Whether you’re a Bridgerton fan or not, if you’ve been on the internet in the last month, the odds are you’ve encountered talk of the ‘carriage scene.’
We say talk: it’s been more of a frenzy, denoting the moment in which long-standing friends Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington finally get it on after three seasons’ worth of lustful looks and yearning letter writing.
But it’s not just a little kiss we’re talking about, dearest gentle reader: these slow-burn lovers get down and dirty in Penelope’s carriage while her driver sits mere inches away.
The scene has ruffled feathers not only because it’s steamy AF, but because it’s purely centred on Penelope’s pleasure (explicitly shown by the fact that Colin, for want of a better word, fingers her and seems to expect nothing ‘in return’).
As such, there’s been talk of Bridgerton leading somewhat of a ‘soft porn’ renaissance in its representation of sex on screen, most instances of which have been female-centric in their pleasure.
Re-writing the script, Kate’s love scene with Anthony in season two sees him go down on her in a garden, while the Duke literally teaches Daphne how to masturbate through the sheer power of words in season one (though it should be noted that the dynamic between those two wasn’t always a positive one, with a particularly problematic scene showing Daphne leg-lock the Duke, forcing him to ejaculate inside her).
The carriage scene also wasn’t Colin and Penelope’s last groundbreakingly intimate moment of season three. When the second part dropped last week, fans were left flustered once more as the couple (shipped affectionately as #Polin) had sex on a chaise longue in their future marital home.
And, as teased in interviews, Nicola Coughlan and Luke Thompson actually broke said piece of furniture while filming it.
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‘POLIN SEX SCENE IS UNMATCHED,’ @SkaiGirlCouture wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
‘Nicola Coughlan did not lie. This was truly the BEST sex scene of the Bridgerton universe and just like Penelope I too was left wanting more of it,’ added @Jugnookikhooj.
‘So real, so tender, such gorgeous communication and so lovely to watch someone’s nervousness easing into pleasure and see them bloom together as a couple. Perfect example of how a good sex scene reveals character.’
So, what lessons does this season of Bridgerton teach us about sex on screen? And what power does it hold?
As intimacy coordinator Brooke Haney, who has worked on Harlem, Birder and other TV shows, tells Metro.co.uk, the carriage scene alone is rewriting how consent is represented on screen, as Penelope gives a consensual nod in a very clear moment of direction.
‘She also asks him if he’ll kiss her in an earlier episode, and we see her having so much power in that relationship. The show centres female pleasure, and you can’t do that without consent,’ Brooke explains, noting that most of the camera time in this lengthy sex scene is focused not on Colin, but on Penelope.
‘In that scene in the carriage, as far as screen time [goes], it lasted for quite a while.
‘Too often, we’ve seen when someone’s really into somebody else and then the female character or characters come immediately. But that’s not how it works.’
And not only is Bridgerton rewriting the script and teaching important lessons about sex, it’s also bringing fans pleasure, heralding in something of a ‘soft porn renaissance’.
‘Bridgerton is modelled after romance novels, so it’s absolutely giving just that amount of titillation while leaving something to the imagination,’ says Brooke. ‘To me, that’s kind of where softcore porn is giving you enough of the story and what’s happening, and then you get to fill in the rest.
‘Media can be instructive, and if the porn element of it brings us to watch it with excitement, we also get to learn. We get to see consent be sexy, and that’s a huge advantage.’
And, as Annabelle Knight, sex and relationships expert at Lovehoney explains, the Bridgerton universe is turning the dial away from the male gaze.
‘It can indeed be seen as contributing to a “soft porn renaissance” by bringing a sophisticated depiction of sex to mainstream media, but not in the way that we are used to,’ Annabelle says.
‘The series blends eroticism with romance and emphasises emotional connections and mutual pleasure, rather than just from the male gaze perspective. There is a noticeable difference between the amount of sex and nudity, which sort of proves the point.
‘How sex is depicted in the show contrasts sharply with traditional pornographic content, as it offers a more realistic and relatable portrayal of intimacy, one that resonates with a bigger audience and elevates the discourse around sex and relationships.
What does the role of an intimacy coordinator involve?
As intimacy coordinator Rufai Ajala, represented by Loop Talent, tells Metro.co.uk, their role ensures the safety of cast and crew while filming intimate scenes or ‘staging scenes of an intimate nature.’ Rufai has worked on the likes of The Responder (BBC) and Dead Hot (Prime Video), as well as adverts for Durex and Tinder.
‘That might include simulated sex or nudity,’ Rufai explains. ‘Checking in with cast about their boundaries and making sure those match that of the characters they’re playing, and if not trying to work out a way so that they’re still comfortable or where we do alternative intimacy but it still matches the same energy.’
It also involves checking in with the crew involved with these scenes, and ensuring that they’re both ‘safe’ and ‘aware.’
‘Bridgerton isn’t just about the romance; it’s about redefining the narratives around intimacy and connection in a way that resonates deeply with its audience.’
So, where could Bridgerton go in the future? With the introduction of Michaela Stirling (Michael Stirling in the books), there’s talk of Francesca Bridgerton enjoying a romance with her – which would be the first depiction of queer women in the Ton.
Likewise, with Benedict Bridgerton exploring his sexuality through a threesome and turning down an exclusive relationship with Lady Tilley, there could be more queer representation on the way – which would be the final frontier.
‘I have deep hope that in a future season there will be a lesbian love story, because if we’re really talking about female pleasure, so much can be learned from that when it’s not about the male gaze,’ Brooke concludes.
‘Bridgerton has done a lot already to change ideas about the Regency era, so this would be the next very exciting step.’
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