Naturally, when the show’s fans are looking for movies and TV shows to watch after Bridgerton, historical romance tends to top the bill. Outlander is a recent parallel; there’s enough in both Downton Abbey and Poldark to make them good options; and, of course, Pride & Prejudice is the slightly tamer blueprint. But it’s another Jane Austen story that feels like the closest thing to Bridgerton season 3. Or more specifically, a modern retelling of it.
If You Loved Bridgerton Season 3, Watch Clueless
Early in Bridgerton season 3, Eloise reveals that she’s reading Emma by Jane Austen. It’s an interesting parallel to Bridgerton’s world, because of the setting, the romantic leanings, and the character dynamics as Emma herself attempts to play social manipulator. The difference, of course, is that Emma is oblivious to her lack of power, while Bridgerton’s influencers (like Lady Whistledown, the Queen and Lady Danbury) mostly dictate the game unchallenged.
Emma is also a particularly good parallel for Penelope in Bridgerton season 3. She is the influence Emma wishes she was, but at the same time, without the cloak of her alter-ego, Pen is delightfully clueless. And it’s Clueless that feels like the perfect follow-up to Bridgerton season 3 as a result.
While Whistledown is effectively Cher (Alicia Silverstone), Penelope is Bridgerton’s answer to Brittany Murphy’s Tai, performing to social expectations to “win” her romantic target, but entirely unequipped. Penelope is forced to lean on Colin’s lessons to navigate high society and find herself a husband, just as Tai needs Cher and Dionne (Stacey Dash) to fit in. Both are clueless, but end up unexpectedly “winning” by being true to themselves.
There’s even a similarity in how Cher herself ends up falling in love with her sort of brother Josh (Paul Rudd) in Colin’s realization that he is in love with Penelope. That was the subtle hint in Bridgerton referencing Emma so early. We should have seen it.
Bridgerton’s Emma Link Is Deeper Than You Realize
Eloise’s choice to read Emma is far from accidental, of course. Austen’s classic is a commentary on social hierarchy and privilege, just as Bridgerton is. Both stories also challenge the supposedly acceptable roles of women.
On top of that, there is something wonderful in imagining Colin as a stand-in for Cher. Both come from a position of privilege and attempt to adopt an aloof position that puts them just outside of society, while also benefitting from it. Both wear masks, are completely desirable, but make themselves consciously unavailable. And it’s only through realizing what’s right in front of them that their barriers are broken down and they find their happiness.
While you could take the link as an opportunity to watch either of the two most recent (and both excellent) adaptations of Emma, Clueless remains the most rewarding. Tai is a more entertaining take on Austen’s original character of Harriet Smith, and the unspoken social contracts of Beverly Hills high school feels oddly more fitting as a parallel to Regency England.
Even without the loaded meanings and the Bridgerton parallel, watching Alicia Silverstone’s breakout performance is an endless joy, and seeing Paul Rudd show his irresistible brand of accessible charm so early in his career is hugely rewarding.
