Bridgerton Fans Conflicted: Who Is Set To Be The Real Lead Of Season 3?

Summary

• Bridgerton Season 3 is set to land on Netflix in less than two months.
• Fans can't wait for the new story to arrive, but they have some concerns about its leads.
• Judging by the way different storylines have developed before, it looks like the perspective of the story might change from the one in the original book.

Bridgerton Season 3, which arrives on Netflix in two parts on May 16 and June 13, is sure to be different from its predecessors. For starters, we've never had a friends-to-lovers story before. The two leads, Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington, are already established characters, which gives the creators more screen time to focus on their love story and necessary subplots.

However, this also presents a challenge for the writers. While in the first two seasons there was no doubt who the protagonist was, this time the show risks deviating from its title and focusing on a Bridgerton's spouse instead of a Bridgerton.

Fans’ Concerns

Dedicated Bridgerton fans who have read and reread Julia Quinn's original novel are nervous that the showmakers will be telling the story of Romancing Mister Bridgerton from Penelope's perspective, even though it's in its core Colin's.

‘I’m worried that the story will be told from Pen’s POV [...] and that we’ll lose focus on this actually being Colin’s love story,’ a fan wrote on Reddit. ‘I hope Colin’s arc isn’t sidelined to Pen’s backstory and that we see an equal and more balanced storytelling.’

This opinion is indeed justified. Since Season 1, Penelope has been built up as the main character, while Colin hasn't had much development outside of his family and the Featheringtons' shenanigans.

Season 3 Plots & Subplots

From the beginning, the identity of the elusive gossip writer Lady Whistledown was the show's main mystery, and the reveal in the Season 1 finale made Pen the most intriguing and nuanced characters.

There's no doubt that the main conflict of the upcoming chapter will revolve around the Lady Whistledown arc and her unmasking in front of the ton. Season 3 also has a few other Pen-related subplots to deal with. Her conflict with Eloise and her relationship with the overbearing mother, the Featheringtons falling out over Cousin Jack's mining scheme, Prudence and Philippa's marriages.

Add to that Kate and Anthony's post-marital bliss, Francesca's debut in society and possible wedding, the potential kick-off of Benedict or Eloise's love story (depending on who is leading Season 4), and it feels like Colin is being pushed aside.

In the books, Colin was presented as a passionate traveler and writer, a romantic who slowly fell in love with his best friend. That gave him depth and turned into the true protagonist of the story. Will the show have time to do the same and establish Colin as the main character and not Penelope's sidekick?

I guess we have to trust Shondaland, right?

Source: Reddit.