#i know polin is like the Ship this season from what i've seen when i lightly check out the bridgerton fandom

[ispridestillasin]

So I decided to watch a bit of Bridgerton with my mother, which I'm not really interested in (I don't really like period pieces unless it's a fanfic for a ship I like) but it's a show she enjoys so I sometimes catch her watching it and join her, and literally the only takeaway from the stuff I've seen with her is that Colin, Lord Debling, and Penelope should have all been poly

[thebluemallet]

Predictions for Bridgerton Season 3, Part 2!

I did a few predictions mostly focused in part 1. While some were spot on, a few others could still happen in part 2. I'll be discussing points I got right, points I could still get right, and other things I think could happen now that I've seen the first four episodes. Possible spoilers below the cut!

1- Francesca Will Feel Some Pressure From the Queen (Right ✅ )

I did say this wasn't that much of a guess and it's been what Queen Charlotte has done every season so far. Francesca didn't want to be singled out as the Queen's Favorite but hers and Eloise's efforts weren't enough in comparison to Lady Danbury's. She is feeling some pressure to marry the man that the Queen has chosen for her because it's the "easiest path" despite Violet telling her she can marry whoever she chooses. But Francesca is feeling that pressure less now that she has met the Earl of Kilmartin and he has made his intentions known (in as few words as possible).

2- Violet: Captain of the Polin Ship (Right ✅ )

Colin, you were not subtle in episode 3. Violet picked up on what you were really asking so fast! And she's the real MVP of episode 4. When Colin didn't want to go to the ball, Violet saved that ship when she told Colin about Debling's planned proposal. It's too bad she didn't anticipate the chaos Colin would cause to prevent the proposal.

3- Colin Still Doesn't Know (Right ✅ )

I knew the show could go one of two ways: Colin would find out that Penelope was Lady Whistledown in the part 1 finale OR they would hold off until part 2 for added drama.

As of the end of part 1...Colin still doesn't know that Penelope is Lady Whistledown!

4- Colin Will Find Out In Episode 5 or 6

I don't think they're going to put off revealing Penelope's secret identity for too many episodes. Episode 5 is titled "Tick Tock," and if you've seen the teaser for part 2, you know that Eloise is putting a deadline for Penelope to come clean to Colin about Lady Whistledown or she'll do it. I think that will also be the episode that the Queen offers a reward for Lady Whistledown's reveal. And as we heard from Lady Cowper in part 1, Lord Cowper has been tightening the purse strings since Cressida still isn't married. We also saw (I think in the teaser, maybe somewhere else?) Penelope writing and the small glimpse we got of the writing was calling Cressida out for being a liar and a fraud.

Here's what I think could happen:

I think it's very likely that Lord Cowper might tighten the purse strings even more in episode 5. He's already been threatening to marry Cressida off to a random older gentleman. Cressida, feeling desperate, takes the credit for being Lady Whistledown so she can collect the reward. Financial independence might help her secure a husband of her choosing. But like in the books, Penelope can't stand the idea of Cressida taking credit for her hard work, so she writes a rebuttal in her latest Whistledown column and sets off to get it printed. Colin will either a) follow Penelope and discover she's Whistledown or b) track down Whistledown only to discover it's Penelope.

Also like the book, Colin will double down on marrying Penelope because he believes he can offer her some form of protection in case people do discover she's Whistledown.

There's another shot of Colin looking like he's fuming in the teaser. I think this will also be like the book where Penelope publishes the column refuting Cressida's claim, anyway. But the column accidentally comes out earlier than intended and it blindsides Colin before Penelope can say anything about it to him.

5- Peneloise Won't Reconcile Until the Final Episode

I think this is still the most likely outcome. Eloise, thankfully, did not enter her bitchy mean girl era by hanging out with Cressida so much. She tries to apologize when Cressida rips her dress, chases after her when she realizes that she's at fault for the gossip spreading throughout the ball about Penelope and Colin, and then actually shows up at Featherington House to apologize to Penelope for it later. The ice seems to beginning to thaw.

