Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 is a meditation on what it means to use a pen name

 

 

In other word, smut writers.  In other words,  me.  

SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW

At the end of Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1, Penelope had become engaged to Colin without revealing that she is Mrs. Whistledown, the author of the scandalous gossip rag that has publicized information that has hurt Colin and various members of his family.

Colin eventually learns Penelope's secret, before the wedding but after it is too late to cancel it.  One major plot of the show is Colin learning to not only accept but respect Penelope's work.  But the more important plot is Penelope realizing that she cannot give up Mrs. Whistledown, not only because Mrs. Whistledown brings her power but because she is Mrs. Whistledown and Mrs. Whistledown is she.  

As someone who writs smut under a pen name, I completely embrace this plot.  My relationship with Jasmine Gold is complicated.  See?  I am referring to her in the third person.  But she is me.  Sometimes I think she is the deepest and best part of me.  And no one can know me completely without knowing her.  

If it's not clear, I adored this Bridgerton plot.

There were other parts of Season 3, Part 2 that I did not like as much.  For one thing, it did Cressida dirty.  Cressida is a mean girl who became bffs with Eloise, who is Colin's sister and Penelope's former bff.  In Season 3, Part 1, we learned that Cressida's unfeeling parents are trying to marry her off.  In Part 2 they have found a groom for her -- an old, tiresome man who will make her life a misery. 

The queen has offered a reward to anyone who reveals the identity of Mrs. Whistledown -- a large enough award that Cressida can live independently abroad rather than marrying the creep.  In a brilliant stroke, Cressida announces that she is Mrs. Whistledown, and seeks the reward.  Apparently we are supposed to now think of her as a villain.  Eloise (always the worst character in every season) ends her friendship with Cressida out of loyalty to Penelope, who she knows is the real Mrs.  Whistledown.  But Cressida didn't know that!  The point of view of the show seems to be that we should hate Cressida for taking credit for Penelope's hard work.  But for Cressida the credit is besides the point; she wants, and needs, the reward money.  Although she is constantly told that she is not clever enough to be Mrs. Whistledown, and she clearly does not have Mrs. Whistledown's skills, she is clever enough to take an advantage of a good opportunity.  I applaud her for that.  It it a failing of the show when at the end of the season she is bundled off, unredeemed, to dreary country life with a mean aunt.  (Also, what happened to the explorer from Season 3, Part 1 who Cressida lost to Penelope until he dumped her?  He seemed like a perfect match for Cressida.)   

The story of the third Bridgerton brother, Benedict, was also not well done.  (I'll repeat my biggest criticism of Bridgerton -- that all three Bridgerton brothers look completely identical, to the point that when one of them enters a scene I pause the TV to research which brother it is. I did go back and make sure I'm not confusing Benedict with a different brother from prior seasons.)  In earlier seasons Benedict was an aspiring artist who enjoyed orgies.  In this season he has a friends with benefits arrangement with a woman named Tilley, who invites him to participate in an MMF threesome with her friend Paul.   Benedict is at first horrified and shocked by the suggestion, and runs out in consternation.  Given his past, this reaction is just weird.  (Also, although he gave up art in Season 2 after he learned that his brother bribed an art school to let him in, it's weird that when Paul asks him if he spends his time on art he gives no indication that this is something he was passionate about.)  

Finally, a look forward:  Speculation is that Season 4 will be about Benedict. That would be good.  Just please, please don't let it be about Eloise.  She is the worst character and I do not want to spend eight hours with her. 

Note from Jasmine Gold: As the name of this blog indicates, I write erotica. Check out my dark, dystopian novel about naked sex slaves, Mindgames. Your most secret fantasies, with a phenomenal plot and characters you will come to think of as beloved friends. Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited  and in paperback.  Or read my book of short stories about hot, consensual sex, The Mature Woman's Guide to Desire, available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited.