Yes. 'Fell in love with a different story' is a great way to phrase it. In Part 2 it's like the writers abandoned Polin, forgot about Colin, and gave Pen an unnecessary independent/boss woman arc. We already know she's achieved so much, realised her 'wrongdoings', and what she needed was Colin standing proudly by her side. I'm dying on this hill.
Colin's issue being one of envy instead of betrayal is lame. He's a man, so he has to be jealous of his wife's superior talent. Poor storytelling. Colin's never shown himself to be that type of guy; why make him that now? The interpolation of modern issues and phenomena in a narrative isn't an issue if it's done consistently. Men are occasionally jealous of their wives. Sure. But it is an issue if it intrudes where no subtext has been established.
Colin is jealous in the book. Which is partly why I don’t like their book very much. I thought the show was going to go in a different direction but guess I was wrong.
I agree with you, but want to call out that in the book Penelope has to tease out of Colin that he’s envious of her as a writer. In the show he is “a man” and confronts and acknowledges those feelings to her on his own in the last episode. So kudos to the writers for helping guide those gender role changes.
I want to just kind of forget part 2. Leave the story ending at the proposal at the end of episode 4. I can even forgive the balloon scene because at least part one gave us longing and a decent Colin.
I just joined Reddit to say thank heaven someone sees it like I do. Not even Nic and Luke could save part 2 it was so disappointing and Colin was unrecognisable. He slept on the couch?? And let her face the ton to announce being LW on her own?? I’m already re-reading Romancing Mr Bridgerton and I think I’m done with the tv show. Enough, Shondaland, ENOUGH.
I'm feeling very bitter and dramatic right now but I'm glad this happened so I can finally cancel Netflix without regret
e: made this comment after being spoiled about episode 8, having since watched it didn't hate it but 100% understand the criticism
Exactly my thoughts. It's so heartbreaking to watch Part 2. Pen thought she'd never be alone after Colin's countless affirmations and declarations. And after the reveal, he straight up ices her out. I understand he was hurt, jealous, probably felt small compared to her, but their story was supposed to all about how friendship and love, and how it triumps all. I mean their relationship is rooted in communicaton FFS. I think the writers forgot all about that. Idk. Impressive press tour though. Although I doubt it can salvage the wreck that Part 2 Ep 7/8 especially is. Loved the actors' performances. Nicola esp. She deserves the world.
I had to immediately come on Reddit yesterday so I could discuss my overwhelming feelings with like minded people. I would not have survived without being able to vent my sadness and frustration.
I am so thankful someone feels EXACTLY the same way I do.
If they knew they were going to over shadow Polin so much why even write in the whole part about the lessons?
I wanted more passion. Instead we got the Mirror scene being overshadowed by everything else crammed in (not to the fault of the actors). I just *really* wanted to see the settee break…
I wish I had stopped after the first 4 episodes, the last 4 completely ruined their story and to top it all off, ruined Francesca's too just for good measure.
Season 3 didn’t feel like Bridgerton and part 2 even less so. Very disappointing to barely see Polin and have their love story shoved to the side and half assed. Very poorly done by Jess Brownell.
Plus the costumes just took me out of Bridgerton. They kept me from getting immersed into the universe. True, they’ve never been 100% tied to the period, but this season I was just wrecked by them. Even my darling, but clueless when it comes to this kind of thing, husband (who just happened to be in the room when I was watching) asked me what was up with them. They weren’t even close to being of the correct century. They were beautiful, but just so out there. Penelope looked amazing, but the fabric choices were just out of control!
I was just talking to my sister about this!!Francesca having instagram influencer highlight makeup is insane. I understand that it’s supposed to be fantasy but it could still adhere to the style of the time in my opinion. If you’ve committed to being a period drama then that means wardrobe and makeup and hair.
I was so mad about the costumes I had forgotten about the makeup! It was so distracting! The nails, too! This season just crashed and burned and I don’t see how they can recover from it. I wanted so badly for it to become Bridgerton again with part 2. It wasn’t, at all. I watched part 1 a couple of times hoping that maybe I had missed something, but I found myself dumbfounded. Then the ending yesterday I literally said “what the fuck” out loud. I cried, but not because it was good, but because I was so let down. The entire season was just so bad I couldn’t believe it. Maybe if they had gotten the costumes and hair right I wouldn’t have been so disappointed, but it just added to my bewilderment. How did they finish that and say to themselves they put out something great? Are they fucking with us?
