#kanthony's confession is still the best love scene

[xony]

so I always forget that there's sex in Bridgerton bc that's not what I watch it for (I don't mind it, just don't care too much about it), but I think Polin's carriage scene just chaged that!!! i think it's the hottest scene in the whole series so far ngl

[thequietesthing]

Bridgerton S3 Part 1 REVIEW!!!

Gentle readers, the time is finally upon us…

SPOILERS AHEAD - books and tv show 

Read at you your own risk

let’s go storyline by storyline

Polin: I LOVE THEM YOUR HONOR. they are great. the first episode you wanna smack CB up and down bc he behaves like an ass. Pen my darling i love you but some of your scenes give me second hand embarrassment and i had to watch them thru my fingers lol. I enjoyed the insertion of the character of Lord Debling; he was there, he did his part, which was basically making Colin more evidently jealous. In the books there is no need for that because we follow the thought process of the characters, but in a visual adaptation they have no way to do that so they used the old fashioned jealousy trope, that never disappoints. Confession time, I’m really not a big fan of friends to lovers because a lot of times there is the risk of falling into a series of banalities, BUT in the series, like in the books, it was really really well done. I like how they showed the progressive obsession that Colin has with Penelope, (and I feel like the best is yet to come), because of one thing you can be sure is that that man is OBSESSED with his (future) wife. Scene in the carriage: NAILED IT. Personally I’m also really fond of the scene in the book when he follows her and finds out that she’s LW, which from the promo for the second part I assume will happen (yey!). ALSO THE MIRROR SCENE. I’M WAITING.

Moving on

Francesca: my beloved. Not only do we share a name, but also a core deep awkwardness and the inability to be at the center of attention for more than two minutes straight; not to mention a deep appreciation for silence. I’M LOVING her storyline, I think it has great potential, and we’re finally discovering something more of the mysterious Bridgerton. The way I SCREAMED when John presented himself at Bridgerton House!!!! He is also a sweetheart and they are absolutely lovely together (this characterisation is needed as it will serve as a counterbalance for Michael later). Also Hannah Dodd is just the sweetest tootie-patootie and has such an angel face (which makes me really eager to see her in her season, IYKYK). Idk if you can tell that her book is my favourite lol.

Eloise: my girl, I cannot blame you. Like, let’s be honest, when a friend keeps something from you, especially of such magnitude, you can’t help of being a bit mad. I do think that she still has a great love for Penelope and it shows during these first four episodes. Also, only Eloise can make Cressida Cowper nice apparently. I think it’s going to be very interesting in the second part see her trying to protect her brother from Pen’s secret, but I do believe that in the promo that they showed us there are mostly scenes from episode 5 and 6. She has embraced the mentality if you can’t beat ‘em join ‘em, which makes her less “contrary” to society but she still has her quirkiness and wit that distinguishes from the rest.

Kanthony: they are happy, they are in love and they are enjoying their marital bed, and honestly who can blame them?! I love that they are happy and that they are showing us them being happy. I feel that is something that lacked with Daphne and the Duke because of actors unavailability, but I’m happy that both Johnny and Simone decided to continue. Especially Johnny because I have to say I’m a sucker for Anthony as “father-figure” for the youngest siblings, so I’m hoping for a scene with Frannie/Eloise/Gregory/Hyacinth and Anthony, even in future seasons.

Benedict/Violet: I really think that the next season will be Benedict season, and I will elaborate later why, because my man here needs a change of scenery. 3 seasons, every single time the same freaking storyline for my beautiful Benny that is a precious soul and could do so much more than to shag the first person that comes across his path. Violet is really sweet. She worries for her children a lot, like it’s normal for any mother but she’s learning, with a trial-error approach, how to let a bit go. I’m not entirely convinced of this Marcus guy. I think that Lady Danbury needs to sit Violet down and come clean of why she and her brother are estranged because she (being me) needs to know. 

Mondrich family: they are so cute, but I feel (and hope) that we will be able to close their story this season because it’s starting to feel a bit dragged on.

All in all, the first part of S3 gets 4,5/5⭐️

Now, my predictions: like I said before I do think that the next season will be Benedict turn, and not Francesca or Eloise, for the following reasons

1.They don’t know what to do with the poor guy anymore, every season a different person but his story arc feels a bit incomplete. They did something last season with the whole art school debacle but we are mostly back to square one.

2.Eloise has not given any indication that she has started writing to Mr.Philip. I think she will start at the end of this season or beginning of the next one.

