Bridgerton – Season 3 Episode 8 Recap, Review & Ending Explained

Into The Light

Episode 8 of Bridgerton Season 3 begins with Colin sleeping on the sofa, rushing to the family home and avoiding Penelope. But she has other worries as Cressida shows up and threatens to reveal Pen’s identity as Whistledown after she learns from the printer boy. She wants 10,000 pounds to keep the secret and Penelope calls her bluff.

Unfortunately, Portia arrives at that moment and Cressida tells her Whistledown’s identity and stalks off. Portia is upset about the betrayal but more importantly, worries that Colin will annul the marriage if he finds out. But Penelope refuses to keep any more secrets. 

Why does Danbury ask Charlotte to go easy on Whistledown?

While Lady Danbury and Queen Charlotte play chess, they wonder about Whistledown being a Bridgerton. Danbury advocates for the columnist by suggesting that she may be vulnerable and asks if Charlotte would be imprisoning her once she catches her.

Danbury observes that Whistledown isn’t trying to beat Charlotte, but is struggling to stay in the game just like the Queen when she first came to England. Charlotte notices that Danbury doesn’t checkmate her and the latter says that she doesn’t want the game to end early.

How is Cressida’s threat received?

Portia and Pen find Colin with Eloise and tell them of the latest developments. Pen actually doesn’t need their help as she has the money to pay off Cressida. However, Colin cannot stand anyone blackmailing his wife and decides to handle it. He heads to the Cowpers’ and asks for Cressida’s mercy as they have all felt powerless just like Pen at one point.

He ruins it by claiming they can get through the loneliness and the cruelty of the ton with their family’s support which isn’t the case for Cressida. She not only doubles her blackmail money, but she also wants Whistledown to fix her reputation. 

As the girls wait for an update, Pen and Eloise patch up. Eloise confesses that she initially did befriend Cressida out of pettiness but she does have her moments and may listen to Colin. Of course, he arrives with the bad news as he apologises for making things worse. He even offers to lie to Benedict so that he can get him the 20k. 

But Colin continues to keep his distance from Pen even though he doesn’t want to. While she leaves him alone thinking that’s what he wants, he reads all the letters she has ever written him.

Why do Benedict and Tilley break up?

Meanwhile, Benedict is busy in a threesome with Tilley and Paul. As Paul and Benedict flirt and talk about the restrictions of the ton, Tilley looks lost in thought. Later, when she finds herself alone with Benedict she confesses her feelings. Only after sharing him with Paul does she realise that she likes Benedict and wants to get serious.

But ever since Tilley showed him how to be free, Benedict doesn’t want that world to close. In return, she thanks him for showing her that she can commit to someone and they part ways. Benedict finds an equally thoughtful Eloise back home and they ponder about how confusing life is. She is back to her old attitude of wanting to change the world, but first, she wants to see more of life.

How do Pen and Portia come to an understanding?

The solicitor, Dundas finally shows up with his findings – Aunt Petunia was in debt which means the money Portia has is what Cousin Jack stole from the ton. He threatens to tell the court and leaves but Pen overhears. She is shocked at the crime and mother and daughter finally have a heart-to-heart.

Portia points out that both have done their best with the opportunities provided. She also apologises for overlooking Pen and accepts that she didn’t know how to be a good parent. Pen hints that she won’t expose their scandal via Whistledown and Portia acknowledges her power. They promise to do better if they survive Dundas.

Do Francesca and John get married?

The young couple reveal that they want a small wedding. On top of that, they plan to move to Kilmartin’s primary home in Scotland which shocks Violet as she is sad her daughter is leaving her. That night, Danbury comforts Violet and suggests that along with her friendship, there is also that of Marcus’ even though they don’t need anyone’s permission. An apologetic Danbury also brings up her affair with Violet’s father but the latter understands that they had something special.

On the day of the wedding, Francesca assures Violet that Scotland will be good for her as she has a voice with John. Maybe once she finds herself, her family will be able to hear her too. In exchange, Violet thanks her for showing her the beauty of slow-burn romance. John and Francesca’s wedding finally takes place with a small gathering in the Bridgerton living room.

What is Pen’s plan to escape the Whistledown threat?

Watching everyone celebrating the wedding, Pen refuses to lie to the Bridgertons anymore and decides to take matters into her own hands. All she asks from Colin is his love. She then writes letters to Charlotte and Violet, telling them the truth. 

As Prudence and Phillipa promenade with their husbands, everyone eyes them as they are well into their pregnancies. Prudence is upset that pregnant ladies are expected to hide and decides to host the most lavish ball with Phillipa. However, they don’t have the money and beg Portia to fund the Dankworth-Finch ball but she refuses. Pen ends up secretly giving the money to Varley to organise it. But she lets them think it was Portia’s doing and she is touched. 

The ball is a success but Charlotte shows up. Since Whistledown has asked for mercy, she will get a chance to speak her peace before Charlotte passes her judgment. Pen steps up and confesses that she wrote about the ton because she was captivated by them and wanted to live through them. She let the power get to her but she promises to repent by being careful with her words.

Charlotte cheekily asks what is life without a little gossip and she will make sure Pen stays humble. Despite Charlotte’s forgiveness, it is tense till Phillipa releases the butterflies and resumes the ball. It is also revealed that Danbury suspected Pen of being Whistledown since she is the only other person who loves the Bridgertons like family and would protect them from the likes of Cressida.

Meanwhile, Cressida is taken away to Wales by her dour Aunt Jo. As for Pen, she has another ace up her sleeve – her earnings as Whistledown are enough to assure Dundas that the Featheringtons are not living off Cousin Jack’s dishonest money.

Do Colin and Penelope patch up? 

Colin thanks Pen for coming clean to Violet who was shocked but also impressed. Pen adds that he can annul the marriage but that’s the last thing he wants. He not only liked her writing, he was a little bit envious. But he is glad that he has such a brave and successful woman as his love. They declare their love for each other and get on the dance floor followed by Marcus and Violet.

How does Bridgerton Season 3 end?

Meanwhile, Eloise yearns for an adventure and Francesca allows her to tag along to Scotland. John’s cousin, Michaela Stirling joins them as well but Francesca gets nervous by these new developments. Following the ball, the Bridgertons say goodbye to the Kilmartins and Eloise. However, Eloise promises to see Benedict next year for Violet’s masquerade ball. Meanwhile, Pen writes her final issue as Lady Whistledown.

In the epilogue of Bridgerton Season 3 Episode 8, Phillipa and Prudence have daughters while Pen has a son. He is legally the Featherington heir, securing the Featherington estate. A new Whistledown issue is published and the Bridgerton-Featherington family rush to read it. In the column, Pen asks her readers to join her in the next part of her journey as the columnist and she signs off as Penelope Bridgerton.

The Episode Review

Bridgerton Season 3 Episode 8 finally brings the season of the ton and the show to an end. Well, the finale has its high and low moments that have us conflicted. Season 3 on its own is definitely a fun and entertaining watch that is quite refreshing while still sticking to the Bridgerton formula.

We even get a sneaky hint of next season as streets are saying the infamous masquerade ball hosted by Violet will be where Benedict runs into his future love. The moment between Danbury and Charlotte was also touching, especially with the callback to their naive days in the Queen Charlotte season. 

However, the high stakes of Cressida’s blackmail and Queen Charlotte’s investigations make us believe that this chapter would have had ample angst and drama. But that is not the case. While we would have loved an all-out showdown between Cressida and Penelope, we get a more lowkey solution. In the end, Cressida is sent away and yes, while she was horrible to Pen in the past, she was so close to getting her redemption arc this season.