Julia Quinn, author of the Bridgerton book series, has defended the changes made in the television adaptation. The acclaimed Regency drama puts a modern twist on historical romances, centering on the eight siblings of the noble Bridgerton family as they navigate their individual quests for love. While the first two seasons faithfully mirrored Quinn’s books by following the love stories of Daphne and Anthony, respectively, Bridgerton season 3 will jump to the fourth installment of the book series to explore the budding romance between Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton.
Now, Quinn has made it clear that she supports the decision for Bridgerton season 3 to chart the love story of Penelope and Colin rather than that of Benedict, as the third book does. Per Insider, Quinn, who serves as a consultant for Bridgerton, explains why the upcoming season is the perfect time for Penelope and Colin’s romance, and why it could be a benefit for Benedict fans to wait for his love story. Check out what she has to say below:
I think they had just felt they had laid down so much groundwork because we already know Penelope. We haven’t met Benedict’s love interest. I suppose people are gonna say, “They could have introduced her.” But the fact of the matter is, we haven’t. And what I try to tell people is, look, once a character has their season, we don’t see them as much, right? So, if you love Benedict, you want him to wait as long as possible.
The Biggest Differences Between The Bridgerton Books & Show
Although altering the order in which the Bridgerton siblings find love comes as a very major change from the books, it is hardly the first. Notably, Queen Charlotte, a character so beloved that executive producer Shonda Rhimes created the recent hit Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story specifically to explore her ascension to royalty, was not a character in Quinn’s book series. In fact, despite her prominent role in arranging Bridgerton‘s central relationships, the book series does not make note of any members of royalty.
Perhaps the most impactful change has been the diversity of Bridgerton‘s characters. The range of ethnic backgrounds depicted, a result of Queen Charlotte’s marriage to the king, is explained in season 1 by Lady Danbury when she says, “We were two separate societies divided by color, until a king fell in love with one of us.” This decision resulted in an impressive amount of representation for a historical series, including Regé-Jean Page portraying the romantic lead of Bridgerton season 1 and Simone Ashley taking on Anthony’s season 2 love interest, Kate Sharma, who was known in the book as Kate Sheffield.
Another significant change to Bridgerton that is sure to impact season 3 is the early reveal that Penelope has been the voice behind the town’s anonymous gossip writer, Lady Whistledown. Though Quinn did not share this twist until the fourth book, the television series produces the reveal as early as the season 1 finale. From then, Penelope’s secret double life became a major part of her ongoing storyline and severely impacted her close friendship with Eloise Bridgerton, which makes the upcoming focus on her relationship with Colin all the more compelling.
Source: Insider
