Eloise was not a good friend (a rant) (Bridgerton Season 3)

[@deborahtheexplorer]

Hey guys I didn’t know but I’m uploading my audio shifted from 8:50-9:20 IM SO SORRY ABOUT THIS ya’ll🥺 I hope you guys can still enjoy the rest of the video? Again my bad!

[@what-x6j]

its ok! the video was still amazing,

[@acayette]

Why not fix it and reupload it?

[@jadealvorada]

It's okay, don't worry! The video is amazing

[@madisonbfrog]

No worries, Beloved!!!

[@jennybien-aime3725]

I find it interesting that Eloise, at the beginning of this season, said that she was reading Emma. A book about a know it all, privileged wealthy girl, that realizes that she doesn’t know everything

[@charlotteclarke3393]

I noticed that and found it ironic.

[@taliacheng5006]

I think that may be the point haha. They’re setting up for an Eloise redemption season. Honestly I find her character refreshing, a feminist who doesn’t get all the goody points

[@elisa4620]

At the very first that's what I thought. But... She isn't a feminist. She isn't even a parody of one given how little she actually care about other women. ​ It's not that she doesn't get all the good points. She gets none. At least for now. Other characters in the show are better representation for what true feminists are. Even if they are not loud and in the nose about it. But let's see what traveling does to her. @@taliacheng5006

[@rruysch]

and basically said to Colin 'i dont need your book, i've already got one' when he tried to give her a thoughtful gift.

[@rococcoschicchi5594]

Oh 🤭 The irony

[@thirty_ish2890]

She really isn’t! It made me so mad how little she cared about Cressida 🙄 like wow girl!

[@justacutie5201]

Okay, I'm so happy that I'm not the only one that thought Cressida deserved a better friend.

[@peachykeenie756]

Now I think how she handled interacting with Penelope when she was mad at her (before her engagement with Colin) I thought she acted really mature and I saw growth but other than that, she still doesn’t listen well to others yet.When I say YET, I mean in that in my opinion, I think she’s at a point of a break through to really become a better friend to someone

[@aroundthewaygirlnextdoor]

I agree she wasn't the best friend; however, she became friends with Cressida because the other ladies shunned her after Whistledown talked about her.

[@kemthemindfulnarwhal5151]

I agree with everything that was said and I’m also hoping for character growth in the next season.

[@BerusJ001]

She's 150% a fair weather friend, and i hate that for Penelope and Cressida

[@sethulakshmyes7534]

I used to relate with Eloise. Someone who wants to do a lot with their life but the circumstances wouldn't allow it. I would have also been upset if my friend did something i wanted to do for a long time and never told me about it. Because since she knows how to do it, a little advice wouldn't help. Even after they sort out all their differences, Eloise never does anything to aquire accomplishments, and Penelope never even attempted to help her either. That is when the connection was lost. She only talks never does, never listen

[@JessicaLynYoung]

There are so many examples of Eloise being a bad friend since the beginning. She never listens to what anyone is saying and only wants others to hear what she’s saying and steamrollers over over other women.

[@mimismsx]

this !! she is so much better in the books, I will fight anyone who says otherwise. like, not sorry, this show eloise is not my eloise is not the slightest, this is not the eloise I fell in love with in the books. this show has butchered every beloved character. the only ones that managed to be spared was simon and daphne ( who despite their one glaring issue, overall make the most sense )

[@sakuraesther6309]

Even the way she treats Daphne and her child . so weird

[@ohw5306]

Thoses small moment were there with Crassida too OMG and yus she's alway so rude to ppl when they have a 1 to 1 talk with anyone

[@mishynaofficial]

Eloise is so toxic

[@kresspqressie7722]

She not self centered maybe narcissistic one.

[@EmilyFoxSeaton]

Eloise was so cruel in cutting Cressida off for being Whistedown when she knew she wasn't. Seemed like she was looking for a reason not to have to deal with Cressida's problems while pretending she had the higher ground.

[@jaceevens654]

Wasn't it cause the shit they talked about her family and her siblings parentage?

[@trialerrorsharer9398]

​@@jaceevens654 Yeah she implied the bridgertons children were bastards who slept around. That rumor could've ruined everyone else's chances of marriage.

[@lstarsabb]

@@jaceevens654Eloise cut her off before releasing that and Cressida mom was responsible for that part

[@jaceevens654]

@@lstarsabb cool, i mean she had no way of knowing it was her mom and anger gets the best of you, she's not perfect. I wouldn't say she's cruel though, she was just pissed off, and rightfully so. Like Eloise isn't properly socialized and doesn't share interests with other girls, she's gonna pick up the masculine traits from her brothers because they shared interests but people put so much imaginary ill intention behind her actions, when to me its just like she's not intentionally being mean its completely accidental from her lack of socialization. She's a complex flawed character but not the only one. Pen is a problem and I don't like people talking about her like an angel just cause she's a bullied wallflower and so people empathize with her. Last bit was entirely from my own frustrations from the video and not anything about what you said btw. Just argh about things and words came out and yes i can edit it out but then it doesn't feel like I've said it so it sits in my brain. Here people can ignore it but my brain forgets about it and is able to move on.

