Based on the novels by Julia Quinn,Bridgertonis two riveting seasons in already and continues to garner more fan following and critical think pieces than any other light-watch on TV (or OTT) right now. After all, everyone is a sucker for a good romance from time to time, no matter how many pathbreaking cinematic wonders may come our way. And since they often grab far more eyeballs than prestige content, their impact is also worth having a dialogue about. Especially when the show is a period piece that manages to capture the zeitgeist of modern times so well.
We particularly have our eyes on season threebecause of Nicola Coughlan. Shehas been breaking new ground, and frankly, we are excited to watch what she does next with her role as Penelope Featherington, aka Lady Whistledown, now that her cover is blown in front of her dearest friend.
Even though the Shondaland creation has deviated a lot from the books in the first two seasons, the shift in the third season hasn’t gone down well with everyone, especially the ardent fans of the book series. The third book follows the story of the second Bridgerton sibling, Benedict and his paramour Sophie. But in the shows, his character hasn’t had the scope to be etched out as much, which is perhaps why the show makers decided to switch up the book timeline for the next season.
Instead of Benedict, the next installment will focus on the third Bridgeton brother, Colin, and his friends-to-lovers journey with Penelope.The Polin(as the shippers of Colin and Penelope have nicknamed them) fans are excited about this development.
A Legacy of Identity Politics
Keeping up with Shonda Rhimes’ oeuvre has also established a legacy of its own with just two seasons. Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) is mixed-race, season one’s main lead, The Duke (Regé-Jean Page), is Black, and the season two lead, Kathani Sharma (Simone Ashley), is of Indian descent. This was not by accident but by device. Showrunner Chris Van Dusen has pointed out viaThe Hollywood ReporterthatBridgertonboasts of “a world that’s not colour-blind, as some have suggested, but one that’s colour-conscious.”
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Dusen elaborated:
“I wanted to turn the period genre on its head and reimagine it in a new and exciting way. One that included characters of different colours and backgrounds. One that explored the topic of race. I wanted gay people to exist in this world. I wanted to expand this entire universe. So I created a multihued, multi-ethnic Regency period world just as diverse as the one in which we live today. My show would be about love. Joy. Triumph. It would be a show that says everyone is worthy and deserving of all of those things, and more.”
Identity politics was always going to be a focal point of the story while simultaneously not being it at all – because, at the end of the day, the show is about love. In many ways,Bridgertonhas followed in the footsteps of theatre where diverse casting is a norm even in period pieces.
Why Coughlan’s Role Matters
Nicola Coughlan is phenomenal. The Irish actor was endearing in her role as the studious but perennially panicky blabbermouth Clare Devlin in therecently concludedDerry Girls. An outspoken ally in real life, Coughlan’s character Clare comes out as a lesbian while living in a small Catholic town in Northern Ireland in the 1990s. So she is no stranger to playing roles that are fun, bold, and diverse.
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Even in the diverse world ofBridgerton, women ultimately have to marry a man to move up in life. But Coughlan’s Penelope defies societal expectations of women in more ways than one. Always relegated to secondary stations in life – with her mother preferring her sisters over her and her crush seeing her as just a friend – Penelope has always been the main character of her own story. She wields the power of the mighty pen to stir up the stuck-up spirits of the Ton while earning a buck on the side.
Regency-era noblewomenwere not expected to work for money or even consider how financial freedom could lead them up a path of emancipation. Penelope may not have it all figured out, but she is daring to bend the rules to live a life of precarious adventure through her alter ego even when she can’t. Although it matters to Penelope what people close to her think of her, she doesn’t let them deter her from knowing her worth and playing the hand she was dealt rather deftly.
Coughlan brings her A-game regarding her performance, and we can’t wait to see what season 3 has in store.
