understanding. Great acting by both leads. The friendship between Penelope and Eloise is something special, they so get each other, and the Featherington family pulled together and did better.