#and by 'us' i mean colin and luke fans

[dollypopup]

I just need every single person in this fandom who has ever been mean about Luke Newton to know that Nicola Coughlan hates you. Genuinely and wholeheartedly.

She hates you. Sure, she won't say it aloud, because she's a professional who knows her career lives or dies by fans, but please know that she does. She hates you if you've said Colin gave you the ick, especially so if you said it to Luke, she hates you if you've left a rude comment on his social media, she hates you if you acted like she didn't like him or that she was shading him, she hates you if you bullied the people around him, she hates you if you said something disparaging about how he looks or how he acts, she. hates. you.

And sure, it's not all people who are in her or Pen's fanbase, in fact a lot of people have been cruel about him outside of the Polin fandom, but a LOT of people are Pen fans, and hearing her talking about how defensive she gets over him when people say something rude about him? And knowing there are SO many stupid opinion blogs and youtubers and tiktokers who say they're Pen fans and Nicola fans but are mean as fuck about Luke?

I need every single one of them, in particular those who have been out here making up stupid shit to be mad at him about 'on her behalf' to know that when you say something mean about the man she gushed to her Mum about, and who her Mum was so excited to meet because she just knew he was kind, the man she introduced to her entire family, the man she is always reaching for and hugging and snuggling up to and calling wonderful and giggling around and saying how she wouldn't want to do such vulnerable intimate scenes without and complimenting and leaning on and having fun with and calling a special person in her life, she is taking off her earrings and ready to meet you outside in his honor

because she hates you for being a dick about him. hope that clears things up

[nostalgicmiscellaneous]

I'm quite honest when i say this: No, Season 3 didn't have much angst. In fact, Polin fans were lucky because even their angst had moments of the characters clearly showing love. Their main issues start at the end of Ep6, so it only truly reflected starting on Ep7. They have the fight, some hurtful words, but then they meet on the streets and have a great conversation, they have a moment evidently showing their love for each other. Later that night, Colin basically confirms that all the issues he has with trust because of LW, when he talks to Kate, are not enough to truly taint his love for her. We get to the wedding, and it's full of love, tenderness and Colin unable to hide the depth of his feelings. The Queen barging in and his concern, his worry for her safety and his family as well is triggered again. He can't yet truly grasp that LW is a fundamental part of her and he reacts as something that is above her love and care for him and his family + his insecurities. As we all know, he feels useless, unloved, unworthy, ''less than". We get Colin sleeping right outside their bedroom. Again, his feelings are eating him up. He also feels guilty that his family might be at risk because he chose Pen and yet he knows he would do it again and again. He doesn't feel too little, he feels too much and that's his problem. He doesn't know what to do and how to do things. Over and over again he tries to protect her and show her his love. Oh, but he didn't sleep with her that night? GOOD! Yes, you heard it. Good, he shouldn't have. In fact, i'd feel bad if he had. I'd feel like at that moment he just used her to placate his desires. As long as he was still struggling - and he had the right and it make perfect sense for him to be -, with his feelings about the situation, his concerns, i'm glad that he wasn't just, 'hey, i'm feeling horny, you're gorgeous and i love you and ofc seeing you in your sexy nightgown turns me on so i'm going to fuck you, even if i'm still struggling because i'm a man and men can't be sensitive and need time, complete connection and trust to make love to someone they value and love, they gotta fuck". For real, people? For real? It's a drama, a romantic drama. They make everything right in the same episode, they confess and declare their regrets and love, their hopes and their trust, they make love - and no, it's not porn, we don't need to be shown more than we were in Eps4 and 5 -, they have a beautiful baby, they are are working on their their dreams ( writing) and taking care of their families, they are happy and in love with complete trust and admiration. There was little angst. Now, if you wanted one more conversation between them, another one where they could share their feelings and have intimacy ( not even talking about sex), sure, i would've loved too. But it is not enough for the over the top dramatics some of you make it out to be, the exaggerated complaints. I wont change my mind over the mind and feelings of someone else, i feel this season is very good, a solid one with good chemistry romance between the leads. I enjoyed and like more everytime i watch. I always think about what i wanted more and what i wanted differently when i watch shows/movies, but i also never allow it to cloud the things i did get and that i love it, because when i weight it all, i love more things in it than otherwise, in this case. Wanting more is good, means Nicola and Luke did a good job making you want to see them, and you'll in S4.

[callingbridgerton]

I am very impressed by the writers and directors this season for how they managed to allow me to enjoy Colin and Penelope's joyful moments despite the angst and looming problems.

I mean, they gave us a pre-make up wedding, and pre-LW first time and somehow, through writing and pacing choices and Luke and Nicola's stunning acting, I was capable of enjoying them.

People have had a lot of problems with this season, which... whatever. Agree to disagree. I'm S3's #1 fan and protector. But I'm just grateful that I never for one moment didn't believe that Colin loved Penelope and that Penelope loved Colin.

Most of the time in shows when there are things looming or secrets being held it ruins the beautiful moments when you think back on them, but somehow I don't find that to be true with Season 3.

Though I will say I would have felt 100% differently about this season if they hadn't left in Colin's nod and smile to Penelope on the way down the aisle. That shit is load bearing as hell.

[mrscolinbridgerton96]

“The freakin’ London premiere- we all know that that was not supposed to happen; that was not okay.. and he still did it.”

