Dearest gentle readers, ‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 brings back the steam and frothy fun: review

Dearest gentle readers,

Netflix’s steamy historical hit “Bridgerton” is back for Season 3, now streaming. This time, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) take center stage.

Each season of the Shonda Rhimes-produced show has followed a different sibling in the Bridgerton family as they find love in Regency era London high society — all while navigating a “Gossip Girl”-type rumor mill, spearheaded by the writings of Lady Whistledown (who is secretly Penelope).

Season 3 begins with the “spinster” Penelope determined to find a husband, in part to escape her doltish family. She’s also feeling burned, because in Season 2, she overheard her crush, Colin, cruelly dismissing the idea of ever courting her.

To make matters worse, her friendship with his sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie) has crumbled because Eloise is furious after discovering Penelope’s secret identity.

So Penelope is isolated, and she keeps getting tongue-tied around men. Her future looks bleak.

Meanwhile, Colin has returned from his summer travels, more popular than ever, but he’s confused that his friend Penelope is now treating him coldly.

After the two have a confrontation about his Season 2 behavior, he resolves to “earn back her favor” by helping her find a husband. This involves flirting lessons — and naturally, they start feeling a little too real.

But, a complication: Colin isn’t aware of Penelope’s alter ego, and he’s resolved to “ruin” Lady Whistledown’s life, if he ever uncovers her identity.

It wouldn’t be “Bridgerton” without its famous sex scenes — and fans who complained that there wasn’t enough sex in Season 2 can rest easy.

Season 3 brings the steam, not just among the main couple, but also with various sex workers. Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) gets a new fling, and Season 2’s couple, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Kate (Simone Ashley), also get several steamy intervals.

Penelope and Colin have enough of a past to make their relationship feel emotionally rich. Their dynamic also has dramatic tension, since the other shoe will inevitably drop when Colin learns her secret identity.

Elsewhere, the season has a bit too much going on, but a lot of it is fun, and it moves along at a steady pace.

Various plot lines also follow Colin’s musical sister, Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd), as she looks for a husband, Eloise as she flails socially following the collapse of her friendship with Penelope, and Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe) and his wife, Alice (Emma Naomi), as they navigate a change in station. Yet another side plot follows Penelope’s sisters trying to get pregnant — and while it’s mildly amusing, that one tips the side plots over into, “Who cares?”

Plus, although it’s nice to see how Anthony and Kate are doing after their season, their presence does draw attention to the conspicuous absence of the Season 1 couple, Simon (Rege Jean-Page) and Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor), as those actors have moved on to greener pastures.

Aside from some scattered flaws, Season 3 of “Bridgerton” remains frothy fun, and addictively watchable. This show is still firing on all cylinders.

Season 3 Part 1 is currently streaming, and Season 3 Part 2 will premiere June 13.