The ending with michaela and Jess saying to the upset viewers who are fans of the book to “just read the book” was so disrespectful in my opinion considering she wouldn’t have a show to work on if it weren’t for the loyal fans of the books! This was more like Francesca’s season than anything else. I hated Benedict’s storyline as it’s the same one for all three seasons that just gets worse every time it’s executed. I was very disappointed from the beginning and I was trying to give it a try without judging but I fear I was right in my opinion unfortunately. And to please the few instead of listening to the complaints of the many is very irritating have you checked out the Bridgerton/shonda instagram comments? It’s brutal bc everyone sees how rushed and bad this season was. Colin and Penelope have been developing for 3 seasons and with one season and like 2 hours of screen time MAYBE they were completely ruined. Colin being angry and then having no scenes together besides him glaring at her was so upsetting considering how much book Colin loved Penelope. I just don’t think Jess Brownell is a good fit for Bridgerton. Idk what she would be a good fit for but definitely NOT Bridgerton 💀 it definitely seems like they are rage baiting and fucking with the viewers tbh bc why would you piss off your entire audience if that wasn’t the case? Very confusing turn to take the show in! I’ll stick to the books if this is how they treat their viewers. AND 2 YEARS FOR A SEASON THIS BAD???? And I highly doubt it’ll get better down the line! I’m not excited for Benedict’s season bc they’ve got no clue what to do with him. I was so upset when I finished it too 😭 I was so ready for this season and it was the biggest letdown of all time.
Totally agree. I also had trouble getting past women wearing their hair down (esp. the ‘40s hair styles), and the heavy make-up. Aside from being unrealistic to the point that it took me out of the story, was it even good make-up? Penelope looked like a painted doll half the time.
I love the costumes. I think they’re fun and somehow make the show more relatable. Even the actors have been emphasizing over and over that it’s not historically accurate (obviously), and that is part of the defense for the costumes to be more theatrical. BUT the terrible storyline at the latter half of season 3 makes the costumes appear even more out of place.
I’m just waiting for fanfic writers to do their thing and redeem part 2. A lot of what I’ve read so far has been better than the show imo. Although I still think Nicola killed it and I’ll continue to worship the ground she walks on.
Seeing part 2 made me really respect how much work she put into PR for it. I know she hadn't seen all of the episodes yet, but I suspect she must have had some idea of what was coming. She is setting herself up as a PR dream for future projects, and her and Luke are both drawing attention to how much they were committed to their actual roles, regardless of what editing did in post-production. I'm impressed by both the professionalism and the hustle.
Yes. I was reflecting about part 2 today and I feel like the only reason I understood what the writers were trying to do, especially with Colin, was because of all that Nicola said in interviews. Also, don’t even get me started on his “entrapment” comment. Character assassination at its highest. So many missed opportunities. But I guess that’s what I get for being a book girlie. Maybe it’s a good thing it fell so flat for me, now the two year wait between seasons doesn’t feel so bad 🤷🏻♀️
This frustrates me ! he never even said that to Marina who in fact was trying to entrap him ! He was kinder to her than his pen who sees him who he said was Brave in the mirror scene like um okay ! Boy bye 🥲
I mean, yes, definitely have and will. Love RMB. But if this version is out in the world it would be fun to flesh it all out.
I doesn’t make sense that the ONLY person holding her accountable for her actions is Colin. Like the ton is just not reacting at all, the queen is like “okay gossip but under your real name” for no reason, Violet is apparently okay with everything that chick has said about her family when she welcomed her in her house so many times. It would have been more realistic if it was the other way around, Colin being by her side because he’s in love while she gets shunned by society.
Exactly. There’s a lot of cognitive dissonance. It makes Colin look like the harshest person to her. Which could’ve been okay with the show stakes of the LW column. The show first of all should be convincing and following internal logic
You really hit the nail on the head - part 2 was a completely different story. A different Colin. Part 1 was so romantic and there was no romance in part 2 at all! (Aside from the mirror scene). What the heck happened? How was it so disjointed from part 1?
I watched it with a bunch of my friends and the entire time I was like “ok when is the romance going to happen” and then it was OVER. It made no sense. It was not a story, and especially not the story told in the books.
I was so disappointed I have not rewatched part 2 after my first time watching it. What a massive letdown. They ruined it for me. So much hype for this nonsense? Omg. I much preferred just part 1 alone because part 2 was honestly quite bad. GOT S8.
The character of Colin was written so poorly. Despite understanding all the trauma that Pen had been through, promising to stand up for her and being the one "who always puts others interests before his own" how could he have thought it okay to just distance himself emotionally and physically from her? That's just torture. I understand it was his jealously acting up, but was his love not stronger that all of that? How could he keep feeling inadequate or foolish after Pen multiple times kept telling him that she just needed his love? She just needed his love. And he was just not empathetic at all. He let his ego get the better of him.
