Bridgerton, Season 3 Review pt.1

Y. M. Nelson and friends talk everything Polin in part 1 of this review of Netflix's Bridgerton, season 3. This historical romance show from the Julia Quinn books has us discussing perceptions, character struggles, and being in love in this fictional 19th century London ton.

We discuss the following topics:

• Polin (Penelope and Colin's ship name): Expectations v. what we saw
• Polin's lack of seduction
• Colin v. Lord Dublin
• Penelope as a character and Eloise
• Eloise is a bad friend
• Lady Whistledown revealed ... or is she?
• A Million little ... stories
• Theories on the "epilogue"
• Who is Colin now, and do we like him?
• Overall rating (Based on Goodreads' 5-star rating)

#booktube

Chapters

• 1:21 Perceptions of Polin
• 16:10 Polin's lack of seduction
• 19:30 Colin v. Lord Dublin
• 28:24 Penelope as a character and Eloise
• 31:26 Eloise is a bad friend
• 47:17 Epilogue and Lady Whistledown is revealed ... or is she?
• 52:57 A Million Little ... Stories
• 56:24 Theories on the "epilogue"
• 1:01:55 Who is Colin now, and do we like him?

Transcript

EPISODE 51 pt. 1

[00:00:00] Y. M. Nelson: Hello, Nerdy Romantics. I'm so happy to have with me today, my co-hosts, Staci, Marcie, and Dana. And we are here to talk about Bridgerton, season three. And we are going to spoil everything. 

​[Warning Klaxon]

[00:00:22] Y. M. Nelson: I mean, like, everything because I got something to say about everything. So, if you have watched Bridgerton season three, have some popcorn, have some wine, just like Shondaland do, and discuss with us. 

This is the Nerdy Romantics Podcast, and I'm your host, YM Nelson.

[Intro music: Songs of Sunlight]

Okay. So, howdy ladies! How we doing tonight?

[00:01:17] Marcie: Hi! We're doing great! 

[00:01:20] Y. M. Nelson: good, good, good. All right. So Bridgerton season three. think I'm gonna do something a little bit different than what I usually do, which is ask, like, what our first impressions were, how we felt going in. Things like that because I know everybody got something to say about at least something. So, we just gonna get right into the discussion and I of course want to talk first of all about Penelope and Colin also known as Polin their ship name, and I of course we remember from our discussions on season two, I actually listened to Queen Charlotte, which we put out in July. And I remember talking about this season two and this season three. And I remember us being very excited to see what was going to happen, especially with Polin. So, I want to know what y'all thought about this particular relationship, which is the central relationship of this particular season, or so they say. So, let's start with Marcie, because Marcie always gives us a little bit of smiles and optimism.

[00:02:54] Marcie: Oh,

[00:02:54] Y. M. Nelson: I want to see, Marcie, if you have smiles and optimism for Polin

today. 

[00:02:59] Marcie: that, what I was supposed to be here for? Okay, well, let me dig -

[00:03:05] Y. M. Nelson: Actually, we just want you to be real. So, if it's not optimistic, let us know.

[00:03:09] Marcie: First impressions going in. It did at least have some energy i'll give it that I I did I did like the to see all my old favorites again You know when you watch green charlotte, it was kind of a bit more isolated So to see the Featheringtons and the Bridgertons and see everybody back together again That part was nice.

As for my, my feelings about the Polin relationship, I, I feel, I feel a little, I feel a little let down. I feel I did not get it. Halfway through, I could not figure out what she saw in him or what he saw in her. I could not tell that these were two people who should be together. I I'm gonna say they tried to bring it home at the end. I finally saw her stand up and say some things. I still wasn't sure until the epilogue scene why we were still voting for Colin, what he was gonna do or offer the world. I just, I felt confused. My favorite relationship was, was Lord Kilmartin and Francesca. Loved watching them. Loved watching Violet and Anthony and their relationship where Andrew, her brother.

I, I frankly enjoyed almost every other relationship more. Loved seeing this new version of Kate and Anthony. Clearly, after the angst, they really got their groove in. They seemed to have some sort of kind of thing going. But as for Polin, I feel like maybe the idea was that they were the shoe in couple and so they didn't have to try very hard. So, they did it.

[00:04:56] Y. M. Nelson: Oh my. Okay. All right. Staci, do, do we agree with

that or what's take on Polin? Yeah, 

[00:05:07] Staci: well, if you look at the previous episodes that we did, like of season two, and how are they going to get those two together? Because I didn't like how it ended on that and how he said, I would never be with her. And so on, so, so on. So, you know, we saw that.

So, I was like, well, how are you going to make it into this season three? Like, how are you going to make it like the others? And it really wasn't. And I. Felt bad about that because the fact that oh a plus size and I know she's really not plus size because she's like what size 10 really but I mean But a full figured or as full figured as you get from a Hollywood in America that you know That she would have a love interest and the whole Sexy the whole seduction thing that we had in season one And then season two and then season three is like kid do y'all do it because of the relationship or you're doing it because of Of who she is what who is he is, you know You did did you not make it as spicy?

It seemed because there was parts of that were real spicy, but it's like there was no Build up like oh my gosh. Oh my gosh, what are you gonna do? And then it was like, okay, they did that the kerosene I mean there was some not saying those seeds weren't great - You, But it wasn't, it didn't have the same feeling as the first two. And maybe it's they were trying to do to me, like maybe because they were friends of a sort. Because I'm not even sure about the friendship up to this point. Because it's like, it seemed like he wrote all what was going on in his life to her. And, I don't know, was he asking her questions about what was going on in her life? Before, unless she was, you know, oh, well, she just really does a sounding board for him, but there was no real interaction. I don't know. I mean, it was just and then I'm not sure if possibly they didn't do it as much because they had three different relationships within this whole for no for because we had the older brother and I like the older brother and his his wife and I kind of like that.

That kind of that. Yes, they're married now and it's not we put them on the shelf and they're done. It's - they I mean, granted, they're still they're still newlyweds, but at least you still have that. That lustfulness, that, that, you know, sensuality, you still have that with them, and you were seeing that, which I liked, like, okay, it's not a closing a chapter, we got them together, move off stage, exit right, you know, but, so that's that one, and then when Marcie said, was it Francesca, and what's his Lord, what's his name, Lord Kilmartin, 

[00:07:41] Marcie: John.

[00:07:42] Staci: I mean, I'm an introvert, so I like to have they just two sat together, and it was like, And they still like, you know, that really, that spoke to me right there.

It's like, you don't have to say nothing, just be here. That's all you need to be. And I enjoyed watching them. I was like, dude, I want to see more of that. But, but that, so that's the, so that's the, what, third, if you're counting Polin. Then you have them. Then you have We have the older brother and his wife, and then you have the throuple over there going on.

So, you have, and I'm not sure it's because you had so many story. Well, I mean grant the, the the, the brother who's already married, that wasn't like a big part of it, but the other, but the other two were the other two were bigger parts. It's like, Is it because of that we didn't see the same for Penelope because you split it between three Different actively going couples, you know couples. I don't know but it's I'm not saying I'm I didn't like this season because I'm not gonna say that because I like the fact that they had it but at the same time It seemed more, less couple y of one central couple, and more of a lot of different stories. Cause then we have the feathering tits trying to get pregnant.

And I mean, and that was a good little, their little antics were funny too. But you had a lot going on. In this season to be what eight episodes. It wasn't even that long, and you had all these things going on so

I mean, I would agree with Marcie I Expected more from that from the main couple, but it didn't seem like it was a in a season for the main couple It didn't seem like it was just they're part of a group. We're not sure. I mean I mean, I know they've been renewed, but I'm like, we're trying to get as many in before the ship sails. So, I'm going to try to, you're going to go three of them in this one. We'll see how this pans out. We're going to do the next one and see how that pans out. I mean, I just think that kind of, it felt like we had a whole lot of different, Couples and folk and we didn't have one central focus point of, you know, it was always this person or this person that that couple of this couple and that was what it felt like.

It was not what we've been used to, which is when a central couple is the main focus, because that was not it on the in this season.

[00:10:08] Y. M. Nelson: Yeah. Yeah. I agree. I agree with that. Dana, what about you? I already Know a little bit about what's gonna happen here, but just say what you feel about Polin.

