Every season of Bridgerton approaches steamy scenes in a different way. Season 1 will forever be remembered for its “Wildest Dreams” montage and fraught sexual dynamics, and Season 2 for countless tension-filled glances that culminated in that explosive garden scene.
But Bridgerton Season 3’s sex scenes were always going to be unique. For starters, as Luke Newton (Colin Bridgerton) recently told Bustle, his chemistry with Nicola Coughlan (Penelope Featherington) has been brewing for quite some time.
“For previous cast members who led the show, they met each other at the start of the season, whereas Nic and I have developed our friendship over the last four years,” he explained. “We felt really safe, and we’ve got an amazing team of intimacy coordinators. It was so well-prepared that it just freed us up to be able to perform.”
Indeed, the behind-the-scenes details both Coughlan and Newton have shared about filming their spicy scenes — including the fact that they broke some furniture — underscore their comfort on-set.
Now that the entirety of the season has finally dropped on Netflix, here’s a guide to the episodes when the sex scenes in Bridgerton Season 3 take place.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Episode 1: Kanthony’s Time To Shine
While this may be the season of #Polin, it’s actually Kate and Anthony who get the first sex scene. It takes place about 25 minutes into Episode 1, “Out of the Shadows” — a fitting title!
In Season 2, the pair first slept together during a clandestine nighttime meeting. But this season, they’re married and free to make an heir (or, have some fun practicing) in the middle of the day, from the comfort of their own home.
Of course, they do share that home with the rest of the Bridgertons. So they have to put a stop to their fun once they hear their family members (including their beloved corgi) rustling about outside — until later in the episode, when they make up for lost time on a desk.
It’s nice to see their wedded bliss after all that tension last season.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Episode 2: Colin’s New Era
About 9 minutes into Episode 2, Colin is seen in bed with two women — neither of whom is Penelope. (Of course, they were never going to get together that early in the season.) Viewers only see the final moments of the threesome, though, because Colin has to run off to meet Penelope for her dating lessons. The irony!
Later, around the 41-minute mark, there’s a brief montage of Penelope’s older sisters with their respective husbands, following Portia’s not-so-subtle requests for a grandson.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Episode 3: A Passionate Fantasy
There aren’t any sex scenes in this episode, but there is a hot and heavy makeout scene with Colin and Penelope — inside Colin’s dream. He’s down bad!
Episode 4: Here We Go!
Roughly 14 minutes in, Colin has another tryst with two women — but he’s clearly not feeling it, and thinking about Penelope instead.
Then, at 44 minutes, Benedict and Lady Tilley Arnold share a passionate moment in bed.
Liam Daniel/Netflix
And the spice keeps coming. The episode cuts from Benedict and his paramour to a pivotal #Polin scene: Colin crashes Penelope’s carriage ride home from the ball, and confesses his feelings to her. They proceed to have their first intimate encounter, but it’s cut short when the carriage arrives at Colin’s house — which causes them both to laugh, demonstrating delightful friends-to-lovers familiarity.
Episode 5: Time For Reflection
Why wait for the wedding? The newly engaged couple gets an early start to married life in Episode 5. Beginning around 15 minutes, Colin whispers sweet nothings to Penelope as they watch themselves in his bedroom mirror. Then, after a passionate kiss, they move to the daybed and sleep together for the first time.
Netflix
Episode 7 & 8: Benedict’s Steamy Tryst
In Episode 7, Benedict meets up with Lady Tilley Arnold and her companion, Paul, and the trio begins a series of passionate meetings. They share a kiss about 55 minutes into Episode 7, and are in bed at about 12:30 and 22:30 in Episode 8.
“They are really fun to do,” Luke Thompson, who plays Benedict, told Bustle of the intimate moments. “In my mind, they’re no different than [when] Tilley and I dance. You’re basically using something physical to describe or explore something between two — or in this case, three — people.”
Liam Daniel/Netflix
Later, after Penelope comes clean about her Lady Whistledown secret and makes up with Colin, the pair share a slow, sweet moment in bed at about 1:02:30.