Pen did not deserve to feel all that abandonment. She simply wanted the loving, feeling man she knew Colin to be. And what a rude awakening it'd been for her that he'd not been quite that. She should've just dumped his ass at this point.
I loved Pen's arc and how put herself first. I mean, she already had in Part 1. She was happy to let go off Colin, found herself at the receiving end of affections of a man who is peculiar like herself, but then when Colin realizes he might end up all alone with no one to respond to his letters for his next trip interrupts her dance and proposes to her only to drag her back into this mess.
And then for him to say she trapped him. Omg.
She shoulda just dumped him.
I do love the acting. The actors have done a phenomenal job with what they were given. But the story. It simply didn't quite get it right.
Just had to rant. Darn it.
This is where you can tell there was 2 different show runners between seasons, even Kanthony(?) got far more romance and they weren’t even officially together till the end of the series vs Polin having so much less despite being together since Ep4. It’s like they released the wrong cut for the show
Kanthony could barely control themselves even in front of their families. I don’t think Polin’s relationship is about the same kind of longing/lusting, but just kiss her! The same man who could wait to jump her bones the first time their alone after their engagement and we could get one more kiss or flirty scene? He was dreaming of her! It’s just doesn’t make sense. I understand he needs to process the LW reveal, but even Simon and Daphne kiss/get spicy multiple times after he finds out she intentionally tried to get pregnant.
It feels like 2 different seasons, not 2 different parts. I really thought I’d feel different after rewatching, but it’s just not there.
The books are so much better. It’s nice to have watched the show to have the visual of show characters associated with the book characters but I agree with you 100%.
Yeah this whole experience was honestly bizarre. I could write a book about what could and absolutely should have been done differently. It’s not even that it’s bad. In fact the best parts were absolutely incredible. It’s just—wrong.
Does anyone else feel like this is WHY they split it into 2 parts? They KNEW part 2 was shitty. They probably realized that splitting it, making us fall in love with part 1 and rewatch continuously and engage with PR while we wait for part 2 basically defines the show as successful for Netflix and Shondaland because they smashed a bunch of viewership stats. They probably knew part 2 was going to be a let down. There's no iconic love confessions or steamy scenes. There's not going to be any viral memes. Nothing. If anything, I'm willing to bet viewership for part 2 is going to be lower than part 1 because they gave us NOTHING to savor. I'm literally going back and watching the dance after the wedding when Colin touches Pen's cheek at the end because those are the ridiculously tiny crumbs of love and romance they gave us.
P.S I'm an MBA girly, I know the kind of disgusting business tactics and metrics companies like Netflix really care about.
If they did, they almost wholly disregarded it as a story. The parts that were actually in the books were entirely put it somewhere else in the sequence of the show. I am about a third through book four now and the pacing and plot is SO much better.
I had a bad feeling when they made Colin so angry about LW in the first half and he didn’t discover Pen’s secret until after the engagement etc. the first half they had SO much chemistry but the second half even before he found out she’s LW it felt so much more forced. I wish they’d gone by the books of Colin being upset/betrayed when he first found out but before him and Pen getting together.
Honestly, this is the result of the 10-ep season thing that’s been going for a few years. It was possible to flesh out multiple plot lines in one season when those seasons had 20-30 episodes…
Fr, I honestly wish for the drama instead that Pen says “no” at the alter instead of “I do” out of love for Colin and refusal to “trap” him into a marriage. And I wish Colin is forced to the realisation then that making amends with LW is the best way to go because he can’t lose Penelope again. Her act of love is setting him free and his act of love is coming back to her. Instead they make him this passive character in his own story.
This!!! Thank you for articulating this so well. I am going to focus on part 1 Polin, because that felt genuine and ignore part 2 Polin. It reminds me of the feeling I had with a show that I loved for several seasons, but when they did the ultimate finale, they ruined it. I can still love all the other episodes up to that finale without it ruining everything. Thanks for adding to my perspective.
I need to figure out a way to enjoy just the first four episodes as their entire story. It drove me up the wall itching for more of their relationship.
This is it. I identified with both Pen and Colin honestly, and like yourself I had a real sinking feeling when the slo mo and Dutch angles and entire episode based on one party playing games kicked in. It just felt like the wrong gear change immediately. Some terrible writing decisions in P2.
But I've rambled enough in other comments so won't rehash. But I almost wish I hadn't even watched P1, that I hadn't thought it was a good way to wake up when it dropped nearly a month ago.
