Bridgerton Has A Benedict Problem, And Here's How I Think They Can Fix It
Dear Readers, for this author, Bridgerton Season 3 has been the most anticipated TV event of the season. I have really been looking forward to watching Colin (Luke Newton) and Penelope’s (Nicola Coughlan) love story play out on screen. Season 2 made me develop an affection for the Bridgerton family, including Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson). I hoped Season 3 would focus more on him. This would allow Bridgerton to start laying the groundwork for his season.
However, regretfully, it seems the Netflix hit series still hasn’t fully embraced the potential of Benedict. It’s a case of a fascinating character not receiving enough moments to shine. The material just doesn’t suit Benedict. For some of his fans, Bridgerton Season 3 has been a letdown so far.
Let’s address Bridgerton’s Benedict problem and some possible solutions.
Warning minor Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 and An Offer from a Gentleman spoilers are ahead.
The Writers Don’t Seem To Have A Clear Direction For Benedict
Benedict had his strongest storyline (thus far) during the first season, and it’s been downhill since that initial introduction. It’s starting to feel like Benedict’s storylines are being recycled just with slight changes. The other main characters aren’t dealing with this issue.
Because Bridgerton producers, showrunners, and writers decided to move Penelope and Colin’s love story up, I assumed this would give Benedict more time to develop as a character. Therefore, I wanted a fascinating Benedict plotline in Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1. His romance with Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) isn’t without its merits. It’s agreeable that Benedict’s type is strong independent women. Better progression and development could have made Tilley and Benedict’s fling very fascinating.
However, I fear it serves one purpose: to end with Benedict heartbroken to put him on a new quest. I hope I am wrong because that’s a dull and predictable outcome. Benedict’s Season 2 storyline also had potential because I enjoy his passion for art, but that too felt not fully formed. That’s one reason I thought the writers held off on marrying the second son.
Now it just seems like they don’t quite understand how to develop him interestingly. Some of Benedict’s past storylines' purpose may have been to show him sowing his wild oats. However, why does that need to be the main focus of his storyline? We already know all the Bridgerton sons are open to getting intimate with a variety of partners. We don’t need Benedict’s various affairs as the main driving force of his plot. His bed hopping worked in Season 1 because it showed him embracing the openness and freedom of the art scene. His romance and sex life don’t have the same purpose in Season 3.
The writers seemingly had a plan for him in Season 1 but now he seems like an afterthought. We see more of his engaging personality each season but that’s not paired with fascinating plotlines.
Suggestion: Make Benedict More Of A Central Character
Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and Colin had major personality and storyline glow-ups when they became the centers of Bridgerton. However, the show gave them both important storylines even before their main seasons. It would be thrilling to see the writers start using material from An Offer from a Gentleman to inspire Benedict’s plots. They can do this without having the season be his season.
The writers have the end results, now they can start building a foundation towards it. This could include creating a little bit of a life away from his family and working as a full-time artist. The second part doesn’t happen in the book but it could help his development. Benedict could still have fun but something felt missing with his Season 2 and Season 3 (Part 1) plots. It might just be the feeling that there is a goal to all this, which is why starting to introduce aspects of Julia Quinn’s novel may help.
I suspect that, eventually, Bridgerton will have one or two siblings whose romance doesn’t completely align with their book. Eloise (Claudia Jessie) may be one of the siblings who has a major departure from her book origins.
Even Colin and Penelope’s romance strays from the source material in major ways. Therefore, it’s completely fine (to me at least) if the show takes liberties with Benedict’s love story. I just want them to start giving him some more character development that pushes him toward his future (romantic and otherwise). I believe his romantic interest in the book and show will be the same, but even if it isn’t, the series could start giving him a direction that leads him more toward his ultimate path for love and life.
Another Suggestion: Introduce His Love Interest
Bridgerton could have one of the most talked about moments of Season 3 if they introduce Benedict’s love interest at the end of it. Book readers could hear her name and get giddy about what’s to come.
The show has already introduced Francesca’s (Hannah Dodd) love interest. Therefore, even if Benedict’s season doesn’t happen until Season 5 or 6, the writers could start developing the character before she and Benedict ultimately fall in love.
A minor spoiler from An Offer from a Gentleman is that Benedict meets his love interest at a masquerade ball. Why not end Season 3 Part 2 with that ball and their meeting, then explore their romance later? They don’t automatically get together after the ball, so it would work with their timeline.
I am a devoted Anthony and Kate (Simone Ashley) fan but I might have loved them even more if we met Kate in Season 1 and saw more of their progression over two seasons. Maybe Season 4 isn’t Benedict’s season but it could focus on his hunt to find the mystery masked woman, while also allowing the viewers to meet her by making her become a main part of the season, just not in Benedict’s life. Introducing Benedict’s love interest could give the character more of a focused story arc.
And Highlight His Insecurities More
Bridgerton Season 2 explores Benedict’s insecurities about his talent as an artist. We see his shyness with it in Season 1 until he’s brought into the tawdry world of sex and art. In Season 2, he becomes more confident as an artist, lover, and in his identity. However, An Offer from a Gentleman showcases an insecurity we don’t see much of in the show.
He feels like he lacks identity from his siblings. He’s just known as one of the Bridgertons. Many don’t even know which one, just that he is one. Because he isn’t bound to duty like Anthony, he also doesn’t quite know what to do as the second son. The show sort of addresses this part when Anthony makes him realize he isn’t completely free of responsibilities just because he’s the second son and not the heir.
Reading Benedict’s insecurities about being a Bridgerton endeared me to the character more. Because he’s handsome, rich, and can live a life of leisure, you wouldn’t expect him to feel a bit inadequate as a Bridgerton. We need to see more of Benedict’s depth. It’s occasionally shown, but not as much as we see with Eloise, Penelope, Colin, Anthony, and now Francesca, even when they’re not leading the season.
Finally: Show More Of Benedict’s Dynamic With The Bridgerton Family
One of the interesting things about Benedict is that he has a very distinct relationship with his siblings. He has a unique bond with each one. We don’t see the different bonds as much between the other siblings as we do with Benedict and his various siblings. His sibling moments are some of his best scenes, especially those with Eloise and Anthony. I may be unfairly judging Bridgeton Season 3 because we only have half the story so far, but it’s already lacking some of those golden Benedict sibling moments.
The series should lean into them more for future episodes. They highlight his personality, compassion, and offers a look at some fun dynamics.
I like Benedict. I just wish I felt the writers cared about him enough to give him better character development and plots. Luckily, Bridgerton Season 3 has four more episodes. Therefore, all the Benedict problems could be resolved before Season 4 starts, at least that’s what I hope.
