When a novel is adapted for television or film, it is inevitably altered to better suit the medium and audience. In the case of Bridgerton, while Julia Quinn’s book series provides a firm foundation for Netflix’s aristocratic universe, the differences between the show and the original story are significant. This is particularly evident in Season 3, the first four episodes of which were released last week.
Here, we take a closer look at the show’s most substantial departures from the novels.
The chronology of the books
Since it was announced that Bridgerton would have a third season, the show’s creators have made it clear that the central story would revolve around Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton (known as “Polin” on social media), following Quinn’s fourth Bridgerton novel, 2002’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton follows An Offer From a Gentleman (2001), in which the main character is Benedict Bridgerton, the second Bridgerton child, played by Luke Thompson on the show. Yet the Netflix version of the story skips ahead a bit. “We already differ from the books a little bit because we’re an ensemble show,” Jess Brownell, Season 3’s showrunner, explained to Variety in 2022. “I really feel like it’s Colin and Penelope’s time. Because we’ve been watching both of these actors on our screens since Season 1, we’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people.”
It was clear from the last season that Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) were gearing up for a major moment; in the Season 2 finale, Penelope hears Colin say that he would “never court her.” While, in the books, Colin makes the remark to his brothers in passing many years before he falls in love with Penelope, in the show the moment feels more dramatic (and a little cruel).
The direction of Colin’s character
Quinn’s Colin Bridgerton is simply irresistible: charismatic, kind to a fault, self-assured, and a constant traveler. Yet in the Netflix series, Colin’s charms aren’t clear until the third season, when he’s returned from adventuring in Europe—perhaps to avoid his overshadowing the Duke of Hastings and Anthony Bridgerton, the protagonists of the previous seasons.
Colin and Penelope’s relationship
Quinn’s novels present a Colin who is deeply noble and empathetic, willing to listen to and learn from Penelope. She awakens fears and insecurities in him that he has never experienced before, revealing an uncharacteristic vulnerability in him.
The bond between the two characters progresses organically: there is no Lord Debling in the books, nor does Colin help Penelope seek a marriage proposal. Although they were always friends, their romantic relationship begins when Colin returns to England from one of his many trips to find that Penelope has changed—not only in the way she dresses but also in her personality. He feels she’s more confident and interesting before eventually realizing that she was like that all along.
While, yes, the Netflix series gives us that carriage scene, there is so much more about the couple that goes unexplored, including Colin’s deep admiration for Penelope, the inner turmoil he experiences as he realizes his growing affection, and the conversations in which they both finally open up to each other.
Penelope’s journey of self-discovery
For now, only the first four episodes of Bridgerton’s third season have been released, so we’ll have to wait to see how Penelope’s arc develops. But in the books, beyond her love story with Colin is a search for freedom; she doesn’t want to be beholden to her mother, Lady Portia Featherington, forever. There is more to Penelope than the shy girl that everyone knows—an insight nicely summed up in a conversation she has with Lady Danbury, who becomes a good friend (another detail the series will hopefully highlight): “Isn’t it nice to discover that we’re not exactly what we thought we were?” the latter muses.
The core of the story: The identity of Lady Whistledown
For Penelope, being Lady Whistledown is not merely about criticizing high society. The controversial columnist is her alter ego: brave, daring, bold—everything the young woman believes she herself is not.
Lady Whistledown’s identity plays a crucial role in Romancing Mr. Bridgerton, providing a parallel storyline to Penelope and Colin’s relationship. When Lady Danbury offers a reward of one thousand pounds to whomever discovers the writer’s identity, events take an interesting turn. Penelope decides to halt her column’s circulation when Colin begins to suspect Eloise, but she doesn’t anticipate Cressida deciding to impersonate Lady Whistledown in order to claim the prize. (In the book, Cressida is a widow whose husband did not leave her with much money.) Unable to let Cressida take credit for her work, Lady Whistledown writes a final text to disprove her. All of this has repercussions for Penelope’s relationship with Colin—the one person who has found out her secret.
Penelope and Eloise’s friendship.
This is another part of the show that diverges from the books: At end of the second season, Eloise discovers that Penelope is Lady Whistledown and ends their friendship. That doesn’t happen in Quinn’s story, nor does Eloise form a friendship with Cressida.
The second part of Season 3 premieres on June 13, so we will have to wait to find out if the adaptation lives up to the original story, in which the entire Bridgerton family supports Penelope when her secret is discovered. What will that mean for her and Colin, who still doesn’t know in the world of the show? We can’t wait to see.