Colin and Penelope Got Just the Right Screen Time in Bridgerton Season 3, Despite What Fans Say

Summary

• Last year it was announced that Bridgerton Season 3 would be split into two parts, and now Part 1 has finally been released.
• According to some, four episodes were not enough to develop Polin's ark.
• However, their relationship started to develop back in Season 1, and we still have four more episodes to go.

With the release of Bridgerton Season 3, we were once again immersed in the amazing world of London high society, following the festive balls, behind-the-scenes intrigues and gossips, and of course the passionate courtship that finally unfolded between Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington.

But unfortunately, along with the fan fervor, there has also been a lot of resentment towards Netflix's seemingly unfair decision. After two years of waiting, the streaming service has only added four new episodes, with the rest of the new season to be released next month.

All this could not but affect the dynamics between Colin and Pen, something that fans are actively lamenting on social networks. But was the main storyline of the season so underrepresented in Part 1, or did Polin still get the perfect amount of screen time?

Why Was Bridgerton Season 3 Split into Two Parts?

Before we discuss whether Colin and Penelope were shown enough, let's examine why Netflix split the new season of Bridgerton into two parts in the first place.

It's worth noting that this isn't the first time Netflix has used the two-cour model. Previously, Stranger Things Season 4, Firefly Lane Season 2, The Crown Season 6, Virgin River Season 5, and The Witcher Season 3 were split into two halves. In other words, it was all about the streaming service's flagship projects, of which Bridgerton is one.

While no official explanation has been given in the case of the latter, the motives could be simple. To increase ratings, maintain engagement over a prolonged period of time, and keep users re-subscribing to the Netflix service, among other things.

Some Think It's a Disservice to Collin and Penelope

But back to our favorite characters. Currently, there is genuine resentment in the fan community over the decision to split the already short eight-episode season.

The reason for the dissatisfaction is that a large portion of the screen time in the first four episodes is devoted to subplots, while Polin's relationships, though developing rapidly, are not seen as often in the four hours of screen time. Lady Danbury, her mysterious brother, the boxer storyline — sometimes we wondered when Colin and Pen would finally be shown.

However, given the nature of the relationship between the season's protagonists and the history of their development since Season 1, some feel that they had more than enough screen time.

But Is That Really the Case?

At the same time, the arcs of Daphne and Simon, as well as Anthony and Kate, developed solely according to their seasons. Both Julia Quinn and the writers who adapted the novels had to introduce the audience to the characters, their backgrounds, their love stories, and ultimately the development of their relationships.

In contrast, the dynamic between Colin and Penelope has been established since the first season and shown to be a smooth but certain progression toward eventual love and marriage. We know that they're childhood friends who understand each other perfectly (even if they don't realize it at first) and therefore don't need to 'get to know each other better,' and the storyline with Lady Whistledown has been developing since Season 1.

So it's not that Polin is misrepresented, but rather that the writers finally had a chance to develop other storylines, because Bridgerton is still a coherent story of one family and their environment. Besides, we should not forget that there are 4 more episodes to come, which will be released on June 13!