When a novel is adapted for television or film, it is inevitably altered to better suit the medium and audience. In the case of Bridgerton, while Julia Quinn’s book series provides a firm foundation for Netflix’s aristocratic universe, the differences between the show and the original story are significant. This is particularly evident in Season 3, the first four episodes of which were released last week.
Here, we take a closer look at the show’s most substantial departures from the novels.
The chronology of the books
Since it was announced that Bridgerton would have a third season, the show’s creators have made it clear that the central story would revolve around Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton (known as “Polin” on social media), following Quinn’s fourth Bridgerton novel, 2002’s Romancing Mr. Bridgerton.
Romancing Mr. Bridgerton follows An Offer From a Gentleman (2001), in which the main character is Benedict Bridgerton, the second Bridgerton child, played by Luke Thompson on the show. Yet the Netflix version of the story skips ahead a bit. “We already differ from the books a little bit because we’re an ensemble show,” Jess Brownell, Season 3’s showrunner, explained to Variety in 2022. “I really feel like it’s Colin and Penelope’s time. Because we’ve been watching both of these actors on our screens since Season 1, we’ve already invested in them a little bit. We know who they are as people.”
It was clear from the last season that Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin (Luke Newton) were gearing up for a major moment; in the Season 2 finale, Penelope hears Colin say that he would “never court her.” While, in the books, Colin makes the remark to his brothers in passing many years before he falls in love with Penelope, in the show the moment feels more dramatic (and a little cruel).
The direction of Colin’s character
Quinn’s Colin Bridgerton is simply irresistible: charismatic, kind to a fault, self-assured, and a constant traveler. Yet in the Netflix series, Colin’s charms aren’t clear until the third season, when he’s returned from adventuring in Europe—perhaps to avoid his overshadowing the Duke of Hastings and Anthony Bridgerton, the protagonists of the previous seasons.
Colin and Penelope’s relationship
Quinn’s novels present a Colin who is deeply noble and empathetic, willing to listen to and learn from Penelope. She awakens fears and insecurities in him that he has never experienced before, revealing an uncharacteristic vulnerability in him.