I’m sorry, but what is this “bad behavior” that she’s alluding to? What exactly did Luke do that could’ve offended her and other people so much? Someone please enlighten me. I really want to know how Luke showcased “bad behavior” at the London premiere. I’m genuinely curious.. because, I personally haven’t seen anything- and I’m sure I’m not the only one who’ll say that.

~

This TikTok is 3 and a half minutes long. If you want to watch the video, go right ahead! But for those who don’t want to watch the full thing, I’m gonna give you my thoughts on just a few of the things she said in her video.

She talked about how Luke should post something on social media to show more appreciation to the fans. In multiple interviews throughout the press tour for season 3, Luke has talked about how he appreciates every ounce of support and love that has come from the fans and how he can’t wait for everyone to see Colin and Penelope finally get together. But apparently… to some (unfortunately), that’s not enough. Just because he hasn’t posted about how grateful he is for the fans, that doesn’t mean that he’s not grateful. To insinuate that he’s “inconsiderate” because he doesn’t post on social media is diabolical to me; it is not only unfair but it’s unacceptable. At the end of the day, Luke doesn’t owe us a damn thing.

The second thing I want to share my opinion on very much relates to the first thing. This girl talked about how he should post something for Nicola and publicly show his appreciation for all the times she stood up for him. To the people who have said this (and trust me, this girl is not the only one who thinks this) and believe that he’s ungrateful for her defending him.. let me ask you ask you something: did it ever cross your mind that he showed his appreciation for all the times she expressed her (platonic) love and respect for him privately? I’m sure they talk and text each other a lot. There are other ways to show someone appreciation- and it’s (to me) even more meaningful when it’s not on social media. Just because he doesn’t post about on social media.. it does NOT mean that he is unappreciative. Nicola has defended him publicly because she’s a good person and knows that he’s a good person too. There’s a reason that Luke’s cast mates (most of them he’s known for 5 years) only have good things to say about him. Yet, there are “fans” who want devote so much time and energy to talk shit about someone they don’t even know.

Lastly, and this is something I’ve addressed a few times before. She asked, and I quote, “What is the bullying that according to some of you he’s experiencing? Where is the bullying?” The way I see it; in my opinion, by asking that.. she has made it abundantly clear that she has NOT been paying attention.

I shared these screenshots back in July- they have since been removed from Twitter (I’m not calling it ‘X’ because it sounds like the name of a p*rn site). If any of this doesn’t count as bullying, then what the Hell is it? They weren’t complimenting him to lift his spirits up. He even said in an interview that he was verbally harassed for TWO YEARS because of Colin’s “I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington” comment at the end of season 2 (even though Colin is a fictional character and Luke is nothing like his character)- last time I checked… THAT’S bullying.

~

She says that she’s “holding him accountable” when he hasn’t done anything wrong. Has Luke said or done something that TRULY IS problematic? If he has, I would gladly hold him accountable for it. However, I haven’t seen him do or say anything that is so awful that he has to be held accountable for it.

She also talked about how A would post something when Nicola posts something- she posts something; same with when the official Bridgerton account posts something and she would overshadow Luke. You can point all of that nonsense out all you want, but Luke has NO CONTROL over what she posts her posts on her own social media account and when she decides to posts it!! Regardless of how you feel about their age gap, she’s an adult who makes her own choices. She old enough to know to know right from wrong- just like the “fans” who have been harassing him for months.

One more thing, today.. she posted a TikTok about how Luke liked Nicola’s recent post and she was all giggly and excited.. with that being said, my mind is telling me one thing- that she is one of those people who only like Luke when he interacts with her on social media and/or is actually with her (whether it’s casual or in interviews). Now, I could be wrong; this is strictly my opinion- an observation, if we’re getting technical.

Overall thoughts: I know that Luke’s not a perfect human being and I never said that he was- no person living on this planet is perfect.. and I would 1000% hold him accountable if he did or said something that actually WAS problematic. But, from what I’ve seen.. he hasn’t done anything to deserve all of the negativity he’s been getting.

Now, if you’ll excuse me.. I’m gonna go take something for my migraine.

[lisaphantasia]

I genuinely can't believe I'm still seeing stupid comments.

Again I'm just going to say. If you feel "betrayed" or "That it was all PR" and your "Watching experience is ruined" or you "No longer support Luke" ... All because the delulu of him and Nic wasn't real because Luke was pictured with his girlfriend.. Please you need to get off of the internet and I do not mean that as an insult I mean it very seriously.

To go to the extreme or tearing him down online just because his personal life doesn't fit a narrative you want is insanity.

I was in the delulu, I could see there is chemistry there but him having a girlfriend does not change the chemistry they have. You know what it changed? Nothing. It does not change the funny/ cute moments from the PR tour, does not change that they are two people who love and care about eachother...even if it's not in the way you would like it to be.

My worry about weird, over invested fans is that Luke gave his ALL. Gave his all to Colin, to filming, to touring across the world and he gave that all for Us. For the fans. If it were me and I did all that just to be treated as poorly as people are treating him now I would be hard pressed to find a reason to go back to the show.

Just to clear this up.. Having the delulu of Lukola isn't the issue... It's the attacking a sweet man who hasn't done anything wrong that is the issue

I don't want to lose Luke or Colin from Bridgerton and from our fandom. So please can people be kinder. Talk about his beautiful acting. His caring personality in interview. His goofy humour.