[@okaybabe5473]

@@jaceevens654 if she didn't cut her off and really find a way to help her. I know she an un married woman with little power but what bothersome to me is that She did not even try. Cressida is just desperate. It's just cold.

[@rica3947]

Eloise always complains about how everyone just wants to get married - then she has a friend who desperately needs help avoiding a horrible marriage and she doesn't care in the slightest and just drops her. ugh.

[@ice-rock137]

Frr I didn't like her character at all she claims to be a girls girl but she always criticize other woman ... Eloise bridgerton is the definition of a white feminist

[@NissiShamiso]

Eloise didn’t listen to both Penelope and Cressida when they spoke to her

[@kresspqressie7722]

Indeed. Not cared for everyone also have their own problems because she think they're like npc, stick with society terms that not suitable for her in her brain.

[@sems0485]

Cressida talking to her about her plan to not marry an elder: I can´t really deal with this right now Penelope telling Colin discovered her and practically asking for help after she saved her ass and her family´s: Sorry but I can´t help you Colin dealing with the struggle his fiancé is LW and that his own sister knew about it: I told her to tell you but also you lied to me hiding your feelings for my best friend (even though they weren´t friends in that moment) ELOISE MY GIRL ARE YOU FRICKING KIDDING ME JUST STOP AND DEAL WITH SOME SHIT FOR ONCE

[@elisa4620]

​@@sems0485XD That's a good summary of her attitude. Also : how dare you stole my best friend (that I haven't been talking to for the last year and that I apparently stole from you when we were kids)!!! Or continually claiming LW ruined her when her life was not affected AT ALL. No one is ever shown looking down on her or making remarks. Debutantes flock to her and her funny/witty lines (which means that she isn't seen as unmarriable either). The only thing that was ruined was by her one choice and overreaction : she could have let some time pass and go back to discuss politics with Theo, she probably also could have found ways to still attend assemblies. It's not like her family is locking her in her room.

[@marshmello3455]

@@sems0485 Eloise's inability/unwillingness to engage in a modicum of perspective taking makes her an unsafe person with whom to be fully vulnerable. As regards Colin not telling Eloise about his feelings for Pen, Eloise has directly proven to be an unsafe person with whom to discuss his dealings with Pen. He told Eloise about his "coaching" situation with Pen and both Bridgertons acknowledged that this is a thing that should not be bandied about the Ton. Eloise shared that shit in public the same damn night. I don't read this action as act founded so much in malice as it is Eloise working through her incredulity that Colin and Pen care about things that she does not, and feeling left behind/replaced by her former friend. That Eloise didn't spill the secret maliciously doesn't make the secret any less spilled. Colin has good reason to keep secrets from Eloise, yet Eloise has the temerity to get mad at him for protecting himself from her. Eloise's blind spot for others' perspectives/motivations/desires is one of the reasons I tend to push back on the notion that Pen should have told Eloise about the Lady Whistledown situation. Eloise had been ranting about how she could use the platform given the opportunity. This indicates that if Pen (a human being used to being steamrolled by Eloise) shared her identity with Eloise, it would have been subsumed by Eloise's agenda and opinions. While I'm inclined to agree that Pen could use her platform more responsibly (as book Penelope did), she has the right to decide how she uses her own voice, especially when it was such a battle for her to even find her own voice.

[@innocentnemesis3519]

Also, to your point about Eloise’s threats during the engagement speech: she does this only to turn around and shun Cressida for making the same threats. She’s turned out to be inconsistent and very hypocritical.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

Hypocrisy is the best policy that should be her motto.

[@shilpavijay7490]

@@viktorijasarac1171 Isn't this the Ton's Motto ? Hate LW, but keep buying and discussing what she wrote. Absurd !

[@viktorijasarac1171]

@@shilpavijay7490 I agree that is why Eloise is perfect example of ton

[@Artjommetro]

Yes, but Cressida blackmails Pen because of her own personal gain while Eloise thinks about her brother Colin :/ But it is true, that the engagement party was hardly the time for Eloise to threaten Pen

[@missanthropy6174]

No, what Eloise did with her toast is very different from what Cressida did. Eloise told Penelope repeatedly to tell Colin that she was LD, because he deserved to know, and after Pen put it off twice, Eloise gave her a deadline and the toast was a reminder. That’s not blackmail. That’s “you tell your fiancé the truth about yourself or I will.” Cressida leveraged a secret and threatened ruin on the Featherington and Bridgerton families for her own monetary gain.

[@khfan4life365]

Eloise was way better in the books. While she was a proto-feminist character as seen in the show, she had more layers. She loved her family and friends and was a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews. In the show, all she does is complain about “how hard” life is for women, while she is oblivious to the poor people around her. She’s literally part of the 1%. She has more rights than the poor, male and female. It’s very obvious that the writers used her as their mouthpiece for politics but forgot her gentler traits that made her a fully realized character in the books. The friendship between Pen and Eloise in the books was way more realistic. They genuinely cared about each other. In the show, it just feels like Eloise is using Pen to make herself look good.

[@tammydreamwriter2877]

This!

