In Bridgerton season 3 episode 8, the show's issues come to light

Warning: Spoilers ahead from Bridgerton season 3 episode 8.

By the time the Bridgerton season 3 finale rolled around, there was so much to cover in order to conclude the season. After getting married in the previous episode, Colin and Penelope still had to deal with Cressida attempting to extort them when she learns Pen's Lady Whistledown secret, and Queen Charlotte was also on the warpath to unearth the scandal scribe.

Not to mention, the season 3 finale also featured Francesca's wedding to Lord Kilmartin and introduced his cousin Michaela Stirling (a big change from the books!) and previewed their move to Scotland with Eloise in tow. Meanwhile, Benedict explored his sexuality in a throuple with Tilley and Paul, but he ultimately turned Tilley down when she wanted something more with just him.

Oh, and also? Three Featherington babies were born by the end of the season and Anthony and Kate were off to India to have their baby in the company of the Sharma family. There was a lot going on in the over-an-hour long episode, from the Lady Whistledown of it all to the various interpersonal entanglements that needed to be ironed out. Overall, season 3 revealed the show's internal struggle.

Colin and Penelope's love story was oddly muted

For a season that was centered on Colin and Penelope's love story, it felt as though the season sacrificed time spent building up their romance more than in either previous season. Yes, they were the protagonists of the season, but their story entailed an extra layer that pulled focus, that extra layer being Lady Whistledown. The balance between romance and drama was often unbalanced.

The first part of season 3 featured a brief detour for Penelope with Lord Debling, who mainly served as a plot device for Penelope to learn what she wants and for Colin to realize what he's missing. In part 2, Colin and Penelope are engaged and have the memorable and steamy moments we've been waiting for, but the Whistledown mystery casts a large shadow over their relationship.

(However, one could also argue that a major aspect of the season was Penelope's personal journey beyond her marriage to Colin, as beautifully underscored by Nicola Coughlan's brilliant and touching monologue at the Featherington sisters' ball in episode 8. Still, it's another element that's fighting for attention amidst the rest of the season's other dominating themes and stories.)

In retrospect, the brevity of Colin and Penelope's courtship makes for a love story that feels strangely rushed. To get from point A (friends) to point B (lovers) some shortcuts were definitely taken, though scenic routes were traveled for other aspects of their relationship. After Colin discovers Penelope's Whistledown truth, it's like we're suddenly entrenched in a new enemies to lovers angle that's extraneous — and honestly tiresome.

The ensemble doesn't have room to breathe

It also doesn't help that some of the supporting characters were serviced just as much as Colin and Penelope were. The Mondrich family rises to a new title and wrestles with how to straddle the line between society and their old life. Francesca's own compelling love story plays out throughout the season. Benedict again tries to dodge love. Cressida towed the sympathetic villain line.

For all intents and purposes, Bridgerton season 3 was one of the most full seasons story-wise, to the point where the episodes are simultaneously overflowing and trudging forward in overly long stretches of could-have-been deleted scenes. It might be an unpopular opinion, but there are plenty of storylines that could have been trimmed or tightened to devote more time to Colin and Penelope

The second season's leads, Anthony and Kate, pop in one time in season 3 part 1 and then have more of a regular presence in part 2. But as much as we adore these characters and their actors, the scenes they were given didn't feel totally worth their time. A bedroom scene that introduces their temporary departure, a sounding board for Colin on marriage, an announcement of their pregnancy, and another setup for another departure. It's not even an actual storyline with conflict.

It's this author's hope, to steal phrasing from Lady Whistledown, that Bridgerton season 4 and other future seasons of the series, are able to strike a better balance for the ensemble cast of characters. Season 3 ambitiously juggled so much story, and a lot of it worked. But when it fell flat, it fell particularly and noticeably flat. Does the show need longer seasons and shorter episodes? A more conscious focus on the leads? Only time will tell how best to right this ship.

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