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. ❤
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.
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.
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 🩵
For me Season 3 IS the best Season ❤️ Polin 🔥 IS the best couple I love them so much I also think Penelope in Season 1 and 2 was reflecting my insecurities this IS why I was not interested by them Season 3 opens my eyes and makes me understand the characters of Penelope and Colin ❤ Lady Whistledown IS a genius ❤️🔥 That means my mindset has involved 😂 I think so PS : I think WE all have a crush on Nicola Coughlan😊🙂🤣
I totally agree with everything you said. Season 3 has been so healing for me as I saw so much of myself in Pen. And clearly Colin loves her so much, FOR HER. they are perfect together as they are both not seen or appreciated by anyone else other than each other. They're my favorite fiction couple ever!
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!!! ❤❤❤❤❤
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!
Bravissimo! I've seen so many reactors say that we know nothing about Colin, and I'm just like 'you were not paying attention'. They gave us so much over 3 seasons. It is very refreshing and vindicating to see someone enumerate all the intricate story details that were plain to see as far as I was concerned. Excellent work. And, no we did not need flashbacks to show it!
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. 🫰🏻
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.
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.
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! 👏 🎉🎉🎉❤
I'm clearly in the minority on this, but I never thought Colin was making fun of Penelope with that comment at the end of Season 2. As you point out, it is incredibly out of character for him. It's not in his character to openly make fun of *any* woman that way, let alone his best friend who he's always been extremely protective of (specifically in social situations, and whenever anyone demeans her), and who he just promised to take care of moments before. Even in Season 3, when he has fully embraced his rake persona, he still refuses to denigrate the contessa to his "friends" by sharing intimate details about her, despite their clear expectations. And she 1) is nowhere near as close/important to him as Penelope, and 2) wouldn't be impacted socially, as none of those men knew her. The fact that he doesn't even remember the incident when Penelope brings it up in Season 3 further supports this. If he had gone so far against his innate character as to mock his best friend in order to gain social acceptance, that would create significant cognitive dissonance, and cause him at least some amount of guilt. Considering his already low view of himself, he would probably end up beating himself up endlessly for it... it would become yet another voice in the internal chorus of self-loathing. But what he wouldn't do is simply forget it, as if it were any other random comment. Also, consider this: Penelope completely cut him off immediately after this incident, and he spent the better part of a year wondering why. Colin is always quick to assume the blame when those around him are upset, even when it has nothing to do with him. And yet in this case, when he actually did hurt and offend Penelope, it doesn't even cross his mind. He interprets her silence as her simply living her life and having no need of him, like the rest of his family. This conversation wasn't even a flicker at the edge of his consciousness. The fact that it didn't even occur to him as a possible reason makes it pretty clear that he didn't mean it in the insulting way she/we took it. In his mind, he was asked if he was courting her, and he said no. Period. To be fair, his wording was unnecessarily emphatic, and that probably did have something to do with the company he was in. But I honestly think it had more to do with the fact that he hadn't yet recognized the feelings he had for her. He protests too much. We have to remember that we're seeing all this through Penelope's eyes. We saw her hopes get built up, only to be dashed so brutally. We felt her heart breaking in real time. And it's only human nature to jump to the worst, most painful conclusion. We see her do exactly this after the Danbury ball in Season 3. He compliments her dress, and she assumes he's mocking her. He wants to find somewhere private where they can talk, and she assumes it's because he's embarrassed to be seen with her. But we the audience just saw him interrupt a conversation with two men (who were part of that same group from Season 2) to inquire after her, and then when they tried to brush her off, he straight up ditched them to go check on her, with no pretense whatsoever. He's clearly not ashamed to be seen with her (also, he sought her out in broad daylight at the garden party earlier). But in her hurt and anger she jumps to the worst, most painful conclusion. Because that's what people do. He did hurt her, personally and socially, and she has every right to be upset about it and to tell him so. But it simply doesn't make sense that he would step so far outside his own character as to throw his best friend under the bus like that, and yet not even remember doing it. It seems clear to me that it was a mistake (a hurtful one) rather than callousness or cruelty, or even an attempt to win the approval of his peers.
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! ❤🥰
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.