[@irynazahrebelna]

Disagree. Book characters seems one-layered to me. Personally I prefer them in the show. You can see the actual growth. Peneloise reunion was so believable and healed me from my personal friend break up experience. Her proto-feminist views were a bit silly and annoying in first 2 seasons, and I’m glad they took another direction this time. Now it’s really interesting to see her arc in the 4th season.

[@Desdaemone]

Not agree with the last part: "In the show, it just feels like Eloise is using Pen to make herself look good". She is just a bit self center and think she's not like "this other girls. She's more like a rebelious teenager who is againt society, but she also very lazy . Pen said it. She want to change the world but do nothing except complains. Eloise in the show is not perfect and I hope she will change.

[@RitaBaumann]

They took Eloise's depth and gave it to Portia. I get it, because the actress who plays Portia is amazing. However they needn't have done it at Eloise's expense.

[@yashaswinikrishnan1878]

almost like a sidekick yes

[@Hendrik_McSims]

I think Eloise does care about the people around her but always puts herself first. There was this one scene where she blamed Cressida for gossiping about Penelope getting help by Colin, but really it was just her being reckless. I really wished there were more oppurtunities where she was taken accountable like that. It makes sense with Cressida becoming a villain again since the only friendship she ever had broke down.

[@ohw5306]

There are actually way more examples of this and the problem really is she doesn't get called out on it most times

[@elisa4620]

But when she gets called out on her privileges and attitude she cries like she's the one being hurt, runs away... And still do nothing about it.

[@ohw5306]

@@elisa4620 arghhggggh yes

[@zanealexanderZA]

She never listens to any of her friends talk But expects to be listened to Also breaking up with your best friend then befriending their bully is messed up

[@Natta44]

High school girls are like this. It's a power move, it's like extra mean because you are actively hurting them and want to watch them suffer in isolation which Pen was. Awful.

[@NE8675309]

100%! While watching this season, especially the second half, my mother and I must've said this at least a dozen times. "Eloise is a bad friend; I mean she's a terrible friend." Immature, self-centered and unable to empathize with anybody's experience if it differs from hers. It all shows in the way she had no sympathy for Cressida at the end of season 3. Cressida screws up by blackmailing Penelope, no doubt about that, but Eloise refuses to even acknowledge the desperation that led her there. When Cressida was talking about the awful, ancient man she was supposed to marry, all Eloise was focusing on was how to make Penelope squirm. She wasn't a good friend to anyone. She also said she couldn't help Pen with Colin after he finds out, despite the fact that she was the one who let Pen write the article to protect her. So much of why Colin was angry with Lady Whistledown was because of how it hurt Eloise, and even when she was relying on Penelope to protect her and their family, she complete disavows herself as if she hadn't come to Pen in desperation. Even the first time we ever see Eloise & Pen get in a fight, it's because Pen snaps when Eloise is just ranting about Lady Whistledown, completely waving off Pen's desire to marry. Because in Eloise's mind if she doesn't want to get married, then Pen shouldn't want to either. Imagine your best friend being in love with your brother for years, and having no idea. She barely understands Pen as a person, because she never paid attention. She took advantage of Pen's quiet wallflowerness to project her own beliefs onto her and then actually got offended when Pen pointed out her privilege.

[@diandrearoberts5803]

This was the comment I was looking for...like she blatantly asked pen to write the column correcting the Bridgerton's name and because of that she was found out...and all of a sudden Eloise couldn't help pen like wth....thennnnnn when Colin asks her how long she knew...all she wanted to do was protect herself at anybody else's cost!!!

[@kresspqressie7722]

Yep

[@ninaschust3694]

It's disappointing how the writers bend the personalities of the characters to put more pressure on Penelope to force her to disclose her secret. They f*Ed up both Eloise, Colin and Creseda to get Pen moving. Disappointing.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

I loved friendship between Cressida and Eloise because i felt like they could grow and change together. I was disappointed with Eloise's and Penelope's friendship but they fall out was on both of them. I was hoping since Cressida doesn't tolerate Eloise's bs that Eloise would change and could be more empathetic to women on situations like Penelope's and Cressidas. I really hate that scene were one lady wanted to talk about needle work and Eloise rudely interacted and changed the subject because she was not interested in that. LIKE WHAT IS WRONG WITH LOVING NEEDLE WORK? Sorry if what i saying wasn't articulated good i have dysgraphia. Thanks for video❤

[@Marina_7]

Right? God forbid other people talk about their likes and interests, they are inferior to reading and anything else Eloise wants, she's smart and anyone who's into something else is stupid 🙄 (Sorry for the attitude, I've actually grown to like her more throughout the seasons, at least more than in S1, this is just something that triggers me)

[@ninaschust3694]

As a woman with AUDHD I would have either zoned out or also tried to change the conversation, if I didn't like the topic. Fortunately for me I love sewing 😊

[@viktorijasarac1171]

@@ninaschust3694 me too 💕 I love sewing, because of my late mother It helps to keep the memory of loved ones. Her sewing machine is my treasure which I would hopefully pass down.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

@@ninaschust3694 I understand. I am a good listener and I like to listen to people talking about their hobbies even if they don't seem interesting to me. There are a few tropics which really bor me so I usually drift into my head to watch series while people talk.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

​@@Marina_7 I agree ❤

[@collegeopera]

At last someone has said this! Eloise is a terrible friend!