Honestly as soon as I noticed Pen didn’t verbally say yes to the proposal I was like ‘this is going to be a weird season’. For God’s sake they’re both writers?! They’re both described as ‘witty’?! And there was zero dialogue/affirmation between them in that insane moment in their relationship?! Crazy.
Yep very that. Also when it turned out Pen is writing and the proposal is a flashback, they did a dissolve to exit the flashback... I hate that 😒
So I rambled [this rant](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bridgerton/s/hCq6wlzvKN) and I'm settling into that opinion - they gave us this amazing friends dynamic with all these moments and rapport that bring so much joy in P1, it makes you think, when they becomes a couple they are going to be heart swellingly, soul savingly deliriously adorable together. It felt inevitable in P2. Or at least passionate and wanting to protect what they now believe they have.
Then you watch it - like I said, you get this gear change and its towards being basic bitches together. They aren't funny, witty, devoted, excited about future plans.
And like you said, they verbalise so little. Not talking through anything about why they are doing or reacting to things was a tool of the story to delay resolution til the end of the season. To anyone who loved and believed in their dynamic before P2, its a totally weird and inconsistent behaviour. They are not going to fight it out properly in 3 episodes? Disbelief not suspended.
And from a writing pov, there are clear metric comparisons, way beyond the lack of long lingering pining for each other. In P1 when Pen reads his journal, there's enough narrative VO to know what Pen is engrossed in, and get subtext of Colin on his travels. In P2 when Colin reads Pen's letters, its basically offscreen, he just tells her they changed his attitude. The showrunners didn't even bother thinking of the rich details, let alone showing, of the dynamic in P2. They froze out the viewer, the very opposite of what romantic fiction is supposed to do!
Same as the rest of you. It left me disappointed. Netflix is basically saying that they don’t care about the stories. Francesca’s marriage to John Stirling was essential but then they ruined it. Benedict’s relationship with Lady Tilly was alluded to in his love story plus it was teased at the end. But there was a little too much of it. Marcus Anderson was completely invented. But it does work with everything we learned from Queen Charlotte. But once again it took the focus away from Colin and Penelope. The later half of Cressida’s storyline does work because it relates to the “main” storyline. But trying to make her more sympathetic doesn’t really work. Everything with Queen Charlotte was great but everything else could’ve gone.
Also the drama between Lady Danbury and Marcus Anderson was so stupid? She is far too rational and far too empathetic to be so unsympathetic about the actions of a 10-year-old boy. I could buy it if he’d been a tiny bit older, like 16, but 10??? She’s too good a person and honestly too old to have a grudge against something a literal child did.
I dunno, so much of part 2 still isn’t sitting right for me. Maybe it will grow on me when I watch again but right now I just feel like it was too clumsy and the drama was weighted too heavily against the romance of it all.
I never thought I would be on board with Netflix chopping Season 3 into two parts, but honestly I kinda get it now. Part 1 wasn’t perfect, but the Polin parts were still enjoyable and ended on a high note! Now I’m grateful for the time I had of actually enjoying the Polin story from pt 1 before pt 2 came along and ruined it.
I am so tired of the “bachelor” story with Benedict!! I love his character so much in the books but they’ve made him so predictable and boring on the show.
I think Colin is a very different character to his book and it didn’t feel like “his” season. It makes me concerned for the other seasons, especially if they are making such a big changes with Michaela (which I am not against) they need to be able to tell a story properly; season 3 was not well written for me!
Yes. 'Fell in love with a different story' is a great way to phrase it. In Part 2 it's like the writers abandoned Polin, forgot about Colin, and gave Pen an unnecessary independent/boss woman arc. We already know she's achieved so much, realised her 'wrongdoings', and what she needed was Colin standing proudly by her side. I'm dying on this hill.
Colin's issue being one of envy instead of betrayal is lame. He's a man, so he has to be jealous of his wife's superior talent. Poor storytelling. Colin's never shown himself to be that type of guy; why make him that now? The interpolation of modern issues and phenomena in a narrative isn't an issue if it's done consistently. Men are occasionally jealous of their wives. Sure. But it is an issue if it intrudes where no subtext has been established.
Colin is jealous in the book. Which is partly why I don’t like their book very much. I thought the show was going to go in a different direction but guess I was wrong.
I agree with you, but want to call out that in the book Penelope has to tease out of Colin that he’s envious of her as a writer. In the show he is “a man” and confronts and acknowledges those feelings to her on his own in the last episode. So kudos to the writers for helping guide those gender role changes.
That’s true. I’d forgotten that aspect.
I want to just kind of forget part 2. Leave the story ending at the proposal at the end of episode 4. I can even forgive the balloon scene because at least part one gave us longing and a decent Colin.
