Describing any character with superlatives walks a dangerous line of trapping them in a box, but that can’t happen for Colin Bridgerton — not yet, at least. Colin has seen immense evolution in his character, from the beginning of his story in Season 1, till his starring Season 3 of Bridgerton. After all, any good story doesn’t hinge on the destination but the journey. Colin’s journey in Julia Quinn’s books and on-screen in Netflix’s mega-hit Bridgerton is wonderfully complicated and promises to get even thornier and complex when Season 3, Part 2 premieres on June 13.

Colin Bridgerton is the third oldest Bridgerton brother and perhaps the most beloved by fans of Quinn’s books and show. Colin is funny, generous, loves to travel, and can be pretty childlike, but in an endearing manner. He wins a special place in fans’ hearts because of his relationship with Penelope Featherington, lovingly known as Polin by fans. Their relationship is a true treat in the books because it’s not adequately detailed until the fourth one, Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. Thankfully, Bridgerton is already switching things up for the better when it comes to those two, with their story being shifted ahead to the third installment for Netflix.

Updated by Fawzia Khan on June 3rd, 2024: Bridgerton Season 3 has captured hearts with Colin and Penelope’s story, which has been a long time in the making. However, Colin Bridgerton’s character needed some serious growth for Polin to actually happen, which is evident from his arc right from Season 1 to Season 3. This piece has been updated with further analysis about the third-oldest Bridgerton brother, and how his qualities, both good and bad, shaped his story of romance and personal evolution across the show and books.

Colin and Penelope’s Romance Plays Out Differently From Others, And That’s a Good Thing

For the most part, the Bridgerton books singularly focus on a pairing with brief interactions and vignettes that tease other characters’ futures. That format works well for the written word but would leave plenty to be desired on-screen. In a departure from other romances on Bridgerton so far, Colin and Penelope’s stories begin early on in the series, which allows viewers to really see their growth over the years. This adds incredible depth to the story, especially since Colin and Penelope were children when they met. The first season does this exceptionally well by letting tensions build around Colin and Penelope’s romance, setting a firm foundation in friendship.

That creates space for characters to develop and experience pivotal changes before the season focusing on their respective romances. It makes the payoff sweeter because there is more character development and dynamic build-up to the romance. Colin and Penelope are Bridgerton‘s most shining example, since the first episode establishes both characters. Their connection is already vastly different from the source material, and that will make one of Season 3’s most anticipated scenes even better.

Colin Bows To Societal Pressure At The Beginning

In Julia Quinn’s The Viscount Who Loved Me (which focuses on Anthony and Kate’s romance), Colin implies he would never marry Penelope when they are young. On-screen, Colin says that he would never dream of courting Penelope at the Featherington Ball in Season 2, Episode 8 “The Viscount Who Loved Me,” which is a much more recent sting for Penelope to bear. Colin is a peripheral character in the books, and due to his young age, is shown to have many flaws.

The opposite is true on Bridgerton, because the show includes Colin more, and Luke Newton’s performance informs his character beautifully. He is a true gentleman, unlike his brothers who actually love their rakish ways, and he tries to be as genuine as possible. This is a rarity in the glossy artifice of Regency Era balls and the marriage mart. However, Colin is naive about love and what it should look like.

Bridgerton has two significant changes to Colin’s role in its romantic regency world. One is his relationship with Marina Thompson, a far less prominent character in the books. Colin’s short yet dedicated relationship with Marina bodes well and unwell for his character. It exemplifies his good-hearted nature and proves he is a hopeless romantic from a young age, despite his demeanor which suggests he is fit for a bachelor, wanderlust lifestyle.

The dichotomy of Colin’s character also undoes a stereotype about travelers too: the younger Bridgerton brother genuinely enjoyed looking at the world, and didn’t travel to just be a rake. Alternatively, Colin’s relationship with Marina shines a light on his rashness and the effects of his spontaneity. He had true love in Penelope all along, but went for beauty instead of sentiment for lack of knowing better. Those aren’t horrible qualities by any means. Instead, they give his immaturity depth and consequences that aren’t fully realized until Romancing Mr. Bridgerton. It lets fans see the best and worst of him, as does his evolved dynamic with Penelope.

Season 3 Sees Colin Growing Up And Eschewing Social Norms Brilliantly

A solid foundation of friendship exists between Penelope and Colin from the beginning of the TV series, except only Penelope is mature enough to realize that they could be something more. They share a shorthand, complete with adorable nicknames like “Pen.” Bridgerton made room for stories that create meaningful angst and drama for Colin (and Penelope) early in the series, which has finally come to fruition in Season 3.

Unintentionally, Colin broke Penelope’s heart several times by making it amply clear that he only saw her as a friend over the past seasons. He repeatedly put her last in his prospects, but kept coming back to her for emotional support which was not the best look for him. However, their dynamic started changing when he returned from his travels, changed by his experiences, and also surprised at Penelope’s own changed intentions about marriage and life in general. For a while, he tried to be like other gentlemen around him, charming women with no real intention of commitment, which made him the cringiest Bridgerton brother for a short while.

Predictably, this farce didn’t sit too well with him beyond a certain period. The turning point in his life arrives when Penelope, trying to close her chapter with Colin once and for all, asks for a kiss to remember for the rest of her spinsterhood. This is the nudge that Colin required to see Penelope as more than a friend and recognize how she had been his only constant companion for years and years. After this, Colin can’t quite keep up the persona that he made for himself, like an armor against society. He questions how his other noble friends live their lives, wondering out loud, perhaps for the first time, how they could make a mockery of love and intimacy the way they did on a daily basis.

I have spent so long trying to feel less, trying to be the kind of man society expects me to be. And for a moment, I thought I had succeeded. But these past few weeks have been full of confounding feelings. Feelings like a total inability to stop thinking about you. About that kiss. Feelings like dreaming of you when I’m asleep. And in fact, preferring sleep because that is where I might find you. A feeling that is like torture, but one which I cannot, will not, do not want to give up.

His feelings for Penelope can’t be contained as she is courted by Debling, and Violet is the only Bridgerton character who can see the change in Colin, at first. Unlike Anthony, who still insisted on marrying Edwina despite his feelings for Kate, and Simon who denied his beloved her rights by lying to her, Colin did not believe in these games. Uncaring of what society thought, Colin immediately walked up to Debling and Penelope to make sure that they didn’t make a fatal mistake. Penelope was his only priority, and after years of caring too much about what others thought, Colin discarded these notions and confessed his love to Penelope. Few other characters on the show had the courage to do what Colin did, which was only proof of his pure heart and intentions.

Essentially, these changes (big or small) have shown to be exhilarating for Colin Bridgerton fans and Polin fans alike. The more of Colin’s complexities Luke Newton gets to portray on screen, the better, and Season 3, Part 2 promises even more grueling arcs for his character, which will really prove his mettle. A one-dimensional character who doesn’t make mistakes is boring, and Bridgerton doesn’t want or need that. Instead, the show examines relationships, both romantic and platonic, with care and curiosity.

Colin is a Bridgerton who may seem like the rest of his siblings, but his personality and motivations are entirely different from them. His errors and missteps are an important part of his story, and as a result, we understand the extremities of his character and appreciate the grey in between. Seeing how Penelope has her own dark side as Lady Whistledown, Colin’s highs and lows match her perfectly. Fans can’t wait to see how their relationship develops when he finds out Penelope’s secret in Season 3, Part 2 when it releases.