Recent news that Phoebe Dynevor will not be returning to her role of Daphne (or the Duchess of Hastings, as she later became) has come as a shock to Bridgerton fans, with many questioning what the show will be like without her. But it is necessary to remember that the show’s formula is not built around an ensemble cast. Rather, it spotlights the romantic trials and triumphs of a chosen Bridgerton sibling each season, demanding that we all become a little less attached to its previous stars.
The Show's Winning Formula Demands A Rotating Cast
It can be tempting to view Dynevor’s announcement in a negative light, with the question of what audiences will inevitably lose through the absence of an original cast member. As the oldest Bridgerton daughter, Daphne anchored to show from its premiere season. Her turbulent courtship with the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page) defined the show’s successful first season, and she offered much-needed advice and guidance to her wayward older brother Anthony (Jonathan Bailey) throughout Season 2. Dynevor’s performance was characterized by her natural grace and sensitivity, which made her an enduring asset to the show’s ongoing storylines.
But Bridgerton was never meant to feature a permanent ensemble cast that returns to the show each season. The show is adapted from Julia Quinn’s popular Bridgerton novels, which provide successive installments in the lives of the Bridgerton siblings, charting each of their individual romantic journeys. Following its source material, Bridgerton is about the dramas and tensions of pre-marital courtship, where, once a marriage has taken place and the couple is settled, the story loses some of its initial bite. As in Season 1, the marital difficulties of Daphne and the Duke are charted until their resolution, but, as in Season 2 with Anthony and Kate (Simone Ashley), the season finale very much confirms a happily ever after. Character arcs are neatly concluded at the end of Season 1 and 2, which lessens the demand for continuing appearances from its stars.
As such, Season 3 will be adapted from Julia Quinn’s fourth novel in the series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton. Like the book, the storyline of this season will follow the developing love story between Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton), and Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan). Season 3 builds on the momentum of Penelope and Colin’s ambiguous relationship established in the first two seasons. Although Season 3 will build on their pre-existing romantic journey, the couple have not received the same steamy storylines or gripping drama that is reserved for that season’s star pairing. And, undoubtedly, once this season concludes, the spotlight will move on to a new star couple.
It's Penelope Featherington's Time To Shine
Dynevor was in a different position to Coughlan from the start, in that she was in the spotlight for Bridgerton’s very first season, and so there has been little need for her to return for successive installments. Whilst for Coughlan as Penelope, her time to shine has only just come around. Recent teasers for the show demonstrate that Penelope is now fully on the marriage market, whereas in previous seasons her family’s financial and social struggles prevented her from publicly seeking her match.
Of course, it is sad to see favorite cast members leave as we become invested in their stories. And the longer a cast member remains in the show, the harder it is to see them go. But Bridgerton‘s highly charged romance narratives rely on a meeting of two soulmates, who overcome all obstacles to achieve a happy match. Therefore, after this is achieved, the married couple must withdraw into the background, so as not to disturb the fantasy of this hard-won happy ending. If all its cast were to stay on, then their relationships would undergo further unnecessary scrutiny. Bridgerton produces such cathartic endings with its finale episodes, so to unpick this with comparably mediocre marital mishaps would damage the integrity of the show.
It is essential to move on to the next Bridgerton sibling, like the books, to keep the storyline so vibrant. Each season explores a different dynamic with its new stars, and therefore keeps its plot unpredictable. As a continuing period drama set in the Regency era, there are certain limitations on what viewers can expect – there will always be balls, carriage rides, and promenades in the park. But the personality and ambitions of each couple differ so greatly that these reoccurring elements remain fresh each season. Even more so for Season 3, where Penelope brings extra intrigue with her alter-ego as the anonymous gossip writer Lady Whistledown.
As the show continues, audiences will grow more familiar with its rotating cast, which will inevitably make its transitions into new central love stories more palatable. The enduring interest in the show’s wider cast has already been demonstrated through Shonda Rhimes’s latest project, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, a prequel charting the pre-marital life of the Queen (with India Amarteifio playing the young Charlotte) and her courtship with the soon-to-be King George III (Corey Mylchreest). This prequel installment broadens the Bridgerton universe in a move that confirms the popular appeal of its cast beyond that season’s couple in the spotlight.
'Bridgerton' Provides A Spring Board For Success
Dynevor joins fellow original cast member Regé-Jean Page in moving on from the show, who withdrew from his role as the Duke at the end of Season 1. Bridgerton’s huge platform can be a career-launching opportunity for its young talent, where Page is set to star in the upcoming film Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves as well as alongside Glen Powell in a television take on Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, currently in development with Amazon. Dynevor has also made a splash this year with the release of the psychological thriller Fair Play, where she stars alongside Alden Ehrenreich. Bridgerton’s serialized formula allows for this kind of career progression, where its star cast have the chance to move on once they’ve completed their season in the lead role.
Ultimately Bridgerton will continue without Dynevor’s much-loved Duchess of Hastings. But her departure will only highlight the show’s potential to endure, with its rotating formula that allows each of the talented cast to have their moment in the spotlight.