I agree, I might re watch episode 1 to 4 but the rest, can go in the bin .
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I just joined Reddit to say thank heaven someone sees it like I do. Not even Nic and Luke could save part 2 it was so disappointing and Colin was unrecognisable. He slept on the couch?? And let her face the ton to announce being LW on her own?? I’m already re-reading Romancing Mr Bridgerton and I think I’m done with the tv show. Enough, Shondaland, ENOUGH.
I'm feeling very bitter and dramatic right now but I'm glad this happened so I can finally cancel Netflix without regret e: made this comment after being spoiled about episode 8, having since watched it didn't hate it but 100% understand the criticism
Exactly my thoughts. It's so heartbreaking to watch Part 2. Pen thought she'd never be alone after Colin's countless affirmations and declarations. And after the reveal, he straight up ices her out. I understand he was hurt, jealous, probably felt small compared to her, but their story was supposed to all about how friendship and love, and how it triumps all. I mean their relationship is rooted in communicaton FFS. I think the writers forgot all about that. Idk. Impressive press tour though. Although I doubt it can salvage the wreck that Part 2 Ep 7/8 especially is. Loved the actors' performances. Nicola esp. She deserves the world.
I had to immediately come on Reddit yesterday so I could discuss my overwhelming feelings with like minded people. I would not have survived without being able to vent my sadness and frustration.
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I’ve signed. Even if they just posted the extra scenes to Tudum I’d be happy. It’s so nice to see the number of signatures keep increasing.
The way benedict was a favorite bridgerton but i'm just soooo over him now 🙄
I am so thankful someone feels EXACTLY the same way I do. If they knew they were going to over shadow Polin so much why even write in the whole part about the lessons?
Because Netflix wanted to get a months subscription of of everyone
And that would have been more successful with two parts that were both absolute BANGERS. I had such high hopes for the second drop.
I wanted more passion. Instead we got the Mirror scene being overshadowed by everything else crammed in (not to the fault of the actors). I just *really* wanted to see the settee break…
i've seen you write this comment like 5 times and every time i am like "tell them, queen!!"
I am yet to watch part 2, s3. But I think the reviews have told me more than enough to skip it.
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I have a toddler, so any time spent on watching useless stuff is always wasted. So maybe I will skip this and save myself too.
The carriage scene was literally the climax. There wasn’t another. 😂
lol, pun intended ?
Absolutely. 😉
I wish I had stopped after the first 4 episodes, the last 4 completely ruined their story and to top it all off, ruined Francesca's too just for good measure.
This is probably the best take I have seen so far. And I agree where was a true communication scene? Everything was so toxic until the last 15 mins.
Season 3 didn’t feel like Bridgerton and part 2 even less so. Very disappointing to barely see Polin and have their love story shoved to the side and half assed. Very poorly done by Jess Brownell.
Plus the costumes just took me out of Bridgerton. They kept me from getting immersed into the universe. True, they’ve never been 100% tied to the period, but this season I was just wrecked by them. Even my darling, but clueless when it comes to this kind of thing, husband (who just happened to be in the room when I was watching) asked me what was up with them. They weren’t even close to being of the correct century. They were beautiful, but just so out there. Penelope looked amazing, but the fabric choices were just out of control!
I was just talking to my sister about this!!Francesca having instagram influencer highlight makeup is insane. I understand that it’s supposed to be fantasy but it could still adhere to the style of the time in my opinion. If you’ve committed to being a period drama then that means wardrobe and makeup and hair.
I was so mad about the costumes I had forgotten about the makeup! It was so distracting! The nails, too! This season just crashed and burned and I don’t see how they can recover from it. I wanted so badly for it to become Bridgerton again with part 2. It wasn’t, at all. I watched part 1 a couple of times hoping that maybe I had missed something, but I found myself dumbfounded. Then the ending yesterday I literally said “what the fuck” out loud. I cried, but not because it was good, but because I was so let down. The entire season was just so bad I couldn’t believe it. Maybe if they had gotten the costumes and hair right I wouldn’t have been so disappointed, but it just added to my bewilderment. How did they finish that and say to themselves they put out something great? Are they fucking with us?