So this is my appreciation post for the star that he is to try and make this tag a happy space again

[spirit-of-beetlejuiceblues12]

A petition has been started to get a director’s cut including the scenes that were cut from Bridgerton S3.2, particularly the Polin scenes

This petition may seem unnecessary, but cutting those scenes has had a real effect on the characterization of Colin and Penelope.

While I did enjoy season 3, a lot of the Polin scenes felt rushed and limited. Cutting the listed scenes takes away from the wonderful, passionate, careful work that Luke Newton and Nicola Coughlan put into these characters and this season. They’ve said in multiple interviews how excited and proud they are of the work they did, knowing what these characters mean to the fans.

Wanting the sex scenes back isn’t just about wanting to watch our favorite characters get steamy. Personally, I believe the intimacy of Polin is important because it spurs Penelope to feel empowered in her body and her sexuality, to be confident and know that she is desired after years of feeling invisible; these scenes are a major part of her growth that ultimately gives her the courage to make the LW speech in episode 8, and to step into the light. The intimacy brings Colin back to his true self: a sensitive, caring man who is realizing he is and always has been in love with his best friend, that he doesn’t need to put on armor to be loved or have a purpose. Those scenes can highlight the intricacies of discovering who your partner is, the good and the bad, and how all those pieces make love and intimacy frustrating and frightening but worth it.

The goal of the petition is to either have the scenes restored to the original episodes or to have a director’s cut released on Netflix. Early viewers apparently got to see the cut scenes, so it seems unfair that the rest of us loyal fans shouldn’t also get the chance.

[romanticatheartt]

Do you remember how I said I won't be watching s3? Yes, I'm a lying liar through and through lol my sister said let's watch it and I love watching movies or TV shows with her, and tbh we had a good laugh😭💀

Okay so here are my thoughts:

First of all: KATE AND ANTHONY. Omg they're everything to me!! They were only in one episode but they made that episode theirs. I just love seeing them blissfully happy and living in their own bubble. I'm both sad and glad they were only in one episode. Because I wouldn't put it past the writers to give them some unnecessary drama and conflict. At the same time their screen time was so little... I suppose we can't have it all :')

Francesca. Omg I love her so much. I already loved her from the books but the show? God, she's so cute and beautiful. Hannah played her to perfection and I'm glad she's the new Francesca. Even when you read the books, that's how you imagine Fran's character. Both she and Kate have a special place in my heart.

John... my god John is here. And I'm already too attached to him. I can't- Listen, I know my heart will break when his time comes. The actor was such a good choice for his character and I was on the verge of crying whenever he appeared with Fran. She was always so happy to see him. I never thought two characters/actors could have this much chemistry while sitting in silence. GOD I LOVE THEM and I'm ready for heartbreak :D We still have no Michael but I'll keep hoping for him to appear because my god... Francesca's book is filled with angst I just hope when it's her turn, they do it justice<3

I actually enjoyed Eloise and Cressida. I never thought I'd say this but I did!! I know they made 180 changes about her character in the new season but I don't really care lol I just hope she works it out with Debling so at least she'll be free from her parents.

People keep saying they don't like Eloise this season but she's so much better than me. I would've been so much worse... The first thing I would've done was give Pen's name to the queen but she kept it this whole time and was actually worried about Pen... she was kind enough to a person who ruined her and her family, not once but twice.

There are too many side plots in this season. Like I don't want to be pathetic but we've been saying that since s2 and y'all called us delusional and said to be grateful because it was more than enough. But now that I see even Polin fans have a problem with this season makes me so happy and sad at the same time. Because when this happened to your favs, it's a real issue...

I love LD and QC friendship so much!! And QC & Brimsly. These friendships were more shaped since QC spin-off and I really enjoyed it.

It's obvious to me that they don't know what to do with Ben's plot lol. Because creating these unnecessary original characters is doing a disadvantage to the whole show. I really hope we see Sophie this season. 

Okay I've avoided the inevitable as much as I could lol so let's talk about the main couple:

They have no chemistry. I know some might not agree with me but there's no chemistry for me. It has always been like this since s1. At least I don't feel anything special between them. Nicola is a wonderful actor and is carrying the whole ship on her shoulders and I said what I said. 

Luke wasn't good at portraying Colin at all. He has no charisma and is trying too hard. I'm not talking about his character wanting to be something he's not but talking about the acting in general, so don't come for me with that argument. They really tried to make him like Anthony but failed miserably. Which is sad because even tho I haven't read their book, he in other books was absolutely my favorite side character. Me and my sister were laughing our asses off at some of his actings like sir... pls don't😭 I'm being super mean omg

The pacing of their relationship was weird. When he proposed to her I was so shocked like in episode 4? Already? Then I remembered in s1 we had the same situation but in s1 it felt right. It wasn't weird or felt too soon or too late, it was right. With Polin, everything felt out of order. I think they didn't want to focus much on building it up because they felt they already did in the past 2 seasons but it just felt off in the end. They weren't even together much on screen to feel like it's building up!! There was no arc or if it was, it was too subtle that if you blink you'll miss it.

The other problem with their plot was the similarity between s1 and s3. Simon was trying to help Daphne to find a husband and Colin is doing the same thing. Except s1 main trope was Fake Dating and s3 was Friends to Lover.

