You're watching the 'Bridgerton' seasons and the 'Queen Charlotte' spinoff in the wrong order

• "Bridgerton" season three premieres on May 16.

• But it's actually the fourth season in the "Bridgerton" universe if you count "Queen Charlotte."

• The ideal watching order is counterintuitive — you should intersperse the main show with the spinoff.

"Bridgerton" is returning with its third season, but viewers watching the franchise in release order are missing a beat.

The series, which premiered in 2020, quickly became one of the most-watched on Netflix as viewers were captivated by the bright, escapist drama set in 19th-century London.

The success of the first season prompted a whole franchise with more seasons plus a spin-off show, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story."

Most fans have been watching the show in release order, but we think there is a better way.

Season 1 is still the perfect introduction to the "Bridgerton" world.

Though "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" is a prequel to the main "Bridgerton" series, it's not a great place to start. The prequel assumes prior knowledge of the shows.

Though it's not impossible to start with Queen Charlotte, we think "Bridgerton" season one is still the best opener.

Lady Whistledown, the anonymous gossip who narrates the show, spends much of the first two episodes establishing the world and explaining the rules of London society.

We meet the most important characters of London high society, including the Bridgertons and Featheringtons, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh), and Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel).

We follow the show's pivotal first love story between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Hastings (Regé Jean-Page), the rakish Duke of Hastings with a big secret.

We get the first hint of trouble in the royal household in episode five, which sets up the "Queen Charlotte" spinoff after you finish season one.

You should then watch the first 4 episodes of "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story."

This is where to divert from the release order.

"Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" is a limited miniseries covering the younger years of Queen Charlotte, played here by India Amarteifio.

This is where she meets King George III (Corey Mylchreest), marries him, and adjusts to life as an English monarch.

It is great context for George's later erratic behavior, which looms over the main narrative. It also explains how Charlotte, a Black woman, enters London's high society and begins the transformation to the more diverse nobility we see in the main show.

Elsewhere in the series, we also see the youths of Lady Danbury (Arsema Thomas), the social scene's most respected widow, and Lady Bridgerton (Connie Jenkins-Greig), the matriarch of the Bridgerton family, which provides a lot of context for their future selves.

The prequel does have some scenes set after "Bridgerton" season two in the timeline, and there are small hints as to what happens, but not too many major spoilers.

Moments like the Queen grieving her living husband and Lady Bridgerton grieving her dead husband deliver better insight into these characters and a better narrative arc.

It's time to go back to "Bridgerton" season two to see Anthony Bridgerton's love story.

Season two is set a year after season one and follows Daphne's oldest brother, Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), as he tries to find a wife.

He chooses Edwina Sharma (Charithra Chandran), the Queen's favored debutante, but clashes with her older sister, Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley).

This season finally explains what happened to the Bridgertons' former patriarch and Violet's former husband, Edmund Bridgerton (Rupert Evans). Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte interact more, following their friendship in "Queen Charlotte."

The Queen spends most of this season hunting for Lady Whistledown's identity.

Then back to the final two episodes of "Queen Charlotte" for more context (and maybe the "Queen Charlotte" book).

After King George's brief cameo in "Bridgerton" season two, the final two episodes of "Queen Charlotte" make a nice conclusion to the love story between the two.

When I watch "Queen Charlotte," the final two episodes strike me as a self-contained unit. This part explores Lady Danbury's love life and reveals an important detail about Lady Bridgerton, which may be useful for season three.

You should also read the "Queen Charlotte" tie-in book, the only "Bridgerton" book written by Julia Quinn after the release of the TV series.

The main Netflix series adapts Quinn's "Bridgerton" books — but "Queen Charlotte" is different.

Quinn told Business Insider that the 2023 book is informed by the scripts for the TV series, meaning their plots align more closely.

Now you are ready to watch Penelope and Colin fall in love in "Bridgerton" season three.

The latest "Bridgerton" season follows Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), the third Bridgerton sibling, as he returns from traveling and is keen to reunite with his friend and neighbor Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Unfortunately, she rebuffs him and says she's focused on finding a husband.

To win her attention, Colin agrees to teach Penelope how to seduce a man, which allows the pair to become closer.

Elsewhere, the Queen is trying to find a new interest, Lady Bridgerton is nearing a romance of her own, and Francesca Bridgerton (Hannah Dodd) is making her debut in London society.

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