[00:10:23] Dana: Okay, you know, you know I will but first I need to put out a disclaimer So just for all of you who may not have seen all the other Bridgerton, recordings that we did the first season I was very skeptical everybody else on in the group loves period romance and I was like, what is this? And I just knew it was gonna be horrible and it wasn't I enjoyed it I was still a little larry, leery or whatever, but I did enjoy it.

The second one I enjoy that too. I absolutely love the relationship between the the two main characters for that one and then y'all know queen charlotte has my heart that was that was my jam all up and down until the end and y'all know what happened with the end of that So because of that I wanted to let y'all know in terms of what I thought of Polin I thought the relationship and the whole setup.

I was so anticipating this Like I think so many of us and I have reasons why I think you know I we were or at least I was anticipating this and I’ll get back to it But I think for me It was a complete letdown, so much so that after episode 5, I did not watch any more of these shows, and I don't care whether they have any more, like, I'm over the Bridgerton thing.

Like, I feel like it was such a train wreck, and I appreciate that Staci and Marcie can find some Something in it, you know, there's some good parts or not So that's why I kind of wanted to do a disclaimer because if the good parts happen after episode five then I didn't see them So maybe there's some redeeming things that happen like I'm aware of some of the things that happened, but I didn't actually watch any of it But going into this look, I mean, you know as a plus size person and yes, absolutely Penelope is not plus size in any way shape or form in in Anything that we would normally think of but in this society in this, you know, Hollywood thing She is so she's kind of an underdog, right?

so We're rooting for her. Like I think of all the people that we could relate to I think she was more Could have been more of a relatable character and so I think I was really rooting for her, but I think They, they dug themselves a hole in season two because they made us not like Colin because let's be honest, it sounded like he's like, I would never date her because she's fat.

I don't care what anybody else says, this is exactly what it came off as, you know, or whatever. And so, to someone like me, that's the biggest, I don't know how you recover from that, right? But you don't recover from it in 30 minutes. And there was no connection. Like I just 

[00:12:59] Marcie: outfit change 

[00:13:01] Dana: Yeah, one outfit 

[00:13:02] Marcie: one outfit 

[00:13:03] Dana: minutes and one outfit change Does not make it okay now and the thing is even if he and somebody said this and I thought you know This is a good point This is the only time we even really saw Colin kind of be negative towards her I feel like but it just hurts it cuts so deep, you know, it cut deep.

I could just cut deep I don't know what else to say It was so on one hand like with Dana you were probably being a little too harsh on him because this is the one time But it was such a deep cut that I don't know He would it would have taken way longer than these eight episodes could have portrayed especially because they were too busy looking at everybody else's Relationships, there's no way you were gonna recover from this and what they did like I did not Think oh, let me tell you.

Okay, and also like I remember this like as a kid I like had this guy I thought I was in love with him or whatever and he just saw me as his little neighbor friend Yep, y'all know who I'm talking about anyway, but So I kind of felt some kind of way about the BS of one kiss, now you can't get me off your mind.

Spare me! Like, this is stuff that I would expect to see in some teenager, you know, movie who is just like full of lies and happy things. But there's not one kiss that now you can't get me off your mind and I'm all you think about. When we've known each other for the last 20 years and all of a sudden, this kiss is what got you to love me?

Cuz, you know what happens, you know one day my breath is bad. You gonna hate me Oh, that's all that made the connection. Is that kiss? Spare me. I I think that's BS I don't I'm too old for that. So, I did not like that at all Now one thing I think Staci mentioned I thought was interesting. So, with the initial season with Daphne because Whatever his name is.

Didn't come back. We really didn't have to worry about too much of Daphne's relationship in the second scene. Cause she had no man. So, it was like, you know, that didn't bother me at all. And to your point, with the third one, I agree that seeing the past relationship Is it Kate and 

[00:15:04] Y. M. Nelson: Anthony.

[00:15:04] Dana: Anthony. I love them.

I actually love them as a couple. Very, very much. I love their relationship. So, the tidbits that I got of their relationship fit in just fine to me. It made sense, like you said Staci, to see a little bit of that because it didn't just drop out. So, I feel like Daphne's dropped out because it had to. So, it was okay for me to see a little bit of that.

It's all the other relationships that they tried to jam up in here. Y'all, I do not care about these people. It is not their turn. And again, because it's a personal note for me. It's like, why we gotta do the plus size one this way? If you wanna throw all them people, why don't you throw them all up in episode, in season two?

Why don't you throw them somewhere else? And so I just felt some kind of way. And then I heard the showrunner say that she wanted this season, season three, to have a more comedic. Kind of look towards that's another plus size people. Why we always gotta be happy funny Jolly, Santa Claus's like again. I was like big old slap in the face.

So, like I I could not stand this. I couldn't even bring myself and I only watched episode five cause I was, y'all, we were promised some stuff and I hadn't gotten in episodes one through four. I was like, where where is it? So, I was like, I got to watch episode five. People swore it was going to be an episode five.

So, I was like, okay, that's the only reason I even watched episode five. I saw it. It was there in a different context. It may have been something different, but in this context, I still did not care. I was like, oh, that's interesting. We're not like, it wasn't. I don't know y'all made me feel different. I didn't it wasn't sexy to me.

It was awkward. I wanted to hide like it was just -

[00:16:42] Marcie: I just, 

[00:16:42] Dana: original

[00:16:45] Marcie: just say that as a grown woman, I have been in love, I have been in lust, but I have never in my life sighed and deeply inhaled as many times as Penelope did during this season. It almost was its own character of her. I never, never, never in my life have I had that many intakes of breath and it really got to be ridiculous.

And I don't know if it was supposed to portray innocence, or, or earnestness, or true desire. But by the, by the time it got to the kerosene, I was like, if, if, if one more time. We have an intake of breath and a heaving of bosom. I'm gonna be done. I don't know what it was supposed to add, but after a while, it was distracting almost.

The number of times that it showed up on screen in this weird way that it hadn't in any other, when Daph when in that first season. No matter, she may have It like inhaled and maybe not breathed for a moment or something but the pronounced behavior Was so outlandish by the end that I was just annoyed it became annoying to me by the end It was so noticeable that I would be distracted by how many times was she gonna do it in this thing?

Like it was just it it was a trope, and it was ridiculously overused Thank you

[00:18:17] Dana: I think it was meant to like build anticipation or maybe show some slow burn, you know, it was a 

[00:18:23] Staci: Yeah, but that's not the way to do it.

[00:18:24] Dana: No, I know I was gonna say it's a 

[00:18:26] Staci: I mean, I know, but I'm, 

[00:18:27] Dana: writing like that's the problem It's a

cover up for like give me something. This this is not doing it for me. She looked crazy Other 

[00:18:41] Staci: look sexy. But I was like, where was the writing you did, Wendy? It was Kate and what's her name? Cause they were doing, they didn't do like a, the cupcake, but they did scenes like that.

Like, and it was, and it. I don't know and if it seemed it seemed realer than when when I saw those two and I get when you said about how It's only a kiss and now, you're here in love. It's like y'all been living next door to each other for for 15 years you've been writing her consistently somehow it never dawned that she could be a love interest. That's what that bothers me as well.

And I'm probably my hot My, I'm seeing my mic pink going up as I talk, but,

[00:19:28] Marcie: I think for me it wasn't I don't even think it was the kiss for me It was that whole he's got my toy and now it's my favorite toy Because he also didn't get that convinced that she was that great a catch until she was talking to old home boy that that seemed to really actually care about her and her interests and at some point I was actually rooting for him like honestly because he actually 

[00:19:52] Staci: I was rooting for him. 

[00:19:53] Marcie: actually, seemed to want her as the person she was and it took Colin a very long time to get to accepting her as the person she was and he seemed to know 

[00:20:04] Staci: 18 years and 

[00:20:06] Marcie: no no even in even after that he it took him a long time to get to the point of accepting her for who she was and he seemed to be fine with who she was because he knew who he was. Hunter, Fisher, Gatherer, Bioscientist, whatever. And I, and that, so it really was, I felt like he didn't, he didn't see her value till somebody else did. And then he was like, oh, now I can't let her get away. But also, I don't know what to do with her. It was very It was to me It was the most juvenile pursuit of relationship that we have seen so far, and I don't know if it's because they're one of the younger couples that they they wanted to make it look younger and a fresher approach than Kate and Anthony or or What is her name in the first one?

