#bridgerton rant

[aylasrants]

Colin Bridgerton is the perfect exemple of nerds being kinky. like my guy took one taste of Penelope and his first thought was ✨MIRROR✨

[wildflowerspollinator]

You're telling me a drunk horny ansty Mr. Bridgerton wouldn't have gotten into the carriage with her to see her safely home and take her for a ride. Pffft

[rustytyperwriter]

YAYYY fellow creloise mutual hello👋🏻 nice to meet you

we been moots for like months now but ok nice to meet you too! I love yuri like my entire tumblr account is just allllll yuri

creloise is PEAK cressida is the character who triggers the most development in Eloise so far! They're dynamic is also kinda cute and idk i just like them as a platonic and as a romantic duo and they are really growing on me like i love seeing how excited cressida gets whenever she sees Eloise it's like she's an excited puppy it's adorable anyway yeah idk how to feel abt knowing they'll probably keep Philip and Eliose cuz like, i never read the books but i do know Philip is Maria's husband so like...is Maria gonna die or smth? cuz i'm pretty sure divorce doesn't exist in their universe...doesn't maria literally have kids?? she married him FOR the sake of her kids, so her dying just feels so tragic? I heard some ppl say she like kills herself??? like i feel bad for her idk the concept of having this super feminist character and practically torturing a seperate female character so your feminist one can end up with the tortured girl's husband is weird asf to me but that might just be me. i have a moot who said philip and eliose are really cute in the books, but the only way i can see them even potentially happening in the show without it being weird or lowk kinda sexist is if they don't get married and rather he chooses to support her independent life and they love each other but from afar ykwim? i hope he'll at least challenge her intellectually and give her some nice memories at least. idk. anyway yeah i like creloise more and can't wait for next season when we get an autistic coded-lesbian and her lover who's love story will probably legalize gay marriage (c'mon charlotte PLEASE!!)

[myfairstarlight]

The hate Colin gets is so unserious because what do you mean you are mad at the only male lead in this romance-focused show so far who reacts positively when he realises he's in love and goes on to confess instead of, I don't know, accepting a duel to the death, proposing to the sister of the woman he's actually in love with, or pushing his love away as to not hurt her, resulting in hurting her more because of the mixed signals.

[sunflowerofchaos]

Okay enough time has passed for me to throw my two cents into the Bridgerton discourse. Many are displeased with the season and part 2 specifically. I have been trying to piece together what my issues were with it and I hope that someone can find this and maybe find something that clicks as to why the season may have been disappointing.

I am a big polin stan. In fact I started watching for and because of them. Totally believed in the supremacy of their story because of their adorable friendship and the long build up ever since the pilot.

I loved part one. That will be controversial but I truly did. Was the pacing a bit off? Yes it was!

But did it give us the romcom atmosphere, the yearning, the love? Yes definitely! I'll even argue that part one, the going from "friendship to love" is done more beautifully in the show than in the book. People said one kiss is all it takes for Colin but that's really not true in the show. If you take account of the history we have because of season 1 and 2 it doesn't feel that way.

And the funny thing is that despite part one having a bunch of side plots, it worked. It was walking on the edge of being too much but it didn't cross the line.

Not yet anyways... so here are my 6 big errors of part 2

Like everyone I was way too hyped after the carriage scene, which leads to..

Error number 1: The break after the carriage scene set the bar too high. The long break filled with press and interviews further hyping up part 2 after that high consequently did damage to the reception of part 2. I believe that almost anything after the carriage would appear as a let down due to the wait. That's kind of unfair to the show I know, but it also makes sense as we, the audience would have abnormally high expectations that are difficult to please.

Part 2 is flawed and there is no arguing that. The beginning of it felt like a let down due to the split right after the carriage scene aka the climax of part 1 (pun intended) but fine objectively speaking episode 5 and 6 are nice. But then comes error number 2, the fact that we have 2 episodes where their love is clouded by the secret of lady whistledown. I feel like that was problematic to the pacing of part 2 (which is a problem in itself). The tension in episode 5 was necessary but also so much. So much that Colin literally questions her feelings. Then episode 6 instead of lifting that cloud sooner, continues to sour the polin scenes until the very end of the episode. The reveal should have been earlier in episode 6, so they have time to properly heal and be happy. (Seperate errors that I will adress)

Error number 3 is how the wedding fell under the dark cloud of the angst. I was wishing it would be the happy wedding of bridgerton and it was happier than Daphne's or Anthony's (not that we saw the real one) but the queen disrupting the wedding felt like another punch. One more time we were close to seeing their happiness but couldn't. (Something we barely get to see at all)

Then error number 4 (my personal enemy). The pacing of the conflict and healing. The way Colin was hurting was amazingly portrayed by Luke and I even understand how Colin wanted to hurt Pen with the entrapment comment and unlike many I won't hate him for it at all. But one thing where the writing really failed me is how polin shared a number of scenes that could've had a bigger role in their healing but ultimately didn't. I will list the scenes and how EVERYTIME we think they are a step closer to healing, they go back to square one and how that effects the scene where they eventually do "heal".