[@viktorijasarac1171]

I agree I wished she was more like her book counterpart. While she was not perfect in books at least she wasn't backstabber.

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

Which sucks because part 1 started developing her and than bring her back to who she was in part 2. I blame the writing of her than Elosie herself.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

@@gabrielleduplessis7388 I agree but maybe the writers want her to have up and down in her character arc so that she changed seems natural when it's finally her season.

[@sakuraesther6309]

Obviously it's the writing.Eloise Bridgerton is a fictional character😂😂​@@gabrielleduplessis7388

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

@@viktorijasarac1171 maybe.

[@innocentnemesis3519]

I think when people dismiss Eloise as narcissistic, they probably mean more that she’s a don’t-pick-me. I’d call her a pick-me, but she has made it clear her whole “I’m not like other women” schtick is very much NOT about finding a suitor.

[@ninaschust3694]

Dr. Ramani: Lack of empathy, grandiosity, entitlement, arrogance, superficiality, chronic egocentricity, admiration and validation seeking, envy, incapacity for intimacy and instead exploiting and using people in relationships. It's dysregulated anger, it's the two faces, the validation-seeking face in public and the abusive one in private.

[@alexblainelayter7703]

@@ninaschust3694 I think that's more Lady Featherington. Eloise is self-absorbed and self-righteous, she has narcissistic traits but then, so has Colin. Maybe what you get when you get unconditional love and privilege without reality checks - they are both quite naive. But at least in seasons 1 and 2 Eloise was able to feel remorse and she was a good sister to Benedict. If the writing of the show was better one could say that, psychologically, it's consistent that Penelope feels drawn to the familiar and accepts selfish, neglectful behaviour from Colin and Eloise because that's what she grew up with, whilst she's also really drawn to what she's been clearly missing, a close supportive family.

[@ninaschust3694]

@@alexblainelayter7703 almost all men have had those traits - especially in the books especially towards women. Funny that most comments are about the women being like that 😉

[@alexblainelayter7703]

@@ninaschust3694 I couldn't say, I haven't read the books. But I'll take your word for it. I'd argue that men being like that towards women specifically is more abusive than narcissistic, if they can be great friends for their peers. Narcissists are that way because of childhood trauma. Abusers are that way because of a learnt value system that puts women and children in the 'object and property' category. So kind of unsurprising that this is what many men were like in that era, when women and children were indeed their property.

[@erinm9445]

Can we drop sexist stereotypes used to bash women like "pick-me"? Kthanks!

[@CeeCee962]

*I said this on Twitter but:* Eloise exemplifies White feminism: She’s obsessed with the unfairness of her own experience but has complete privilege blindness when it comes to her situation Vs that of other women. Especially women who live with intersectional experiences that compound their oppression. Eloise is often judgemental, dismissive and blind to how women are devalued within their own families AND society and just how much familial love, support and wealth plays into her privilege. This is partly why she’s a terrible friend to Cressida and too self-obsessed to see Pen _(or that their spinster pact came from a place of defeat for Pen, and privilege for El)._ There’s more to this but… that’s the simple version.

[@CoRLex-jh5vx]

The 'unfairness of her own position' is also BARELY unfair. She has a family who will support and fund her through pretty much everything, for her entire life, but she uses that to just complain about how unfair it is and how women should have hobbies, then criticises them for the hobbies they choose to have. She could choose to write about her thoughts, actually campaign for change, because she is in the perfect position to, but all she does is complain.

[@kresspqressie7722]

​@@CoRLex-jh5vx this is why i called her cruel. She did share her thought and dreams with Cressida and trying to make real friend with Cressida but it's just like light alcohol to distract her. Because she won't to care with Cressida situation doesn't mean El also not have sympathy or emphaty to her. Like totally ignore and ditched Cressida when LW drama comeback and only think about herself, or her family. It's seemed she also not family person so why she like that? She lost in herself spin around to see but actually she can see a lot, just she won't because it's not her taste. Awful

[@Natta44]

Yes best comment on here 👏Pen and Cressida's situation was born out of desperation to escape. Eloise had a good, supportive, loving upbringing. Pen and Cressida's bad sides came out of survival while Eloises bad side comes from entitlement and boredom.

[@CeeCee962]

@@CoRLex-jh5vx All I’ll say is: While Eloise is highly privileged, she’s still a woman in regency society. And no matter the privilege, living in absolute patriarchy is not something I’d dismiss as ‘BARELY unfair’. It’s completely unfair by every legal and social standard of gender equality. But her experience as a woman is cushioned by the multiple privileges she holds that she’s too immature, self-centred and sheltered to recognise. Which is hollow for someone whose whole character is about being an advocate for women and girls. The rest I agree with.

[@CeeCee962]

@@kresspqressie7722totally agree, tbh by the time she dropped Cressida she was already done. The LW reveal was just the excuse. Eloise never intended to be a true friend to her and I’m so disappointed by how dismissive her character was to one of the realest feminist issues of her time, happening right in front of her face.

