Penelope not only chose love, she chose a guy who has always treated her as a friend and equal. He adores her, he respects her work, and he basically says he is going to live his life in support of her. Love is about what one gives, not what one gets, and Colin truly 'gets' that.
Lord Debling admits that he does not love Penelope, but is simply looking for a woman to run his household faithfully during his extended absences -- what a lonely life for Penelope. She is a passionate woman and I want a passionate love for her with passionate sex, not whatever perfunctory duties Lord Debling might perform. I'm also surprised to hear the suggestion that Penelope ought to marry for money, both because she's clearly capable of making her own and because its regressive to reduce a male partner to his economic contribution.
Penelope didn't settle. She chose love and intellectual partnership. She chose a man for his values and his kindness. I think she chose well.
Agree. There was a moment when I thought Lord Debling might be a better match for Pen, until he said, essentially, I respect you but I’m not even looking for a love match. I want someone who is happy to leave me alone. And Pen wanted love. I think Pen is more interesting and accomplished, but by the end of season three even Colin knew that and acknowledged it.
I think people forget that He flat out told her he wouldn’t have room in his heart for her, but he expects his future wife to only want him (since he’ll be away).
The older/wiser I get, the more distasteful I find the notion of couples being either "matched" or "unmatched" based on some externally-visible metric (e.g., physical appearance, professional success) that may or may not have anything to do with core compatibilities between two hearts. So I kind of think you're doing Colin dirty by saying that he didn't "deserve" Pen, especially given the fact that getting beyond his existential fear of unworthyness/lack of purpose was EXACTLY what his growth arc was all about this season! As P told him in Episode 8, just being himself is enough for her to love him, which is so lovely, particularly in the context of romantic love.
THANK YOU. Also he falls in love with her only after another guy thinks she's hot and mainly because she's such a good listener and big fan of his. it's giving Ken playing Push by Matchbox 20 at Barbie. And, I'm sorry, the fact that she needs him to tell her she's beautiful? Note to directors, maybe don't cast Nicola Coughlan if you wanted that bit to work.
The chief difference for me is that Debling is a MAN and Colin is clearly a boy trying to figure out how to be a man. Until he said that he would never love her (which, come on, who wouldn’t fall in love with Penelope??) I was 100% Team Debling. She was herself with him until Colin decided that he was suddenly moony eyed over her. 🙄 And then, because he has eyes and a brain, Debling realized that perhaps he couldn’t trust her to be loyal while he was away, which fair, from his perspective.
The Bridgerton world presumes that a Love Match is the ultimate but elusive prize and since Debling wouldn’t offer it but Colin would, it makes perfect sense to me that Pen chose as she did. She got her ultimate prize.
What I did enjoy also was a look at how they disagree, how they reconcile and make up—that is the give and take of marriage that their friendship hadn’t yet tested.
That Pen said she made peace with marriage to Debling means that she felt that he would have been a “settle”. And staying single was not a sane option.
Deblin said he wouldn’t have room in his heart for her….. above his research. Her marrying him would be settling- settling for independence but she has said herself she is a romantic and wants love . Colin won’t live off Antony - he wrote a published book !
Jennifer Weiner, Bridgerton, and Dominick Dunne in one read? I am here for it! I “knew” I remembered a scene like this and could not remember where. I do remember the death of the butterflies! Ugh, just adored DD’s writing. He and Lady Whistledown have some things in common for sure.
I love your take on this, but I think Colin is by far the best of the three men in three seasons. I wrote a blog that focuses a lot on Colin’s story, and I would love your feedback on that. It’s at the top of this page: Http://www.elizabethmerck.com/blog
Agree. Colin is lightweight. She should have come to terms with that. Plus ending with the male heir and her editing Colin’s “travel” writing? Poor Pen!
I also found myself sympathetic to Lord Debling and then what, he disappears in the latter half and even Cressida can’t have a go at him? He didn’t want love right? He also honestly sounded like a perfect man - apart from the vegetarian part. He travels like half the year or like 10/12 months and Penelope can get her fill of steamy time when he’s back but have the rest of the time to read and write.
Colin’s “gap year” mention is too funny. I wrote about “Bridgerton” too and noted how Eloise and Penelope are more compelling as a platonic love match than the romance between Colin and Penelope. People grow up and let’s face it Colin’s glow up made him petty and unworthy, not to mention incapable of really knowing her. He only accepts or sees her as LW and a formidable woman after she delivers her Oscar worthy speech to the Queen.
I think his becoming petty after his glow up was the point. He never needed one. Just like Pen didn’t. They were lovely how they were, but both needed to throw off society’s expectations to see it in themselves before they could be good for each other.
Regency beauty standards didn't require women to have their breasts hoisted up to their chins: the Bridgerton costume department's 21st century idea of what Regency fashion was like, which apparently involves Victorian corseting and early 1970s prom gowns, requires its female characters to walk around with their breasts hoisted up to their chins.
Another thing I questioned: the handling of Cressida. She kept going back and forth as empathetic and then not. I guess they needed that for the plot, but all of it seemed forced. Would have liked her to end up with Debling if not Pen. I really thought Pen was going to realize Debling was a better match for her… such a great mind-connection!
Penelope not only chose love, she chose a guy who has always treated her as a friend and equal. He adores her, he respects her work, and he basically says he is going to live his life in support of her. Love is about what one gives, not what one gets, and Colin truly 'gets' that.