But it will quickly freeze over again when Colin announces his engagement to Penelope. Any progress they might have made toward reconciliation will be out the window. Ultimately, I think it will be actions taken by Cressida in the second half of the season that will let Eloise make up with Penelope once and for all.

6- Cressida Finds Out Who Whistledown Is...Because of Penelope

Previously, I said that Cressida would find out about Whistledown through Eloise. That Eloise would make enough snide comments that Cressida would figure it out. It could still play out that way. Cressida is very observant and more clever than she's given credit for. When Eloise confronts her for spreading the gossip about Penelope and Colin, Cressida says that she spotted another girl whispering about it nearby and that Eloise was "not very discreet" when she shared the gossip with Cressida.

However, if the events of part 2 play out a little closer to the book, then it will be Penelope's Whistledown article condemning Cressida that allows her to put two and two together and blackmail Penelope.

7- Lady Whistledown Stays Secret(?)

I think as much as the Queen gets vexed by Lady Whistledown, she sort of realized at the end of last season when Whistledown had a hiatus how much enjoyment she got from the column. And what fun is an anonymous gossip column if the writer is no longer anonymous? Maybe we'll get an "I'm Spartacus!" moment (or, for a more recent example, an "It's my vagina!" moment) where people start claiming left and right to be Whistledown when Cressida tries to expose Penelope in the final episode. It would take away Cressida's power over Penelope once and for all, and it could allow Penelope to keep on writing.

Honestly, I think this is not a likely scenario, but it's a possibility and I'm putting it out there.

[the-other-art-blog]

I had been debating about posting this or not, but I'm going to because this fandom is getting on my nerves even worse than in the last 2 years.

And just to be clear before anyone accuses me of anything, I invite you to spend one minute on my blog. My favorite book is AOFAG. Even when I am highly HIGHLY critical of Benedict for being an absolute jerk for about 70% of the story, Sophie Beckett is the greatest character that Julia has ever written. She's everything that's good in the world 🥹 and her strength saves this story. Benedict has awesome moments and he apologizes in the end, which is rare in JQ's books, so, he has that on his favor + an incredible love confession that Luke T will absolutely nail (I still think JQ cannot write class-difference stories but whatever) Show!Ben is everything book!Sophie deserves and is going to make the adaptation so much better. I can't wait to see that.

I need Sophie in my life.

I've also written many stories about benophie and posted a lot of love for them for the past 2 years.

And you know what I have also seen in those 2 years? Benophie stans being vile, aggressive, rude, and simply put, absolute bitches. They claim to stan Sophie because of how kind she was despite her circumstances but when the news of s3 came out, they turned into full-time haters.

Now that the antipolin blog published something about the actors they like (they even lied about Claudia Jessie!), NOW they are cutting ties with that account and publishing what seems like "PR statements" (loved how a fan called this on tw) saying that the admin of that blog does not represent them. TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. AND FALSE. Forgive me for not believing you but that blog repeated the same lies you were all saying.

A few months ago, an account on tw posted something like "I have never seen a Benophie being hateful or attacking Polin." Obviously, Polins began replying with ss of the anti blog and other crazy stans. And I didn't see any big account of Benophie come out and admit that that was wrong or cut ties with those problematic people.

For 2 years,

You called Nic an alcoholic and lazy when she posted about Champagne Fridays.

You called Luke Newton ugly every chance you got.

You cut him out of promotional photos and bts or you put something on his face, even when the photos were shared BY HIM. You use HIS photos where Luke T appeared to throw hate at him.

You made tasteless and aggressive comments about the actors and Polin for 2 years, and whenever someone called you out for that, you claimed it to be a joke and that we lacked humor. It even happened on Benophie week 2023 by the account that organizes it!

You claimed that Nic had access to the writers' room, force s3 to be hers, and purposely took SA's screen time and promo opportunities. Nic had to come out and ask all of you to stop sending hate. The unfairness of promo/screen time for Kanthony was not something Nic or Luke did, blame production for that.

