OPINION: Despite all the fuss about Pauline, it was the relatable subplot in Bridgerton that moved me the most

Editor’s note: Holly Thomas is a London-based writer and editor. She’s Morning Editor for Katie Couric Media and can be found on Twitter. Holster TThe opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author. Further comments On CNN.

CNN
—

If you’ve ever sat through a period drama wondering what on earth the rest of the cast is up to while the romantic leads take up 90% of the screen time, then “Bridgerton” Season 3 Part 2 is for you.

It’s not that Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton (or Pauline, as the internet likes to call them) aren’t a fascinating couple; you just knew they were meant to be. Their story has a longer run than the couples in the first two seasons, which gives the other couples more space to move on. There are plenty of B-plots this time around, and while they may not be as ambitious as Daphne and the Duke’s erotic relationship, many of them are far more relatable.

The first very nostalgic scene comes in Episode 5, when Eloise Bridgerton vents about Penelope to her estranged best friend, the cynical Penelope stand-in, Cressida Cowper. When Eloise finally catches her breath, Cressida says that she’s actually “shocked myself,” as she reveals that she’s been betrothed against her will to a very old man.

“Sir Greer,” cried Eloise, “isn’t he on the brink of death?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Cressida replies.

Eloise performs a deft handbrake turn, sits down and puts her hands on Cressida’s knees. “If I’d known your plight, I wouldn’t have spoken at length,” she sighs.

It’s a perfect exchange. While much of pop culture is hell-bent on extolling the incredible power of female friendship, the candy-cane world of Bridgerton is a place where you can’t expect a shred of realism. We know that Eloise would rather talk about, or to, Penelope than to Lord Greer, and Cressida knows she would. They compromise, because the only thing worse than complaining about your second choice is not complaining about anyone at all. Their mutual grievances will be comforting to anyone who has ever felt the absence of the ubiquitous WhatsApp group full of people ready to go for brunch at any moment.

Awkward platonic relationships have been a theme this season, which is fitting given the void created by Colin and Penelope’s graduation from imperfect friends to imperfect spouses. Lady Violet, the Bridgerton matriarch who had previously been the epitome of a supportive, caring, and fun mother, finds herself stumbling over a disappointing romance with Lord Sterling, the man who never speaks a word to her third daughter, Francesca.

Violet’s struggle to accept that Francesca has fallen in love without any drama is reminiscent of any typical motherly woman. There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing that the person closest to you is losing you through marriage and has never asked you for advice about it, or even had the courtesy to leave you with an interesting story to ponder.

This is another aspect of the loss Eloise feels at Colin and Penelope’s wedding reception. In tears, she tells her other brother, Benedict, that she is simply “crying for the loss of a friend in the wedding.” No matter how much you love the newlyweds, watching them declare each other number one is never easy for someone who has been relegated to second place.

Thankfully, what’s true in life isn’t always true on Bridgerton, and Violet is absolutely right when she points out that Francesca and Starling’s relationship is the most boring of the series. Francesca makes a very fair (and true) point that not all attachments need to be dramatic and laboriously constructed, but that would make for terrible television. When Sterling’s cousin (Francesca’s cousin) showed up in the final episode, Francesca said, Previously it was a chemical vacuum, Locking eyes with her is as thrilling as Pauline’s infamous mirror scene, and it’s not a far-fetched guess to suggest that married life for Francesca has more to offer than courtship.

In keeping with Season 3’s somewhat more romantic tone, the most moving relationship isn’t between Penelope and Colin, but between Penelope and her mother. Lady Featherington is the Kris Jenner of Regency Mayfair: smarter than all but one of her daughters, and will do anything to secure their futures — with or without their consent.

In season one, she was an interesting character trying to balance the twin pressures of managing her daughters’ ridiculous wardrobe needs with a burdened husband who was uninterested in helping them find partners. Over time, she’s revealed to be a sly, cold, and shallow character, especially with her tendency to constantly ignore Penelope in favor of her sisters.

The series’ attempt to portray Penelope’s Lady Whistledown column as a feminist outpost feels a bit forced, but Lady Featherington’s belated recognition of her daughter’s talent is far more moving. It’s the kind of evolution many of us wish our parents had made. Similarly, many parents may envy Penelope’s recognition that many of the qualities that made her successful Lady Whistledown were inherited from her mother – her ambition, her drive, and her occasional ruthlessness.

“If you survive this round, you’ll have to try harder,” Mrs. Featherington tells her. Leave it to a parent who has made countless mistakes but is determined to try again and deliver the most real, most moving display of affection.