[@SarahBurke-hv6my]

I'd like to point out that Penelope showed more consideration towards Cressida in her latest Whistledown issue than Eloise. Can someone tell me that I'm not crazy for thinking that the writers purposely ruined Eloise's character for whatever ungodly reason?

[@islasullivan3463]

Honestly my hope is that since there was something about enemies returning that Cressida will come back to call Eloise out on her being a bad friend. Then Eloise goes to Pen to talk about it and Pen’s says something along the lines of I don’t like her but she’s not wrong.

[@elisa4620]

I don't know if they did it on purpose or not but it's getting tiring to have her be such a parody of a feminist.

[@elisa4620]

​@@islasullivan3463I would LOVE that!

[@lydia-roseaigbedion6025]

Agreed. Season3 part 2 Eloise felt uncharacteristically cruel to Cressida. Like that scene where Eloise said something to the effect of " well what do you want me to do? yell at your dad for you?" to Cressida. While it sounds crazy that is actually something Eloise would do-- yell at a man for thinking women she be married off to men 3x their age or going into a soliloquy about why that's wrong, but we just scene after scene of her crapping on Cressida.

[@EmyN]

Hopefully it’s for her growth next season

[@reneall_day]

I found it super weird when the moment Eloise found out about Pen and Colin getting engaged she was just immediately like "wAs oUr wHolE fRiEnDsHiP a rUsE?!" like girl that makes no sense the tow of you spent a lot of time together even when Colin was away and yall had plenty in common. I personally liked that she was showing growth or at least room for it in the first half of the season but they just regressed her like they keep doing with Benedict.

[@reneall_day]

*side note I'm not saying they're making Benedict a worse person, but I do believe they've been watering him down from season to season. What happened to the Benedict that wanted to go to art school?

[@sentient.dumpling]

@@reneall_day i think they are setting him up very slowly. he did go to art school for a while and then quit when he found out anthony meddled in his acceptance. and now he is kind of living the rich bachelor lifestyle he's lived before until he figures out what he wants/finds the courage to try again. at least that's my interpretation (i have not read the books)

[@mordecaiissad8529]

It's kinda a ridiculous question, but I understand it in anger and shock. From Eloise's perspective it's another huge thing Pen has been keeping secret and she's questioning everything about what she thinks she knows about Penelope and their friendship. The only reason Pen was able to have a access and a relationship with Collin was because of her friendship with Eloise.

[@blaNkEuLa]

I think from a friendship perspective Eloise's "anger" makes sense, let's say you're friends with someone and they have a crush on your brother and you only learn about this after a huge fight. You would also go back and think "i wonder if she hung out with me just to see him?" because why would your friend not tell you something this important?? If they had actively talked about Pen having a crush on Colin, Eloise would be really accepting.

[@nemofish3504]

Okay, but it was VERY OBVIOUS that Penelope had a crush on Colin. Everyone seemed to know but her own ‘best friend.’ So while I agree it’s a shock, how can you justify it when you’ve known this person for so long? This person kept two big secrets from you, secrets that had you really paid attention to your friend and listened to what they had to say, you’d might’ve figured out sooner rather than later.

[@strngenchantedgirl]

Her friendships are a bit one sided. She is way too concerned with her own dramas and perspectives and struggles to even think about how other people might think and feel. But yes I think it’s just immaturity. Probably a desire to exert herself and get out of the shadow of her perfect golden child older sister combined with a sense of being different caused her to be a little too self absorbed. I would love to see when it’s her turn to really be the main character to mature and grow as a person. I still love her character on the show though.

[@medsm3113]

When Eloise said that Colin would not love her if he knew the real her, it really shook me, because, to me, it spoke more about Eloise being unable to love Pen anymore.

[@AnaK-kx4lr]

Well said. And Pen's engagement night panic attack was largely due to Eloises blackmail (even if it didn't include money). What a way to enjoy your special night! Also, I know Kanthony are super cute, but couldn't they wait the next day to announce their pregnancy?

[@runrunrun_runaway2607]

True … and yet I argue she didn’t know truly know Pen either

[@tammydreamwriter2877]

I can’t help but feel that the fight at the end of season 2 was the first time when both of them (Penelope and Eloise) were honest about what they feel for one another- and Penelope grew in leaps and bounds without Eloise around. Eloise only cares about the things that matter to her. Even her opinion of Lady Whistledown was glowing and full of praise… right up until her own family (and by extension herself) was affected in a negative way. She didn’t care about Penelope as a person and the others wants and dreams. When Penelope shouted at Eloise that the other woman was jealous because she had actually DONE something (that most women of the time could not have achieved) with her life while all Eloise did was talk felt more truthful to me than the friendship itself. I really wish that the show had really doubled down on that and had Penelope put her in her place rather than have Penelope trying to get the friendship back all season. It almost felt like they were trying to walk back all of Penelope’s growth by forcing a happily ever after with the Bridgerton family.