[00:20:55] Staci: Daphne. Daphne and,

[00:20:57] Marcie: and the Duke. So maybe, maybe that's what it was, but it really, to Dana's point earlier, there wasn't a lot to endear you to Colin until episode six, six and a half, seven. And even then, it was really just. he, you know, his mortal fortitude was enough to withstand shenanigans. But I don't know that it was because I felt like he was necessarily the right man for her.

But I do think it was nice that he stood up for her when the, when situations called for it. Like, he was strong in his convictions. I just wasn't sure he was sure that he was making the right decision. Like, It was just was just a lot of uncertainty and then all of a sudden we're all the way in love and I was confused because all the Way to he hadn't had a whole conversation and god knows when how do you know you're in love? I was 

[00:21:50] Dana: to work for her - 

[00:21:51] Marcie: Right, and 

[00:21:52] Dana: to have to to do all the things that you know Because even though 

[00:21:56] Staci: didn't have to work or grave, but he had to do something.

[00:21:59] Dana: Yeah, he had to do 

[00:22:00] Marcie: All he did

was stand up for her that one time. He stood up for the

one time and she was like, oh 

[00:22:08] Dana: But like I said I felt like they this really got jacked up in season 2 because we were all like I can't wait to see how you come Back for this and it was gonna be hard.

It really was and it they didn't even try I'm sorry, like I was really disappointed and then when I found out it was a new a different show runner I was like why this season? You know, 

[00:22:29] Y. M. Nelson: so you're saying that the showrunner for this season is not the showrunner for the first two seasons?

[00:22:36] Dana: understanding is this is a new, the lady who they have now is a new showrunner she's also gonna be the showrunner for season four

[00:22:43] Y. M. Nelson: Oh, okay. So, the, the person who we were rooting for Lord Dublin. And I wrote down, and this is under episode two, I wrote down, dang it, this is team Jacob all over again. I love Lord Dublin.

[00:23:06] Staci: I

[00:23:07] Marcie: Yes, I liked 

[00:23:07] Staci: I 

[00:23:08] Y. M. Nelson: I really

[00:23:09] Staci: I mean. If you were going by by like sexual chemistry and all that, I mean maybe they tried to make that with Colin but to me that didn't pan out. So, if you're going to just get by build your relationship on by what you needed, you know Romance or lust is not the thing and even though he was a nice-looking guy.

So, I mean That could, you know, that can grow but he was somebody you could she could have built a relationship and have to work didn't have to worry about her. Her her job as being lady whistles. She didn't have to worry about that. She could have everything she wanted without all the stuff with Colin because she could I mean— He was like, I'll be here and then I'm gonna go and I'm gonna do this and you have all my, you have my name, my wealth, what?

[00:23:59] Dana: I think she, I don't, as much as I kind of liked him, he's not the right one for her either. Like, I feel like what she, she wants love. He's, he's going to be what we expect for that time period. You know, he's there, he's a provider, blah, blah, blah. But I feel like. She, to have a, a husband who's like there, you know, two weeks out of the year, that works for certain women because maybe that's the type of relationship they want.

But Penelope is too much of a romantic for that to ever work. 

[00:24:28] Staci: well, I mean, 

[00:24:28] Marcie: And I knew 

[00:24:29] Staci: her, it, well, I probably wouldn't work like that because what he said about I'll be gone for this or that. But. And so that in that case, no, but I'm just thinking I'm doing by a checklist about husbands for that time period. Oh, he strikes all the checks. He does 

[00:24:44] Dana: better than Colin.

[00:24:45] Staci: Yeah,

[00:24:46] Marcie: exactly up and up until the point where where he said that I really do think to Staci's point He checked off all the boxes up until he finally said I'm gonna be gone and you won't have to be on your own And I was like, oh no, but up until He declared that I agree with Staci. They could have built something 

[00:25:04] Staci: yeah. 

[00:25:04] Marcie: had options

[00:25:05] Staci: And quite frankly, I was going to be like, if he's gone, that's a, that's a positive for me that he is gone for 

[00:25:11] Y. M. Nelson: Yeah. And that's, 

[00:25:12] Staci: as I 

[00:25:12] Y. M. Nelson: what I that's what I was going to say. Even if he was gone, if they were not, because they were going to, he wanted to move them to what, Iceland or something, some, some remote place. So if he was going to be gone for an extended period of time, and she was able to still be in the ton, that probably even still would have worked because she would have been Around her friends, she would have been in, in with the gossip

so she could do her lady Whistledown thing, kind of thing like that. But part of it was that he was gonna move them way out into

[00:25:53] Staci: No, I thought he wasn't going to move, he was only going to move them if she was going with him, but not necessarily if, well at least maybe I misunderstood. I was thinking that if she was going with him, he'd be away from there, but if he's gone, She could be back where she

is at the time and I mean, I know that was a good option for her Because at the time she was not she didn't think she was going to get love so he checked all the boxes because she was saying I don't want to be here because the mom was like and you can be here with me forever and ever and she was like I 

[00:26:24] Y. M. Nelson: was like, no! She

[00:26:25] Marcie: And you're right. She would have had her own independent household. She would have had her own wealth. And I think I, and I think that that would have been. 

[00:26:34] Dana: in the,

[00:26:35] Marcie: Yeah, I think it does. And I also think she grew up with all her sisters and all those and I think that's the thing, and also Staci, and to Yvonne to your point, she didn't have any friends at this point because she really only had Eloise before And then they were estranged So I do think that she would have still been she would have been married with her own money But she still would have been in the same position in terms of personal relationships Because she did not have any other friends That she really considered - You - She didn't have a circle.

I mean, she had a dot. She, I mean, it was really small and without Eloise, she was really gonna still be alone. And I think to Dana's point, I think that was part of it. she didn't have her sisters at that point. She didn't have anybody.

[00:27:17] Staci: with that name for that lord she might have gained some You And her had her own she might have developed her own circle because at that point she would have been known More than something than the sister or so and so And other feather featherings and girls that she might have been able to develop that but she was never going to develop that living with her mom and then And her sisters and then when they die living with them because that's what yeah, they did it And back in the day. So, I'm not saying that that would be the end of it. But you're right. She didn't have much friends. But if I looked at her mother didn't talk to have much friends either. So, I'm just saying it was

[00:27:55] Y. M. Nelson: her mother was a glom on

[00:27:56] Staci: Yeah, yeah. And it was like her and the daughters. That was it. You know, it wasn't re and the, and the maid that, yeah, the housekeeper, whatever.

She could get her own housekeeper if that's all you need. Because when she got her own house, she can get that housekeeper and maybe make a friend, you know, 

[00:28:13] Dana: The pair 

[00:28:14] Staci: as much as you can, as much as you can for somebody to pay. 'cause I'm, I'm sure that that other lady's like, I'm coming here for work, I can't come, I can't leave.

Well,

[00:28:23] Y. M. Nelson: Right. 

[00:28:24] Dana: think Penelope, you know, when I think about her, I feel like she's very, she's too young. I feel like if, what I wanna say is she needs to go to college, I feel like she needs to leave home experience life. Kind of like Colin got to do right and then come back because she seems very naive on on one level She seems extremely naive.

But then when I listen to the her stuff that she's writing as Miss Whistledown or whatever. It's like She she sounds mature like some of this stuff. She's saying this stuff, but then when it comes to her love life the girl I'm sorry. I just I was very 

[00:29:00] Staci: you think about for that environment, she would not have that. 'cause the only way she would learn, I mean. Think about her sisters, you put it well, he 

[00:29:08] Y. M. Nelson: Right! They didn't even know if they were having sex or

[00:29:11] Dana: Favorite line in the whole show. I'd laugh, I'd die laughing. ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

[00:29:18] Staci: So I'm not sure how much experience she would have got, 

[00:29:23] Dana: was joking when I said go to college 

[00:29:26] Staci: I should have got some but she might have gotten some experience and she traveled with lord dublin somewhere It's all other folk.

So hey, she could have that 

[00:29:35] Dana: Just I wanted more for her and I just I didn't get it. But you so you brought up her So Eloise so season one, I loved her relationship with Eloise Eloise. She was quirky I loved her but by season three and like I didn't see the answer. I don't know how this went Okay, stay Eloise Like, she just came off very like, I'm better than you, and my da da da da, and I, and maybe y'all can clue me in and remind me, cause I don't really remember how bad Mrs.