Which brings me to another reason why I didn't like s3. Friends to Lovers trope. Honestly, this is a me problem. I've never liked this trope at all. I really tried to change my mind about it, like reading books with this trope but most of the time I'm left unsatisfied or hating the book. Unfortunately, s3 was no different. This trope always comes off as unpassionate for me. Which I think it's the trope. Because it's supposed to be cute and subtle and I'm not sure it's really my thing. So I guess the major reason for my dislike of this season is the trope.

There were 2 fkn scenes of Colin participating in a threesome... That was so fkn bad like I can't believe this just happened. And one of them was after he kissed Penelope... I don't care that he didn't continue but... OUGH it gave the ick so bad, I didn't even watch it,  just fast-forwarded it.

That carriage scene was okay-ish? It didn't leave me breathless like the Kanthony scenes did. Tbh s2 left me in a shamble with how much emotions I felt with those two. But with s3, I had the exact opposite feeling toward the main couple.

Anyway, I think this season, revealing LW's identity was their priority which is why they weren't so focused on the romance (?) idk but I feel like part 2 won't be any different than part 1 and they're gonna throw some sex scenes to make it up for the romance lol

ps: I know I said s4 will be Benedict's and I still think it will be but if they decide to make it Francesca's? Oh, I wouldn't mind at all!! 

[d-targaryenshoe]

Asked And Answered - Luke Newton

Word count: 1237

Summary: When questions are being asked, the only thing left to do is answer, no?

"Hi, y/n! Thank you for having us here. Do you mind if we come in and ask a few questions?"

"Oh hi! No, not at all, come on in." you smiled, closing the door and leading Joe Sabia through the hallway of your house.

"How did you get into acting? Was it something you always wanted to do?" he asked, following you into your living room.

"Well, I have always loved performing. When I was a kid, I used to put on plays for my family in our living room. But it wasn't until high school that I got into acting." 

You took your cup of coffee from your coffee table, turning off your TV.

"Tell us about your journey to becoming an actress?"

"Well, it wasn't easy. I auditioned for countless roles and faced a lot of rejection. But I never gave up and finally got my big break in an amazing Netflix show called Bridgerton." 

You smiled at the male taking a sip from your coffee, opening your blinds, and inviting in the sunlight.

"How did you land the role of y/c/n in Bridgerton?" The man questioned.

"It's quite a funny story. I was in the middle of filming for a different project when I received a call from Chris Van Dusen about an audition for a new period drama." You chuckled.

"At first, I was indecisive as I had never done a period piece before, but my agent convinced me to give it a go. So, I went for the audition, and the rest, as they say, is history." 

 "Speaking of Bridgerton, you act alongside your boyfriend, Luke Newton. Can you tell us more about that?" The interviewer followed you toward your kitchen.

"Yes, we're always together but we try our best to hold our distance on set, but we know each other so well, which made filming even more fun and natural." You answered, tearing off a piece of paper from the 

tear-off calendar.

"What was your favorite scene to film in Bridgerton?"

"That's a tough one as I genuinely enjoyed every scene. However, I think my favorite would have to be the ballroom scene where Colin and y/c/n share their first dance." You placed your cup of coffee in the sink and took a bottle of water from the fridge. 

 "Are you both supporters of each other's careers?" he asked, walking behind you towards the dining room.

"Absolutely. We both understand the demands of this industry and always support and motivate each other," you say, shoving one of the chairs under the table.

 "Can you tell us about your first date?" The male asked.

"Our first date was funny. We went to a Mexican restaurant, and I accidentally spilled my entire and very expensive margarita on his lap, but we look back on it and laugh now." You chuckled, leaning your arms on the chair.

"What is one thing that you're obsessed with at the moment?"

"Commenting on fans their fanart, they're incredibly talented." You said, opening the door towards your master bedroom. 

"If you had a podcast what would it be called?" Joe asked, stepping into the room.

"Dearest Listeners, as a wink to Lady Whistledown." You replied while adjusting the sheets on the bed. "And Nicola Coughlan."

 "what's your favorite playlist you have?"

"Romancing Mr. Newton, sorry not sorry." You laughed, leaving your master bedroom.

"what song have you had on repeat for the past few weeks?" The man asked.

"Spinning out, waiting for ya to pull me in" you softly sang, walking towards your bathroom before looking behind you. "Satellite by Harry Styles."

"what's the hardest thing you ever had to do for a role?"

"Learning how to dance a Quadrille without stepping on my dancing partner's toes." You snorted, closing the bathroom door that was still open.

"do you ever get nervous when being on set?"

"Of course, it means you care and you want to do it good." You shrugged at the man, walking to your walk-in closet.

"Who is your go-to person when you need to talk to someone?"

"Ruth Gemmell, Mother Bridgerton, really knows how to comfort you." You smiled, walking into the room that was filled with clothes and shoes.

"how many awards do you own?"

"One Academy Award for Best Actress, One Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress, and an Oscar for Best Actress," you replied while inspecting your dresses.

"What is something that recently moved you?" Joe asked

"Last month, Luke and I had a chat with a fan in London and spoke about how essential Mental Health is, that truly touched me." You strode out of your walk-in closet and shut the door behind Joe. 

“Who is the most famous person on your phone?” 

"Meryl Streep? Taylor Swift? Both?" You slightly laughed, pushing the screen of the smart thermometer in the house.

“what's your favorite time of the day?”

"Nighttime, just silence and quality time, it's heaven." You opened the door to your home office.

“Vintage or new?” The male asked.

"Vintage," you answered as you sat down behind your desk.

“What are three things you can’t live without?”

"Acting, friends, and Luke." You leaned back in your chair, smiling at the man.

“When was the last time you were starstruck?”

"I'd say, the table read for Bridgerton, season 3." You said, getting up from the chair and getting out of the room. 

“Best gift you’ve ever received?”

"All of this, Bridgerton, everyone I got to know, the fans." You answered, adjusting a painting that hung in the hallway.

“Best advice you’d give your teenage self?” He asked`

"Dare to take the risk, no matter how scary it may seem." walking into your home theatre, you took a seat on one of the huge pillows.

“What’s your wakeup ritual?”

"Sunny weather, the smell of coffee, and a lot of food." You chuckled, running a hand through your hair.

“who’s someone you’d like to work with again on set?"

"There's no good answer to that, anyone from the Bridgerton family." you got up from the chair and walked towards the giant black screen.

“What’s your current TV obsession?”

"The Originals." You smiled, walking out of the room.

“Rate your met gala outfit 1 to 10.”

"A decent 9." You winked at the camera, coming to a halt in the hallway. "You will see."

“Do you have a favorite room in your house?” 

"I surely do! Let me show you." You walked up to the black-colored door, revealing your wine cellar.

“you have 4.2M followers on Instagram, is there something you'd like to say to them,”  Joe asked, while you were inspecting the dusty bottles of wine.

"Never think twice when you want to do something, take a leap of faith." You wiped off the dust from the bottle and placed it back.

“Have you ever googled yourself?”

"Multiple times, the first time was when Bridgerton was being released." You answered, getting closer to your garage.

“Diamonds or pearls?” Joe asked

"Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" You winked at the camera, chuckling to yourself.

“Favorite accent to do?”

"British, everything just sounds better in British," you answered, opening your garage gate, and stepping outside in the sun.

"Then this was all we've wanted to ask you today, thank you for having us, Y/n."

"Thank you for being here today." you waved one last time at the man before closing your garage gate.

[bridgertonnteas]

Is Luke Newton a good guy or is he as sketchy as all these accounts make him out to be? It’s like we have Nicola’s Luke and then Rory’s Luke… it’s weird.

He is a good guy, so don't listen to these accounts

What is happening is something started on tiktok from people who has been projecting on Nic & they started the rumors that "how he hates nic" blablabla when that wasn't true

then things just kept progressing by these accounts like there is literally a woman who never watched the show in the first place who has been making hate tiktoks on him when she doesn't even know, but decided to hate on him because he is dating typical tiktok dancer over someone like Nic & the craziest part is that woman isn't even a Nic fan either

There are also some accounts who hate him & hate Colin as a character who do like Nic, but they only tolerate him because they thought him & Nic would be dating or secretly dating, but when they realize that he isn't dating Nic, they decide to openly hate on him & saying vile stuff, completely discarding everything Nic has been saying about him all those years before s3 even started filming Like they don't realize that when they say he isn't a good person, then that would mean Nic is a liar & fake person + if he was a bad person then Nic is a bad person too because she is close friend with him

The point is many are projecting on him just as it happened with Colin & polin in the show with people saying Colin is a red flag because he didn't get with Pen sooner or recognized she liked him sooner, & now some people are angry because he isn't dating Nic faking outrage in her behalf over nothing & honestly some of those people make Nic look bad like I have already seen haters make assumptions about her because of how some are acting in her behalf or using her name to hate on him; she is getting called desperate & pathetic when in reality she is unbothered busy filming a movie and hanging with her friends in her free time

L & r0ry had fallouts before more than once from what I know, but he also has loyalty to him because r0ry was before one of few who supported him when he needed and during hard times

[fiamat12]

You know I go back and forth on whether or not there is something A has in her back pocket that would warrant an NDA or for Luke to have to stick around with her if he didn’t want to. And part of me thinks while there could be something… I think it may be more of what she could do in retaliation.

I mean it was obvious at one point she was working with DM or someone in her realm and even setting up papped photos. I could see her trying to sell a story that would paint Luke and Nic in a bad light even if it wasn’t true.

Would the GA care what she had to say? No. Would the fandom care what she had to say? No, but the Luke and Nic/Polin haters would eat up at the chance to shit on them even more.

Look at how Luke has been treated over last summer and he’s still getting hate for that over a year later. Then he got hate for the pap pics, so like anything the man does is a no win situation for him. So, haters would jump at the chance to try to make him and Nic look like cheaters because A was in the background during the WT and people (not Luke) were giving her the GF title, so all she has to do is spin a little story that implies she was cheated on and the victim of fan bullying and the haters will use that as more fuel to their fires.

I struggled w/ this in the beginning, too, but as more time passes, the more obvious it becomes that A had to be tamed - esp. since all signs point to her being history and she's still playing games.

Maybe it has less to with L & N and more to do w/ what she may know about his HBS / Soho FH days and how that could make him look. Being viewed as a player isn't the best image when he has years left to play "my wife Colin Bridgerton".