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.
Wow!!! What an amazing analysis! Thank you for sharing this with us! Learnt more about myself watching this & why I’ve been unable to let go of my addiction to these 2 wonderful characters! ❤❤❤
I don't get why so many people blame Penelope for telling Marina's secret?! I mean yes, she should have done it privately, however most people focus on her telling vs the horrible trick Marina was attempting to put on her dear friend! Marina never cared for Colin, just that he was infatuated so she could get him as a cover for her pregnancy and have him pay for, and raise, the baby that's not his?! How is that not a way bigger offense?! To make a man think that baby is his child, when it is not?! To take away his choice?!
I see so many ppl say Penelope's a morally grey character... and I disagree. Penelope's a character with good intentions who acts on her emotions (like this video said, "to a fault"). Marina is the actual morally grey character. Because she makes decisions she KNOWS are going to hurt others, but she does it because of very specific reasons (like... she's protecting herself while also thinking her baby daddy abandoned her). And the manipulation she pulls on Colin, appealing to his desire to be a hero and be loved...ouch. That scene where Pen watches Marina, heartbroken but brave, going into the carriage with Philip tho... it's so sad bc they started off as friends. The only one allowed to blame Penelope for it is Colin, who felt like his choice had been taken away from him by both of them at the end of the day (even though let's be real... he probably was too young/infatuated to make a good choice on it if things had been different anyways)
This was so beautiful explained and analyzed. I really love Penelope and Colin, read the book before I watched all episodes of their season, but your analysis was really, really insightful! It offered me a more profound grasp of the complexity of these beloved characters. Kudos to you! ❤
A+++ This review makes me love these complex characters even more so than I had before! Wow! I kept telling my Mother, she had to watch all three seasons consecutively to understand Polins dynamics. She finally understood that their relationship was more complicated than just the first kiss and the carriage scene., etc. 💙
I'm not a therapist of any kind but I am very happy in my marriage. However, at the beginning, it was rocky and that was mostly due to my issues and I got help for it. This is just to say that I know I am in a healthy relationship and I welcome anyone to criticize my marriage & find red flags. For me, they are the best couple so far because as your video enunciates, they are REAL people with flaws and we see how a REAL relationship plays out. Daphne & Simon are so incredibly toxic (esp with the handling of the SA) that I don't even think about them and the problems that Charlotte & George have mainly stem from George's illness which is something that is out of their control. Kanthony's season 2 ENDED with them getting together so we didn't get to the see them actually having day-to-day life together. Meanwhile, we see Polin navigating their relationship with consequences based on decisions THEY'VE made. This is the scenario we all are more familiar with. However, I think because we can more easily identify with Pen (the audience IS mostly women), I think the fandom has been WAY too harsh on Colin. NOTHING (and I mean it) that Colin did or said during S3 surprised me. People were absolutely aghast at his entrapment comment to Pen (which was not right & truly did merit it's own apology), but it was clearly a PTSD moment with Marina. And given that Colin is more sensitive than his brothers, he is so much more vulnerable to get beaten down & humiliated by the toxic masculinity of their society. Toxic masculinity hurts EVERYONE, including men. Fans say that Colin ruined Debling's proposal but if you watch the episode again, Debling left Pen because she couldn't answer his "I didn't ask if it was a possibility, I asked if you would like it to be." I can write a whole thesis on this relationship & I CERTAINLY have my criticisms of this season & its writing but my thoughts can basically be summed up as "Everyone wants a soft boi until they actually start being a soft boi."
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.
I did notice how if the main couple has flaws that they don’t find cute or quirky they hate the character immediately. But that’s what makes them interesting. That’s why Polin is my favorite.
Wow! Thank you so much for watching! Your comments and analyses make my day; I love reading them and all the stuff that y'all caught which I missed in the show. Also wanted to apologize; I didn't realize the subtitle function was turned off, but that should be fixed now. Thank you to the person who pointed it out to me.
