Netflix period drama series Bridgerton is back with its third installment of lush settings, opulent costumes and beautiful bonneted people dancing by the candlelight — but with far less steamy sex.

Unlike Simon and Daphne’s intense love or the scandal around Anthony and Kate in the last two seasons, Part I of Bridgerton Season 3 offers a more steady and slow but simmering romance through Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton). With the bon ton back in London for another round of balls, gossip, courtship and passion play, here’s what we loved about Part I (there are also some breathtaking classical covers of pop songs, including Sia’s Cheap Thrills).

A fresh love knot

Season 3 begins with Penelope Featherington seeking freedom through marriage. With her two sisters ready to become the mistress of the house the moment one of them gives birth to a male heir, Penelope can only do so much to continue the pursuit of her interests. When her striking gowns and changed hairstyle fail to produce the desired effect, she enlists the help of her neighbour and childhood friend Colin Bridgerton, for whom she has long carried the torch. Not only does the revelation of Colin’s plan to tutor Penelope in the art of finding a husband stir up a hornet’s nest, the whole arrangement is upended when the young Bridgerton catches himself falling for Penelope even as she tries to charm her suitor Lord Debling (Sam Phillips).

Yet, that’s not the only knotty affair we have this season, given that show creator Shonda Rhimes is a pro at complicating the lives of her central characters (remember the entanglement between Kate Sharma, Anthony Bridgerton and Edwina Sharma last season). This season, debutant Francesca (Hannah Dodd) finds Lord Kilmartin (Victor Alli) quietly tugging at her heartstrings while Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) is afoot with her own plans for her chosen diamond.

What about Kanthony?

Part I is a letdown for Kanthony fans as Viscount Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) and his wife Kate (Simone Ashley) don’t show up after the second episode (the first episode gives a sneak peek into their sizzling post-marriage romance), just as Daphne and Simon — who do not appear even once in the first four episodes of Season 3 — stopped being the centre of the plot after Season 1.

But remember this Regency-era drama is more about courtship, less about marriage, and the focus this season is on what happens between Penelope and Colin. Their romance is like a leaf out of the pages of Jane Austen’s Persuasion or Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, sticking to the trope of a highly coveted man falling for the most unexpected, least noticeable woman.

Colin is quite the rake. Having returned from his travels with tanned skin and a sturdier physique, his newly acquired charms are the talk of the town (or in this case, the ton). Women cannot help being coquettish around him, and he cannot help taking advantage of their attention, getting into shady corners for even a threesome.

The silent war between Queen Charlotte and Lady Whistledown

Voiced by Julie Andrews, the anonymous chronicler of posh society scandals, Lady Whistledown, remains quite busy this season. She does not hold back even when the incidents seem to touch a raw nerve. So far as Lady Whistledown’s unspoken rivalry with Queen Charlotte is concerned, the mysterious gossip writer’s mockery and occasional compliments are well-timed enough to entertain not just the gentle readers but also the gentle viewers. Golda Rosheuvel, of course, is back with her signature eye rolls and remarks, caustic enough to make young ladies squirm and sycophant mamas trip.

Women’s desire and the issue of inheritance

Set in a society that places many constraints on women and none on men, Bridgerton stands out for its emphasis on women’s desire — both sexual desire and desire for financial freedom.

Like Daphne in Season 1, whose mother kept her in pitch darkness about intimacy, it is the Featherington sisters — Prudence (Bessie Carter) and Philippa (Harriet Cains) — who undergo a sexual awakening this season. Francesca, on the other hand, realises she is the best version of herself when she explores her passion — music.

Inheritance and makeovers both play instrumental roles in Season 3. Laws that do not recognise women as inheritors of their fathers’ estates are a bane for most of the Bridgerton characters. But just being handed down a lot of wealth doesn’t catapult one to the society’s upper crust either — something that the Mondrichs learnt the hard way.

With their son becoming the baron of Kent, the Mondrichs inherit a good amount of money. Their sudden rise in social status raises many eyebrows as does Mr Mondrich’s habit to cling to the past. Society is quick to remind the overjoyed couple that a wardrobe makeover doesn’t automatically make them a part of the swish set.

The loose ends

At the end of four hours, Part I of Bridgerton Season 3 raises as many questions as it settles. Will Benedict Bridgerton’s (Luke Thompson) fiery romance with a rather astonishing woman develop into something more substantial? Will Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie) renew her friendship with Penelope after Lady Whistledown’s shocking revelation almost ruined her last season? Will Colin be able to let go of his hate for Lady Whistledown after he comes to know her real identity? Will Lady Bridgerton’s ‘garden’ bloom again? Above all, will childhood dreams finally get a fairy tale ending? We only hope that the second part of Season 3, slated to drop on Netflix on June 13, ties these loose ends into a neat little bow.