The success of “Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story” proves that Shonda Rhimes’ period romance has the potential to be one of the first genuine pieces of franchise IP to originate from Netflix. But while more spin-offs will almost certainly be on the way, the flagship series that started it all is gearing up to return in a big way.
“Bridgerton” was renewed for Seasons 3 and 4 in 2021, and the next batch of episodes is set to explore the long-awaited romance between Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). At Netflix’s TUDUM fan event in Sao Paolo, Brazil on Saturday, the streaming giant released a new batch of photos that gave fans their best look yet at the fan-favorite couple.
The creative team behind “Bridgerton” has always been open about the fact that the show is ready to start exploring the romantic tension that it spent the first two seasons establishing.
“We’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people,” Season 3 showrunner Jess Brownell said in a recent interview. “I feel like, especially in the last season, there are these moments of tension between them where it’s like, 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.”
The official synopsis for “Bridgerton” Season 3 reads: “Bridgerton” is back for its third season and finds Penelope Featherington has finally given up on her long-held crush on Colin Bridgerton after hearing his disparaging words about her last season. She has, however, decided it’s time to take a husband, preferably one who will provide her with enough independence to continue her double life as Lady Whistledown, far away from her mother and sisters. But lacking in confidence, Penelope’s attempts on the marriage mart fail spectacularly. Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels with a new look and a serious sense of swagger. But he’s disheartened to realize that Penelope, the one person who always appreciated him as he was, is giving him the cold shoulder. Eager to win back her friendship, Colin offers to mentor Penelope in the ways of confidence to help her find a husband this season. But when his lessons start working a little too well, Colin must grapple with whether his feelings for Penelope are truly just friendly.
Check out the new photos below. For more information about “Bridgerton” Season 3, click here.
