Bridgerton season 3’s book change is good because it will focus on Penelope Featherington, whose season 2 arc has proven her important. Bridgerton season 1 and season 2 have followed the order of Julia Quinn’s novels, adapting The Duke and I and The Viscount Who Loved Me, respectively. Season 3 sees a shake-up and the Netflix series will put Colin, the third youngest Bridgerton, and Penelope’s romance front and center.
When adapting anything from the novels, Bridgerton isn’t opposed to change. While the romance series has stuck to the central stories of the first two books, there have been a plethora of deviations made from text to screen, including the addition of original characters and subplot alterations. The same now goes for the order of stories being brought to the screen. The third of Quinn’s Bridgerton novels follows Benedict’s love story. However, the series is bypassing Benedict’s narrative for Colin and Penelope’s romance, which is the focus of the fourth book, Romancing Mister Bridgerton.
The decision to focus on Penelope and Colin instead of Benedict makes sense considering how central the former’s relationship was in Bridgerton season 2. The series has been laying the groundwork for their budding romance since season 1, but season 2 upped the ante in terms of drama. Penelope walked away from the Featherington ball believing Colin would never see her in a romantic light. The tension between the two has been building and Colin, despite not yet realizing his feelings for her, developed a closer bond to Penelope in season 2. With their interactions leading to something bigger and Penelope’s return to writing Lady Whistledown’s society papers following her argument with Eloise, it’s no wonder Bridgerton is moving forward with Colin and Penelope.
There is an urgency to their story that isn’t evident with Benedict’s story just yet. If Bridgerton season 3 had moved forward with Benedict’s story with Sophie, his future love interest, it would have risked the stakes that are already built into Colin and Penelope’s story. Leaving their romance on the back-burner for another season would have slowed down their progress and made their interactions feel repetitive. What’s more, Bridgerton has to capitalize on the drama brewing with the Lady Whistledown fallout between Eloise and Penelope. Eloise’s discovery of Penelope’s identity as the gossip writer could create tension between her and Colin; Eloise might even tell Colin the truth of Penelope’s secret, which would make for an interesting season 3 arc.
Benedict’s story thus far is one of self-discovery and will be fine to continue in season 3 before the second son finds romance. Putting a pause on his love story means there is more time for him to grow and decide what he wants to do now after leaving the art academy. It’s also possible Bridgerton season 3 will introduce Sophie, allowing her and Benedict to interact a bit before turning up the heat on their romance in season 4. It gives Benedict time to settle his mind while the more pressing relationship between Colin and Penelope gets the spotlight. Since Bridgerton hasn’t forgotten the siblings who aren’t one half of the main love story, season 3 will surely give Benedict a good subplot while Colin and Penelope’s ever-evolving relationship to flourish. After which, Benedict will likely get his time to shine.