[@jackierosas9593]

What Penelope did was not right but she spent the whole season giving El her space and apologizing. Eloise should be upset that Pen didn’t tell her brother about LW but her tactics were cruel and mean spirited. I wish it was something along the lines of, “hey, you can’t marry him without telling him. I’m upset with you about it but let’s figure out how to tell him together. “ She ended up not wanting Pen to tell Colin, and one of her motives was because Colin would be upset with HER for not telling him. Also, Penelope is never given a chance to fully explain (to El or anyone). Whistledown from prior seasons is painted as almost completely bad but like you said, El admired her. Penelope even tailored her writing to Eloise’s critiques. Eloise’s bad listening was called out by Cressida but all her growth is retconned by her treatment of Cressida and even Pen. She made up with Penelope but it didn’t feel earned because Penelope was so passive the whole season and Eloise’s faults from the Season 2 finale were never brought up by 0:15 Penelope.

[@tammydreamwriter2877]

@@jackierosas9593Exactly, we got that grand reveal of Penelope blooming, only to wash it away after that instead of fully embracing what she wants and owning her achievements while focusing on getting what she really needs to be happy as a grown up strong independent woman- so the ending that we got didn’t feel earned on all fronts.

[@flatwhiskers]

Cressida also called Eloise for the same thing, as Pen did at the end of season 2. Both pointed out that they were doing something, while Eloise was all talk.

[@sejaladvika9254]

​@@jackierosas9593it is Penelopes mess , why should Eloise do anything about it? You got yourself in this mess and now you have to find a way out.

[@deffdefying4803]

​@@sejaladvika9254 agreed, penelope should sort her own mess out. but penelope is young, ruled by emotions, and still not truly aware of her own power (note all the "burn book" style rants she writes when she's still raw from being personally hurt), and eloise was her first real friend. so when penelope is in over her head she panics and immediately claws for any help she can get, which is understandable, and means that her first port of call would be eloise. so i honestly can't blame her for feeling like that, but i also must blame her for getting into these situations that make her feel like that. like girl... whistledown isn't your private burn book, it's a public gossip column and scandal sheet.

[@viktorijasarac1171]

She was always a bad friend to everyone. That doesn't mean she doesn't love people but she is blind privileged and takes a lot for granted. She doesn't think about other people and they motivate and feelings. I was somewhat defending the same of her actions in season 2 but in season 3 she's worst I would not like her to be my friend because with friends like her who needs enemies.

[@imsungjaesmelody.thesnorte5623]

Penelope was literally having a panic attack and Eloise keeping on pressuring her to the point she fainted.

[@ThisISmetrying_13]

To realise you're a bad friend when two complete opposite people tell you the same thing us wild

[@chelseasmith2287]

THANK YOU! I was really bothered in part 1 when she was so dismissive of the embroidery convo. Her attempts to "fit in" were always tinged with resentment. I thought Cressida calling her out would spark a change, but in season 2 she says the friendship was souring. Bitch when? When Cressida had her own problems and wasn't focused on yours? She said that she felt invisible that season despite us having a scene with the girls naming her talent and actively trying to include her. And how quickly she turns on Cressida despite knowing she was lying! It's like "Well I'm making up with Penelope don't need this chick around anymore!"

[@rica3947]

yesss exactly! the second Cressida wanted to talk about her own, very serious problems, instead of just hating on Pen with Eloise, Eloise lost interest and dropped her.

[@emmalang4954]

I was thinking this!! In the 2nd half it was rather clear to see she wasn't nicest of friends. Especially with how she ditched Cressida the way she did, felt very selfish. She is a rather flawed person and it shows. Certainly gives further dimension her.

[@Crafty1006]

I hate Eloise, she is nothing but self centered and privilege . Through out this season she could have done so much more to redeem herself. Like she could have told Colin the reason why Penelope wrote bad about her cuz of her situation with the Queen, then could have a least try to understand Penelope’s POV, try to do something that’s positive instead she messes everyone up. Like how she convinced Cressida to reveal herself as lady Whistledown MF then convinced Penelope to write another sheet only for her to get caught to Colin, how selfish she was to see Theo during Anthony’s supposed wedding to Theo which caused her to be almost in trouble with the queen

[@vickyvale711]

WAIT! When did she convince Cressida to come out as Lady Whistledown. Eloise did not do that? I’m genuinely confused how you came to that conclusion. Everything else you said I agree with tho.

[@blaNkEuLa]

She wouldn't tell Colin about Pen trying to save her because SHE doesn't care about it. Pen tried to tell Eloise multiple times that it was for Eloise's own good and thats why she had to write something bad about her but Eloise would not listen, she cared more about Pen being the writer and hiding it from her, that's why she wouldn't tell Colin because she's selfish, and chose to not see that her friend was ultimately trying to protect her. Also like the other comment said, Eloise didn't tell Cressida to come out as Lady Whistledown, not sure where you got that from, it was Cressida who realized that if she pretends to be Whistledown and come out she could get the bounty money to herself.

[@aliiciia555]

Last season(2) she wanted to print her own LW issue so she could save herself from the Queen. In this season (3) when Cressida tries to print her own LW issue to save herself from being forced to be an old man's wife and asks Eloise's help, El broke off the friendship and pretended that she believed Cressida is LW. Cressida did the same thing that El just tried to do in the last season. All I am saying is there is a parallel and it didn't reflect very well on El.