Then again, it could be something about N for whom I'm quite certain L would take the fall or something none of us would expect - thus the tight lips 😐

[herejusttosufferalong]

If we look at the whole situation between Nic and Luke through the lens that Luke and A have been in a proper relationship (not casual) at least since Nov 2023, I think it would be easier for us to accept whatever happened during the promo.

I was thinking about the relationship between A and L. We as a fandom tend to dismiss it as nothing. But after the latest Italy videos I don't think we can dismiss it as nothing at all. Of course its not as intense as what he had with Jade or Sophie. But it is still a relationship which he is invested in. He doesn't seem head over heels or extra tender with her. But he still seems to care for her. Maybe we can compare it to the Colin and Marina situation.

So Luke was in a relationship with Jade and he still caught feelings for Nic during S3. He broke up with Jade, of course Nic didn't want to pursue anything so they part ways. Luke starts dating and gets into a relationship with A in Nov 2023. Promo starts in January 2024, and probably because his relationship is new and the possibility of some flirting to up the PR with Nic he/his team decided to say he was single ( I don't think Shondaland/NF would have requested this, it must have been his decision). I mean I can understand the thought process behind this, the relationship is new, Im going to promote a romantic show, I have good chemistry with my co-star, why not utilise it. But I think this is the biggest mistake he made.

But then shit hit the fan. His feelings resurfaced and he was not capable to control it in public. I have a feeling he actually wasn't aware how in love he looked with Nic. His comment about "We can't do anything" during the London premier shows how unaware he was about his actions. He probably thought fans were overreacting.

Anyway, he is still going strong with his relationship with A, probably talking everyday, texting etc even while on tour. Of course A is insecure, who wouldn't? Cue in-style stunt, A's games. Of course he is a boyfriend and feels guilty. I read somewhere, when Jade and S3 shooting overlapped, it looked like he was overcompensating with Jade whenever there were intimate scenes with Nic. This kind of explains his hot and cold behaviour in the tour. And A probably wanted some kind of acknowledgement so the pap walk was planned to keep it a bit ambiguous, probably why he was reluctant to hold hands. He probably wanted to slowly launch A. Fans did react more than he expected. So this is why he pulled back from SM because he was getting attacked whatever he did. And I think this why he has banned A from posting him, to not further antagonise fans. However he still continues his relationship with A, goes to GQ heroes with her, goes to Italy etc. I think he wants to see this relationship through as much as he can. He cant let all his relationships go in flames because he loves Nic. But if his 4 year relationship with Jade couldn't stand the pressure and pull of what he has with Nic so I don't think the A situation stands a chance. Its only a matter of time.

I guess my whole point is that if we accept his relationship with A as legit and give the same respect we gave to his relationship with Jade, we will not be having whiplash or angst. We will actually respect and aplaud him for actually giving his best to his gf, for not dropping her like trash, for his determination to see it through despite the pressure and hit for his reputation. This totally goes with how he is being described by his co-stars, Nic, and how we saw him before with Jade. Whatever we like to think, A was his gf, and if she was our friend, would we want her dropped off like nothing the moment he saw a colleague?

.

[a-girl-in-neverland]

Once again, im here to complain about the bridgerton subplots and changes

So spoiler for Season 3 ahead

I hated that they just cast Anthony and Kate aside. Do they really had to go RUNNING to India and couldnt wait for FRANCESCA'S WEDDING???? Hello??? Werent they the head of the family??

The intention with that is great and loving but is the showrunner allergic to having Jonathan Bailey and Simone Ashley in our screens for more than 3 minutes????

Like at that scene of the night before Polins wedding. Colin mentions that Kanthony has "come back"??? From where??? Did they run off again??

(Also i would really like to know who Edwina married and a bit of her love story)

The way in which the writers simply forgot about benedict's art/painting plot is atonishing. The build up of S1 to S2 was great, with the art school, but then in S3 is like that never happened?? Why didnt they explore more Benedict's lack of purpose or even his disappoinment with Anthony's actions?? Noooo, they just rather have him have sex with people all season long

(Before you come after me, im not critizing Benedicts sexuality, im just pissed that his character had barely nothing to do this season other than have sex, but i did enjoy a lot his scenes with eloise)

The Mondrichs plot was sooooo inconsequential and had nothing to do with any other one in the entire season. What was the point of keeping them?????

Somehow the writers in this show can make up irrelevant plots for lukewarm characters but cant come up with anything for the most beloved ones

And lastly about Michaela Stirling. So many people on twitter are fighting over this that is sickening. But lemme tell you this, all my life i had the pleasure (or better, the experience) to see many books i adore turn into movies/tv shows. Sometimes in adapting change is good, sometimes is necessary. But this change alters the whole story.

To be clear, i am NOT trying to be disrespectul, or homophobic or even mean about it. I dont mind the representation. In fact i think stories centered around LGBTQ+ leads, in this period of time, is a niche that could be much explored. Bridgerton could inspire people who belong in this community to write these stories, which is great.

However, the change of introducing Michaela completely transforms Francescas story. The second-love with the exploration of sexuality trope has great potential. But changing so greatly a story thats well known between the fans is risky to say at least.

Francescas book is not my favorite (by far actually) but it is for a lot of people, and a lot of readers have been enamoured with michael for the last 20 years, at least. So i understand if people get upset, because i would too if my favorite couple/story changed so much out of the blue

And honestly, i think this is one of the ways the show is trying to remain relevant. I AM NOT trying to say that TV should use LGBTQ+ love stories as clickbait. But be serious, the books were written as 8 straight love stories, in todays society people would be complaining if they followed if by the rule.