Exhibit A: The modiste scene. Beautiful confrontation and it really set up the possibility of them talking through it more but then it ends abruptly with Colin shutting down (however I'm inclined to give this one some saving grace because at least they talk)

Exhibit B: The wedding. Colin once again gives us hope that perhaps they're closer to making up but when Colin walked away with Pen and they had a second confrontation where she states that she is lady whistledown, I expected Colin to at least accept that statement and not revert back to being in denial about it afterwards and shutting down again. This could've been the scene where Colin starts to accept them as one. (Not to take away from the letters scene but it would have been a great foundation for it)

Exhibit C: The bedroom scene. Ah my personal nominee. This scene could've been so much more and no I don't mean a sexy scene. This scene could've been thee scene where they talk. It would've felt more powerful to have the talk that they have in Bridgerton house in their bedroom instead. I can't stress how it would've fit perfectly and been book compliant. If they had utilized this scene better, then polin being at Fran's wedding the next day would've have felt more emotional and helped convince us of them gradually solving the conflict. Netflix, that wouldn't even take from your running time. Pen could've confronted him there as she did in the book. Colin could've faced his jealousy right then and there instead of having Cressida point it out for him and still not facing it.

Exhibit D: Bridgerton house. Yes they do talk here and you can see that scene as the one where they settle things prior to the ball, BUT one it is too close to the end and it feels cut short which frankly doesn't seem enough for the viewers to believe that they now have joined hands. This scene was personally not enough for me. I think if you expand the conversation it would be much better or again if you put this dialogue in the bedroom scene it would have been powerful and helped the pacing as the bedroom scene was in the first half of the finale and this one way too close to the ball.

You'll see that every scene post reveal is following the same frustrating pattern of them brushing over the problem. You in turn get your hopes up for it to develop further into forgiveness, then voila Colin shuts down and goes back to square one. That was extremely frustrating for me as a viewer as it happened multiple times, especially since it seems ridiculous to leave the conflict in the air till the last 10 minutes when they have had several opportunities to solve it sooner. Colin's peace at the end comes too suddenly as those previous scenes don't see him gradually make peace with the matter but always shutting down and running. Those scenes could have been used to show the steps of him gradually getting over it, forgiving her and facing himself.

Error number 5. The side plots and overall pacing.. As I said part 1 walked the fine line but part 2 crossed it. What do you mean that we get more scenes of secondary characters than polin getting over their conflict and having some time to see their happiness. That messes with the pacing, making part 2 seem to want to cram up as much plot as possible. You have Francesca's love match, Benedict's exploration, Eloise's general conflict and dynamic with Cressida, Cressida's own story, Violet's arc, lady Danbury and her brother's conflict, the Mondrichs arc, the solicitor, queen etc...

This season was simply TOO ambitious for its own good. It tried to do too much. Suddenly it didn't feel like polin season but rather the season to set everything up for the next season and that really hurts as a polin fan.

Finally error number six which is by far the most famous error. The lack of happy polin. As I explained episode 5 and 6 while showed some happiness it didn't feel real because of the secret constantly hanging around. They were happy but you as a viewer might have felt more worried and had a more bittersweet feeling. Especially when you see Colin get more and more anxious and insecure during those episodes. Then episode 7 and 8 sees them miserable most of the time. That sucks even though it is necessary it still sucks. Sucks because after all that put together we don't get to see it pay off. 4 episodes of angst and they give you one scene that suddenly heals it, 10 seconds sexy scene and an epilogue scene where they suddenly have a baby. It is simply not enough to balance out the dark vibe of the entirety of part 2. That is why thousands of people are hanging onto the petition to release the deleted scenes. So we can finally see the pay off of the angst and can properly balance out the emotions that came with it and move on.

Not to mention the absolutely wasted confession of Colin Bridgerton.. when he said I love you at the end of episode 8 I was already thinking "with everything that you are, everything you have been and everything you hope to be????!!!" But then he didn't say it and I was confused as to why they would possibly not use THEE love confession??? Since that's Bridgertons thing??? Having incredible confessions... And it's not like it didn't fit in fact it would have fit so well. At this point if you squint you might imagine hearing luke continuing the line for God's sake. That remains a mystery that makes no sense to me.

So by now I don't think anyone got that far and I can't complain because I wrote this for me. To structure my thoughts and make peace with it. And so to sum up these errors: the split, the structure of episode 5/6, the wedding sadness, the way the conflict/healing was handled, the pacing with the side plots and the lack of happiness to counteract the angst. I will revisit part 1 happily and just stop after the mirror lol. I will look forward to seeing polin happy in 2 years I guess.. and I do believe that when season 4 comes out and they're happy and are hanging around we will accept season 3 way more and come to hopefully love it.

