Season 3 of Bridgerton begins with an explosive argument between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.
During a panel for the show on Wednesday, February 14, Netflix released a clamp from Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) call Colin (Luke Newton) for his previous comments.
“Don't you need a supervisor?” Colin says after offering to take a not-so-excited Penelope home.
“Spirits don't need chaperones,” she answers. “I am in my third year on the marriage market and have no prospects for it. What would you call that?”
Colin tries to change the subject by bringing up the recent distance between him and Penelope.
'Is something wrong, Pen? Between us, I mean,” he adds. “I wrote to you this summer, as I always do, and you didn't respond. Granted, very few did, but if you let me say it out loud… I miss you.”
Penelope takes the opportunity to bring up her issues with Colin, saying, “You miss me. You miss me, but you would never court me, is that right? I heard you at my mother's ball last season telling everyone you would never court Penelope Featherington.
She continued, “Because I'm embarrassing you. Of course you would never court me. I'm the laughing stock, even when I changed my entire wardrobe. It never occurred to me that you of all people could be so cruel.'
Based on the book series written by Julia Quinn, the Regency series follows each Bridgerton sibling's journey to find love. Viewers got the chance to see Colin and Penelope's friendship blossom in the first two seasons before becoming the focus of Season 3.
“Usually we meet a new person who falls in love with one of our regulars,” executive producer Shonda Rhimes said about the upcoming season on Wednesday's panel. “But this time we know the people who fall in love. We already support them because we already know them, and I'm excited about that.”
Show runner Jess Brownell also shared what fans can expect, saying: “Colin and Penelope are underdogs in many ways. We see these characters step into their power this year, which I think will make many people who have ever had an unrequited crush or previously felt like an underdog feel very seen.
Despite the excitement about Colin and Penelope's story, which is inspired by Quinn's novel Romance Mr. Bridgertonthe third season has surprised fans by not following the order of the book series.
Brownell stands by the decision to focus on Colin, rather than his older brother Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). (Benedict's connection with newcomer Sophie is central to the third novel, An offer from a gentleman.)
“[We have] Real [been] Getting to know Pen and Colin. We've looked at Pen's crush and seen how oblivious Colin is to it. That's a dynamic you can only maintain for so long before something has to change,” she said Entertainment weekly in December 2023. “This really felt like the right time to delve deeper into what has been agreed with them. On Benedict's side, he's such a fun character and such a fan favorite that we're really excited to play with him for a while longer and let him have more fun before he settles down.”
Part 1 of Bridgerton season 3 begins streaming on Netflix on May 16. The second part will be available on June 13.