Bridgerton Season 3 marks the culmination of Colin and Penelope's journey from friends to lovers. But while Penelope has been languishing for a while, Colin needs a little push to see the light of day. Luckily, his mom, Violet Bridgerton, is a #Polin shipper.
"I love the idea that she's always thought of Penelope as Colin's way forward, almost like she's been waiting for him to wake up and smell the coffee," says Ruth Germe, who plays Violet I recently told Bustle.
Of course, that means there are several scenes in which Violet attempts to gently guide Colin into realizing his true feelings — and there's one moment in particular that divided fans.
Colin who?
In Episode 4, Violet notices that Colin doesn't look like himself and gives a pep talk.
"You've always been one of my most sensitive children," she said. "Always aware of other people's needs, always trying to be helpful or cracking a joke to lighten the mood. You rarely put yourself first. I'm proud of your sensitivity, but do you live to please others? I guess that's it It can be tiresome at times – maybe painful.”
Some fans pointed out that the description, while sweet, seemed more fitting for the different Bridgerton brothers. "Wait a minute, when did Kate and Anthony join the conversation? Isn't she supposed to be talking about Colin?" one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Another viewer said Violet had the "wrong son" in mind, comparing Colin's frequent travels to Anthony who was at home looking after the family.
However, other fans interpreted the scene differently. "She pointed out that Colin lives to please other people," one viewer noted. "Not serving others, that's just the way Anthony is." Another netizen pointed out, "Colin puts other people's emotions first and makes them happy, even if his own emotions are not taken into account."
As one fan pointed out, Violet used the compliment to low-key scold her son for attending prom. It makes sense to appeal to his inner lover.
The second part of Violet's speech makes her mission even clearer, as she acknowledges the "armor" Colin has been wearing (i.e. the atmosphere of debauchery he has been influencing since returning from abroad).
Fortunately, Violet's guidance worked. Terrified by the prospect of Penelope's engagement to Lord Dumblenn, Colin rushed to the ball to intercept her—and the rest, well, is Bridgerton history.
Behind the scenes details
This scene may be the most obvious sign that Violet is out on the water—but it turns out she's more of a mastermind than you might think. As one viewer pointed out, Violet watched Colin and Penelope's interaction from afar in the previous episode.
Director Andrew Ahn responded that it was actually Gemmell's idea to be backstage "so Violet could witness the moment."
So anyway, it's clear that Violet is well aware of the #Polin phenomenon.
