Why is ‘Bridgerton’ season 3 arriving on Netflix in 2 parts?

After a two-year absence, Bridgerton is returning to Netflix with more elaborate sets from the Regency era and a level of sexual tension between Britain’s most elite bachelors that you could cut with a knife.

Bridgerton has been filling the gaping emotional hole left by shows like Downton Abbey and Poldark and doing a great job of it if the internet’s collective obsession with the Bridgerton family is anything to go by. That said, the wait for season 3 has been excruciating, to put it lightly.

What’s more, this third outing is not going to come out all at once, despite what you’d customarily be used to in a Netflix original. The streaming mogul is instead splitting the much anticipated third season into two parts. Part 1, consisting of the first 4 episodes, is coming out on May 16, which is a little over a month from now. Part 2 will follow suit almost a month later on June 13, bringing this particular chapter in the story of the Bridgertons and their dramatic, if a bit controversial, courting life to a conclusion.

Why is Bridgerton season 3 being split into 2 parts?

Browsing through the Bridgerton community pages on social media, it’s obvious that fans are a bit disappointed over this development. Not only is the third season releasing with a two-year gap, but we’re not even going to get it in full. Some have suggested that the decision may have had to do with last year’s SAG-AFTRA writers’ strike and that this is just Netflix’s way of giving the crew more time to polish the final episodes.

The more probable reason, however, is Bridgerton‘s own soaring popularity over the last couple of years. Following the release of Stranger Things season 4 in 2 parts, which was done because of the sheer length of the episodes (claimed to have been twice as long as season 3’s) Netflix realized that the one-month gap not only gave the story some breathing room, but generated more hype and interest in the community by giving them time to reflect on some of its explosive developments.

As such, the company has taken up the practice of splitting its most popular originals into 2 parts. This happened to shows like The Witcher, Ozark, and You as well, so Bridgerton receiving the same treatment isn’t exactly surprising, even if it still goes in the face of the binge model popularized by Netflix itself.