Bridgerton: Penelope being Lady Whistledown never really made sense, here's why

Bridgerton is a Regency-era period drama that quickly garnered a huge fan following. And it isn't just because of the orchestral covers and gossip-worthy scandals or even the magnificent ballrooms. It's also the plot and the way it keeps us hooked throughout.

Bridgerton also has a mystery at its center, Lady Whistledown, who is the anonymous gossip columnist who somehow knows everything about everyone. Her reveal as the shy wallflower Penelope Featherington was meant to be a surprising twist. Many viewers gasped, but others blinked hard as they tried to make sense of it.

The Penelope as Whistledown reveal felt forced. We love a complex female character. But Penelope is a sweet and fumbling girl who gets tongue-tied at the thought of Colin Bridgerton and can't even confront her best friend, Eloise, properly. Her being the witty Whistledown who can make and destroy reputations with her sharp writing just doesn't make sense.

Disclaimer: This article reflects the author's opinions. Reader discretion is advised.

Bridgerton: Penelope and Whistledown are not the same person

Penelope, as we’ve seen her in Bridgerton, is young, impulsive, and honestly, too emotional. She's relatable, real, and deeply insecure in a way many of us are. But she’s also the kind of person who lashes out at her best friend out of jealousy, stumbles over her own words in front of her crush, and has almost no emotional regulation.

Lady Whistledown is composed, cunning, and very observant. Her words cut deep. She’s clever and has a remarkably mature understanding of s*x, power, and manipulation. The kind of tone we’d expect from a bored duchess with a lot of free time and ink.

Penelope isn’t exactly rolling in diamonds in Bridgerton. Her family’s on the brink of financial collapse most of the time. So, how exactly was she affording a printing press, hush money for drivers, and distribution logistics without raising suspicion?

Well, it can be argued that she could've found sneaky ways to pay people off. But in a household as loud and nosy as the Featheringtons, it’s baffling that no one ever noticed. Not even her annoying sisters.

But let’s say that she did find a way to be financially sneaky. There’s still the matter of why she’d risk so much. Like when she exposed Marina's pregnancy, potentially destroying Marina’s future and, in turn, her own family’s already weak reputation.

That move was cruel, and Penelope doesn't seem like that. Even if it was for her crush, Colin's sake. Even if Penelope was motivated by jealousy over Colin, it didn’t quite match with what we’d seen of her. She appears to be someone who cares deeply for the people around her.

Bridgerton adopts a way of storytelling that feels rooted in emotions, even if at times, the plots feel over the top. And so this particular twist just doesn’t make sense.

Penelope is a fan favorite Bridgerton character for a reason. And it’s wonderful to have a character who’s smart and observant. But that’s not the character we were shown. At least not consistently.

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