Penelope Featherington shines bright in new season

The third season of ‘Bridgerton’ is all about Penelope Featherington. Nicola Coughlan as Penelope steals the show right from the very beginning.

This season is based on Julia Quinn’s fourth book in her Regency romance series, titled ‘Romancing Mister Bridgerton’.

In the first few episodes, the protagonist goes through a stunning transformation, taking complete charge of her wardrobe. She ditches the bright citrus colours of her mother’s liking and opts for mellow hues of green, paired with cleavage hugging necklines, dainty jewellery and soft curls. However, her glow-up is not to please society. Penelope is aware that she is a stunner, and is ready to let the ‘ton’ in on the secret.

Aside from the many splendid outfits this season, Queen Charlotte’s hair deserves a special mention. Her intricate and elaborate hairstyles, some fixed with sparkling crystal swans, make more of a statement than the queen herself.

While the chemistry between Penelope and Colin (Luke Newton) is a joy to watch — filled with banter, stolen glances and a little bit of spice — it’s the female friendships in the show that stand out. Be it the damaged-yet-tender friendship between Eloise and Penelope or the endearing and comical friendship between Queen Charlotte and Lady Danbury, the show makes an effort to offer a real-life portrayal of the layered nature of female friendships. A personal favourite this season was the newly blossomed friendship between Eloise and Cressida Cowper — while the people around them find the pairing odd, the young ladies complement each other perfectly.

Seeing Anthony and Kate back on screen brought a familiar sense of comfort. The highly-favoured couple from last season still manages to make viewers swoon every time they’re together.

However, the good acting and the ever-so-sweet ‘friends to lovers’ trope tends to get lost in the multiple storylines — eight in total — blossoming alongside the main love story. Every minute is filled to the brim with miscellaneous plots and Easter eggs for future seasons. One can only hope this doesn’t continue into the second part of the season. It won’t be easy to match the effortless charm of the second season of the series.