Lord Debling admits that he does not love Penelope, but is simply looking for a woman to run his household faithfully during his extended absences -- what a lonely life for Penelope. She is a passionate woman and I want a passionate love for her with passionate sex, not whatever perfunctory duties Lord Debling might perform. I'm also surprised to hear the suggestion that Penelope ought to marry for money, both because she's clearly capable of making her own and because its regressive to reduce a male partner to his economic contribution.
Penelope didn't settle. She chose love and intellectual partnership. She chose a man for his values and his kindness. I think she chose well.
Agree. There was a moment when I thought Lord Debling might be a better match for Pen, until he said, essentially, I respect you but I’m not even looking for a love match. I want someone who is happy to leave me alone. And Pen wanted love. I think Pen is more interesting and accomplished, but by the end of season three even Colin knew that and acknowledged it.
THIS!
I think people forget that He flat out told her he wouldn’t have room in his heart for her, but he expects his future wife to only want him (since he’ll be away).
A better idea- have Cressida link up with Debling. He would be a great fit for her and they both have family issues. He would soften her.
Ooh! That could work!
I actually thought that would happen
The older/wiser I get, the more distasteful I find the notion of couples being either "matched" or "unmatched" based on some externally-visible metric (e.g., physical appearance, professional success) that may or may not have anything to do with core compatibilities between two hearts. So I kind of think you're doing Colin dirty by saying that he didn't "deserve" Pen, especially given the fact that getting beyond his existential fear of unworthyness/lack of purpose was EXACTLY what his growth arc was all about this season! As P told him in Episode 8, just being himself is enough for her to love him, which is so lovely, particularly in the context of romantic love.
Colin is Pen’s trophy husband.
THANK YOU. Also he falls in love with her only after another guy thinks she's hot and mainly because she's such a good listener and big fan of his. it's giving Ken playing Push by Matchbox 20 at Barbie. And, I'm sorry, the fact that she needs him to tell her she's beautiful? Note to directors, maybe don't cast Nicola Coughlan if you wanted that bit to work.
I’m not ready to declare that Pen settled. She loves him enough to know how to help him grow and find his purpose.
The chief difference for me is that Debling is a MAN and Colin is clearly a boy trying to figure out how to be a man. Until he said that he would never love her (which, come on, who wouldn’t fall in love with Penelope??) I was 100% Team Debling. She was herself with him until Colin decided that he was suddenly moony eyed over her. 🙄 And then, because he has eyes and a brain, Debling realized that perhaps he couldn’t trust her to be loyal while he was away, which fair, from his perspective.
Interesting perspective on the characters! It’s always intriguing to see different interpretations of their dynamics.
The Bridgerton world presumes that a Love Match is the ultimate but elusive prize and since Debling wouldn’t offer it but Colin would, it makes perfect sense to me that Pen chose as she did. She got her ultimate prize.
What I did enjoy also was a look at how they disagree, how they reconcile and make up—that is the give and take of marriage that their friendship hadn’t yet tested.
That Pen said she made peace with marriage to Debling means that she felt that he would have been a “settle”. And staying single was not a sane option.
Deblin said he wouldn’t have room in his heart for her….. above his research. Her marrying him would be settling- settling for independence but she has said herself she is a romantic and wants love . Colin won’t live off Antony - he wrote a published book !
Jennifer Weiner, Bridgerton, and Dominick Dunne in one read? I am here for it! I “knew” I remembered a scene like this and could not remember where. I do remember the death of the butterflies! Ugh, just adored DD’s writing. He and Lady Whistledown have some things in common for sure.
I love your take on this, but I think Colin is by far the best of the three men in three seasons. I wrote a blog that focuses a lot on Colin’s story, and I would love your feedback on that. It’s at the top of this page: Http://www.elizabethmerck.com/blog
Agree. Colin is lightweight. She should have come to terms with that. Plus ending with the male heir and her editing Colin’s “travel” writing? Poor Pen!
I also found myself sympathetic to Lord Debling and then what, he disappears in the latter half and even Cressida can’t have a go at him? He didn’t want love right? He also honestly sounded like a perfect man - apart from the vegetarian part. He travels like half the year or like 10/12 months and Penelope can get her fill of steamy time when he’s back but have the rest of the time to read and write.
Colin’s “gap year” mention is too funny. I wrote about “Bridgerton” too and noted how Eloise and Penelope are more compelling as a platonic love match than the romance between Colin and Penelope. People grow up and let’s face it Colin’s glow up made him petty and unworthy, not to mention incapable of really knowing her. He only accepts or sees her as LW and a formidable woman after she delivers her Oscar worthy speech to the Queen.
I think his becoming petty after his glow up was the point. He never needed one. Just like Pen didn’t. They were lovely how they were, but both needed to throw off society’s expectations to see it in themselves before they could be good for each other.
Regency beauty standards didn't require women to have their breasts hoisted up to their chins: the Bridgerton costume department's 21st century idea of what Regency fashion was like, which apparently involves Victorian corseting and early 1970s prom gowns, requires its female characters to walk around with their breasts hoisted up to their chins.
Interesting perspective on the portrayal of Regency beauty standards in Bridgerton.
Another thing I questioned: the handling of Cressida. She kept going back and forth as empathetic and then not. I guess they needed that for the plot, but all of it seemed forced. Would have liked her to end up with Debling if not Pen. I really thought Pen was going to realize Debling was a better match for her… such a great mind-connection!
I agree, Cressida’s character development felt a bit inconsistent. The dynamic between Pen and Debling was definitely intriguing.
My favorite show currently! Can’t wait!!!