As someone who grew up watching saccharine, sweet romantic stories dished out by Bollywood year after year, and especially someone who grew up with the romantic comedies of the 1990s and early 2000s, the central plotline with many twists ‘and turns surrounding it in the Bridgerton world should not come as a surprise. But then we remember those romantic movies, which produced a few classics and a few bore fests. Sadly, this third season of the Bridgerton falls in the latter category.

Contrary to popular opinion, there is hardly anything going on this season. Of course, as per the course, there is a love story, which should be the central theme for this season. But as we soon learn, so much is happening besides this main love story, and this entire plotline is saddled with many subplots and side storylines.

The main protagonist of this season is Penelope Featherington, who is madly, albeit on one side, in love with Colin Bridgerton—her best friend from childhood and elder brother to her BFF Eloise. Colin has returned to the ton from his travels, much to the delight of young ladies looking for a charming suitor. Penelope can only admire him from afar, especially after his rebuttal to court her in the previous seasons. 

As Penelope has seen her elder sisters enter matrimonial lives and noticed her headstrong mother, Lady Portia Featherington, all but declare Penelope to provide her lifelong company and support, she has decided to find a suitable match this season. She wants to improve her societal status while claiming much-needed freedom from her oppressive household. Guess what? None other than Colin promises to help her find a suitable groom as he is trying to make amends for his horrible behaviour. 

Well, it doesn’t take much guessing to anticipate what happens next. How helpful Colin realises his hidden desires for Penelope, leading to a long-delayed but much-awaited love declaration, which results in a quick engagement followed by a frenzied wedding.

Of course, everything is not so straightforward in Bridgerton, is it? There is the lingering question of who is Lady Whistledown. Readers and viewers alike know the hidden identity of Lady Whistledown but not the people of the ton. As we know from the previous seasons, the Queen has taken a particular interest in unmasking Lady Whistledown. The main question is how and when this unmasking occurs during this season and how it impacts the Featherington and Bridgerton households. At the heart of this prolonged drama is the nuptial of Penelope and Colin, who have found love with each other after much fanfare and heartbreaks of their own.

It’s interesting to watch how this marriage survives Penelope’s unmasking as the enigmatic Lady Whistledown. However, this is not the only admiring factor about this season. There is also the transformation of Penelope from a wallflower to a leading lady, marrying into the most prestigious family of the ton, coming forward as an independent writer, and finally becoming a mom (much to Portia’s delight).

But as I mentioned, this critical main plotline is sidetracked by subplots and supporting characters. So much time has been spent during many episodes of this season towards the subplot featuring the Mondriches. Unless and until their becoming a prestigious family in society is going to impact the main storyline in some way in the future, I am not ready to waste so much time on their growing status and acquiring riches during this long-awaited season. Similarly, we witness all the drama surrounding Cressida Cowper, who portrays the dumb blond character to the tee, providing all the villainous backdrop to the Lady Whistledown storyline.

Of course, there is the love at first sight story of Francesca and John Stirling, which has been sprinkled around this season. So, we get not one but two weddings of two siblings in one single season, which should be a celebratory cause, right? Wrong. This entire meet-cute and then prolonged courtship resulting in a hurried wedding feels so unnecessary for Colin and Penelope’s storyline. An additional bombardment of non-requisite love interests comes from Benedict and Lady Tilley Arnold’s intimate escapades. 

These conflicting or parallel stories become tiresome at some point, and viewers tend to yearn for the central love story of the season. Although the actors portraying this season’s leading pair have given substantial justice to their characters, it is the planning and direction of season 3 that leaves viewers wanting more. Although we, as viewers, want more screentime for the newly minted Lord and Lady Colin Bridgerton, many other highlights of this season are vying for our attention. Overall, this season is worth the hype and your time, maybe without ticking many positive boxes.