If you, like me, are hanging over that cliff of anticipation which Shonda Rhimes has left us on with the new series of Bridgerton, you also know how satisfying, romantic and exciting it has been to finally see the friendship of Polin bloom to something more in the iconic carriage scene.
The final scene, the carriage scene, didn’t lead where I thought it would with the graphic sex scenes that have been shown previously from Daphne and the Duke, to Anthony and Kate Sharma- who this season have not held back on the honey-moon phase dynamic.
But with Colin and Penelope it seemed only fitting and actually, more satisfying to be left this way.
With Penelope being somewhat the underdog within the series, we have seen her hold out unrequitedly for Colin, the sweetest of the Bridgerton brothers through their friendship’s lifetime, and makes us want her to succeed the most.
I tapped into clinical sexologist Holly Wood, who explained the reasons why this scene is specifically so captivating for an audience.
She says: “Watching an underdog succeed is more dramatic and attention-grabbing because it defies expectations and there’s a low cost of support for a character such as Penelope.
“Rooting for an underdog usually has little cost but can provide a high emotional reward if the underdog succeeds.”
Their innocent relationship has been budding for the last two seasons, and when it began to separate them in their quest to help one another find a partner, the age-old friends to lovers romance trope started to unwind before our eyes.
The push-and-pull between the two has left me personally dying to see their moments alone where we can get a glimpse into their true feelings suppressed because of the non-traditional path they have followed through courtship.
Now, I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing I love more than a steamy ending to a romance I’ve been rooting for.
The build-up of emotional tension and vulnerability that has been growing between Colin and Penelope means that a sex scene isn’t as satisfying as the exposure of one another’s feelings towards one another for the first time, and then for Penelope to physically open up to Colin is exciting as the audience trust him with her.
Miss Wood says “The character arc of the wallflower resonates with many viewers, especially women, because it represents the triumph of the underdog. The tendency to root for underdogs is deeply ingrained in human experience and cultural narratives. Many cultural stories and myths feature underdogs overcoming great challenges, which resonates with people who have faced their own struggles and adversities.
If anything, this scene brought more excitement for the female audience, as it has been researched and proven that women enjoy foreplay, anticipation and the build-up to sex much more pleasurable than sex itself.
“These elements combined, create a potent mix of emotional and psychological satisfaction, making the scene memorable and captivating without explicit content”, she says.
Although I am more than satisfied with the romance between the two thanks to the carriage scene, I cannot wait for more to be revealed with the second part of Bridgerton, to be released in June!
Expert insight: Holly Wood
A Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, a Certified Sex Therapist, and a Certified Sexologist with the American Board of Sexology