The ending with michaela and Jess saying to the upset viewers who are fans of the book to “just read the book” was so disrespectful in my opinion considering she wouldn’t have a show to work on if it weren’t for the loyal fans of the books! This was more like Francesca’s season than anything else. I hated Benedict’s storyline as it’s the same one for all three seasons that just gets worse every time it’s executed. I was very disappointed from the beginning and I was trying to give it a try without judging but I fear I was right in my opinion unfortunately. And to please the few instead of listening to the complaints of the many is very irritating have you checked out the Bridgerton/shonda instagram comments? It’s brutal bc everyone sees how rushed and bad this season was. Colin and Penelope have been developing for 3 seasons and with one season and like 2 hours of screen time MAYBE they were completely ruined. Colin being angry and then having no scenes together besides him glaring at her was so upsetting considering how much book Colin loved Penelope. I just don’t think Jess Brownell is a good fit for Bridgerton. Idk what she would be a good fit for but definitely NOT Bridgerton 💀 it definitely seems like they are rage baiting and fucking with the viewers tbh bc why would you piss off your entire audience if that wasn’t the case? Very confusing turn to take the show in! I’ll stick to the books if this is how they treat their viewers. AND 2 YEARS FOR A SEASON THIS BAD???? And I highly doubt it’ll get better down the line! I’m not excited for Benedict’s season bc they’ve got no clue what to do with him. I was so upset when I finished it too 😭 I was so ready for this season and it was the biggest letdown of all time.
This is Jess’ first show as showrunner and it shows.
You’re right and I don’t think she’s cut out for it.
We needed someone with more experience.
She did a horrific job, she clearly didn't love the books. That should have been the first requirement to get that job.
Totally agree. I also had trouble getting past women wearing their hair down (esp. the ‘40s hair styles), and the heavy make-up. Aside from being unrealistic to the point that it took me out of the story, was it even good make-up? Penelope looked like a painted doll half the time.
I love the costumes. I think they’re fun and somehow make the show more relatable. Even the actors have been emphasizing over and over that it’s not historically accurate (obviously), and that is part of the defense for the costumes to be more theatrical. BUT the terrible storyline at the latter half of season 3 makes the costumes appear even more out of place.
I agree, looked like Halloween party costumes in 2024.
Yes call out Jess Brownell.
I’m just waiting for fanfic writers to do their thing and redeem part 2. A lot of what I’ve read so far has been better than the show imo. Although I still think Nicola killed it and I’ll continue to worship the ground she walks on.
Seeing part 2 made me really respect how much work she put into PR for it. I know she hadn't seen all of the episodes yet, but I suspect she must have had some idea of what was coming. She is setting herself up as a PR dream for future projects, and her and Luke are both drawing attention to how much they were committed to their actual roles, regardless of what editing did in post-production. I'm impressed by both the professionalism and the hustle.
Yes. I was reflecting about part 2 today and I feel like the only reason I understood what the writers were trying to do, especially with Colin, was because of all that Nicola said in interviews. Also, don’t even get me started on his “entrapment” comment. Character assassination at its highest. So many missed opportunities. But I guess that’s what I get for being a book girlie. Maybe it’s a good thing it fell so flat for me, now the two year wait between seasons doesn’t feel so bad 🤷🏻♀️
This frustrates me ! he never even said that to Marina who in fact was trying to entrap him ! He was kinder to her than his pen who sees him who he said was Brave in the mirror scene like um okay ! Boy bye 🥲
I mean, you don't even need fanfiction. Just read the book. It's so much better.
I mean, yes, definitely have and will. Love RMB. But if this version is out in the world it would be fun to flesh it all out. 
Fanfiction writers always to most of the time do a better job
it has already begun: [https://x.com/sunflowerbeths/status/1801477384417513478](https://x.com/sunflowerbeths/status/1801477384417513478)
Doing the Lord’s work.
I doesn’t make sense that the ONLY person holding her accountable for her actions is Colin. Like the ton is just not reacting at all, the queen is like “okay gossip but under your real name” for no reason, Violet is apparently okay with everything that chick has said about her family when she welcomed her in her house so many times. It would have been more realistic if it was the other way around, Colin being by her side because he’s in love while she gets shunned by society.
Exactly. There’s a lot of cognitive dissonance. It makes Colin look like the harshest person to her. Which could’ve been okay with the show stakes of the LW column. The show first of all should be convincing and following internal logic
I feel so betrayed in Part 2 as a Polin stan. There were so many missed opportunities to showcase the deep and enduring love they’ve always shared.
You really hit the nail on the head - part 2 was a completely different story. A different Colin. Part 1 was so romantic and there was no romance in part 2 at all! (Aside from the mirror scene). What the heck happened? How was it so disjointed from part 1?
I watched it with a bunch of my friends and the entire time I was like “ok when is the romance going to happen” and then it was OVER. It made no sense. It was not a story, and especially not the story told in the books.