Smith was. Is it mrs. Whistledown don't sound right in my head whistle lady. Thank you lady I don't know how bad lady whistledown ruined her family or whatever, but she is so harsh and so mean to penelope when y'all know y'all were really the only two friends You guys had and I'm shocked that we've drug it out as long as we have That they're not like I'm waiting for them to get back together because I feel like as a team.

I really like them together so that was probably like forget colin and panela I don't care what they get together now But I would really have preferred if her and ella's because they were just I don't know their relationship was very special to me And the idea that they may never get back together.

It's probably like 

[00:30:47] Marcie: be honest, based on, based on the way it ended, they're not gonna get together next year, cuz, shit. I don't want to, I don't want to spoil what happened, but 

[00:30:54] Dana: spoil it cuz

[00:30:55] Marcie: so, 

[00:30:56] Dana: I'm not gonna watch it

[00:30:57] Marcie: okay, so that's right. So Eloise is moving to the woods with, with Francesca. So

[00:31:03] Dana: her new girlfriend 

[00:31:05] Marcie: with, with Francesca, her husband and the cousin.

So, right.

The weirdly, the weirdly shape shifting cousin. But anyway I agree with you, Dana. One of the things that distressed me the most, and one of the things I think was Cause she wasn't just terrible to Penelope, but then she befriended Cressida,

[00:31:23] Staci: pepper, crested 

[00:31:24] Marcie: was a terrible friend to her too.

And that is when I realized that it's Eloise.

Sure, to your point Dana, Lady Whistledown said a few things about the Bridgertons, will always be the Bridgertons. And so it did, it rolled off their shoulders, they still are the top of the ton, there was no permanent damage done, right? But Whatever it was, it, it burrowed itself inside of Eloise. Because she wasn't any better a friend, she was just as judgmental to Cressida. 

And even when Cressida was trying to take her advice and do the things she asked her to do, or think about things differently, she never once asked that girl how she was doing. She never actually cared about what Cressida was going through. And then got her feelings hurt by what Cressida's father said, never brought it to Cressida herself, and then jumped off on her again about that. And Cressida was like, I didn't say that, nor did I agree with it, as I am here trying to pursue this friendship with you. 

But she was, and so when Cressida finally came to her and was like, you might want to take your own advice, I was like, tell her sis, cuz she is Is awful and I don't think that I care if they ever become friends again because she's not a good friend And the Penelope that was at the end of the show who had come into her own as Lady Whistledown In public that that Penelope I was I was proud of and that

Penelope doesn't need a friend like Eloise Does Eloise need a friend like that Penelope?

Yes But I feel like she got to earn her back and she got to do more than Colin because if this family if that's the best They got in terms of an apology for poor behavior I'm gonna have to write the whole family 

[00:33:10] Y. M. Nelson: know, my, my opinion of the, my opinion of the whole relationship between Eloise and Penelope, Eloise liked that relationship in the beginning because she was kind of on a pedestal a little bit from Penelope. I mean, if you think about like Penelope, how they were talking about her in the beginning. In the first, the first few episodes of this season, how she was like a wallflower and she didn't stand out. You know, and you know, especially when she came in with the green dress, they were like, we don't even know who this is and blah, blah, blah. And they were still trying to put her down, even as she was trying to come into her own. So Eloise felt, I think because of her selfishness and how she is, she had a little bit of a one up in that relationship.

[00:34:08] Dana: but do you think?

[00:34:10] Y. M. Nelson: I think part of the hurt of the whole Lady Whistledown, I agree with you Dana, I'm trying to remember exactly why that was so, so, so hurtful. I mean, she was like, you know, you tore my heart out with this Whistledown thing. And I'm like No, you have, you have one part and she did it for a reason.

Staci: But she did it for a reason

Y. M. Nelson: Exactly. Eloise came out of that season, that second season, she came out of that, you know, fine. She had one party where nobody showed up. That was it. She came out of that fine and whistled down Was part of the reason why she came out of that fund. 

But I think part of the reason why Eloise is so hurt is because, you know, Lady Whistledown was, remember she was somebody who Eloise looked up to. Remember she was somebody that, you know, Oh, Eloise wanted to know Lady Whistledown and Eloise wanted to be in Lady Whistledown's circle. So, Eloise. See you know, thought that Lady Whistledown was a little one up from her. Like, Oh, how can I be in that circle? And when she finds out that it's Penelope all along, I think part of that is, 

Staci: Jealousy

you know, I'm hurt that it's you.

Staci: Yeah, that’s it

[00:35:38] Dana: So because I want to believe in their friendship, I don't I don't know if

[00:35:43] Y. M. Nelson: I want to, too, but I don’t. 

[00:35:44] Dana: I don't know if she was like yay Penelope. I'm one up of her. I mean, maybe that's certainly how I feel about her now, But I want to believe that she liked the wildflower Penelope because she was one too like it felt comfortable It was

[00:35:57] Staci: But I think she, Penelope was a wallflower because, I mean, she was a wallflower and she used that to, to her advantage for Lady- Lady Whistledown. But for, for me Eloise, she was like. I'm playing at being a wallflower, but I'm never really a wallflower because I'm a Bridgerton. And even though she might not have said that I think in the end she kind of, you know, you, 

Privilege of being a Bridgerton was that regardless of whether she dressed whatever or she, whatever, she was always going to be a Bridgerton.

And that's how come like when that whole thing with like what's the said that stuff about her and may have one- She may had that one thing with that party I think that was it at one party or that was it She didn't she got but she got invited to all the stuff after that if she truly was ostracized from society She would not have gotten an invite for nothing outside of that.

So You know, maybe she's hurt because She didn't tell her maybe if you want to go on the Eloise kind of stuff with maybe she was more hurt by the betrayal because You didn't trust me enough to tell me so that maybe that was part of it,

Dana: okay but get over it.

Staci: but she let that go for a long time did she kept that—She kept that - Hell don't shoot something for so long that it doesn't make me think that it was just a betrayal of you didn't tell me that it was. You didn't tell me that. Lady Whistledown, you doing all this stuff. You make, you know, the stuff that she wanted to do. Cause that, when we saw those first episodes, first seasons, we saw how, gosh, you want to try to find Lady Whistledown. I'm trying to find her. And granted, when she found out it was always this girl behind, beside her this whole time, she may have felt foolish and a little dumb that she never picked up on that.

Which is true, but she held on to it for a lot longer for grudge and I mean enough to Befriend someone who you know-

[00:37:51] Dana: everything 

[00:37:52] Staci: bullies your- who bullies your old friend? It's not like

it'd be one thing. I don't talk to you, but I'm gonna befriend your

[00:37:59] Marcie: Right,

[00:38:00] Dana: this is why- 

[00:38:01] Marcie: she took her petty to a whole new level.

[00:38:02] Dana: felt fabricated. 

[00:38:04] Staci: that's what it was and she made to me words and again Okay, so we talked about the different things, the different stuff that's going on that was so much in this season. Cressida, that was another storyline. That's why they had too many storylines. They had Cressida over there trying to fight for her life so she wouldn't have to be married to this old man.

So, I mean, and, and to be honest, in some ways, it made her feel better. Seem more human, you know, more likable because you see that because you like she's been on the shelf for a while. She's been she's been there since daphne and daphne's married with child and then what's his name?

Kate- That's the second season, you know, the second season of the whatever she's married and expecting, and you’re single your third year. You're a third-year freshman in here, and you can't even get out of it now. You're being told that your parents are going to ship you off to this old ass man, if you don't, whatever.

And, but you have to admit that she was at least brave in the sense that kept up the friendship with Eloise because her dad was like, no. And this is the world where when your father or your parents say, particularly your father says, no, you supposed to stop because I can lock you in the closet and be done with you till, you know, I send you to asylum.

I don't, you know, something can happen, but she kept being friends with her. 

[00:39:34] Marcie: but 

[00:39:34] Staci: like you said was not a good friend.

[00:39:36] Marcie: was a terrible 

[00:39:37] Staci: didn't ask none.