3.Since we don’t have anymore debutantes for a while, I think next season will begin with Francesca and John’s wedding, and as a secondary storyline they will start to show more of their relationship + they will introduce Michael and all their dynamics. 

4.If they continue, I believe Eloise will have the fifth season , with her running away after Benedict (her favourite brother) gets married. 

ALSO, and this is more a personal curiosity, I wonder what they will do with LW. Technically, in the books Penelope is discovered and LW dies out; in fact in E/F/H/G we don’t have any LW at the beginning of the chapters but extrapolates of letters from the main character to other characters. It’s interesting I think because, if they do decide to cut her out completely, it will change the format of the series quite a bit as it has become such a core part of how the show is perceived by the audience. Which leads me to a reflection on how they decided to promote/present the show. If Benedict is actually next, I think it will be a bit of a transitional season. Let me explain myself; I don’t think that the queen (and the court in general) will have a big role like she’s been having for the past seasons because the next Bridgerton debutante will be Hyacinth, which is quite a few seasons away. We won’t have anymore LW (technically) and also the stages set in the books, especially for E, but also for F partially, takes place far way from London. If they actually manage to get to H/G seasons (which I hope because I want to see Garrett and Lucy), they will bring back the entire London setting. OBVIOUSLY ASSUMING THAT THEY FOLLOW WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE BOOKs AND DON'T DECIDE TO SWITCH IT UP AND MAKE EVERYTHING HAPPEN IN LONDON (honestly, I hope not)

All this to say that I think that they split this season for two reasons: one of purely economical nature; being the fact that they have been absent from the screens for very long and in order to keep the people talking about the series more (and for longer) and to regain all the money spent, is very strategic to split it in half, keeping engagement high for all the time before/in between/after. The second reason I think is of narrative choices, if we assume that I’m right and Benedict is next, for the reasons I told you before. They want to show a bit of a detachment between the Bridgerton we have known until know and the one that will come later.

Ok I’m done. Gosh, how I ramble.

I have a sixth sense that I need to add this, just to be sure: these are my opinions, feel free not to share them just please be nice if you want to manifest your disagreement.

[lostinafictionaluniverse]

Bridgerton S2 and its overarching motif of 3

Since the triangle was so heavily stressed upon this season, upon my nth rewatch of Kanthony scenes, I noticed that this season has the theme of three or trio in more ways than just the triangle, and thought I’d list them down. I’m just focusing on Kanthony here and not the other storylines because theirs is the central storyline and I’m certain if these were put in deliberately by the writers/ show runners they would focus on only the central plot. I concede there may have been the theme of 3s in the other plots as well, but confess I did not pay attention to them. Also, I maybe grossly wrong about some of these!

So the triangle is the overarching theme - which we will all agree because it’s the most obvious one. There are three people involved right from the start to the end, and even JB said Edwina is the one that pushes Kate to be with Anthony during that last dance. So Edwina is very much a presence in the Kanthony love story right until then. I’m putting the rest under the cut because it got long and if you don’t wanna indulge my obsession/brain rot around this season and Kanthony please feel free to skip it. 

3 ‘symbols’ that were meant to be Kate’s, were given to Edwina before they came back to Kate.

The ring: This was clearly meant to be for Kate, because she doesn’t even need it fitted, it stays on her finger and does not come off! Edwina is given it when Anthony proposes, but we’re left to assume it does not ‘fit’ her, and has stayed with Anthony since the proposal, since he brings it with him to the fitting in ep. 5. It’s Kate who ‘gives’ it to Edwina, pulling it off her finger.  

The bangles: They are Kate’s and she’s always had them (much like Anthony’s heart) but she gives them to Edwina to wear on her wedding day. And Edwina gives them back. It’s foreshadowing for what happens later, and therefore apt that Kate ends up wearing those bangles since they were her mother’s and meant to be worn at her wedding. At the end of Ep. 6, when they kiss at the backdrop of the altar, she’s still wearing them, so it’s pretty clear that they’re wed in their hearts. The way that shot is framed with the camera panning out and them standing at the altar holding hands indicates this.

Anthony himself: I don’t have to explain this. But think back to the statement he makes to Edwina at the end of Ep.2 after which she is kind of smitten by him. I shall not fail when it comes to duty and action. Then contrast that with the vow/ pledge he makes to Kate at the end of Ep. 8. I will humble myself before you. A man who’s always prided himself on his honor and placed duty before everything else is ready to let go of it all to have Kate in his life.

3 times Kate and Anthony meet at the park

Their first meeting

The time when she begs him to marry Edwina in ep. 5

Kate’s accident

3 times Kate bests Anthony in games

The ‘race’ at their first meeting at the park

At the races when her horse wins.

