What a Barb! A Polin Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Sigh no more, listeners, sigh no more. The Lady in Silver has been found at last.

But there’s no rest for the Wicked as Beans has found herself with a new mystery on her hands: we don’t even know which rare Bavarian text it is, but we’re looking for it.

As we scour the shelves of Shakespeare & Co. for the elusive tome, we’ll also be searching for answers to burning Season 3 questions about bandaged flashbacks, Italian Contessas and babies named Ginger.

Elsewhere, we try to recover from the shock of finding Kanthony inside their own home by sitting down to talk Regency mommy bloggers, Daddy issues and whether Mr Bridgerton said he’d buy the flowers himself for the Featherington estate.

And as August(us Gloop) slips away into a moment of time, we’ll be reminiscing over summer love at the Polin wedding and the cryptic identity of a most important guest.

Fife or not Fife: that is the question.

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Show Notes

Variety: ‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 Casts Yerin Ha as Benedict’s Love Interest Sophie Beckett

National Television Awards: Vote for ‘Bridgerton’ and ‘The Traitors’

Reddit: r/TheTraitorsArchive

Instagram: @bridgertonnetflix compilation of Claudia Jessie’s promo highlights

Happy Sad Confused: Jonathan Bailey talks FELLOW TRAVELERS, BRIDGERTON, WICKED, JURASSIC PARK

Backstage: Interview with Jonathan Bailey

YouTube: Wicked | Fiyero promo clip

Harper’s Bazaar: My Beauty Edit: Nicola Coughlan

Deadline: First look at ‘Outrageous’ starring Bessie Carter

VSQ: ‘Vitamin String Quartet: The Music of Taylor Swift, Bridgerton, and Beyond tour dates’

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The Ton’s out for summer. But over here, the Class of 1815 is still very much in session.

In the first of our S3 Q&As, we’ll be turning on our Regency location settings, standing on Crumbs sentry and tackling the hard-hitting questions of the social season.

Which Soft Colin line still has us swooning? Which moonlight bisoux stole our hearts? And why can’t we stop ourselves from laughing at the bleakest moment in Polin history?

Elsewhere, we cool off from the heat by dipping our toes in the Season 4 waters, discussing a mysterious meeting at a masquerade and an urgent call for a tiny, unnamed redhead.

And as Colin gets a taste of his own carriage-flavoured medicine, we’ll be revisiting old, oblivious friends, mourning the missed moments of the season and confronting the most important question of all:

Who broke the heart of everyone’s favourite snake?

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Spoiler Warning

13:55 – 16:55: Discussion of leaked Season 4 audition script

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Show Notes – Crumbs

Instagram: Sophie audition scene leak Instagram: Ryan Wheeler
Twitter: Blooper Reel (via @bridgerton) TikTok: Mum, I'm in a Movie Instagram: Mum, I'm in a Movie Spotify: We Can’t Be Friends (originally by Ariana Grande) - Atwood Quartet Spotify: Waiting for Tonight (originally by Jennifer Lopez) - Archer Marsh Deadine: Bridgerton’s Nicola Coughlan Signs With CAA

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Show Notes – Main Episode and Outro Shondaland: BTS featurette - A Dance Story ⁠⁠⁠ Barnes and Noble: Exclusive S3 Soundtrack, Colin’s Blue Eyes Edition Etsy: Obvs’s Hot Air Balloon Necklace

RedBubble: Flamedork

Spotify: Chandelier (originally by Sia) - Vitamin String Quartet ⁠ Spotify: I, Carrion (Icarian) - Hozier ⁠

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Looks like we made it, dear listeners.

As Season 3 Eve falls upon us like a tiny redhead tumbling from the skies, we head back into the circus tent to partake in a little last minute Part 1 clowning. 

As we discuss oblivious double handholds and suspicious swoons, we tip our bonnets to all the weeks that never came in honour of the one that finally did. So fill up a plate of jammy dodgers and strawberry shortcake, lay yourself back on the chaise longue and rest your headless jolly pirates upon the biscuit cushion.

The season of Polin is here at last. And it is glorious.

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Show Notes 

CinemaBlend: Key Moments Adapted 

Available Internationally: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (Pikatus, ISBN: 978-0349429458)

YouTube: Bridgerton Season 3 Trailer  

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‘Twas the night before Polin Week, when all through the ton

The clowns were up spiralling over moon balls and Frohn

In this special bonus episode brought to you from the cutting room floor, we dust off our evidence boards and attempt to piece together Season 3 Part 1 using only a folder of stills, a handful of crumbs and the ramblings of some very tired co-hosts.

