Characterization in the Romance Genre - Dissecting Penelope and Colin from Bridgerton Season 3

The Romance genre is often disregarded from the discourse of serious storytelling. However, the innate and often overlooked strength of love stories is their capacity to explore human connection by bringing complex, fleshed-out characters together in an emotionally intimate space that reveals their personalities and gives them a reason to grow.

Bridgerton Season 3 presents the divisive characters of Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton, who grow up throughout the series and struggle to find their way to each other due to internal battles. Being perfect examples of the importance of characterization as the biggest strength of the Romance genre, let's take a journey through Seasons 1-3 of Bridgerton with these two characters, fully understanding their reasons for their choices, as well as the consequences of them which push the story forward towards its eventual beautiful conclusion.

This video is mainly just for some friends... since I wrote this in May/June, I feel most of this information about Polin is now common knowledge online, but I still wanted to finish what I'd started.
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00:00 - Introduction
02:35 - Season 1
17:24 - Season 2
37:27 - Season 3
1:10:24 - Epilogue

[yulisagarcia]

No one can convince me these are not the best couple. I like them all but Polin is on another level.

[fmellark]

Colin is such an amazing character, with so many multitudes. He's so rich in detail and so fully flashed out. And the way Luke Newton plays him, with all the micro expressions and letting his eyes do much of the talking... it feels so beautiful to watch. I feel sad that not a lot of people take the time to really pay attention to him, and realize how he is the perfect romantic lead - flawed, real, genuine in his emotions and unafraid to own them. He's basically what most women complain they want in a man (sincerity and not afraid to commit, to feel) and yet some of them won't realize this because he is not loud and violent with this love. It says a lot about our society as of now.

[navyamunjal]

I think the beauty of this season is that it is character driven. It is the layers of characters that we peel to reach a culmination, not the plot. This season has a lot of its flaws, it's not as angsty and "sexy" as last season in general consensus ( not really my opinion), but it is the season that touched my feelings the most. It made love seem attainable and beautiful. The unraveling of Pen and Colin, as individuals, as writers, as friends and as lovers was an enlightening journey. It is the integrity of the characters, well built, well explored that made their story special. For once, we knew what substance both the leads carried in them. There were multitudes to their personas as well as real selves. This is precisely why I VEHEMENTLY DISAGREE with people who wanted Colin to make the plea speech for Penelope. It would have undone their entire journey for three seasons. (I am not even talking of logic, because why would Penelope let Colin and his family take a fall for her without knowing how the Queen would react) The speech was inherently a culmination of their burdens and their growth, a hurdle finally crossed which will lead them to each other. That is the true beauty of two well developed characters coming together. Thank you for your analysis, it is truly well done. ❤

[gotasintrospectivas]

Thank you for this. There is so much hate against both Penelope and Colin. It's kind of sad that people can't see beyond their flaws, or even why their flaws are important to their story. While watching this season, I felt like their conflict was more "real" and relatable than previous seasons, because their argument ultimately were about honesty and being able to trust. Nobody liked to be lied to. It's about the breaking of a slowly build mutual trust. And it seems like a testemony to a healthy marriage, that they were able to overcome their issues and rebuild that trust.

[louisedenault]

One of the best analysis of Bridgeton on YouTube

[milysa]

I don’t even have the right words to explain how wonderful this analysis is. I’ve seen a few, all great, but this takes the cake. Honestly, your breakdown of characterization is probably WHY the world is so confusingly in awe at the Colin and Penelope love story. I hear/see/read it everyday…. including myself… why am I so drawn to their story? Why do I keep coming back to them? What does it mean? This tells it ALL! Thank you! Wow!!! ❤❤❤❤❤

[ElsieWals]

Season 3 is far superior to the other 2 seasons & Queen Charlotte, in my opinion.

Luke and Nicola are incredible actors. Their nuance, their face acting, all the little details that are missed by so many people, makes me really sad. I'm pointing everyone in the direction of this video now. Hopefully more people will come to understand just why Pen and Colin are like they are ❤ Thank you for this.

[DoNotDiztubia]

Wow. Your insights are expressed incredibly well. I have always been thinking why Polin is something different— they are complex characters, not one-dimensional. This made their characters more human. They are not perfect, but they are perfect for each other.