[00:39:38] Marcie: She never 

[00:39:39] Staci: didn't even chew a new friend 

[00:39:41] Marcie: She never asked 

[00:39:42] Staci: I might be married to old man

[00:39:44] Marcie: Right. She never, she never tried to help her. She never All she did was criticize her and then walk away. 

[00:39:51] Dana: Eloise. Eloise something is wrong with the way that character is to me written because the way she turned And did a 180 did not it didn't make sense to me. Like I couldn't she's too hot. She's changed too much Like again season one. I liked her and she was really one of the bigger reasons I even liked the show period right and so then to see her become You know, I guess maybe she had the cover over all our eyes. But I really feel like the initial season, they were really friends.

She felt at home with Penelope whatever, you know, she did not like that whole society thing She did not want to be a part of it Yes, she's going to be a part of because that's her life and she can't change it But she did not want that and then slowly well, maybe not slow enough. She's become this whole person I don't even recognize her like she's bitter.

She's angry and she's a stank biatch And I'm like, this is not Like, I loved her! She was quirky, she was fun, she was somebody that I would've wanted to hang out with, and she's this whole, like, I don't know because I don't know all the stories, but are we meant to hate her? Like, it's, it's, cause why would we care about her story? Who cares if she gets married and finds somebody?

[00:41:03] Marcie: think that Colin verbalized something that was really attributed to Eloise. When Colin says to Penelope, in truth, I think I was jealous of you because Because of your writing, because of your talent, because you were able to do the thing that I was not able to do. And he was talking about himself being a writer and an artist and all that kind of stuff.

And I think that that also in some ways applied to Eloise in that Penelope was able to carve out the autonomy And for herself, that Eloise has been trying to get, and I think that that's part of it. Is that Penelope took the risk that Eloise really didn't know how to do until the end of the season when she decides to head off to Scotland.

But until then, she hadn't figured out how to get out of the box all the way. She hadn't figured out how to make her own lane, and I think that there was some envy attached to it when she found out that Penelope really had. And I think if you If you match that envy with the hurt of your friend not telling you something so important, and I think, and then add to that the frustration of the box she felt, she felt like she was in, I think that's who's created this person that we see, that's what created that person we see now, and to your point, I didn't really like her.

And, and honestly, I thought for a minute that even though she was friends with Cressida, that she might have turned a corner as a person, Even if she had fully committed to not being Penelope's friend, but then I saw how she was treating Cressida and I would and I and I said no, no, she has not turned the corner as a person She has not grown any in this space.

She was very and maybe that's the thing We didn't she was younger and so we gave her grace But as she's gotten older, but it's the same self-centered Eloise She was just she was just It was easier to forgive it when she was young. It was easier to look at it and be like, Oh, that's just rebellion. 

[00:43:08] Y. M. Nelson: was

[00:43:08] Marcie: Exactly. But as she's gotten older, she hasn't 

[00:43:11] Dana: her story?

[00:43:13] Marcie: And and I

think 

[00:43:13] Dana: how we gon

[00:43:14] Y. M. Nelson: and everybody else

[00:43:15] Marcie: and everybody is maturing and she's still throwing tantrums and And acting literally acting out because she she can't get her way She can't do it the way she wants to do it And I think that's the that's the part where I couldn't give any more grace for that Because everybody else is trying to grow into the the Into their, these new stages of life and she is still literally acting like a brat and throwing tantrums because she has to wear this dress, because she has to go to this place, because she has to do this thing and I, and I'm, I don't care if they're friends

[00:43:46] Dana: So she's gonna have the same PR problem that Colin has and she's gonna have to somehow convince me to care about her when it's her season, right? And I know they said they need two years to do the next season. I don't know why and who's, I don't even know whose season it's supposed to be and I ain't 

[00:44:03] Marcie: I'm looking forward to the 

[00:44:04] Dana: you

[00:44:04] Marcie: though.

[00:44:05] Y. M. Nelson: so the

[00:44:06] Dana: won't even remember it's coming out.

[00:44:08] Y. M. Nelson: The ne the next season is supposed to focus on the people that have gone to Scotland. So it's supposed to focus on Francesca and Eloise.

[00:44:20] Dana: are anticipating the Francesca and the whole change up with that or whatever. Cause I ain't heard nobody talk about Karen, anything about what happens to Eloise's 

character 

[00:44:28] Marcie: don't like her, 

[00:44:29] Dana: I ain't heard that one boop mentioned.

[00:44:32] Marcie: her. And I feel bad, because I agree with you. When I first started off, I thought, oh, those are two, you know, those are two friends, and I hope they make it through this whole thing together. But again, I don't know how many more times Penelope can grovel and say that she's sorry for Penelope to turn her shoulder and ask her to kiss her behind parts. Like, I don't know how many times you're gonna want me to do that, ma'am.

[00:44:52] Dana: No, I'm over it. No more. I, I'm over 

[00:44:55] Marcie: then she gave her that ultimatum it was like you have until midnight And then so I mean, I guess we were supposed to feel like they were going to build a bridge when she hugged her When colin stormed off and she hugged her when she broke down crying I mean, I guess we're supposed to feel like there was some bridge building that happened there But I just didn't care anymore and I think that's the whole when she said I'm getting on that on that train I'm going with you to scotland.

I was like, thank god because good lord I've had

[00:45:21] Dana: Well, if you see a dog hitting the road, you might move it out of the way, but you don't take it home. That's kind of what she did.

[00:45:26] Marcie: Sometimes you just you drop it off the shelter So and I and I feel like that was one of the things but I do feel like for colin At least, in the clutch, he came through for Penelope in a way that Eloise had a million chances to and did not. In a clutch, he didn't agree with her decision, he didn't necessarily at the beginning like the way he found out she was Lady Whistledown anymore that Eloise did.

He, he was angry about the same things you talked to me about me and my family like a dog, but, you know, but in the clutch, when it came to someone coming for Penelope, he stood his ground in front of her. And Eloise Turn her back and let her suffer whatever was, whatever fate was coming.

And so, in, at, as far as Colin goes, while I feel like it was shenanigans all the way up to whatever, when it came down to it, I do feel like he stood up for her in the clutch, that he. Said that he loved her then he acted like he did and Eloise Has not earned that that even that bit of credit for me.

Do I do I hope that they have some better functioning relationship when we see them again? Yes I thought the epilogue helped me out a whole lot seemed like they had gotten their groove They have figured out how to be a couple and maybe they're gonna be okay 

But I didn't— Every chance that Eloise had, and you haven't seen those episodes Dana, but in every chance she had to be her ally, she chose to be her foe, and she stood behind it with two tough, I mean she, she was, I mean she might have been worse than Cressida at some points, every chance she had to be a good friend again, she said, oh no I'm a pass, I'm a go on, I'm a, I'm a, I'm a let you down again, I mean, I, I think the hugging her when she was about, when she was distraught was probably the best she did the whole time, and by then it was too late.

[00:47:17] Dana: Does season three have a true epilogue episode apart to 

[00:47:21] Marcie: wasn't an L

[00:47:22] Dana: Oh, okay. Cause I was going to say, 

[00:47:25] Y. M. Nelson: a little bit longer. It's just a little bit longer than the other

[00:47:31] Dana: But I mean, did they say, Hey, 

[00:47:33] Marcie: like a little time hop. It did have a little time hop where

[00:47:36] Dana: Because what I was gonna 

[00:47:37] Y. M. Nelson: it was a little 

[00:47:38] Dana: that's what I was gonna ask about because I don't feel like we saw that in the other ones And this is another reason why this is a problem Is if they did it in this one, it's probably because they feel like they didn't have enough time During that because they were too busy talking about everybody else to really give you the full story So we're gonna go ahead and jump ahead and say hey living happily ever after and pregnant babies Whatever I just said, but like what 

[00:48:00] Y. M. Nelson: yeah, so yeah with that?

and I was going to talk about this a little bit later for our storylines to still go, but we can talk about it now. So with that, I felt like there, and there was a little time hop thing at the end where we've already said spoiler alert, but spoiler alert, where You know, Cressida is, Cressida is gone, right? But she, she got out of the marriage thing. But

she's, she 

[00:48:38] Marcie: with that older

[00:48:40] Y. M. Nelson: yeah, cause she had to live with her

aunt. So that, that's how,

[00:48:45] Dana: What? I'm confused. 

