“Leave me alone, I’m bingeing on Regency-era period drama,” I messaged in a friends' group chat at the weekend after several missed calls to invite me to an impromptu dinner at a ridiculous hour.
Bridgerton was back and nothing was going to deter me from consuming all four episodes, the first part of season three released by Netflix last week.
Why do I love it?
The amazing costumes and set designs, the unique blend of classical and modern pop music, the complex love lives of the Bridgerton siblings and lots of scandal and gossip.
Above all this though, I’ve found myself tethered to my TV in a state of binge-watching ecstasy each season because of the clever storylines and brilliant, fleshed out characters.
But after episode two of season three I was considering texting my friends to ask if they were still out for dinner.
While the new season has used the same ingredients that made the first two delicious, something is amiss and the meal this time is confusing. How do you get it wrong when the recipe is right there – in a novel no less?
As an avid reader, I’ve come to terms that creative liberties are a fact of life. Novels and their many mediums of adaptation are different beasts. They should be enjoyed as separate things.
However, as a reader, it’s infuriating when the important and powerful details of a novel are mutated beyond recognition.
“Matchmaking mamas are united in their glee – Colin Bridgerton has returned from Greece!” reads the first line from chapter one of Romancing Mr Bridgerton, the fourth novel from the Bridgerton book series by Julia Quinn.
And much like matchmaking mamas are rubbing their hands together as a new prospect enters the marriage mart, Bridgerton fans around the world were beyond excited when the trailer for season three was released by Netflix last month.
Finally, the story of fan favourite, Penelope Featherington, is the main focus of the season. Her love story with close friend Colin Bridgerton has been closely watched by audiences since season one.
Nicola Coughlan, the Irish actress who plays Featherington, has said in several interviews that this season will put "nerds in the spotlight". This is the trope we have been expecting in season three – nerdy friends falling in love.
What’s so brilliant about Bridgerton is that each season is an exploration of rom-com trope.
Season one was all about "fake dating", where Daphne Bridgerton and the Duke Simon Basset engaged in a fake courtship that led to real love and marriage. Season two took on the "enemies to lovers" trope, between Anthony Bridgerton and Kate Sharma. While the two couldn’t stand one another at the start of the season, they found themselves in a steamy entanglement.
What we expected for the often described “perennial wallflower” but fiercely clever Penelope and the charming and geeky Colin with his complex and sensitive inner world, was a nerdy friends to lovers story done well.
What we got instead was a lacklustre build up in part one of season three. The first four episodes were confusing in both plotline and character development. Colin Bridgerton is back from his travels across Europe over the summer a changed man. He is worldly, charismatic and now understands women. This transformation was heavy handed and bordered on cringe.
In the novel, Colin and Penelope don’t see each other for almost a decade. Not only is Penelope at 28 considered a spinster at this time, but his transformation feels more informed. And while the novel sees them reconnecting as friends, their bond is genuinely fused by Colin’s travels and his interest in writing – two points that the show acknowledges through cheesy obvious ways.
Despite the wonderful performances by Coughlan and Luke Newton who plays Colin, the show fails to depict their actual friendship. Instead, the showrunners presented us with the “Love Mentor” trope with Colin attempting to teach Penelope how to attract a husband – he’s an expert now in the matters of love after a summer travelling, apparently. This is clumsily fused with the friends to lovers storyline, and results in a confusing timeline of events and a story for which no one asked.
What makes the show also frustrating to watch is the stark difference in Colin and Penelope’s lives. Colin is the worldly bachelor everyone wants while Penelope is the wallflower everyone mocks. She’s also desperate.
I’m under no illusion that this difference in gender roles, the embedded sexism in regency era society was a very real thing (obsessed Jane Austen fan here). But what’s so loveable about Penelope in the books is that despite her dire situation in society and her feelings for Colin, she was never desperate, never needy, never a victim.
Penelope was a spinster, but this status in the novel awarded her more freedom and allowed Colin to see her in a different light – a crucial plot point in their relationship.
The show, however, turned Penelope into a pick-me girl with no real power. It’s like the showrunners forgot that Penelope is Lady Whistledown, the anonymous gossip columnist who publishes her own popular scandal sheet. She makes her own money and has made enemies with the Queen! Penelope may appear to be a wallflower but she secretly isn’t.
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The only silver lining is that it seems the remaining four episodes of the season, set to be released on Netflix on June 13, will amp up the drama about Penelope’s identity as Lady Whistledown.
Even if the dramatic pace of the show picks up in part two, it doesn’t negate the fact that the show runners have misunderstood what makes Penelope special. It would have made more sense to give Penelope more agency and a shrewder outlook on life in this season, instead of a sad transformation scene at a ball or for her to desperately beg Colin to kiss her.
Penelope deserves better.
Part one of season three of Bridgerton is now streaming on Netflix.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mobile phone packages comparison
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
Teams
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Friday
Saint-Etienne v Montpellier (10.45pm)
Saturday
Monaco v Caen (7pm)
Amiens v Bordeaux (10pm)
Angers v Toulouse (10pm)
Metz v Dijon (10pm)
Nantes v Guingamp (10pm)
Rennes v Lille (10pm)
Sunday
Nice v Strasbourg (5pm)
Troyes v Lyon (7pm)
Marseille v Paris Saint-Germain (11pm)
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
The five pillars of Islam
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
SPECS
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Company%20Profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
What's in the deal?
Agreement aims to boost trade by £25.5bn a year in the long run, compared with a total of £42.6bn in 2024
India will slash levies on medical devices, machinery, cosmetics, soft drinks and lamb.
India will also cut automotive tariffs to 10% under a quota from over 100% currently.
Indian employees in the UK will receive three years exemption from social security payments
India expects 99% of exports to benefit from zero duty, raising opportunities for textiles, marine products, footwear and jewellery
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Opening day UAE Premiership fixtures, Friday, September 22:
- Dubai Sports City Eagles v Dubai Exiles
- Dubai Hurricanes v Abu Dhabi Saracens
- Jebel Ali Dragons v Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Stormy seas
Weather warnings show that Storm Eunice is soon to make landfall. The videographer and I are scrambling to return to the other side of the Channel before it does. As we race to the port of Calais, I see miles of wire fencing topped with barbed wire all around it, a silent ‘Keep Out’ sign for those who, unlike us, aren’t lucky enough to have the right to move freely and safely across borders.
We set sail on a giant ferry whose length dwarfs the dinghies migrants use by nearly a 100 times. Despite the windy rain lashing at the portholes, we arrive safely in Dover; grateful but acutely aware of the miserable conditions the people we’ve left behind are in and of the privilege of choice.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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7.
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
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THE LOWDOWN
Photograph
Rating: 4/5
Produced by: Poetic License Motion Pictures; RSVP Movies
Director: Ritesh Batra
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Farrukh Jaffar, Deepak Chauhan, Vijay Raaz
Federer's 11 Wimbledon finals
2003 Beat Mark Philippoussis
2004 Beat Andy Roddick
2005 Beat Andy Roddick
2006 Beat Rafael Nadal
2007 Beat Rafael Nadal
2008 Lost to Rafael Nadal
2009 Beat Andy Roddick
2012 Beat Andy Murray
2014 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2015 Lost to Novak Djokovic
2017 Beat Marin Cilic
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