You say her activism is performative cause it would kill you to admit that she's doing something good that other actors have ignored so far.

There was not one single post made by the Bton accounts or JQ that did not contain hate toward the actors/ship on the comments, even today that Benophie season is confirmed.

Even a few months ago, I published a few posts about s3. They were positive posts about Pen's makeover and how important it was for me, and this is the kind of messages I got:

Was it from a Benophie? I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me. Also, this is the only one I ss, but I got at least 4 of them after this post (x).

Those very people who are crying right now that Benophies is being associated with the anti polin bitch were spreading the same rumors that she mentioned. And they never showed remorse!

Don't come now and say it's just ONE antipolin blog that spread all the hate. She's not talking to herself either, those anons are real because her posts have likes, so she definitely has an audience. I've met them. Unfortunately, every group chat or discord channel about Benophie is not a safe place for anyone who enjoys Polin.

And yes, I know there are equally disgusting people on the Polin fandom that I have also blocked cause they keep attacking Marina, they claim Pen is a saint when she made big mistakes, and they have also spread rumors and insulted fans and actors like Simone Ashley and Ruby Barker, not to mention the people who are obsessed with LukexNic and attack his gf. Like seriously people, you all need to be institutionalized. There is a big HUGE problem in that fandom too, but right now certain benophies are acting all innocent when I have been here also for 2 years witnessing their hate. No! I can't.

I also can't stand that most of them are loving Cressida because the patriarchy forced her to be an absolute bitch. But Pen is the antiChrist.

Some of them even justify Richard's neglect and abuse. "Richard couldn't leave Sophie with anyone else," "Richard truly loved Sophie." Seriously people.

I know most of them will ignore my post, block me even or come to my inbox to insult me. And I don't care. I haven't seen any other person admitting how hypocritical they are being.

If this offends you, I will assume you participated in the 2-year tantrum against Polin.

That's it. End of rant.

Sorry to be so negative but this really pissed me off. That statement! The nerve!!!! Ok ok, now I'm done.

Next, I will post much more positive, lovely Benophie stuff. These people are not going to ruin Benophie season for me.

[kikibridger]

at this point, people on twitter are just jumping on a hate wagon. because where were y'all when the season first came out?? now y'all sympathize with charlotte, we knew about kings health from the beginning and you people never said anything. all i the saw was "we don't want this show" "queen is gossipy and annoying" "nobody cares about her". i know you loved queen charlotte (i did too) but there is no reason for you all to go and hate on other characters/actors. i have seen so much hate towards penelope, colin & polin and the actors (for god sake) from the people who claim to dislike them but all they do is talk about them. everyday their is a new tweet from one of these people hating on polin/colin/penelope and giving reasons to others to hate on them too. it has gotten to a point that it is affecting my mental health. i've made so many amazing friends on twitter who just want talk about polin without hating on anyone else. at this point, i am begging y'all to just talk about what character and ship you like rather than what you do not like. let people enjoy what they want to enjoy🙏🏽

[gleefullypolin]

I agree, there's no fun in worrying for me and it's not really the step by step I enjoy it's the journey and if I get to know the path a little bit I'll feel more confident in my enjoyment. I know it's not for everyone but I've never enjoyed something less by knowing, it just makes me feel prepared.

Man, I've seen enough people who have alleged info that they're fighting going into an Eloise hater era which makes me a little nervous for that whole plot. I was immediately smitten with Eloise in s1 and s2 sort of made me side eye some of the things she said/did and ugh, the heartbreak at the end was too much. Too Much!

What a poor lonely boy, trying to figure himself out. I do think the inclusion of him running from responsibility being something he's called out on in the books would be a good idea in the show. Swearing off women, touring the world are both all fine and good but the motivations behind both are sort of just more versions of escaping dealing with things. Writing Pen but leaving the others out feels like A Choice if confirmed. I saw somewhere that Pen's face changed to horrified or something like that when the last LW voiceover started so I wonder if she wrote what she wrote about him while angry and regretted it later? The impulsivity of it all!

