A Loyal Beginning Before a Bold Detour
The decision for Bridgerton not to follow the exact order of Julia Quinn‘s beloved book series certainly hasn’t been favored by all. When the historical drama first premiered on Netflix in 2020, it quickly became a cultural sensation, immersing viewers in the lavish world of the wealthy Bridgerton family as they searched for love in 19th-century London. At first, the show seemed committed to honoring the chronology of the novels. Season 1 introduced Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page), the romantic leads of Quinn’s first book The Duke and I.
Season 2 continued the trend, drawing inspiration from the second novel The Viscount Who Loved Me, which centered around Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey) and his slow-burn romance with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley). So far, so faithful. Naturally, readers and longtime fans expected that Season 3 would turn the page to the next chapter—An Offer from a Gentleman, which tells the story of Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) and his romance with the mysterious Sophie.
Colin and Penelope Take the Lead Instead
However, the creative team behind Bridgerton had other plans. In May 2022, Netflix made a surprising announcement: Season 3 would shift focus to Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), adapting the fourth book in the series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton. This deviation from the expected sequence sparked immediate debate among fans.
Showrunner Jess Brownell, who succeeded original creator Chris Van Dusen, quickly stepped in to defend the creative decision. She explained that Colin and Penelope had already developed a rich emotional foundation across the first two seasons, and it felt like the right time to bring their story forward. “I really feel like it’s Colin and Penelope’s time,” Brownell told Variety that same month. “Because we’ve been watching both of these actors on our screens since season 1, we’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people.”
Brownell elaborated further, saying that the moments of tension between Colin and Penelope in the previous season hinted at deeper feelings just waiting to surface. “Colin walks up to the line of almost realizing that Penelope has feelings for him but doesn’t quite get there. Instead of treading water on that dynamic, we wanted to push it into their season. It really felt like the perfect moment to tee it up.”
Fans Worry: Will Benedict Be Delayed Again?
Still, not all Bridgerton viewers were thrilled with the storytelling shake-up. Long before Season 3 premiered on Netflix in 2024, fans speculated about whether Benedict would be pushed back even further—especially since Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) was also gaining more screen time and a budding romance arc of her own.
Then came another twist: at the end of Season 3, viewers were introduced to Francesca Bridgerton’s (Hannah Dodd) future love interest, Michael. But in a move that surprised many, the character had been gender-swapped into Michaela (Masali Baduza), signaling a same-sex love story for Francesca in future seasons.
The Creative Vision Behind the Changes
Executive producer Shonda Rhimes addressed the backlash early on. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight in March 2022, she confirmed that the show would not strictly follow the book order. “There’s eight Bridgerton siblings, so we’re planning on following each one of the siblings’ romantic stories,” she said. “We’re not necessarily going in order but we are going to be seeing each of the siblings and their stories.”
Only two months later, Netflix doubled down on this approach by formally naming Colin and Penelope as Season 3’s lead couple—effectively bumping Benedict’s story to a later season.
In her interview with Variety, Brownell further explained the structure. “Well, we already differ from the books a little bit because we’re an ensemble show,” she said. “The books really focus on one romantic pair at a time and maybe the siblings have a little cameo here and there but they don’t have full stories.”
That ensemble nature gave the creative team more room to explore different emotional arcs at once. Still, Brownell made sure to reassure fans that Benedict would remain a “vital part” of Season 3, even if it wasn’t his main event yet.
Nicola Coughlan Responds to the Backlash
Some of the fan frustration found its way to the cast—especially Nicola Coughlan, who plays Penelope Featherington. When a fan publicly suggested that Eloise, not Penelope, should have been the lead for Season 3, Coughlan responded with candor and a touch of humor.
“Loads of people get mad at me for things Penelope did,” she posted via Instagram Story in October 2022, “but I really didn’t do them because it’s a script and I see the words and do acting. Please be nice to me.”
She made it clear she has no control over behind-the-scenes decisions: “I will never have any say over storylines, what order stories are going in, what’s on posters, who’s on posters, who’s doing what press. That’s, like, way beyond my skill set.”
And in classic Coughlan style, she concluded with a self-deprecating joke about her appearance in Season 3: “I was meant to look like a sad poodle, so I looked like a sad poodle.”
Letting Benedict Have His Moment (Eventually)
Behind the scenes, the writers remained firm in their conviction that Bridgerton is best when it takes its time. In a December 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Brownell reiterated that pushing Penelope and Colin’s romance forward now was the most natural choice, while still leaving room for Benedict’s story to develop organically.
“[We have] really [been] getting to know Pen and Colin. We’ve been watching Pen’s crush and seeing how oblivious Colin is to it. That’s a dynamic that you can only play out for so long before something has to change,” Brownell explained. “This really felt like the right time to lean into what’s been set up with them.”
As for Benedict? The writers haven’t forgotten about him. Quite the opposite. “He’s such a fun character and such a fan favorite that we are really excited to play with him for a little bit more and let him have more fun before he settles down,” she added.
Final Word: Bridgerton Is Playing the Long Game
In the ever-expanding world of Bridgerton, detours from the source material are no longer exceptions—they’re part of the journey. While the shifts in story order and bold character changes might unsettle some book loyalists, the show’s creative team insists these choices are in service of deeper, more emotionally satisfying storytelling.
With Benedict’s arc still on the horizon, Francesca and Michaela’s relationship yet to bloom, and other siblings like Eloise, Gregory, and Hyacinth waiting in the wings, Bridgerton remains full of surprises.
And if there’s one thing fans can count on, it’s that love—no matter how long it takes—will eventually find its way to the ballroom.
