Notice: This post contains spoilers for the second half of BridgertonSession 3.
There’s no denying that polyamory is having its moment in culture this year. In breathless media reports of 20-person polls to the buzz around projects like Peacock’s dating show, Couple for Three, and Luca Guadagnino’s horny film Challengers, It’s clear that the public is excited about (or, at least, extremely curious about) ethical nonmonogamy. Now the polycurious moment has descended upon Bridgertonwhere Benedict Bridgerton, undoubtedly the most sexually adventurous character in the series, receives an offer to be part of a threesome.
In episode 6 of season 3, released Thursday morning on Netflix, Benedict’s (Luke Thompson) physical courtship with wealthy widow Lady Tilley Arnold (Hannah New) takes an intriguing turn when the noblewoman invites him to dinner with her husband. “dear friend Paul”. (Lucas Aurelio) Suarez, a gentleman patron of the arts who he met at the theater. At dinner, Benedict detects a palpable chemistry between Lady Tilley and Paul, but he also shares an undeniable frisson with Paul himself. While taking a smoke break alone with Benedict during the meal, Paul indirectly alludes to the non-traditional relationship he and Tilley share (and the stigma associated with it) while openly flirting with Benedict.
Read more: Why Benedict is secretly the best Bridgerton
“I don’t spend much time in society… I find everything very pretentious. Judgmental, in fact”, says Paul to Benedict XVI, whose incredulity towards the thought of the aristocracy Paul being judged by society causes his new friend to drop more hints about their unconventional relationship.
“Didn’t Tilley tell you all our stories?” he asks, before seductively telling Benedict that the wine has made Benedict “quite charming.”
Unfortunately, both inferences are initially lost on Benedict, who is so in love with Tilley that he is solely focused on finding out if Paul and Tilley are lovers. He gets the answer he’s looking for and then some when he comes across Tilley and Paul arguing about him before kissing furiously in the hallway before the dessert course. What he anticipates as a confrontation with the dyad becomes a proposal when Paul asks Benedict if he would like to join them upstairs, an offer that appears to intrigue and confuse Benedict before he awkwardly declines the offer and quickly leaves the room. to have lunch. .
See more information: Even polyamory isn’t open enough
In episode 7, however, Benedict reconsiders the proposal after a heart-to-heart with Tilley, where she not only tells him that Paul is bisexual and is attracted to him, but reminds Benedict that society’s conventions and mores should not dictate o ways they live their lives.
“We got all dolled up and walked around and left business cards and got married,” she tells Benedict. “We play by all the rules and rarely question the meaning of any of them for a moment. There are so many things in society that are not natural. But a feeling between two people, whatever their sex, is the most natural thing in the world.”
Benedict appears to have taken Tilley’s words to heart because, for the rest of the season, he will be an enthusiastic part of the Bridgertonthe sexiest triad. That Benedict is the Bridgerton who makes the case for polyamory is fitting – over three seasons, viewers have watched the aspiring bohemian and aspiring artist openly consider the unconventional lives of those around her, from the rare social freedom Tilley claims as a fiercely independent single woman to the positive depiction of his bisexual artistic mentor’s open marriage. Plus, his generous spirit and easy affection make him a perfect candidate for the infinite love principle of polyamory.
Read more: Breaking the Bridgerton Family Trees
“I have love to give in abundance,” he tells Tilley and Paul after some banter between the three of them. “I love a bit of chat, I love a good party – especially a party of three.”
Perhaps it should come as no surprise that Bridgerton, a show that’s as beloved for its steamy sex scenes and steamy complications as it is for its high-octane Regency Era drama is now delving into the world of ethical non-monogamy. The show tackled, albeit sometimes clumsily, issues like racism, sexism, ableism, and mental health and hinted at the possibility of queer stories in the future. The addition of a polyamorous storyline feels like a natural progression for a series that, despite its Regency Era setting, has managed to deliver plenty of commentary on contemporary society.
Although Benedict’s threesome appears to have come to an end at the end of Season 3, after Benedict turned down Tilley’s suggestion that they pursue a monogamous relationship, there’s still hope for a polycule on the show (even if it is, like much of what happened on the show, a big departure from the books). In the final conversation with Tilley, Benedict confesses that the experience opened his eyes to what he would like to pursue in the future.
“What happened between the three of us, what happened since I met you, made me realize how good it is to be free,” he says. “You opened my world and I’m not ready to close it again now.”
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