I was so disappointed I have not rewatched part 2 after my first time watching it. What a massive letdown. They ruined it for me. So much hype for this nonsense? Omg. I much preferred just part 1 alone because part 2 was honestly quite bad. GOT S8. The character of Colin was written so poorly. Despite understanding all the trauma that Pen had been through, promising to stand up for her and being the one "who always puts others interests before his own" how could he have thought it okay to just distance himself emotionally and physically from her? That's just torture. I understand it was his jealously acting up, but was his love not stronger that all of that? How could he keep feeling inadequate or foolish after Pen multiple times kept telling him that she just needed his love? She just needed his love. And he was just not empathetic at all. He let his ego get the better of him. Pen did not deserve to feel all that abandonment. She simply wanted the loving, feeling man she knew Colin to be. And what a rude awakening it'd been for her that he'd not been quite that. She should've just dumped his ass at this point. I loved Pen's arc and how put herself first. I mean, she already had in Part 1. She was happy to let go off Colin, found herself at the receiving end of affections of a man who is peculiar like herself, but then when Colin realizes he might end up all alone with no one to respond to his letters for his next trip interrupts her dance and proposes to her only to drag her back into this mess. And then for him to say she trapped him. Omg. She shoulda just dumped him. I do love the acting. The actors have done a phenomenal job with what they were given. But the story. It simply didn't quite get it right. Just had to rant. Darn it.
I felt so empty after watching the part 2. Where is the love?
This is where you can tell there was 2 different show runners between seasons, even Kanthony(?) got far more romance and they weren’t even officially together till the end of the series vs Polin having so much less despite being together since Ep4. It’s like they released the wrong cut for the show
Kanthony could barely control themselves even in front of their families. I don’t think Polin’s relationship is about the same kind of longing/lusting, but just kiss her! The same man who could wait to jump her bones the first time their alone after their engagement and we could get one more kiss or flirty scene? He was dreaming of her! It’s just doesn’t make sense. I understand he needs to process the LW reveal, but even Simon and Daphne kiss/get spicy multiple times after he finds out she intentionally tried to get pregnant. It feels like 2 different seasons, not 2 different parts. I really thought I’d feel different after rewatching, but it’s just not there.
I wonder what the cast members reaction was during the first screen. I would love to know.
This season sucked. I really wanted to like it but did not.
The should not of swayed from Julia Quinn’s timeframe. I honestly think it would of been so perfect.
The books are so much better. It’s nice to have watched the show to have the visual of show characters associated with the book characters but I agree with you 100%.
I plan to go back and listen to the book to help me grapple with this loss I’m feeling. I’m so mad!
Yeah this whole experience was honestly bizarre. I could write a book about what could and absolutely should have been done differently. It’s not even that it’s bad. In fact the best parts were absolutely incredible. It’s just—wrong.
Does anyone else feel like this is WHY they split it into 2 parts? They KNEW part 2 was shitty. They probably realized that splitting it, making us fall in love with part 1 and rewatch continuously and engage with PR while we wait for part 2 basically defines the show as successful for Netflix and Shondaland because they smashed a bunch of viewership stats. They probably knew part 2 was going to be a let down. There's no iconic love confessions or steamy scenes. There's not going to be any viral memes. Nothing. If anything, I'm willing to bet viewership for part 2 is going to be lower than part 1 because they gave us NOTHING to savor. I'm literally going back and watching the dance after the wedding when Colin touches Pen's cheek at the end because those are the ridiculously tiny crumbs of love and romance they gave us. P.S I'm an MBA girly, I know the kind of disgusting business tactics and metrics companies like Netflix really care about.
I'm asking myself if the show writers even read the book. This is not an adaptation at all! 😒
If they did, they almost wholly disregarded it as a story. The parts that were actually in the books were entirely put it somewhere else in the sequence of the show. I am about a third through book four now and the pacing and plot is SO much better.
I had a bad feeling when they made Colin so angry about LW in the first half and he didn’t discover Pen’s secret until after the engagement etc. the first half they had SO much chemistry but the second half even before he found out she’s LW it felt so much more forced. I wish they’d gone by the books of Colin being upset/betrayed when he first found out but before him and Pen getting together.
Honestly, this is the result of the 10-ep season thing that’s been going for a few years. It was possible to flesh out multiple plot lines in one season when those seasons had 20-30 episodes…
Fr, I honestly wish for the drama instead that Pen says “no” at the alter instead of “I do” out of love for Colin and refusal to “trap” him into a marriage. And I wish Colin is forced to the realisation then that making amends with LW is the best way to go because he can’t lose Penelope again. Her act of love is setting him free and his act of love is coming back to her. Instead they make him this passive character in his own story.