We’ll be debating the skills of a 14-year-old archer, measuring the circumference of ever-expanding sleeves and enquiring just how easy it is to transport full-length mirrors to country estates. (Asking for a friend-to-lover.)

And as Lord Wilding’s betrayal continues to cut deep, we try to distract ourselves with a moderately lethal game of Kiss Marry Kill. Watch your backs, people of the ton. The Coming Week might be here at last but not everyone can make it to Thursday.*

*No fictional characters were harmed in the making of this podcast. (Uh, Injured brothers, bandaged pirates and broken-hearted Marlboro Men notwithstanding.)

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Spoiler Timestamps

45:17-46:20 – Episode 1 and 2 spoilers

52:05-52:18 – Episode 2 spoilers

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Show Notes

Vogue: Bridgerton’s Costume Designer Talks Season 3

Bustle: Interview with Luke Newton

A Dime Saved: Complete collection of Bridgerton S3 Pt 1 stills

Spotify: Rosa Hesmondhalgh interview with Starving Artists podcast

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The embargo has lifted. The promo floodgates have opened. Let's just say we've been awaiting this particular visit for a very long time.

During our crumbs-about-crumbs, we'll be greeting Pen in the Bridgerton entrance hall, celebrating a cheese-loving brother-in-law and gulping down Colin's emotional support beverage. Thirsty times indeed.

And though we’re fresh off the boat from Paris, we find ourselves packing our thermals and ear muffs ready for a little voyage to the...uh, Antarctic. We sure about that, Pen?

Before we set sail, let's take a quick detour back to the Featherington gardens to ask one tiny little life-changing question.

After all, dear listener: one kiss is all it takes.

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Spoiler Information

Full episode discusses recent promo with details of characters, storylines and scenes from both Part 1 and Part 2. We will flag anything we feel is a specific spoiler or are detailed descriptions of unreleased scenes.

Spoiler Timestamps

03:38 - 04:00: Carriage scene spoilers

04:00 - 16:25: General discussion of released Shondaland video with new Part 1 clips (specific spoilers listed below)

11:45 - 12:50: Episode 1 spoilers

13:00 - 14:13: Discussion of released Episode 2 clip from Shondaland video

16:53 - 17:35: Discussion of Part 2 filming leaks

25:00 - 29:20: First kiss spoilers

29:20 - 29:50: Carriage scene spoilers

35:10 - 37:42: LW reveal timeline speculation

39:15 - 43:00: Major casting spoiler

43:00 - 44:30: Marcus Anderson character spoilers

51:00 - 52:45: Veg recapping spoilers

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Show Notes

Clips and additional links can be found in our 'May Promo' highlights on Instagram

YouTube: Bonnie Laufer interview with Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton

YouTube: DC Film Girl interview with cast

YouTube: PayorWait interview with cast

YouTube: Netflix New Looks of Season 3 video [ft. new clips from Part 1]

YouTube: Malditos Nerds interview with cast

YouTube: Blackfilmandtv interview with cast

ABC News: Article with Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton interview

Shondaland: Meet the (New) Men of the Ton article

Cosmopolitan: Article with Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton interview

Instagram: What a Barb! New footage breakdown

Instagram: What a Barb! New promo links

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"Sweet May hath come to love us, Pen, Colin, their carriage don; And through Netflix heavens above us, The very clowns clown on.”

Welcome to May. Welcome to chaos. We'd tell you to get in the circus tent but this one's already occupied by Pen's finger lickin' good crumb and the final shred of Colin's sanity.

In this emergency Weekly Crumb, we'll be sprinting outside palaces with Colin, wiping the tears away from a distressed Enchanted Pen and squinting very hard at blurry pieces of paper. The more things change, eh?

Get the carriage cleaning crew at the ready, Footman John. Things are about to get rocky.

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SPOILER WARNING: This episode is based entirely on newly released promo but involves discussion of fan theories and possible spoilers, including potential script excerpts.