[00:48:46] Y. M. Nelson: No, she's not pregnant, Cressida's

[00:48:48] Dana: gonna live with her aunt? That sound like, oh girl,

[00:48:51] Y. M. Nelson: the thing is, so the thing is, like, you're, you ended at episode 5, which episode 5 is when Cressida says, I'm Lady Whistledown. Well, Queen Charlotte is like, You gotta prove to me that you Lady Whistledown. So Cressida was trying to do that, but, so she could get the money, and so she didn't have to move in with the old man, but she didn't, and she fell on her face.

And so then, the aunt, I think that's what the dad's sister? I think. Anyway, this mean aunt, like mean, mean aunt, came and took her away. And so she went to live with the aunt. So Queen Charlotte, and I can't remember this part because it's been a minute and I've been watching some other stuff. But, Queen Charlotte you know, she, in, I think in season, in, I'm sorry, in episode seven, Queen Charlotte says, listen, is one of y'all Bridgertons? I think that was at, that was at Penelope and Colins wedding.

[00:50:04] Staci: An engagement

[00:50:07] Y. M. Nelson: say it again.

[00:50:07] Staci: I thought it was engagement party their engagement or 

[00:50:10] Y. M. Nelson: Or Bri or Bridal shower No, no, no. It 

[00:50:13] Marcie: was at the Bridal 

[00:50:14] Y. M. Nelson: it was actually, it was at the Bridal Brunch. They were already married. Remember? They married and then they had a brunch. They married in the morning time and then they had a brunch.

[00:50:23] Marcie: and then, because remember Penelope turns around to leave and he, and Colin says, Penelope, you're a Bridgerton now, you, you don't, because remember what Lady Queen Charlotte—

[00:50:31] Y. M. Nelson: right. 

[00:50:32] Marcie: everyone who's not a Bridgerton leave. And then nobody moves and she's like now, and so everybody's leaving and then Penelope is like And he's like, and Colin is like, You're you're Bridgerton now 

[00:50:44] Y. M. Nelson: You’re a Bridgerton, you gotta stay with us. So, so you know, Queen Charlotte, you know, she, she's like, yeah, it's one of y'all. I know it's one of y'all, right? 

And and so then, they kind of, you know, you know, at the last that was when the Featheringtons. So, the Featherington, the ones that are trying to get pregnant or whatever, they want to have their own ball because they want to, you know, just cause they're pregnant doesn't mean they can't have a party.

Right. So at the Featherington's ball, Which is, I think that's in the last episode. That's when Queen Charlotte comes out and says something that kind of alludes to the Whistledown thing. And then, you know, it makes a ultimatum kind of thing. Whistledown, you need to come out. And then Penelope actually comes out. And she says I'm Lady Whistledown, you know, basically says that. So anyway, they go through all their, you know, shenanigans a ton, goes through their, oh my gosh, blah, blah, blah, whatever. But, you know, we, we get over that. 

And, it's this kind of time jump kind of thing where we see that Colin is, now, some of the book may be getting involved with this, but Colin does write something or he is writing something and, you know, she, Yeah, he's gonna publish something. Is, is that in the show? Okay. Because in the book he does actually write a book

[00:52:26] Marcie: He does and he credits it to 

[00:52:28] Y. M. Nelson: yeah. Right. So so that happens. They all have babies, all the Featherington the Featherington couple well, the Featherington youngins, they all, the daughters all have babies. And then you know, Eloise and Francesca go off to Scotland and Penelope signs the, that next, you know, Lady Whistledown paper as Mrs. Penelope Bridgerton,

[00:52:59] Marcie: Yeah, oh and don't forget Penelope has the boy so after all that 

[00:53:04] Y. M. Nelson: Oh yeah, she's the one with the boy, so she's got the heir 

[00:53:07] Marcie: to the Featherington estate as 

[00:53:09] Y. M. Nelson: she's got the heir. Yeah, the rest of them have 

[00:53:12] Staci: me the next the other the the other storyline is about the family that had the boxing thing And then their their son becomes inherits

[00:53:22] Y. M. Nelson: Oh, Lord,

[00:53:23] Marcie: they ain't 

[00:53:23] Dana: have mercy.

[00:53:24] Staci: line

[00:53:24] Marcie: I know, and I and I wanted more about that while they tried to integrate into society trying to figure out how to be And and all about him not being able to run the boxing club anymore and her trying to bring him in the society You're right. It was like 89 storylines going on at the same time. You're like what 

[00:53:41] Y. M. Nelson: a lot. It was a lot of storylines 

[00:53:43] Marcie: like and then

[00:53:44] Y. M. Nelson: of storylines 

[00:53:45] Marcie: Danbury being being angry at her brother who I turned and

when I figured out 

[00:53:50] Dana: the 

[00:53:50] Marcie: That but no, but when I figured out that she was angry about him for something he did when he was like seven, she really held

[00:53:57] Dana: What was 

[00:53:58] Marcie: quite 

[00:53:59] Dana: Because I didn't know why she was mad.

[00:54:00] Marcie: angry with him because she had tried to run away before she had to marry lord Danbury

and he Is At seven not realizing what he was watching told her told their father-

[00:54:15] Dana: where she 

[00:54:16] Marcie: That what was happening, and he stopped her from 

[00:54:18] Y. M. Nelson: That she's trying to run away. 

[00:54:20] Marcie: he didn't call it trying to run away and he didn't realize that's what she was doing. He was seven He was just 

[00:54:25] Y. M. Nelson: He would not only was he's

[00:54:28] Marcie: And

[00:54:29] Y. M. Nelson: yeah. And not only that, he was saying, he was saying also that. You know, he looked up to her cause she's the, she's the oldest girl, you know? And so he, he's, you know, younger brother looking up to her and did not want her to leave. Did not realize what was going on. Yes. But

also didn't want her to leave because they had a great relationship. 

[00:54:54] Marcie: Mm hmm. And so he didn't 

[00:54:56] Y. M. Nelson: was like, I want my sister to stay around. 

[00:54:58] Marcie: assumed that he did it on behest of his father To, to the Destroy her to spite her to ruin her

[00:55:06] Dana: at seven

[00:55:08] Marcie: She she put that on that boy. So does the seven like he was a

[00:55:11] Dana: I'm gonna destroy you

[00:55:12] Marcie: child and she but she assumed that he did it on his father's behest and she has been angry at him this whole time and when so when she When they finally have it out and he explains, she says, this is why I've been upset and then he explains his side and you realize-

What she was when you talk about somebody who can hold a grudge, She held on to that one with a I mean I was like he was he was a kid! Like I thought it was something that happened when they were adults Like I thought that he had like taking the family money and left her destitute or like something that 

[00:55:47] Staci: Or be at least a teen to know enough to know 

[00:55:51] Marcie: he was a

[00:55:52] Staci: no, he's seven. 

[00:55:53] Marcie: was a kid. And so, that was a heartwarming moment. And I liked, I liked the respect of the relationship between Violet and Lady Danbury and Violet and

[00:56:04] Dana: I like 

[00:56:05] Marcie: to make sure that everyone was okay with the dynamics shifting like they were getting ready to. And I think the nod to Queen Charlotte and having seen what happened between Violet and her dad and the just the the subtle nod to that to bring it into the storyline too and connect those two stories.

I think that was also a nice, a nice of them. But again, it was nine million vignettes happening at the same time

[00:56:31] Y. M. Nelson: Yeah.

[00:56:31] Marcie: and he was trying to catch them all and I just started to devote my time to everybody but Polin.

[00:56:37] Y. M. Nelson: Right, but, you know, getting back to the whole time jump thing and my theory on that before I realized that they are going to have a season 4 was that they were going to end this because

Dana: They should’ve.

 Y. M. Nelson: What did you say? Wishful thinking. 

[00:56:53] Dana: they should have! But that sound good, too.

[00:56:55] Y. M. Nelson: Well, yeah, well I thought they were going to end it because So this is the other thing, you know, Queen Charlotte kind of battling with with Lady Whistledown for the past three seasons.

That was like a little guilty pleasure kind of thing. That was a little nugget that we all kind of, well, I don't know if we all held on to it, but it was a little juicy nugget, right? the fact that, and 

[00:57:24] Dana: around that look to 

[00:57:25] Y. M. Nelson: it was that exactly. And, and I had said this to a friend who actually has read the books and she was like, you know, well, Lady Whistledown is not really. this big as it is in the, as that whole storyline is not as big in the books as it is in the show. But the problem with the show, but yeah, okay. With the books. But the problem with the show is now you've made this kind of tete a tete between Queen Charlotte and Lady Whistledown. And then you solve it in this season at the end.