Anyway, Polin were wonderful. Nicola and Luke you are so so so loved, we couldnt have actors that loved their characters more

(And at this point i might be a Portia Featherington stan, she grew a lot on me)

If you read this far, i hope you have a great week and please dont come for my critics, they are not hate opinions, i just needed to rant <3

[doomed2repeat]

Alright, I’m saying it- Benedict fans need to remember that just because people don’t SAY they wish Benedict had a glow up, doesn’t mean they don’t think he needs one. Commenting on every post where people love on Colin/Luke N by saying Benedict/Luke T is the only brother that doesn’t need a glow up is just obnoxious, and frankly, only true to you. Which is fine! Of the three relatively similar looking guys cast as brothers, he’s the one who does it for you!

Like, I too, think the guy I’m attracted to was hot in S1 and S2. It just happens that I’m attracted to Colin and not Benedict. And literally a million other people are just as attracted to Colin. Colin/Luke N’s only crime is that he’s the only brother forced to keep his shirt on the whole time plus the fatphobia because he gained a little weight in S2.

It’s very clear from how the show uses the characters and costume that they’ve made an effort to play down Luke N’s sexuality for Colin, but there are a LOT of us able and willing to see past that. I think he has a pretty enough face worth looking at all by itself… and we all know thick thighs save lives…

I don’t know why Benedict fans feel the impulse to do this. We get it! You love Benedict! And the Polin/Colin/Luke N fans who make Colin content you spam love their guy just as much. Please PLEASE go make Benedict content and farm for engagement there, I promise Colin girlies will leave you alone. I’m sure you can get a ton of engagement on just Benedict content, right?

The show makes it so easy to like every character and ship every couple. The show made it SO EASY for us to get along, but the fandom. WHEW. The fandom makes it hard.

[novel-nook-blog]

Bridgerton, season 3

Today, on May 21st, I finally allowed myself to watch the first episode. I must say, I hadn't planned to wait this long, but I wasn't in the mood for a historical romance, I suppose.

I was initially excited to binge-watch the first part of the season as soon as I found out the release date. I even scheduled an exam for an earlier date to avoid stressing about finals on the day of the Bridgerton release. However, when the 16th arrived, I just… wasn't in the mood. Since then, my excitement never showed. Even today, I'm not as hyped as I had hoped to be, despite my love for the previous series and the Queen Charlotte season. Not to mention the books (I usually watch a season and then read the book afterwards, it's a tradition I have with my friends, we watch it and then buy a book with the film cover, so we can buddy-read it together.). But today is the date I promised to discuss the season with my friends because they've already seen it. That's what kicked my butt to finaly hit the play button.

But now to the first episode. (Yep, it's the only one I've seen so far because I still have to study for my finals, haha, so I allowed myself to watch one episode per meal, haha) The first thing that stood out to me was the glow-up! I mean, Miss Penelope Featherington had a princess transformation overnight and she looks STUNNING! When she went to that first ball of the season, I was in awe and then furious after Cressida (Eloise's new BFF) ripped Pen's dress with her heel. I mean the audacity to do that?! Like what? But there's also the famous Colin-glow-up, and I'm not sure if I'm here for it. I had a chat with my friend about him the other day, and we both think he looks like he got Botox, haha. We are big fans of Luke and his beard, but Colin? He looks so different, compared to the previous series. It's not horrible, I don't want you to think I absolutely hate the way he looks, but I'm not so sure if I love it, you know?

Except that, I feel I should mention the new friendship between Eloise and Cressida. I don't know what should I think… I've never liked Cressida, and I'm not sure I ever will. However, I believe she showed us her real self for a bit when they were walking through the garden and she shared her difficulty in making friends. Maybe I will change my mind about her, we'll see.

What do you think?

(the picture isn't mine, it's from pinterest)

[toutvatoujoursbien]

As an elder Millennial myself, I think the important lesson to take away from this is that there's no such thing as a feminist prince. A lot of fans projected Colin's qualities onto Luke to an inaccurate degree. He had a job to do on the press tour and all he had to do was try to match Nic's energy. I don't think he's as bad of a person as everyone's making him out to be, but I do think he has some serious blinders on and he's bonded with some people who ultimately aren't good for him. It's sad to see how something that could've been a huge launching pad ended up being a diving board that broke under him. (I also think the fandom is mad hypocritical and if they got even so much as a whiff of him being single, they'd change their tune really quickly and it'd be the Luke Love Train all over again.)

(My first ask! I feel like I've had a Tumblr rite of passage.)

Anon, you brought up a good point that I haven't covered. I do, personally, believe that a lot of the confused feelings and outrage over Luke and his actions stems from fan projection that got out of hand - not just with Luke/Colin, but also with Nicola/Penelope. To me, Luke's portrayal of Colin has been excellent - I think his version of Colin is both charming and easily excitable about gossip and niche subjects (I'll never get over the olive joke). He's also totally made for the female gaze, and even moreso because he just so happens to fall in love with his best friend, the perpetually overlooked and looked down upon wallflower Pen. He sees what's special about her and falls in love with her - which I think allowed the audience to wonder "If someone like Colin can love Pen, then perhaps I could have something similar." (That is a very, very basic, surface-level interpretation that I'm throwing out here.) Also, I think the constant reminders that Luke was the most like his character in Bton, as well as his behaviors during the press tour, meant that when the PR Stunt happened, it caused so many to go, "What the fuck?"

