‘Bridgerton’ Season 3 Trailer Reveals Shirtless Hunk Colin, Penelope’s Glow Up, and…Cressida and Eloise as Friends?!?

Dearest readers, at long last Netflix has gifted us with an actual Bridgerton Season 3 trailer. No more teases, no more cheeky Instagram posts, just two and a half minutes of pure Polin goodness. The new Bridgerton Season 3 trailer not only sets up Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton’s (Luke Newton) love story, but we also get some wild hints about what some of our other favorite Bridgerton characters are up to. Oh, what’s that? You don’t care that there’s a shot of Eloise (Claudia Jessie) hanging out with Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen) of all people?? You want to focus in on the trailer’s main event? Oh, yes, of course! The Bridgerton Season 3 trailer not only gives us a good look at Penelope’s long-awaited glow-up, but a very pointed shot of Colin’s “sturdy” new shirtless frame…

Bridgerton Season 3 is about to offer something of a change of pace for long-time fans of the Shondaland series. Not only has long-time writer Jess Brownell taken over showrunner duties from series creator Chris Van Dusen, but for the first time ever, the Netflix show is remixing the order of Julia Quinn’s beloved novels. Instead of following the literary narrative, the show is skipping over second Bridgerton brother Benedict’s Cinderella-esque story to get to fan favorites Penelope and Colin. We’ve known from the very first episode of the series that poor Pen harbors a one-sided crush on the charming Bridgerton boy, however after the events of the Season 2 finale, she has reason to distrust him. What the Bridgerton Season 3 trailer suggests, however, is that Colin might finally have his own inklings that he wants to be out of Pen’s proverbial friend zone.

The Bridgerton Season 3 trailer opens with the conceit that Penelope, who has been quietly amassing her own fortune in secret as Lady Whistledown, has reached a breaking point with her family. She wants her own household, ergo she needs to find a husband. A newly buff and tanned Colin has returned from his travels from the continent, totally oblivious that he offended Pen last season by snarking to fellow gentlemen that he’d never court her. In a bid to get his friend back, Colin proposes offering Penelope lessons on how to charm suitors. The trailer suggests this not only leads to moments of comedy…but confusion for Colin, who is seen asking his mother about friendship being the best basis for love when he’s not staring at Penelope hungrily.

Bridgerton Season 3 is divided into two four-episode-long parts. Bridgerton Season 3 Part 1 will premiere on Netflix on Thursday, May 16; Bridgerton Season 3 Part 2 premieres June 13.