With Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) character and growth firmly in the limelight in this recent season of Bridgerton, it is hard not to notice that Colin (Luke Newton) isn’t necessarily given the same treatment. Bridgerton has hosted an array of unique characters, with a talented and riveting cast to pull them off, thus giving each love story its own flavor. However, in Season 3, Colin’s character development becomes stunted and forced, especially damning next to the depth and thought put into Penelope’s story. Overall, there are hints of potential within his plot, with notions of an internal conflict based on envy and vague insights into traditional masculinity, but these ideas never really pan out in a fluid way. Instead, Colin resolves all these issues far too quickly, with his growth almost becoming simply another narrative device in Penelope’s story. In fact, he doesn’t really exist outside of Penelope, simply becoming a vehicle for her growth instead of standing as a true character himself.
Colin’s Story Resolves Too Quickly in ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3
The resolution of Colin’s character development arises in a jagged and rudimentary timeline, suddenly wrapping up in the end as a seamlessly encased package for Penelope’s finale. Bridgerton Season 3’s finale sees Colin randomly professing his ambitions to become a writer, though the scenes of him actually writing are few and far between. It seems the sudden interest in this field is carelessly placed into his characterization to complicate his feelings about Penelope being Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews). He initially begins to voice his hateful opinions on Lady Whistledown and how she broadcasts hurtful information about his family. While this reason alone should be enough to fuel his rage towards Penelope when he discovers her secret, Bridgerton later implies that he is envious of her success as a writer. This manufactured internal conflict seems nonsensical, especially considering how threadbare his story about loving writing is compared to how prolific it is in Penelope’s scenes.
This writing-based envy doesn’t only aggravate Colin’s anger towards Penelope, but is also one of the reasons he ends up forgiving her. After working through the insecurity of not being able to handle the written word as proficiently as her (something we never actually see in the show, it is just implied in the finale), Colin is able to respect Penelope’s courage in the decision to reveal her identity to the ton. Once again, his ability to resolve his internal conflict does not mark his own character growth and instead becomes a reward for Penelope’s. Penelope’s storyline of growing more confident, accepting herself, and reconciling her identity as a writer with love for Colin all leads to the forgiveness and romance she desperately yearns for. As such, Colin’s character is reduced to a payoff in her story. Bridgerton completely fails Colin, as his abrupt and arbitrary narrative lacks credibility or the thoroughness that was reserved for Penelope, making his resolution far less satisfying.
‘Bridgerton’ Favors Penelope’s Story Over Colin’s
Compared to previous seasons, Bridgerton Season 3 has more of a modern feminist outlook on its plots, particularly as Penelope’s story is reminiscent of how marriage can threaten a working woman’s success. Subsequently, the notion of tackling gender theory is also littered in Colin’s storyline yet is not given the same complexity or screen time. During the first part of Season 3, there is a fleeting moment where Colin challenges the frivolous culture of young bachelors and how they treat women’s bodies. He had previously engaged in the same culture, but when he begins to experience unbidden dreams and thoughts about Penelope, he is able to recognize the superficial nature of his peers. However, this idea is limited to that ephemeral scene, completely vanishing as Colin cultivates his obsession with Penelope.
This deconstruction of traditional masculinity is also later referenced in the finale, where Colin is not only envious of Penelope’s success but also threatened by it. The Regency period’s strict social environment demanded that men should be able to financially provide for their wives and family, becoming the pillar of stability for the household. As such, with Penelope already having the proven ability to make her own money, Colin’s economic responsibility and masculine role becomes threatened, further alienating him from Penelope. But for something that is ingrained into society, it is a miracle that it isn’t more of a scandal in the ton, or that Colin is able to swiftly come to terms with the idea of Penelope being a household name. This not only undermines Bridgerton’s attempt to engage with gender roles but further stunts Colin’s potential character growth, as all this deconstruction of societal values either happens off-screen or is just instantaneous.
Colin Does Not Exist Without Penelope in ‘Bridgerton’
