“Bridgerton” season three might be based on “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” but the Netflix series took some major liberties with the source material.
Season three follows the general book plot by adapting the friends-to-lovers romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). But the rest of the story is filled with changes, including the love triangle in season three, part one.
This is not uncommon for “Bridgerton,” which has been a roaring success since its first season and is one of Netflix’s most-watched series ever. Here are the best changes “Bridgerton” season three made from the books.
Best: Cressida and Eloise’s friendship
eloise standing next to cressida cowper in bridgerton, among a crowd in a ballroom. eloise is wearing a blue gown and smiling, while cressida looks forward, wearing an ornate gold gown
In “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” Cressida Cowper is a one-note bully of London’s high society, and she never becomes friends with Eloise Bridgerton, Colin’s younger sister. However, in the series, the writers evolve Cressida (Jessica Madsen) as a character through her friendship with Eloise (Claudia Jessie). We learn that Cressida bullies others due to her insecurity of not having any friends or suitors.
We also learn that Cressida is in a tough position because her parents insist on her finding a suitor. She needs a husband to escape her family.
Cressida develops from the one-note bully to a fully realized woman trying to survive in the Ton.
The friendship also develops Eloise. Since season one, she has been a self-obsessed, slightly insensitive, reckless young lady. She doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice until her friendship with Cressida, and the audience can see her maturing this season.
Best: The addition of Lord Debling
In “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” most of the tension in Penelope and Colin’s relationship comes from his realization that she’s Lady Whistledown.
But the timelines are a bit different in season three of the show. To up the urgency, “Bridgerton” instead creates a romantic rival: Lord Debling. Like Penelope, Lord Debling is looking for a match — but he seeks a practical, rather than romantic, one given that he plans on traveling for years at a time. For Penelope — a.k.a. the Ton’s most prolific gossip columnist — that’s pretty ideal, even if she’d prefer love.
It’s nice to see someone genuinely interested in Penelope (other than Colin, after he gets his act in gear), and Sam Phillips’ Lord Debling is a great mix of polished, detached, and a little bit odd. Seeing Colin jealous is pretty delightful, too.
Best: Francesca Bridgerton makes her debut this season
Francesca Bridgerton is the not-so-secret second lead of “Bridgerton” season three. Hannah Dodd takes over the role from Ruby Stokes, who departed after the show’s second season, and handles Francesca’s debut with aplomb.
Francesca’s storyline this season is different from what we’ve seen from the other “Bridgerton” couples, due in part to the fact that her true love story in the books is still yet to come. Contrary to her mother’s aspirations, Francesca isn’t set on a love match — she mostly wants a kind husband and a good life. Still, she finds a kindred spirit in Lord Kilmartin, a man who prefers to bond in silence and rearranges music for her at the drop of a hat.
This part of Francesca’s story takes place on a different timeline in the books vis-à-vis Penelope and Colin’s. But it’s great to see her develop a relationship and get more space as a character prior to her eventual time as a romantic lead.
Best: Gender-swapping Michaela Stirling
In season three, part two, “Bridgerton” revealed that it had changed the gender of Francesca’s eventual love interest: Michael was now Michaela, her husband John’s cousin.
In “When He Was Wicked,” Francesca’s book in the series, she eventually falls in love with John’s cousin Michael after John’s death two years into their marriage. But in the season three finale, John introduced Francesca to Michaela — and Francesca was visibly smitten.
Changing Michael’s gender, and therefore key elements of his and Francesca’s story, has proven to be divisive for book fans, though Quinn publicly stands behind it. But Francesca’s story does easily lend itself to a queer interpretation, and it’s huge for “Bridgerton” to set up a queer relationship for one of the siblings.
Best: The balloon incident
Every “Bridgerton” man needs a good opportunity to showboat, and this is Colin’s.
Before a hot-air balloon launch, an unmoored rope and an unusually windy day cause the balloon to drift off. Colin, his forearms exposed, grabs one of the ropes and rallies a group of men to heave the balloon and its basket back onto the platform.
This scene has everything: a brute display of strength, Penelope almost getting caught in the balloon’s path because she was busy staring at Colin, and Lord Debling chivalrously protecting her from harm. Colin receives plenty of adoration from the audience, but he only has eyes for Penelope. If only he understood that he was in love with her!
This incident doesn’t happen in “Romancing Mister Bridgerton,” but it’s the perfect dose of jealousy-tinged frivolity that we need in “Bridgerton.”
Best: Violet Bridgerton’s romance
The first two seasons and “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Series” have been mainly focused on young people falling in love. The same situation occurs in the “Bridgerton” books. But in season three, we finally get a hint at an older love story with the burgeoning flirtation between Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell) and Lord Marcus Anderson (Daniel Francis).
It is really great to see one of the show’s best older characters get a romance. Violet and Lord Marcus have both been widowed, so it would be a great opportunity for the series to develop a “second love” relationship.
“Bridgerton” hasn’t gone full out on this relationship just yet — but there’s a lot of potential going forward.
Best: Making Benedict queer
This may not have been Benedict’s season, but the writers’ room didn’t leave him hanging. The show has periodically teased that Benedict may not be straight, and this season, it finally pulled through by sending him tumbling into the sheets with Lady Tilley Arnold and her friend Paul. Benedict’s queer! All rejoice! Benedict is now firmly in his fling era, which is a bit at odds with the fact that it seems like his romance is due next season. But whatever — it’s fun enough that “Bridgerton” finally opened up this side of his character.
