S3 Drastically Redefined Three Bridgerton Characters, Confusing Fans
If you have a feeling that someone in Bridgerton Season 3 is acting out of character, you are not wrong.
Sometimes we feel something but can't quite put it into words or explain where it's coming from. That's exactly what happened to many Bridgerton fans after watching Season 3. While the love story of Colin and Penelope Bridgerton was exhilarating for the most part, many seasoned viewers felt that something was missing.
Prior to the new chapter, the Netflix romantic hit underwent a showrunner change (Jess Brownell stepped into Chris Van Dusen's shoes). Probably because of this, the creative choices for Season 3 differed from the first two entries. The transformation in costumes, makeup, lighting, cinematography, and even the level of historical plausibility didn't go unnoticed by viewers.
On top of that, many were confused by the shift in writing, which surprisingly redefined already established characters. If you have the nagging feeling that someone acted out of character in Season 3, you are not alone. Here are three major characters that fans didn't recognize in the new episodes.
Queen Charlotte
After the success of last year's Bridgerton prequel, which focused on the queen's backstory, Charlotte became an even bigger fan favorite. So the creators couldn't help but give her a major role in Season 3. The problem is that this post-spinoff version of the queen feels extremely different from the one we had before.
She's now casual with Lady Danbury and Violet Bridgerton, confides in her valet Brimsley, and all in all is a pretty laid-back gal, nowhere near the formidable ruler of Seasons 1 and 2.
Cressida Cowper
Another huge transformation happened with the main antagonist of the new story, Cressida Cowper. Earlier in the series (as well as in the source book) Cressida was portrayed as an entitled brat who bullied the weak (usually Penelope Featherington) just because she could, but in Season 3 she was given a strong redemption arc and relatable motivation.
Cressida's terrible family situation caused her to act the way she did, taking on the persona of Lady Whistledown and then blackmailing Pen. This could be a positive change if the girl at least got some kind of happy ending in the finale. Unfortunately, she was thrown into an even worse dump than before.
Anthony Bridgerton
The transformation that frustrated many fans of the Season 2 couple, Anthony and Kate Bridgerton, was related to the eldest Bridgerton brother. Yes, marriage can change people, and Anthony is delightful in his wedded bliss. But for the sake of the main storyline, the writers made him act completely out of character.
Even though Anthony is still the head of the household, he and Kate abandoned the family during a social season, and in the end decided to basically move to India, missing Francesca's wedding. And they made this long and arduous trip in the middle of Kate's pregnancy, which Anthony should be guarding like a hawk given his past trauma.
Frankly, it looks like the writers don't know what to do with the Viscount and the Viscountess. We are afraid that they might drop them completely in Season 4.