So Queen Charlotte knows who Lady Whistledown is. So is it still gonna, I mean, it feels final. I don't know if anybody else kind of felt that way, but. When you add the time jump with the babies and stuff, and you, and you add the fact that you're kind of closing this arc of Queen Charlotte, Lady Whistledown, who is she? I need to, you know, find, and when you, when you end all of that stuff, it does feel like this is over. And so that's why I kind of felt like, well, maybe that's why they're putting all these storylines in here, because. This is the end of it.

[00:58:49] Dana: But lady whistledown is talking to us So now I kind of feel or that's how I feel when she's giving me clues inside information So that goes like I guess I just assumed again I didn't see the end that even though everybody knew it was penelope that she would continue to do this 

[00:59:05] Marcie: And that is the premise that they said that's the premise

That they said that she would write it She would write it as herself because what lady Danbury tells the queen is Even if you know who it is What's the harm in that? And it's still a different perspective potentially than what you will have as the queen, right?

So it can still be that friction. You just know who it is that's pissing you off. And what's the harm in having that? But I also didn't feel like it was final because I know that there are more siblings. 

And because they kept throwing Benedict up in there every 20 minutes to talk about him finding himself, And when his turn was coming and whatever so I assumed that at some point they were gonna give that poor pitiful boy who-- his own time in the sun So I did not think it was going to be a continuation on Francesca’s side as much as I thought that it for is gonna was gonna be about Benedict because remember he kept saying it's out of order. I should be next anyway You know, what about me? And so 

[01:00:09] Y. M. Nelson: And it is out of order in the books. 

[01:00:12] Marcie: exactly because technically he 

[01:00:13] Y. M. Nelson: That was kind of a tongue in cheek. 

[01:00:14] Marcie: Exactly because technically he's the b he would have gone next but but I do think I didn't think it was final. But I do think it's going to be interesting to see how they How they, how they present her, but I think also because they're using her as a narrator to us, it might make it a little bit easier for her to retire from sending out the sheets but still be actively part of the show. Because she can still narrate to us regardless of whether or not it's, part of 

[01:00:45] Dana: think she'll be narrating to us and is it Julie Andrews whose voices

[01:00:49] Marcie: I 

[01:00:49] Staci: It's Julie 

[01:00:50] Y. M. Nelson: Julie 

[01:00:51] Marcie: Let's, not, 

[01:00:52] Dana: Marcie!

[laughter]

[01:01:07] Marcie: will move the voice to Penelope. That'd be interesting to see if they do that or not. 

[01:01:11] Y. M. Nelson: Know, they kind of did. If I remember correctly, now I could be wrong in remembering this like again, cause it's been a minute since I've seen it, but didn't she in her lady whistled down there with her voice? Or did, or, or was it? Did the voice change from Julie Andrews to her voice at the end when she said her name?

[01:01:38] Staci: I don't know. I don't remember. 

[01:01:40] Dana: That's a good question put the answer down in the comments.

[01:01:43] Marcie: Exactly. If 

[01:01:43] Y. M. Nelson: please let us know in the comments.

[01:01:44] Marcie: y'all remember, please let us know. 

[01:01:47] Y. M. Nelson: Cause we don't 

[01:01:48] Marcie: that. I don't remember. I remember seeing it on the scroll, on the paper, but I don't remember who said it. Huh.

[01:01:57] Y. M. Nelson: said it. Okay. Yes Please let us know in the comments because we don't know and of course we're gonna be watching something else So we can give you another podcast episode about something else.

But I do want to first off before we leave, totally leave Polin because I I do want to totally leave them. I do want to say About Colin versus about Penelope. About Colin know, I think what they did in the beginning by, like, kind of having him come back and remember they all kept saying, Well, you're acting different. You're acting, you know, strange. You're acting just, I think they tried to do that to it to Make us feel like he's a different person, but he was not coming off to me as a better person Especially when he's sleeping with two women at a time-

[01:02:52] Dana: we didn't like that-

[01:02:53] Y. M. Nelson: He came off as worse. 

[01:02:56] Dana: Yeah, he did.

[01:02:58] Y. M. Nelson: And so it made me feel like I really don't want you to get with Penelope now. You really don't deserve Penelope now.

[01:03:09] Staci: you have syphilis now, that's why!

[01:03:11] Y. M. Nelson: Right. Cause you're diseased!

[01:03:15] Dana: two weeks ago, and asked me to marry you today. I just, no.

[01:03:20] Y. M. Nelson: herpes simplex one and two no, but anyway I mean, yes, and so, you know, it's funny that you say that Staci I know we always talk about this, especially on Star Trek when we talk about Kirk being whore, but anyway I was kind of thinking that a little bit, too.

I was like, I don't want you sleeping with Penelope because Penelope ain't been with nobody and you about to give her some diseases and I don't like it.

[01:03:44] Dana: But that's 

[01:03:45] Y. M. Nelson: I did have that feeling. 

[01:03:46] Dana: the time gap wasn't there. I mean literally he just slept with other people, like. Five minutes ago and now he's in love with me like, you know, he does 

[01:03:56] Staci: took one kiss, two women, but one kiss from you, and I’m done

[01:04:00] Dana: me it's just like I have I have to 

[01:04:03] Marcie: And it was -

[01:04:04] Staci: you all 

[01:04:04] Marcie: it was a really -

[01:04:05] Staci: somehow, that's the one

[01:04:06] Marcie: Right, and it was really short progression to let me show you the house. We're gonna be living in to when we sit we're having sex on this settee. I was like what? He didn't even try that hard

[01:04:18] Y. M. Nelson: where was her family and how about,

[01:04:21] Staci: Because this 

[01:04:22] Y. M. Nelson: he said, he said, I don't like it. That there were not servants there to, like, clean up, but after they, you know, did what they did, there was somebody at the door, he said, Oh, there was my servant

[01:04:35] Marcie: over my stuff right to bring over -

[01:04:37] Y. M. Nelson: And, right, bringing us, and I was like well, the servants had to have kind of been around or something there, and then to, I mean, think about the tension in the first season when Daphne and the duke almost held hands. And these people are fornicating before me. I mean, I

[01:05:00] Staci: one, 

[01:05:01] Marcie: and in a dusty house!

[01:05:03] Dana: She shouldn't have been allowed to be there

[01:05:06] Staci: woman didn't have a, was it, was that at her house or was that at his house,

[01:05:09] Marcie: That was at their house. No, that was at their quote unquote their house. Remember he was like, let me show you where we'll be living. It was down the street from both of their houses at his property. He inherited from some uncle or something.

[01:05:22] Dana: And they were alone.

[01:05:23] Marcie: They were all there-

[01:05:24] Staci: But, but, but that was also, like, how you gonna be alone, because I thought you're supposed to have a chaperone everywhere you go.

[01:05:29] Y. M. Nelson: Exactly, that's what I'm saying! That’s what I’m saying! 

[01:05:32] Staci: that she was too, that Penelope was too “on the shelf”. She wouldn't have, she don't need a chaperone, or I, mean, why did she not need it? But Daphne needs one for everywhere,

[01:05:43] Marcie: think he snuck her out or something. It was clear they were sneaking. But it was clear that he knew -

[01:05:49] Y. M. Nelson: They were definitely -

[01:05:50] Marcie: And it was clear that she, maybe she didn't. And then by the time she figured it out with all the, And then, maybe she was just out of breath. Maybe it was all the panting that had left all her, her actual mental faculty somewhere 

[01:06:02] Staci: maybe it was too tight a corset. 

[01:06:02] Marcie: of course it was 

[01:06:03] Y. M. Nelson: know, yeah, Maybe 

[01:06:04] Marcie: wasn't getting full oxygen to her mind because one minute they're standing up in a dusty room

[01:06:09] Dana: He just wanted to save her

[01:06:11] Marcie: I know right, in the next minute she's 

[01:06:14] Y. M. Nelson: he didn't know CPR, so he tried the sex route

[01:06:16] Marcie: I mean it was just the, it was the most bizarre like his level of effort for her compared to anyone else's level of effort for anybody else. Even the dumb sisters had men who worked hard to keep them. And, and it, it just boggled my mind how little he actually did

[01:06:34] Staci: mean, yes,

[01:06:35] Marcie: to get her to be like, Oh, he chose me. Like it was the, it was the pick me est season ever. And then when she got picked, she was like, Hey, and then there's a moment where he says to her, then what do you need me for?