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Show Notes

First For Women: Interview with Nicola Coughlan

TV Line: Interview with Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton (Part 1, via Twitter)

⁠TV Line: Interview with Nicola Coughlan and Luke Newton (Part 2, via Twitter)⁠

Reddit: Theories about Episode 4 script

Reddit: Main new teaser

Reddit: Hand injury clip

Reddit: Tent and market clips

Reddit: Osterley Colin at Full Moon Ball clip

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Pritt Sticks at the ready, dear listeners. It's the morning after the night before and we've got a lot on our breakfast plates.

In the last of our book reread episodes, we'll be sneaking an extremely dishevelled Penelope back to Mayfair, hastily moving up the dates of a small but magical wedding and taking a quick trip to some oddly brown Highlands.

And as our beloved newly-weds find themselves in a rather sticky situation, we'll be stopping by The National Archives to enquire just how many cows one tiny blackmail plot can get you.

Worry not, dear listeners. Because just when it seems all has come unstuck, we have a feeling one assuredly, fervently, loudly tack-tic might just swoop in to save the day.

Did somebody say My Wife?

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SPOILER DISCUSSION: 10:05 - 30:16 [S3E1 and S3E4 spoilers]

SPOILER FREE DISCUSSION: 30:17 onwards

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SPOILER WARNING - Reddit: Interview with Nicola Coughlan [SPOILERS for Episode 4]

Reddit: New playlist confirmations

Instagram: New Season 3 banner

Instagram: New Season 3 poster

Instagram: Cities announced for Season 3 world tour

The National Archives Currency Converter

Available Internationally: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (Pikatus, ISBN: 978-0349429458)

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Get up, dear listeners. We're taking you to church.

In our third reread episode, we'll be chasing hired hacks down Fleet Street, contemplating the logistics of carriage-based activities and indelicately faceplanting onto the streets of Mayfair.

We'll also be turning up bright and early to the Tuesday Featherington family meeting, fetching watercolours with Felicity and staring out of rainy windows with a plate of smoked salmon sandwiches.

And as a triumphant engagement ball turns sour, we'll be rummaging in the drawers for candles and moments of realisation.

Because, dear listeners, this was Penelope and this was love. But be warned: this kitten has claws and she's not afraid to use them.

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Show Notes

Change.org: Petition to change the S3 poster and tie in cover of Romancing Mister Bridgerton

⁠Time Out: Bridgerton in Bowral⁠

Vanity Fair: Interview with Jess Brownell

YouTube: Cast reading The Duke and I [Source of Luke Newton's "don't" clip]

Twitter: Nana_Banana_Art fanart of church scene

Available Internationally: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (Pikatus, ISBN: 978-0349429458)

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Pack your bandages and earplugs – curtain’s up on the most melodious event of the season. Mozart, stand down. Lou Bega’s got this one under control. 

In the second of our read-along episodes, we’ll be making puddles with Colin, taking First Aid lessons from Penelope and dipping our thermometers in half-hour old bath water.  

Ahead of the weekend, we’ll be spending an unremarkable day sampling lemonade, squinting at inkstains and getting a little too excited on Mount Street. 

She kissed him on a Friday, dear listeners. And it was glorious. (And probably tasted like cheese.)

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Show Notes 

Available Internationally: Romancing Mister Bridgerton by Julia Quinn (Pikatus, ISBN: 978-0349429458)

YouTube: Bridgerton Season 3 trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4JYAx5rNRA 

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Up, up, up and away, dearest listeners! It’s time to soar into the S3 trailer heavens at long last.

As our ship docks back in London, we’re trading sea for air as we float above Mayfair alongside an extraordinary balloon, a winged god and a sleepy-but-sturdy Bridgerton.

We’ll be enjoying splendid weather with Lord Wilding, laughing in the library with Blue Pen and attempting a little archaeological excavation of a broken Grecian column.

And as our leading man pulls the Uno Reverse card from the chaotic deck of romance tropes, we’ll be keeping our lanterns close-by as a tiny flame finally takes flight.

Rejoice, dear Polin fans. The lights are on and Colin Bridgerton’s home.

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Show Notes

YouTube: Bridgerton Season 3 trailer

Vanity Fair: Article about Cressida and Eloise

Shondaland: Season 3 trailer article + 7 new stills

History of Balloons: Montgolfier Brothers - The Montgolfière-style Hot Air Balloon

WikiArt: Le ravissement de Psyche, William-Adolphe Bouguerau (1895)

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