[@sophiefredrickson9370]

Omg, that is awful

[@mariaskabardonis8353]

I did understand why Eloise was mad last season but this season in this half she seemed very self absorbed suprised that Penelope liked Colin. When Marina, Cressida, and Penelope sisters knew and one barely knew and the other don’t like her. Second of all, she was definetly not listening to Cressida when she was going through pain. She could have said to give her parents to give her a little more time a guy on her own. Or as you said to get Lady Danbury to help. I do hope there is growth because I think she’ll still make the same mistakes being so me me me.

[@Dutch_chess]

I think most viewers completely missed the weaknesses of El because we were being redirected more towards the side plot of who Lady Whistledown is in S1. You start seeing in S2 how terrible of a friend El is. She had no problems with LW talking about others in the column. Her agenda to find LW was to influence the writer. Even the way she treats Pen as her lackey sidekick, no wonder Pen started LW. Not even P's bestie actually listens to her despite being kind to her in other ways. While I don't hold it against Eloise since she is young and I know I have been a terrible friend to some of my dearest at that age, you can clearly see she needed to grow as a character. She did not do the girls she was friends with any favors. Eloise refusing to hear Pen's explanation of why she blasted her last season. The way she was terrible to Cressida after the fake LW reveal despite knowing her terrible situation. Not being there for either Pen or Cres shows how bad of a friend she is in general. The fact that El refused to help Pen with Colin after C finds out about LW despite Pen doing it to protect El and her family, is another red flag. El has a lot of answer for in all that drama. Not all of it was Pen's fault. Claudia Jesse did such a good job highlighting what is wrong with Eloise. Eloise is basically a cautionary tale, to me, of how to not treat your friends. Self-centeredness makes you miss out on what is important to the people you love. Honesty is not always handed to people freely especially from people who you took no care to listen to attentively. If your best friend and brother being in love was a blindside to you, then maybe you are lacking in paying attention to your loved ones.

[@mjacobs5041]

Eloise is deeply uninteresting - she is like a robot NPC that says different versions of the same line (why am I so limited as a woman?!) in different social situations no matter what the context. Nothing against the actress - the character is just not well written as a human being.

[@gabbytheartfriend]

This! This is why I’ve been so irritated with Eloise, because I’m sorry, Penelope has “lied” about being in love with Colin, or you just never paid enough attention to her to notice. She’s not been subtle!

[@Marina_7]

And even if she hadn't been, it's not as if she was ever all up on him, she never really believed he'd ever really like her like that, so she always avoided babbling about her crush to people. Them getting engaged was quite sudden too, and because *he* confessed. I'm a huge believer that her heart is her business if she for any reason doesn't feel comfortable sharing her feelings about her crush.

[@marshmello3455]

I agree that El could have pieced together Pen's obvious infatuation for Colin if she had paid any attention to Pen's real motivations and desires. Even if Pen's infatuation were less obvious or she - as some suggest - intentionally and specifically hid it from Eloise, I do not at all blame her for doing so. I said this elsewhere about different secrets, but it remains true here (perhaps even more so!); Eloise is not the safest person to tell a secret to. A secret like being in love (with anyone at all, let alone Eloise's own brother) would likely be met with judgement and dismissal. Eloise repeatedly scoffs at and dismisses the notions of love and marriage as being important things to people. She repeatedly behaves (even outright states in season 3) that she doesn't understand that other people can and do see the world differently than she does, that they can and do want different things from life than she does. Can you imagine telling someone like that you're in love? Can you imagine *Pen* telling someone like that she's in love? Pen is continuously overlooked and undervalued by everyone including (and in some ways especially) El; it would have been terrifying for Pen to expose the softest part of her heart to Eloise in that way!

[@jkp1219]

It shows that 1 she is so self absorbed that she doesn't notice her "bes friend" has a crush on her brother with YEARS of evidence. And 2 she thinks of Penelope's prospects.... never. Having full knowledge of the expectations of young women and the risks of a woman NOT finding a husband, she knows she'll be taken care of so that is all that matters.

[@elelonger4409]

I felt so bad for Cressida 😢

[@vernicegirl8987]

What’s crazy is Eloise doesn’t really have a personal reason to not like Cressida. Cressida never really did anything to her. I get Eloise not liking her for what she did to Pen but in that case she should have never befriended her in the first place. The constant switch up with Cressida was exhausting.

[@MariaRevArt]

Some of the audio bits overlap each other. Grateful that someone else sees that Eloise is not a good friend and pretty self-absorbed.

[@rica3947]

i couldn't even enjoy Pen and Eloise being friends again because of how much Eloise annoyed me. She seems like such a terrible friend and her just laughing about Cressida with Pen, while Cressida gets carted away and basically locked up sits SO wrong with me.

[@glenpai343]

she did write about her family being promiscous and bastards and whatnot. AND she also threatened and blackmailed them soooo...

[@garlantyrell6368]

@@glenpai343She was desperate. Besides, that was mostly her mother telling her to do that.