And I was like, Excellent question, Colin! What does she need you for? Because I can't actually tell what it is. And then she's like, I just need you to stand beside me. And I was like, Well,

[01:07:03] Staci: get a dog.

[01:07:04] Marcie: kudos 

[01:07:05] Y. M. Nelson: No, I need you to make me, I need you to make me an heir, even though, you know, back in the day, it was supposed to be the women that, you know, Had to, was supposed to have the sons and not the dudes because they don't know chromosomes or something. But anyway 

[01:07:22] Marcie: It was a 

[01:07:23] Y. M. Nelson: you know, that was what it was. 

[01:07:25] Marcie: He, talked her non existent panties off, he just, I mean, I just, he, he really, his lack of, his lack of any kind of actual effort to win her. And her

lack of needing him to, 

[01:07:44] Y. M. Nelson: it wasn't. 

[01:07:44] Marcie: just, it was the pick me est relationship I had ever seen, and, and I, and it just, it bothered me, because, by the time she got a spine, she already had his last name, and it was too late for her to realize that. That she could have done better than this dude right here. now again He he he honored his commitments. He stood up when he should have and whoo rah for that, but in general

[01:08:12] Dana: that's sexy

[01:08:13] Marcie: he didn't really 

[01:08:15] Dana: He honored his commitments that's love right there.

[01:08:16] Marcie: I mean he he it was it was you know Because everybody kept saying because when they found out about her like he should have walked away blah blah blah He didn't have nothing going for him.

Who was where was he going walking away to do what? And that's my whole point is, walking away to do what? 

[01:08:29] Y. M. Nelson: to her at that 

[01:08:29] Marcie: what was he walking away to? He didn't have nothing. He didn't have no vocation. He didn't have, what, what was he walking away to except another threesome? Like, he didn't bring nothing to the table but a potential VD. And I just, and she was like, Oh, all my hopes and dreams have been fulfilled. Lies, girl!

This boy is bare minimum in the epitome of bare minimum. If bare minimum was a person, it would be Colin. If there was a picture in the dictionary, it should always be his picture because I have never seen a man do less. And be lauded by all of the community. 

I mean, it was, I think that's what bothered me so much is that it was clear she was bringing some things to the table. It was clear how she, because when he talks about how he loved her, he said things like, you make me better. I can be myself with you. I know you really love me.

At no point did I hear him say anything that was solely about her contribution to the relationship or where it was about a relationship between two people. It really was how this whole relationship was gonna benefit him. It was the pick me ist, bare minimist, pitifulest courtship I have ever seen. The hunting guy was doing more work for, for her than Colin was. He was actually trying to get to know her as she was in that moment. 

Colin was like, I'm gonna rely on these letters you sent me three years ago because you know it came by boat. That Penelope is the one I'm trying to take off the shelf and I'm just gonna put her on the shelf at my house Specifically instead of the shelf in general. That's really what he was like I'm just gonna take you off of this shelf so I can put you on my shelf and I'm gonna take you down to take you down, but otherwise, Shelf you. It was much but too little

[01:10:25] Y. M. Nelson: you know, for, for me as a person who writes romance and romantic women's fiction with plus size women, with Black plus size women, for the most part at that, I am always thinking that this woman needs to be treated like, like Bella in Twilight. Everybody loved Bella, like, like Sookie Stackhouse.

Everybody wanted to be around her, even if it was, even if it was just because her blood was, was, 

[indiscernible agreement]

exactly. 

Everybody wanted them. And that is how a woman, Really should, should be treated as far as romance goes. And of course, these are some romance novels or from some, these are romance stories. We won't even talk about the books because I don't know what's going on in the books. But these, I'm looking at this as, you know, this is a romance story or this is a romance dramedy. 

And so one, because she's, again, not plus size, but to me, regular size, but anyway.

[01:11:49] Staci: Above average for Hollywood.

[01:11:51] Y. M. Nelson: Above average for Hollywood and above average for these people that she's hanging around. We'll say that. Above average for these people that she's hanging around. Because I even think that back in the day, you know, if you got a little meat on your bones, that means you got some money. You can afford to eat

[01:12:05] Dana: eat. Mm-Hmm. I’s rich! 

[01:12:07] Y. M. Nelson: Exactly, rich. and fancy! 

So, you know, because You know, she's bigger than, you know, the other people that, you know, are having relationships. I have really wanted to see Colin or whoever just fall head over heels and do all that stuff.

I mean, you have to be the, you know, I have to just really show her that I love her. And everybody should have been like, instead of when she was coming down. The stairs with her green on. I was gonna wear, I was gonna wear a yellow shirt today. Because remember how they kept trying to put her in yellow, and she did not want to be put in yellow?

And then when she had that moment where she had that green dress, I was like, GIRL YOU DOING IT! I was like, I felt like at that moment, everybody should, like, the guys should have been around her. The guys should have been whatever, flattering, whatever it was, under a spell. I don't care. I really don't care.

Just, just write something where this woman is just, just totally adored. And instead, what I got was that She was scorned and then she was made to look like she was, Oh, I can't get a man because I'm awkward. And because I'm whatever, I mean, are you kidding me? Bella from Twilight was not awkward? and she got everybody! Are you kidding me right now? And the one person that had to actually, you know, help her was Almighty Colin, who has been lobotomized and is now a different person. 

I mean, the whole dynamic of Polin from what I wanted to what I got was a letdown for me as a plus size woman. It was a letdown for me as somebody who wanted true romance. It was even a letdown for me as a Bridgerton watcher. Because, again, as we have all said, in the first season, in the second season, These men pined, or these men and these women had sexual tension going on,

[01:14:39] Staci: I burn for you.

[01:14:41] Y. M. Nelson: Right! I burn for you, right! 

[01:14:44] Staci: You know, that was, it was like, oh, I'm TEPID.

[laughter]

[01:14:49] Marcie: Right. And the only time he ever,

[01:14:52] Y. M. Nelson: not I want to laugh with you, and I wanna remember some good times we had as kids when we fell in mud puddles together. Like, are you kidding me? 

[01:15:00] Marcie: Even the Duke was showing up places he didn't want to be just so he could be around her in light and well lit, publicly attended places. Colin only showed up to be with her in dark places where there was no one else around. That's the, that's the best way to describe it. Those, Anthony was showing up in parlors all over town trying to see Kate. 

But you know who didn't go nowhere that where they were both present at the same time and address her in public? Colin never addressed Penelope in actual public. At the door after she run outside? Yes. In a 

[01:15:34] Y. M. Nelson: they, and they even insinuated that they were together, right? But they never,

[01:15:39] Marcie: But never,

[01:15:40] Y. M. Nelson: he was trying to, as much to avoid that

[01:15:42] Marcie: but never in a place where he could have declared himself even if it was only to her by his presence.

He chose to wait until it was a private setting. He never by action of being in public said I am not ashamed of you I choose to Whatever. It was always a dark a darkly lit place a place where it was only him and her And, and, and that to me was a let, it's a letdown.

Everyone else was making up reasons to be places. Strolling through the green, trying to show up for horseback riding in the middle of, at the crack of dawn. They were doing the most every time you turn around just to be in the same place. Colin was like, let me, let me hop in this carriage with you over here in this dark corner behind this building in the, in the dead of night. Let me, let me declare myself right here. Let me, let me take you the back way to this place where we might be living one day while no one can see us. And then after I besmirch your reputation, then let me take you back on through the house and hope nobody sees us.

I am, every time I think about it, I just get a little bit more upset. 

[01:16:55] Y. M. Nelson: Yeah, yeah, exactly. 

We will continue this discussion on our next episode. Make sure you're subscribed to Nerdy Romantics Podcast, wherever you get your podcasts, and visit nerdyromanticspodcast. com to subscribe to our newsletter, where you can get show notes directly in your inbox. Thank you for listening. 

[Outro music: Songs of sunlight to end]