Bridgerton Season 3 has been a hit on Netflix, but it’s missing one essential part of the show.

Ever since the release of its first season, Bridgerton has been one of the spiciest and equally the dreamiest shows that Netflix has ever seen. With the first two seasons performing incredibly well, it comes as no surprise that the third season has been a hot topic of conversation.

The first part of Season 3 hit the screens on May 16, and over four episodes, fans of the show get to indulge in the scandals and desires of the ton. Even though the second part will only air on June 13, one major aspect is causing confusion and disappointment. Let’s take a look at Bridgerton Season 3’s biggest mistake so far.

Flashbacks Are a Key Part of Bridgerton

Bridgerton is certainly known for its multiple in-depth character arcs, captivating storylines, versatile cast, and intriguing connection between the Regency Era and more contemporary aspects, but one of the essentials for properly conveying different characters’ experiences is flashbacks. This way of storytelling undoubtedly played a significant part in the success of the show since it allowed the audience to see characters from a different perspective. Flashbacks are a beneficial way of creating a deeper understanding of the characters’ backstories and allow for a wider range of imagination.

The Dark Childhood of the Duke of Hastings

Season 1 of Bridgerton kicked off its successful storyline by implementing flashbacks in a smart way. A key topic of the unfolding relationship between the two main characters of the season, Daphne Bridgerton and Simon Basset, is Simon’s firm stance on not being able to give Daphne children. What she doesn’t know is that Simon’s reason is not connected to infertility but is much rather related to his past. The viewers actually learn about Simon’s reasoning bit by bit, as various flashbacks offer them a glance into the hardships he faced as a young boy.

While Simon is extremely shut off regarding his past and feelings, the flashbacks reveal the reasons behind it and show the changes in his true emotions throughout the years. Viewers soon find out that Simon’s mother died giving birth to him, but instead of caring for his wife, his father solely focused on finding out the gender of the baby and celebrating the fact that he had an heir to his title.

Simon is shown again as a four-year-old boy when he is disowned by his father due to his speech impairment and is taken in by Lady Danbury herself. The flashbacks reveal that, for many years, he tried to gain back his father’s love and pride, but every attempt at doing so remained futile. Ultimately, in another flashback, the origin of Daphne and Simon’s struggles is finally revealed when Simon visits his father on his deathbed, making a vow to him that he would never sire an heir.

The Bridgerton Family’s Tragedy

Bridgerton Season 2 focuses on the life of Anthony Bridgerton, who is the oldest son and recipient of the title Viscount Bridgerton. While it has been clear from the beginning of the show that the previous Viscount Bridgerton, husband of Violet and father to Anthony and his siblings, Edmund Bridgerton, had passed away many years ago, it was never really clear what actually happened to him, and what he was like as a person. In numerous flashbacks, the events of the day of Edmund’s death are shown. While they reveal a bee sting as the cause of Edmund’s passing away, it also shows how traumatizing the entire situation was for Anthony, his mother, and his siblings.

These flashbacks allow us to grasp what Anthony, in particular, has been through and what truly shaped him into the person that he is. It is almost fascinating to see an entirely different side of him. Before his father’s death, he truly had a softness in him, a happiness that seemed unbreakable, but the second this completely unexpected tragedy changed his life and the burden of becoming the head of the family was put on his shoulders, the vulnerability he carried disappeared. Showing these moments of his past is essential to understanding where his strong sense of duty comes from and why he is avoiding love at all costs. It allows the audience to connect with Anthony on a more emotional level and lays the foundation for his tumultuous journey of finding a wife.

Penelope and Colin’s Past and Present

Considering that the newest season of Bridgerton circles around the love life of the third-oldest Bridgerton son, Colin, and his long-time best friend, Penelope, the expectations of exciting moments from the past were high. The two friends share a rather strong bond despite the strict rules with regard to the mingling between men and women of the ton. On the outside, their friendship may seem shallow, but beneath the surface, they truly find comfort in each other. Whether it is writing letters during Colin’s journey or helping each other navigate through the difficulties of the season, the two of them are always somehow connected.

Keeping their long-standing friendship in mind, it would have only made sense to use flashbacks to show glimpses of what they have been through together. As opposed to the other two seasons, the friends-to-lover trope of this season encompasses a vastness of potential flashbacks, which would give the audience exactly what they want: more Polin content.

A particularly striking moment includes Colin and Penelope’s conversation about when they first met. Instead of showing the viewers through a flashback, they simply talk about how Pen’s bonnet was carried away by the wind and straight into Colin’s face. This would have made for a wonderful flashback, showing how the two friends and lovers first met. However, flashbacks have yet to find their way into this season, but a fear that they have been removed altogether is lingering around the corner.

Patience is of the essence, as there is still some time until the second part of the third season is released. Soon, it will be revealed how the events inside the ton will develop, how Polin’s romance will continue, and whether flashbacks will make a return. In the meantime, continue diving into the fandom and check out the trailer for Bridgerton Season 3 below. Bridgerton is streaming now on Netflix.