4 Reasons Why ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 Was The Most Relatable Season
Leave it to Shonda Rhimes and the Bridgerton team to leave us on the edge of our seats wanting more from a season. Bridgerton Season Three Part One was released on May 16 and in this season we get to see the love story between Lady Whistledown (Penelope Featherington) and Colin Bridgerton.
Season Three might be one of the most relatable storylines to come out of Bridgerton in comparison to the other arranged marriages we’ve seen. Season Two ended reasonably with the enemies to lovers storyline between Anthony and Kate, but Penelope and Colin hit quite different. Part One of Season Three re emphasizes that Penelope is a woman who prioritized her freedom and will stop at nothing to pursue her passion, which can be described as a modern day tabloid/newspaper. She’s seen as a spinster and never really put herself out there. The show infers that Penelope wanted love and threw herself into work to bury those feelings for her male best friend that she was lowkey in love with. To top it all off, she was seen as plus size which was not the beauty standard for that era. I think the modern woman can definitely relate with one or two things here, if not all.
The Part Two of Season Three began with unveiling the identity of Lady Whistledown and marking the start of new love stories. This season’s storyline took things a step further by touching on themes such as feminism and independence. Here are some key relatable moments that every woman can identify with.
Penelope’s struggle to have it all
Most times, women are told they can’t have it all. It’s either you’re submissive to your partner or the most successful single woman. A hard working woman can be intimidating to society and we saw how it caused a rift between Colin and Penelope. Colin at some point wanted to be the sole provider but at the end we saw them both thriving as authors. Colin learned to embrace who his wife was and that’s one of the best things to come out of a relationship. Being able to be yourself fully in a safe space is something we can all hope for.
2. Penelope’s new relationship with her mom
Mother daughter relationships can be complex. Some people grow up loving their moms and have a best friend relationship while some have to put in the work to get to that point. From Season One, it didn’t seem like Penelope was understood by her mom. She seemed neglected and chosen to be the spinster of the home. When her identity as Lady Whistledown was threatened, we saw her mom step up to protect her child. The situation made them closer. They finally understood each other and found out they had more things in common than they thought. As we get older, we start to understand our moms a bit better and see them in a different light. They are equally trying to do what’s best with what they know.
3. Cressida’s struggle for freedom
Cressida Cowper was in a difficult situation where she had to get married to keep her family financially stable. Instead of being stuck with a man she didn’t want, she impersonated Lady Whistledown to give herself status and control of her life. Colin tried to mansplain her position to her to stop her from blackmailing Penelope and I’m sure every woman watching got irritated. She was wrong for what she did but desperate times call for desperate measures. Her freedom was more important to her than being stuck with a man for life. If you come from a more traditional home, especially one that’s not so progressive, the pressure to marry as a woman starts early. Women are conditioned to long for marriage before even knowing themselves and what they want for themselves. It is a privilege to be independent as a woman and have a family that supports your dreams.
4. Penelope’s awkwardness/anxiety when it comes to dating
Penelope has always seen herself as a spinster that’s not fit for marriage. Colin had to help her build her rizz to get suitors in this season. This is part of the reason why she drowned herself in her work and loved the voice and control it gave her. When it comes to love, you can’t necessarily control who wants you and how it will work out. Dating can be nerve wracking. It comes with rejection, humiliation, pain but also joy and happiness. If we seek to control it, we will never get the best results. It was fulfilling seeing Penelope’s views change and find a person that loves her the way she is.