They're going to have to go at each other if they ever want to move forward. He's always been a bit delicate with her and she's always been a bit shy with him so them having these different personas they're wearing that the other detests is just basically a slingshot to character development, ha. Thin line between love and hate and all that. Plus a carriage ride, etc etc.

They're so messy! I don't think LW will keep picking at him, especially after he apologizes but I won't be surprised if he, like in the books, doesn't love being called an empty headed charmer. Or if Penelope puts herself down continually in it. It's not going to endear LW to him if he's falling in love with Pen and LW is calling her out for her awkwardness.

Oh yes, I thought that was the wildest part of the spoilers? She was approached by the two men on their own before she embarrassed herself and Obi Wan as well before her dress was torn. And he seemed very kind about it all but I'm guessing the Cressida and Eloise element after embarrassing herself with an added bonus of watching Colin flirt with every woman in there was probably too much for her, poor thing.

It's such an intriguing set up! She's awkward socially but very sharp privately, I wonder if that's going to confuse him at all knowing how witty she is when she's with him. Though it doesn't seem like she needs too much of his help but you have to wonder since he seems to move so quickly from his slut era to being almost entirely focused on Pen if he has any other motivations. Especially adding in a man who is titled, wealthier, and genuinely interested in her. The guy seems like he is going to be going Through It.

So many TV shows lost promo during covid, they are not special in that regard. It's not some nefarious plot. I find most things can almost always be reduced to a ship war if you peel off the layers of whatever someone is yelling about in a fandom. I've been harassed and no matter what someone came at me with, in the end it was always about a ship I wasn't interested in. This is Polin's season and anything else about other ships or lack thereof is not an insult during it. It's not that deep, ha.

Oh no, not adult chores, I hate those. I have felt off the last couple of days so the Polin of it all has been keeping me comfortable and cozy. I will have a hell of a time when I have to go back to adult life tomorrow. My husband saw me with headphones on and simply let me be, it was fantastic.😄

I once watched an entire show just by reading the reviews of each episode and didn’t actually watch the show until it had finished airing on television. But it was glorious because it was a truly angsty type show and I got to watch it without feeling any of it.

I am seeing it go both ways with Eloise, some are mad at her for being angry and others are angry at Pen and honestly, I don’t have time for either. They are both young and making rash decisions. Pen needs to talk to her honestly and Eloise needs to shut up long enough to listen. But if she continues as she is in the first episode and shows she still has a heart, then I will be ok with Eloise, eventually. All in time.

I just ran into that spoiler article this afternoon and saw where Pen had the reaction after the apology, so that means she once again wrote something in anger and now will have regret. HOWEVER! That also means that she still feels it, and she still needs to be honest with her feelings with Colin because lets be honest, while she said those things about him in anger, she still feels them. And he IS still hiding behind this “new” Colin. I’m already dying because while I’m excited to get to the first 4 episodes it is the back half I am most excited for. The anger and honesty of their feelings.

It is in those feelings that the truth is told and that damn carriage ride. Impulsivity is exactly right. I cannot wait for that scene. They will both be angry. Colin at the fact that she has been having a go at him AND as you said, at herself. And she at finally getting to let her honesty go, to be her true self in front of the only person she has truly wanted to see her that way.

They have constantly sought the other out all these years because no one else understands them as much as they do for each other. I don’t even think he realizes it at this point. He knows she’s important to him. He knows she’s special, but he doesn’t know why. They are truly messy.

I also saw something that I found intriguing that perhaps the dream sequence could be hers and not his. That his dream happened earlier in the episode before the dreaded second visit to the brother. Then the whispy foggy one is Pen’s later that evening. Maybe confusion on her part and possibly her trying to let him go after the kiss because she does have suitors now and she needs to stop relying on her ole friend Colin and her feelings for him because she can’t more forward with him there in her mind. It was an interesting theory.

