#my two cents on what was missing about polin

[loveisnotfinite]

As I said all in all, I loved this season very much, although after some reasoning on the Polin dynamic and on what to me felt “off” and “went amiss” I came to the conclusion that the show runners could have had it all winning the heart of the fandom just by adding a couple of things (minus a couple of threesome cause one was enough to get the idea and well, maybe they could save time avoiding Miolet in the drawing room). Anyhow, here’s what I have been thinking:

- After the Queen bursted in at the wedding breakfast, they could have had Polin go home and have a fight, quite similar to the one they have in the book, with the same mixed feelings on behalf of Colin (who had already had his confrontation with Pen in the street in the show so was halfway to “forgiving her” already. She had apologized, outburst of angst, making out against the door yada yada, they had gotten married, new emotional chapter): he could have been infuriated now because of the Queens’ alleged threat, worried about Pen, about her safety, just as in the book, she might have said something about him feeling ashamed of her. Looking hurt. That might have got him click somehow. Cause a shift, a change in his current feelings. And so through an argument, she might have said something along the lines of being clear that he had married her but didn’t want to be with her in that moment, for their wedding night, and then the “stay quote”. Lovemaking. Which would have been not a first time, but a new experience. Truly knowing one another at this point, mending things in the bedroom as well, admitting they can’t stay away from each other at this point, for better or for worse, as in a real relationship and marriage of love after all; Colin giving in to the impulse of wanting to hold her, torn b/w the “grudge” he was holding and the love and attraction and the urge to protect her he felt (however perhaps still disagreeing in the morning on the value of LW. Just they would have been speaking two different language at that point. Colin envious still unable to admit it yet. Pen thinking he was ashamed of her) New chapter. New menace. Cressida comes along. Yada yada, the rest works.

- At the end of the ball of bugs or whatever it’s called when he asks her to dance, she should have said she’d rather go home (as in the book, where it’s implied they go home to make love and lock themselves in for weeks). This would have given the show an opportunity for an alternate sequence: of people dancing at the ball and of the two of them making love at home with some parallelisms to the ball scene and a palpable difference between this love making and their first (or second time). IDK I imagine it slow and sweet, and exploring experience. Pen being “in charge” undressing him slowly, looking Colin in the eyes. Touching and kissing and being more mature, his equal. Both feeling deserving of one another. And then, just as in the show, they could have headed to the bed, still partially dressed, I don’t care for nudity, and make love, with Pen straddling him. But they should have shot the lovemaking to the end, with the alternate montage, with the two of them entangled, and at the end of it smiling to one another, and that for me might have done it.

I think, all in all, with these two adjustments, without departing so much from the book and yet adding some lovemaking (mind you, not sex, not spicy stuff, but some moments of true connection and growth happening into the bedroom) the season would have been close to perfection.

This being said, after my humble two cents on the matter of screenwriting and fanfictional alternate course of action… shall we apply for a partial remake? Should I find a Delorian? I’ll ask Sheldon. There must be a way to reset time and adjust a couple of things. I must have a time turner somewhere.

[bridgerton-bard]

Polin Angst Thoughts

Warning: Spoilers (Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Netflix Season 2)

I have been seeing the online discourse about how much angst people think should be included in the Polin storyline of season three, and I thought I would add my two cents.

Personally, I am a little excited to see the power dynamic in the relationship shift in Penelope's favor. She has spent years pining after this man who has never seriously entertained the idea that she would make a good partner. Maybe she should have moved on when it was clear that Colin didn't reciprocate her romantic feelings, but then we'd never have the Polin story.

I'm not saying I want Colin to suffer for the sake of suffering, but I do think some angst from him is going to be required, because he so thoroughly dismissed the idea of courting Penelope in season two. In real life, if someone dismissed Penelope (or anyone else) in this way, they would need to earn their way back into her heart, to prove that their affections were not part of a cruel joke. It would be unrealistic for Colin to dismiss Penelope as a prospect for courting in such a resounding, public fashion at the end of season two, and then win her back by simply saying "I missed you" at the start of the next social season less than a year later.

Even considering the social mores of the regency time period, I think Penelope unequivocally accepting Colin's "I missed you" as an apology and beginning to court Colin would be unrealistic. Julia Quinn stresses in several of the Bridgerton books that women in the regency period generally had little power in the courting process. Women had to wait for gentlemen to be introduced to them (never introducing themselves to gentlemen they were interested in), women had to accept offers from any man to dance unless their dance card was already full or they were betrothed, etc. In most of the courting process, regency women had to be passive and wait for their desired suitor to approach and court them. Accepting or not accepting offers to court and marriage proposals were the two significant points in the courting process where regency women actually held the upper hand in the dynamics. Penelope making it clear to Colin that she will not court him is simply her exercising what little power she does have in the social mores of the time.

I think one thing that gets glossed over about Colin's behavior towards Penelope in seasons one and two is that it is also the behavior of a rake, but in a different way than Anthony or Benedict's rake behavior. Anthony and Benedict's bachelor periods tend to show them both as rakes because they kept mistresses, visited brothels, or had a parade of women engaged in some sort of fling. Colin's behavior in seasons one and two is rake behavior because it should be clear to everyone, including Colin, that he is leading Penelope on. Without any intention to court her, Colin is impeding Penelope from moving on and finding a suitor who requites her feelings. This does get a little complicated because in the books, it is Violet Bridgerton who is encouraging Colin to dance with Penelope, and Penelope is aware of this or at least suspects it. However, I still argue that just because Colin is not in possession of a parade of flings, it doesn't counteract that some of his behavior towards Penelope is befitting of a rake.

So yes, I do think it's important that we see Colin fight a little for Penelope's affections. It's important for him to realize what he had once she's gone, and that she's worthy of more than always being the backup on call for when he's lonely or feeling misunderstood. I would like to see Colin realize his feelings for Penelope before another suitor proposes to Penelope. Otherwise, I think we get into territory where it just feels like he wants her because he can't have her.