As for Nicola, just using myself as an example - and bear in mind that I am a cishet, female, elder Millenial - I connected with her as an actress first and then Pen second. I didn't "find my successful career path" until I was 31 myself - so I feel like I understand how much it means to her that she's really taking her rightful place in the spotlight now. I have so much to be thankful for where I am in life right now, but I also know I had to work my ass off for it and there was no safety net for me to fall back on. So to know how hard she's worked and how far she's come, I'm going be honest and potentially open myself up to criticism - I was honestly offended for her when everything kind of blew up in the fandom. Did she need me to be offended on her behalf? Of course not, but I needed the time and capacity to process what I was feeling and come to a better headspace. Even though I do ship Lukola, most of my bitter feelings at the time were around: I can't believe anyone would want to take away from all the work N has done over the past 6 months (and 2 years, if we're being honest, in regards to S3) by taking away from the premiere and making it about an alleged gf.

That was a very long-winded way of saying yes, I agree that some parasocial boundaries were blurred - most likely because of the absolutely crazy amount of content we were fed during the press tour - and projections, for lots of various reasons, occurred, so when the aforementioned crash in expectations happened (whether or not it's right or fair), it was a Big Hurt for many fans.

I think a lot of fans don't believe him to be a bad guy, just making some bad choices right now??? And even though intellectually, people understand that it's his life and therefore his choices, it's still be difficult to watch. I think I can also firmly say that many of us feel like a change to his friend group would be a smart move in the path forward - but again, our wants and wishes mean very little in reality.

It's sad to see how something that could've been a huge launching pad ended up being a diving board that broke under him.

When I tell you I physically winced while reading this sentence because oooouffff, but true. But, as others have pointed out, we don't know what he wants to do with his career. Maybe he was more ambitious and the jobs he was going for didn't pan out. Maybe he's still waiting for the right role to come along. Maybe he's perfectly happy doing Bton every 2 years (omg, freaking kill me with that longass timeframe). As previously stated, until he or his team make any sort of statement - all we can do is make chatter and noise.

(I also can totally see your last point. I would hope that for the fans like me, who don't put him on a pedestal but still really like and support him, this wouldn't be the case. But I've also see firsthand on Twitter those in the fandom would give him a free pass if he was single again 🤷🏻‍♀️

I'm actually genuinely curious the demographics of those in the Lukola and Polin fandoms. It would be interesting to break down...)

Anyway, thank you for the ask! I hope my further ramblings made sense 😆

[dollypopup]

It is NOT on artists to promote their work.

I cannot believe I am seeing people blaming Luke Newton of all people having a private life that has been revealed largely against his will as the reason Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 is not doing as well in the numbers game.

It should not be on authors to promote their books

It should not be on musicians to promote their music

And it should not be on actors to sell you on a show

It is on the company they are attached to that helped to produce that work, and the quality of that work itself. Companies know that we as consumers are living in a celebrity idolization culture, and milk it for all they have. We as consumers have overstepped the line between artist and art appreciator, and feel an entitlement to artists' lives, wanting to know them and feeling betrayed when we realize we never will and that the view we have of them has been carefully cultivated, predominately for their safety. We have broken the contract. Companies have broken the contract, and they let us do their dirty work for them. We allow these companies to misuse the individual artists of the products they make MASSIVE bank on, and sit idly by allowing us to mistreat them in the light

The entitlement this fandom and in fact MOST people feel toward artists who produce work we consume has been ridiculous.

It is on a publishing house to promote a book. An author should not be making tiktoks to appeal to readers. That's why they published under a publishing house. If the book fails due to bad marketing, it is NOT ON THE AUTHOR. It is an author's job to WRITE, and if that writing is well done, and it only fails due to the promotion, it is the publishing house's fault.

It is not on musicians to promote their music on youtube, releasing sound bites and silly videos to get people to listen. It is on their record label. That's why they signed under one. It is a musician's job to make music. If the music is well done, and it only fails due to the promotion, that is the record label's fault.

It is not on actors to promote their show, 'selling' it to us. It is on the company the show has been produced under. The actor's job is to act. And if their acting is well done, and the show fails due to poor writing or mishandled promotion, it is on the company.

Luke Newton should not have to live under the microscope after a show he acted in drops, selling a fantasy that has been largely made up and pushed by the production. They leaned too heavily into the 'well our actors are in loooooove' aspect of it instead of 'the writing is well done and the pairing is in love', and so are now sitting idly by and making Luke Newton take the bullying and abuse entitled fans spew because they feel a personal betrayal that he will not sign off his entire life to the production and to our whims and desires

It is not on a person to be your fantasy and they are not the reason a season can be or is not successful. Luke Newton signed onto Bridgerton to act. He acted BEAUTIFULLY. Him as Colin Bridgerton was moving and beautiful, he did an amazing job. His subtle acting is gorgeous, he's a beautiful man in general, he treated everyone on set and everyone he met with respect and kindness, and if you are out here demanding he continue performing for your whims, you are, and I genuinely mean this, a bad person.

Respect artists, or expect to no longer have their art.