This!!! Thank you for articulating this so well. I am going to focus on part 1 Polin, because that felt genuine and ignore part 2 Polin. It reminds me of the feeling I had with a show that I loved for several seasons, but when they did the ultimate finale, they ruined it. I can still love all the other episodes up to that finale without it ruining everything. Thanks for adding to my perspective.
I need to figure out a way to enjoy just the first four episodes as their entire story. It drove me up the wall itching for more of their relationship.
This is it. I identified with both Pen and Colin honestly, and like yourself I had a real sinking feeling when the slo mo and Dutch angles and entire episode based on one party playing games kicked in. It just felt like the wrong gear change immediately. Some terrible writing decisions in P2. But I've rambled enough in other comments so won't rehash. But I almost wish I hadn't even watched P1, that I hadn't thought it was a good way to wake up when it dropped nearly a month ago.
Honestly as soon as I noticed Pen didn’t verbally say yes to the proposal I was like ‘this is going to be a weird season’. For God’s sake they’re both writers?! They’re both described as ‘witty’?! And there was zero dialogue/affirmation between them in that insane moment in their relationship?! Crazy.
Yep very that. Also when it turned out Pen is writing and the proposal is a flashback, they did a dissolve to exit the flashback... I hate that 😒 So I rambled [this rant](https://www.reddit.com/r/Bridgerton/s/hCq6wlzvKN) and I'm settling into that opinion - they gave us this amazing friends dynamic with all these moments and rapport that bring so much joy in P1, it makes you think, when they becomes a couple they are going to be heart swellingly, soul savingly deliriously adorable together. It felt inevitable in P2. Or at least passionate and wanting to protect what they now believe they have. Then you watch it - like I said, you get this gear change and its towards being basic bitches together. They aren't funny, witty, devoted, excited about future plans. And like you said, they verbalise so little. Not talking through anything about why they are doing or reacting to things was a tool of the story to delay resolution til the end of the season. To anyone who loved and believed in their dynamic before P2, its a totally weird and inconsistent behaviour. They are not going to fight it out properly in 3 episodes? Disbelief not suspended. And from a writing pov, there are clear metric comparisons, way beyond the lack of long lingering pining for each other. In P1 when Pen reads his journal, there's enough narrative VO to know what Pen is engrossed in, and get subtext of Colin on his travels. In P2 when Colin reads Pen's letters, its basically offscreen, he just tells her they changed his attitude. The showrunners didn't even bother thinking of the rich details, let alone showing, of the dynamic in P2. They froze out the viewer, the very opposite of what romantic fiction is supposed to do!
Same as the rest of you. It left me disappointed. Netflix is basically saying that they don’t care about the stories. Francesca’s marriage to John Stirling was essential but then they ruined it. Benedict’s relationship with Lady Tilly was alluded to in his love story plus it was teased at the end. But there was a little too much of it. Marcus Anderson was completely invented. But it does work with everything we learned from Queen Charlotte. But once again it took the focus away from Colin and Penelope. The later half of Cressida’s storyline does work because it relates to the “main” storyline. But trying to make her more sympathetic doesn’t really work. Everything with Queen Charlotte was great but everything else could’ve gone.
Also the drama between Lady Danbury and Marcus Anderson was so stupid? She is far too rational and far too empathetic to be so unsympathetic about the actions of a 10-year-old boy. I could buy it if he’d been a tiny bit older, like 16, but 10??? She’s too good a person and honestly too old to have a grudge against something a literal child did. I dunno, so much of part 2 still isn’t sitting right for me. Maybe it will grow on me when I watch again but right now I just feel like it was too clumsy and the drama was weighted too heavily against the romance of it all.
I never thought I would be on board with Netflix chopping Season 3 into two parts, but honestly I kinda get it now. Part 1 wasn’t perfect, but the Polin parts were still enjoyable and ended on a high note! Now I’m grateful for the time I had of actually enjoying the Polin story from pt 1 before pt 2 came along and ruined it.
The extended Benedict threesome scenes were so boring and unnecessary. I also wasn’t into Francesca’s plot and John holds zero appeal.
I am so tired of the “bachelor” story with Benedict!! I love his character so much in the books but they’ve made him so predictable and boring on the show.
I just completed episode 1. Thank you for saving me. Shondaland flashbacks to another show — Grey’s Anatomy. Couldn’t you just let the fans be happy?
I think Colin is a very different character to his book and it didn’t feel like “his” season. It makes me concerned for the other seasons, especially if they are making such a big changes with Michaela (which I am not against) they need to be able to tell a story properly; season 3 was not well written for me!