[multifandomingmess]

so there's alot of stuff going around on tiktok. ppl have been searching to see if luke newton has a girlfriend + it's likely that he does. however, people are already attacking and it has to stop... i won't say her name as it sounds like they're trying to keep it on the low (which i don't blame them as luke's ex-gf got a lot of hatred) but there's already ppl pointing out "omg nicola doesn't follow her, she doesn't follow nicola…" y'all social media ain't real life. it's far from it. but not only that, it's like the fact that most of them don't follow their own family with their public accounts for the sake of protecting their lives. i'm sure that they know that once this becomes public knowledge - that people will begin searching for their following. so i feel that nicola and his girlfriend do not follow each other to protect the relationship from the public eye. and that's absolutely valid. not only that but ppl have been saying that he and his girlfriend have been dating for 6 months so here's something to remember - respect their real-life partners, respect that they're besties (even tho, let's be real, they got that chemistry ), and just chill. remember social media ain't real life. also, you cannot expect nicola and luke to follow each other's friends or family. especially when fans constantly search their following trying to find info on their families and friends.

[sirena-de-lunas]

i know the second half will focus on whistledown and colin’s writing but i expected more soft moments. moments where he battles with himself bc that’s penelope - that’s pen - his childhood friend, the girl who lived across the street, his sister’s once best friend, his good friend. moments where he tries to test out if he actually does like her or if he’s simply afraid to lose her companionship. where he has her examine his healing hand to see if her touch still affects him. where he dances with her and for a moment he holds her a little closer and wonders if he imagines her eyes darting to look at his mouth. where he writes and writes and writes bc he’s good with words but she has made a mess of him. moments where he reads Emma and throws it across the room bc what utter nonsense “if i loved you less i might be able to talk about it more” - if you love someone one must declare it assuredly, reverently, and loudly. moments where he recognizes he’s always looked at her with this gentle fondness, always needed her reassurance and kind words, and the idea she will give them to another hurts. i wanted moments where he finds himself stopping to rationalize his actions until one moment in the middle of an argument it all just spills out of him like a dropped ink well. i wanted her hesitancy and fear and anger and disdain. i wanted her to cut him at his knees as he had done to her knowingly and unknowingly throughout the years. the denial of loving him, the fear that he is brash and impulsive like he was with marina, the self-preservation of running away. i wanted the push and pull of colin not knowing if he should risk losing their friendship if she does not feel the same yet feeling he will lose her either way - either to lord debling or to his own obliviousness. i wanted the moment he realizes he needs her in his life and he does not want to regret letting his final opportunity slip away. the quiet yearning of having no guarantees but so many hopes. the sadness of thinking you realized you found your person just as they rip you out of their heart. the pain of losing someone you didn’t know you had until they left and took your heart with them.

[mentallyinwalmart]

An incomprehensive list of Bridgerton S3’s biggest failures

I’ve had the time to reflect since premier and watch a second time, so these are my thoughts. I’m begging Shonda to change my mind w pt2 but as of rn I hold little hope this won’t be the worst season by an embarrassing margin

1. Failure to flesh out Polin’s preexisting relationship (that leads to a huge bungling of Colin and Eloise’s relationship!!!)

The biggest response I’ve seen to a critique I share is that polin had such a strong preexisting dynamic that is makes sense they were featured less heavily than other couples. Now I see conceptually where that idea comes from, Pen liking Colin and him being oblivious have been cornerstones of the last two seasons, however, all their new scenes were presented to us sterile and without either sexual chemistry or a callback to a prior scene they had shared (or something perhaps we hadn’t seen, such as the time a decade prior Cressida mentions, when “the Featherington’s moved in across the street” instead we see confusing scenes that make little sense ESPECIALLY when we have no prior on screen (nor flashback) foundation for Pen and Colin’s friendship WITHOUT Eloise. Without her to act as middle woman this season, and with no flashbacks or reminiscing, the dynamic of true friendship between Pen and Colin feels forced. (And side note— as a sister, if my brother picked a friend of mine over me after we’ve had a relationship-ending fight that I refuse to even talk about??? That’s crazy— this is why I say it ruined both Colin and Pen AND Colin and Eloise’s dynamics— because I’d hope my brother would never do that to me, and without any more context besides mere letters as to why Colin would still entertain Pen now that Eloise has been betrayed by her? Near nonsensical)

2. Sudden appearance of a plus sized debutante(s) and no comments on Pen’s looks/weight

For the past two seasons there have been no size diversity besides Pen in Bridgerton, and don’t get me wrong, I think all the debutantes are beautiful this season, and I am thrilled that there is more expansion and diversity in the cast and the ton!!! But after making it such a big deal for the past several seasons, to try and make the ton size-blind reads as a cop out to me. Colin needs to face that facts head on that he has counted Pen out because of her size, just as everyone else has.

I could continue for actual pages because I have issues from Benedict‘s confounded character to Eloise’s sudden betrayal of her values (and friends/sisters??) to Cressida’s random??? redemption. But these are the two I am most frustrated by !