Many thanks are due here. Thank YOU so much for this deeply insightful analysis! You've given me the gift of being able to see the romance genre as so much more than emotionally titillating stories. I've enjoyed good romance fiction since I was 12, and it's always been a bit of a guilty pleasure, but I could never give it up. This analysis actually makes it clear to me WHY I could not give it up and gives me the ability to take the word "guilty" out of the equation. And thanks also to the writers and actors for bringing so much depth to the story of Colin and Penelope, which has entered the pantheon of great romance fiction, in my eyes at least. Brilliant!
I just spent one hour watching this, not knowing it was this long and wasn't able for the life of me to turn my head away from the screen. Thank you for your hard work. It was beautifully explained.
Colin and Penelope’s love is mature. It doesn’t have the will they won’t they or emotional agony that people like to see and we see in S1 or more especially, S2. Funny enough when Colin said he’d never court Penelope, I didn’t think he meant it to insult her. I think he didn’t think of the impact that would make on her prospects but I believe he genuinely means he doesn’t see her that way, the way I’d say ewww “he’s like my brother” if someone teased me about a close friend. I think a side of Pen that was excused is that she did make some selfish decisions. We can argue that revealing Marina was to protect Colin but I think it’s because she didn’t want to lose Colin. She didn’t do all she could to tell him, she simply tried to block their date/chemistry. It felt more about losing Colin than the shame Colin would’ve faced. Even her decision to reveal Eloise- we can argue it is to protect her but we know how eager the queen is to find Whistledown. The Wueen would have believed her if she came clean instead of her putting Eloise in danger of being labelled a political radical. I think it’s sad that the ton and Queen know who whistledown is. Whistledown is power, autonomous secret whistleblower that should challenge power and status quo. Knowing who she is will mess with her ability to be an objective whistleblower.
Love your vidéo really. A lot of people missed this season I don't understand how you can possibly say their romance is rushed, hard to understand or anything of this kind. I mean your analysis point it out perfectly. If you have truely been attentive to them in the previous 2 seasons, it is obvious they have something special growing. Their love story is my favorite and the best to me. For all the reasons you highlight. I would like everyone to see this. So much work and thoughts have been put in their story. I cannont wait to discover their peaceful loving life in season 4 now they are on the same page. Thank you so much for your vidéo. I could have watched an hour more ❤
Wow I really enjoyed your input about what Colin’s relationship with Marina would have become. I knew she would make him miserable but only because he would have to care for children that were not really his while his wife would still be pining after her first love. But would you said about Marina viewing Colin has some whining dreamer is sooo spot on! She would have been annoyed with him for that and probably even though felt guilt about what she did… not enough to let go of her resentment of her situation and having to put up with Colin’s dreamer like mentality. It’s soo clear to me now! If this show was only on television and we had way more episodes, some alternate universe one where Colin would have never found out about Marina until after it was too late. I could see that relationship so clearly. His need to make the best out of everything, waiting for the day that she let go of her love for a ghost and his family pitying him for trying to make that relationship work (maybe trying to stay faithful) and there hatred for Marina for what she did to Colin and what they now have to endure with her around acting like everyone should just get over it and move on. Even trying to put up appearances for the chikdren’s sake because Colin wouldn’t want those kids to feel unloved. He would be a great stepfather. But the whole time everyone would just want Marina to disappear…. I hope we get to see Eloise’s relationship with marina’s current husband and hopefully there’s flashback or something. Though not sure about the actress and how she would feel to come back. In the book Marina was the Bridgerton’s cousin and she was a depressed girl her whole life apparently.
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.
Wow this video was absolutely incredible, thank you so much for sharing it! You have captured the beauty and complexity of Colin and Penelope's love story perfectly. It touched me so deeply, and I have been been able to articulate some of these points but definitely all of them. What a beautiful 3-season long journey they had! And how you have explained everything so well. Honestly, thank you so much.
I really loved your analysis of Colin and Penelope's characters 🤗 the detail you described both of them in throughout the seasons, made me see so many parts to them I hadn't thought of before! Their portrayal of the characters and their love story, hands down makes them the best couple so far 🥰 and is understandably why so many Polin fans are struggling to move on, myself included 😅 I have rewatched and could continue to do so every day and not get bored of season 3 😍 Thank you for your video!
Thank you so much for this accurate and insightful analysis of Polin...You expressed the peculiarity of our beloved characters with great sensitivity. I'm really impressed! Well done! I completely agree with what you say!!!