Now that men are seeking out her attention, Colin continuing to be there at her side would be a confusing thing for her, especially considering she loves him and he’s staring at her every 2 seconds like she’s a delectable pastry he would like to devour. Maybe in episode 4 she’s determined to let go of her feelings for him in order to move on with Lord Obi Wan. Say it ain’t so girlfriend. Lol. But I could see how that would lead to even more pining if suddenly her eyes turn a little colder from his direction and she truly does turn her attention elsewhere.

I find that people can turn a nefarious plot on anything these days. It doesn’t take much. I tend to like to focus on the pretty stuff instead. All it takes is a pretty picture and I suddenly want to play with that for a few hours and make something out of it. I don’t have time for the hate anymore. Why be angry when you can stare at something that makes you happy. I had 2 seasons where I found pretty things in the background to stare at, I’m going to enjoy my 1 season of them in the front. No one can take that away because it only lasts a season and then its gone.

I had my 20 year anniversary at work to celebrate this weekend and I think that had me feeling off all weekend. Too much adulting for my taste and that leads to sadness. I retreated into my thoughts myself and I think sometimes I just need to do that. Thank goodness for the Polin of it all!

[petalsmooth]

And the season three tease that just uses old footage has 15 million and that's been out months. The first one here is just an advert for their wedding contest. The only content with more views is QC's trailer which has been out over a year at around 16.4m.

Now end of the day it doesn't matter how the show stacks up to other seasons in ratings because it's not like the show is suddenly going to change it's format. It's one couple a season, and if the prior actors stay maybe a side story but not near the same time onscreen and I accept that because I'm not delusional. However, it's important for a few reasons.

First is that I like the family and I hate the meandering triangle of season two which served no purpose aside from telling ME the showrunner at the time though he was more creative than he actually was, when really he had nothing to say or there wouldn't have been so much filler. If you cannot improve on the book, then stick to the book. So if THIS season is insanely popular, hopefully puts to rest any idea of future seasons being like THAT one.

Second, I'm tired of Kanthony fans and just fans in general playing ship wars with a show that shouldn't HAVE ship ways because of its format. It's among the most ridiculous things I've seen in an online fandom. It's one couple a season, everyone knows that. How do you then manage to create so much animosity in a fandom over new seasons not featuring your couple? I don't CARE if the season after POLIN is even more popular or if less. I only want it to be good. It won't diminish THIS couple either way. I am not rooting for other seasons to fail because I like the family! I want more eps! If you don't then STOP WATCHING THE SHOW and leave. Do not try to bully your way into a spinoff that will NEVER happen for you.

So, I feel like if the couple these ridiculous people trolled for year's is insanely popular maybe it will shut them up in a way season two should have shut them up. Because Kanthony is NOT the show. It never was. Infact season 1 STILL ranks higher in views. They did not make Bridgerton popular, and they are not why it would stay popular. People love the format of the show, the period, the costumes, the family of Bridgerton's. Really it comes down to more continued good writing and good casting for future seasons. Not any one couple.

That being said, contrary to their beliefs, Polin ARE popular and the views above prove it. And since women are primarily the audience, the idea they thought that same audience wouldn't identify with someone like Penelope...I dunno. Because while the show is known for diversity, that comes in ways aside from color of skin too. I think all women, even men really, can identify with not fitting a certain beauty standard or being socially awkward. This is rather universal across all boundaries I'd imagine. Even with Colin, being rather adrift in a family and uncertain of his purpose is...that is relatable. Throw in having seen the characters a couple of seasons and not sure how anyone would think there isn't an audience for this romance. And the chemistry? That was always there, need only look to season 1 with the "barb" scene to have a sneak peak of what would happen once the writing allowed it explored.

Also, in news related to the "family" of Bridgerton, Jonny has hinted will be a part of the show for years to come. Which I love because he has gotten more offers of late and could have followed same path of the previous lead, but indicated he wishes to be supportive in future generations of the show for the fans. Probably won't be on at same rate as before, but will still be there so I love that.