"These Past Few Weeks": Breaking Down Timeline Of Colin Bridgerton's Descent Into Madness

It is safe to say that the fourth episode of Bridgerton Season 3 has created the most buzz on social media. All thanks to the carriage scene, which will forever go down in Bridgerverse and TV romance history as the most emotional and hot moment between the romantic leads.

The steaminess of the scene is off the charts, but there's also a confessional speech from Colin Bridgerton. The speech that every Bridgerton fan knows by heart by now. The way Luke Newton delivered it was a chef's kiss. However, there was one tiny moment that confused many viewers.

'These past few weeks have been full of confounding feelings,' says the third Bridgerton at one point. And it is this line that raises many questions.

Earlier in the same episode, Lord Debling ends his courtship with Penelope Featherington by telling her, 'all week I've watched you search for someone,' but Colin specifically says 'weeks.' So which one is it? Exactly how long did Colin's torture last?

Let's try to do some research and break down the exact timeline of our romantic boy's downward spiral into love.

E2 How Bright the Moon

The Starting Point: The Kiss

Even though Penelope have been slowly finding her way into Colin's thoughts since the first minute of the new season, it is the first kiss that makes the third Bridgerton realize his confounding feelings for his friend. So this beautiful moment is the starting point of our timeline.

E3 Forces of Nature

The Torture Count: 9-12 Days

Penelope hid in her room after her scandal and kiss with Colin. Based on Portia Featherington's comment ('a week sequestered in your room'), we can assume that about seven days have passed before our lead dares to return to society.

It is probably the same day that Pen meets Eloise and Colin and attends the ball, where she clicks with Debling. The Hawkins Balloon event follows shortly thereafter, no more than three days after Penelope and Debling first meet. And the Hawkins Innovations Ball probably happens the same or next day as the balloon incident.

So, in summary, there is a week between Episodes 2 and 3, with the third one consisting of 2-5 days. And all this time poor Colin is having dreams about Penelope and trying to come to terms with his feelings. As for Lord Debling, his courtship only begins at the Innovations Ball, with Cressida Cowper out of the picture.

E4 Old Friends

The Torture Count: 3-5 Days

Episode 4 begins the morning after the Innovations Ball, and the library scene takes place on the same day, based on the characters' outfits. That same night, Colin ends up in a brothel but can't go through with it. The next day, he drinks with his toxic lord squad and realizes how lonely he feels among them.

There are no markers to tell exactly how much time passes after that. The Queen's ball (and carriage scene) could be the next day, or (more likely) a few days later. This would give Colin some time to try to drink away his feelings, Lord Debling - to ask for permission to propose, and Portia - to gossip about it.

All in all, Episode 4 consists of 3-5 days, which makes the count between the first kiss and the carriage confession a minimum of 12 days, and a maximum of 17 (or possibly even more) days if we stretch it out. At the same time, Lord Debling's courting timeline can't be more than six days, which completely confirms both men's comments at the end of Part 1.

Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 premieres on Netflix June 13 at midnight PT.