Penelope and Colin showed that love is not just about feeling what it is. They showed that by loving, they can improve, learn and be equal, without the need to present their best selves to each other and hide their deepest insecurities.

Season 3 is indeed a romance drama. All the yearning, confusion and love was shown well by Nicola and Luke perfectly. While I don’t like how they missed to tweak a lot more subplots which could develop their story more (and the lack of screentime thereof), I love how writers and showrunner showed the metamorphoses of two characters in love and destined.

Thank you for this wonderful analysis. You have just fueled my love for Polin even more. 🫰🏻

[Blessed.magcaba]

For me, I think s3 has truly changed my mentality and mindset about myself, not only did it feel like I was watching my best friends finally give themselves a chance and explore a romantic relationship but on a personal level I share the flaws and beautiful traits between Colin and Pen for so long I struggled with the fact that I'm considered uncool because of the fact that even as a kid I was such a nerd and super shy ( I'm still the same) so watching s3 brought this whole journey of dealing with these deep insecurities and accepting traits that I didn't consider cool for so long . I know people hated s3 and some will think this is an exaggeration but for us who are not noticed this season was everything 🩵

[ReeniEspino]

we have had the luxury of 3 seasons to see how Colin and Penelope grow and change in their own but also because and for each other. One thing that the series does that the book does not is expand the letter-writing between the two during his travels between s1 and s2 -- this has a big impact on how both of them know each other, as evidenced by the first scene when Colin comes home, and they look at each other with genuine fondness. When he leaves in between s2 and 3, it is because she doesn't respond when he writes that he decides he needs to be the kind of guy that is popular with everyone else instead of the softboi who she communicated with, as he tells Cressida later in the season.
Through their own season they both take big leaps to becoming their best selves, and so become the best one for each other.

[Morglopedia]

I’ve been rewatching the series, getting lost in Reddit threads, and watching character analysis online CONSTANTLY since May, and this is one of the best things I’ve seen on S3…your analysis is spot on and I love the way you compared the two growth arcs. I immediately went to your page to see what else you’ve produced and was 😮to see this is your first video! So well done and please feel free to make more content to help us continue to enjoy this stunning season!

[lindamckinney]

Wow, what an incredible characterization of these two. Shondaland needs to hire you! This was very enlightening.

[TheLauraBlondie]

Thank you for the breakdown. I never thought of Colin’s comment at the end of S2 being because of what he thought others thought of him from what happened with Marina before!

I also didn’t think before about how opposite their insecurities are and are things the other is confident in, his being his character and purpose and hers being how she looks and her popularity.

[RebeccaScritchfield]

Wow, just 👏 standing ovation from me. I love the care and wisdom you put into this video essay. You're splendid, you sparkle, brava!!! ❤❤❤

[Polin_Fever_Jo]

I really enjoyed this. Polin are my favourite couple from this series. I just love their story so much, especially the Netflix series. I did enjoy the book, but I love the TV serious.

[albabala]

I really appriciate this. People didnt use to watch complex characters in rom shows so they could not understand Polin. Penelope and Colin Are most complex and most developed character in romance. Because they Are new Way of presentation, they Are Most missunderstand characters. The same apply for Mirros scene. It is new approach for intime scene. Nicola amd Luke Are somehow inovators in this genre, as lead characters.

[judeezy]

I really loved this Polin case study! Seriously these two characters are so complex and through it all they love each other they have a foundation of friendship that only builds their bond stronger. They can be themselves without hiding their insecurities and do not judge each other for it. I read Romancing Mr. Bridgerton and ever since the start of the show loved where there story was going. I am a Polin fan through and through! At first when S3 came out i didnt exactly like it but upon watch the second and 3+ 100x's at this point lol all the things i missed from the split of part 1 and part 2 came together in a full picture. I love that he let her own up to her LW reveal and just support her on the sidelines like she wanted him to. Thank you for this video! ❤🥰

[Msjessicavanessa]

This is absolutely extraordinary! It made me think, it made me emotional, and made me realize why I love these specific characters so much as well as the romance genre itself.

[JD-dxqr]

This is the best peice of media I have ever consumed

[brittanylove]

Wow!!!! This breakdown was articulated so well. I said it before and I'll say it again, season 3 is the best out of all seasons so far. I could listen to your breakdowns all day. I had to subscribe immediately! Where have you been all my life! Good job! 👏 🎉🎉🎉❤