I do think Colin thinks of Penelope as a kind of "sister" having known her for so long. Once he mentally shifts her out of that category, that rocks his world. This is on top of all you say. THIS is why I enjoy this series and these characters so very very much. Thank you.
i kinda disagree. The closest words we get to understanding Colin's feelings for Penelope before the kiss are, "it is surprising that you and Eloise are so familiar when you cannot be less alike." and "You are... Pen. You do not count. You're my friend." and while these don't reject the posibility of a "sisterly" vibe, I think he just thinks his relationship with Pen trancends labels. She is just Pen, not like Eloise, his sister, and not a woman he would stop talking to. The closest relationship to what he thinks they have is "friendship," because it's the only thing that makes sense without it being straight up romantic.
@@emilykerbs5226 That is fair. I am still persuaded by my own view, but it seems a nuance. This video delves into an issue I hadn't considered--his sense of how intimacy with Pen must be in certain sense perfect. His unwillingness to taint it with his anger. That is lovely.
@DavidMacDowellBlue Yes, I got the same vibe when I watched it the first time, but I didn't really think about it that much. I think the decision to not engage intimately is so refreshing to see. It is like that in real life. if you're in a committed relationship, you can't really sleep with them when you are genuinely upset. The full analysis of the concept in this vid really made me think about that a lot, and now i love colin so much more, if that's even possible lol.
Thanks for such a detailed story cover on the characterization of Both Colin and Penelope❤ listened and loved every bit of it. This was truly an enlightening and heart-warming love story for me...I could relate to them in their struggles on their journey of self-discovery. They grow together with each other's love, support and honest communication. Keep good work going!!
Thank you for this amazing piece! :-) I was already obsessed with Polin as one of my new favourite tv couples (joining BBC's Pride & Prejudice's Elizabeth & Darcy, and Schitt's Creek David & Patrick) and analyses like yours has helped me get even more enjoyment from them (and yet another reason to rewatch for the umpteenth time :-)), and to better understand and empathise with them. I was though surprised your analysis didn't look more at the time between their first kiss and the Queen's Ballet Ball and would loved to have had your insights there. Quite a long time seemed to pass with Colin working through his feelings and not knowing how and when to act, and not acting at all at first. He didn't go to Pen after the kiss and only days later accidentally ran in to her at the park and still didn't share or act on his feelings then even when they were alone under the willow tree (one of my favourite scenes). The same scene to me also beautifully showed the reversal of roles and power dynamic shift between the two, with Pen taking control (and even us as the viewer not truly knowing how she felt at this time and about the kiss, and as we often didn't know Colin's mind in many of their moments before) and Colin being the more awkward and submissive one and unable to declare his true feelings. I feel this dynamic pretty much continued until the carriage, with the addition of Colin also now being the one having to watch the love of his life be adored and pursued by others and still unable to act, along with further struggles and growth by them both (including Pen's growing confidence and grounding, and Colin caring less about keeping up appearances and impressing the Ton and becoming more the man that Pen deserved), and I thought this period and change for them both was so enjoyable and fascinating and worthy of more exploration.
I really love when she's talking about the first kiss.💋♥️🥰 I think she so clearly delineated some pretty complex feelings that I think a lot of people who love Polin have towards Colin and about Colin's characterization. it's hard to explain a thought concept against what is explicitly being shown.💓 AFTER spending what could have been weeks telling her how any guy would be lucky to have her; for some reason, when he kisses her he remembers that HE'S a guy!! and therefore HE would be lucky to have her!!!😂
58:08 I get what you're saying about them both hitting each other where it hurts. And again I think that is a wonderful verbal description of the "mirroring" of their actions. But... that still makes Colin's actions worse, objectively. like within THEIR relationship, the hurt is the same. But everybody knows women aren't allowed the social rubber to bounce back from things considered scandalous as men are!!! With a proper understanding of the society you live in, it would only be 'feminist' to more closely regard how you speak about a woman. Even if your pride is at stake. The standard of "gentleman" is high for a reason. But that's why Colin holds it as his aspiration 😂❤ but he has not completed that journey