At Pall Mall: she’s clearly the better player!

I bet she’s a better shot too, but unfortunately we didn’t get to see it!

3 times Anthony ‘wins over’ Edwina  

At the races when he confesses him setting up Dorset with Kate was just so that he could spend time with her  

At the poetry reading with this honest confession about action and duty.

When he stands up for them against the Sheffields

(not counting the conversation where they’re being chaperoned because that’s just them getting to know each other, and Anthony’s responses were probably too fake and rehearsed to be real)

The 3 proposals that Anthony makes:

To Edwina

To Kate when she’s recovering from her accident

And to Kate again in the final episode

3 times Daphne ‘sees’ that Kate is the one truly suited to Anthony

When she first meets Kate - she mistakes Kate for Edwina and the one Anthony is courting

At the Pall Mall game when she sees how out of place Edwina is and how comfortable Kate is with the competitive Bridgerton family, she gives them a long look as they disappear together to recover their balls

At the ep. 4 dance - she’s watching them and Anthony’s meltdown at the end of it, and she clearly does not miss how agitated her brother is when he leaves.

3 almost kisses 

The Bee sting

The library/ study in ep 4

The one in ep 5.

I’m not counting the rifle moment because they’re not facing each other then, and not counting the night in the library because although you can see his eyes darken they don’t get close enough to kiss, nor am I counting the closet scene in Ep. 6 because reasons.

3 people who see/ suspect Anthony and Kate’s feelings for each other before anyone else

Daphne

Lady Danbury

Violet (she’s the last to see it and Daphne confirms it when the wedding falls apart)

I want to add Newton here but I won’t although I do believe he’s been a Kanthony shipper from the beginning!

3 Kanthony dances (and the mood is different with each one!)

Ep 4: Dancing on my own

Ep 7: Harmony/ country dance

Ep 8: Wrecking Ball

Also, the dance in Episode 7 has them changing partners thrice.

3 times Anthony made scandalous declarations to Kate

The Study/library in Ep. 4

In Ep 5 after the Sheffields leave

The gazebo in ep 7

3 times Kate has a flashback about Anthony and their shared intimacy

Start of Ep 5 before the meeting with the Queen, she thinks about the Hunt, the Bee sting and the library scene.

Start of Ep 7 before the bath scene as she’s laying in bed and thinks about their kiss in the church

End of Ep 7 before she goes off riding in the storm, she thinks about their night in the gazebo

3 women we have seen Anthony in a sort of romantic relationship, each one different of course.

Siena

Edwina

Kate

3 siblings we see Anthony in close/heartfelt conversations with: 

Daphne 

Benedict 

Gregory. 

He also brings up 3 of his siblings: Benedict, Colin and Daphne when he’s talking to Edmund in the flashback.

3 times Anthony breaks Kate’s heart after she gets her hopes up about him

When she overhears that conversation at the Conservatory Ball

When he proposes to Edwina after their interlude in the library

When he proposes to her after their night of intimacy with no declaration of love

3 times Anthony refers to her as Kate

When he introduces her to Daphne: Miss ‘Kate’ Sharma

When she falls off the horse he yells her name frantically

When he proposes to her for the first time and she turns him down

3 times Edwina actively pushes Kate and Anthony together (and I love her for it!)

For the hunt

For the Ep. 4 ‘Dancing on my own’ dance

In Ep 8 after their ‘resolution; when she tells Kate she cannot avoid him forever.

Other threes:

Anthony’s 3 requirements for a wife: Tolerable, dutiful, suitable hips for childbearing (half a brain wasn’t a requirement but a preference!)

The first time they touch each other intimately is in Ep. 3 during the Bee sting, and their first kiss is 3 episodes later in ep. 6.

The 3 fingers he holds up at the dance! And then flips it into 4. I know people have pointed out that it symbolizes the number of children they have or like JB said it could be the number of seasons they’ll be in!

But I take it to mean that it’s 4th time lucky for them.

They have 3 intimate encounters indoors: The library/ the room in ep.5/ the closet in ep. 6 where he holds her hand and asks her to wait, before they finally kiss in their 4th one  at the end of ep. 6. 

They have 3 intimate physical encounters outdoors: The Bee sting, The hunt, The gazebo before they finally confess their feelings at the 4th one at the end of episode 8.  

Okay, this post has gotten out of hand, and if you made it this far, kudos to you. You must have realized how deep down I am in the bottomless abyss of Kanthony obsession. Thank you for coming to my TED talk!