[@violetlavi2207]

I find myself astonished at how she had multiple opportunities to stand up for Cressida and didn’t. Even when Penelope was willing to pay Cressida double the queen’s reward (WITHOUT knowing anything about her situation, at that), Eloise didn’t encourage that…and let Colin make the situation worse!

[@cupidshh]

Just hated the part as to why she was soooo upset with Penelope and her brother being together 🙄

[@LauraAura977]

Eloise stirs up a lot of drama, is super judgmental then runs back to her protected loving family, while other suffer bigger and having way more to lose. She did both Cressida and Penelope so wrong on multiple occasions. She also treats Daphne like crap for literally no reason in Season 1.

[@MoonlightBrillance]

Why did Eloise ditch Cressida for pretending to be Whistledown when she knew she wasn’t? The friendship “souring” was not shown on screen at all and what we did see makes Eloise look like a bad friend. Not helped by her befriending the woman who bullied her best friend and antagonised Daphne only to ditch her anyway for a bad reason! What was the point of this plotline? This season was so poorly written 😭

[@elisa4620]

I'm writing this before watching your video: thank you for opening up this topic. Eloise has never been a good friend nor a good sister. It is telling when resident mean girl Cressida was being a better friend than she ever has been. From day one she was selfish, entitled, never listened to anyone, judged everyone but refused to be judged. She was often disrespectful and arrogant. And she never accepted the consequences of her mistakes and actions. I couldn't stand her in S1 and s2 and I was hoping that S3 would show her grow more mature and responsible. But alas no. Despite a promising first part where she did seem more willing to listen to others and understand them, the second part pulls a reverse-uno card and has her back to her selfish, self-centered narrow minded ways. I almost appreciated her insisting Penelope must tell the truth to Colin. But the countdown, petty pressure and making it all about herself and not wanting to face the consequences of her actions and decisions... It also might be only my biased opinion on her and interpretation, but I think that she made "what LW wrote last year" so much worst than it actually was. She wasn't ruined by it because Pen specifically told something no one would be surprised by and carefully kept the rest secret. It felt that, feeling of betrayal aside, it was her pride more than anything that was hurt. And it didn't make sense for her to "break up" with Cressida so suddenly when she did. It would have make sense later, after the fake Whistled own issue. But at the moment she did it felt more like using it as an excuse to get rid of a relationship she got tired of without having to feel guilty for abandoning someone. How many people must tell her she doesn't listen to others for her to get it? How many must tell her she complains all the time but does nothing about it? It looks like she is finally starting to get it but it's a bit late for me. I wish I could love her and love watching her grow. I'm just disappointed I guess. But hopefully she can become a lovable character. Edit : that said. This works because the actress playing her is EXCELLENT at portraying her and don't shy away from expressing her bad sides. We may not like the character but we may aknowled the actress 👏👏👏

[@dramasvt7808]

they really need to spend time developing a good arc for her before they start with her season or at least in the first 2 episodes of her season because season 3 truly ruined her character

[@katiesmith2447]

Well I think we can all predict the likelihood of them taking the time for this 😂.

[@shadykazama8958]

I've also been saying this but when Eloise suspected Pen of being whistledown, instead of just confronting her- she first WENT THROUGH ALL OF HER PERSONAL BELONGINGS. Which I get it, you want evidence, but that's just not something you do to someone you've been friends with since you've been children!!! That's such a huge huge breach of trust and privacy for a hunch SHE COULD'VE BEEN WRONG ABOUT! Like imagine if Eloise found no evidence and Pen caught her just going through all of her things. I think anyone would be incredibly pissed off and feel betrayed.

[@rf5218]

I think that, given the way how Colin would fall just short of saying "lets jump the bitch" every time Whistledown was mentioned before the reveal in season 3 I think it was reasonable for Eloise to think that Colin would fall out of love with Penelope if she were to tell the truth.

[@gidgetboggs1656]

Book SPOILERS, If the show still follows her relationship with Philip, I would be interested to see an interaction where he agrees that Marina should not have had to marry him, but also points out to Eloise that there's a difference between being idealistic and actually helping people who aren't in as privileged of positions as he and Eloise are.

[@lalalulu17]

I feel like Cresside wouldve been in a better place if she has befriended Penelope instead of Eloise. Imagine the thing Lady Whistledown would write about Lord Greer in order to save Cressida from marrying an old man.

[@Nahuelindomable526]

LOL I doubt Penelope wants to be her friend after the nasty things Cressida did to her in previous seasons.

[@h3lloh3llo]

​@Nahuelindomable526 which probably the writers should've had Pen go talk to Cressida instead of Colin.

[@Theeldritchwitch]

Eloise has to be the most annoying person on Bridgerton. She's constantly talking down on other women and thinks she's smarter and so different from everyone else

[@huongspy1626]

I agree. I can't believe that Eloise is so insufferable this season. She's such a bad friend to Penelope and Cressida! I remember the scene where Cressida wanted to tell Eloise her plan to escape from her engagement (she would pose as Lady Danbury to claim the Queen's reward) and Eloise never listened to Cressida. If Eloise had been there for Cressida, Cressida wouldn't have caused so much trouble for herself later.

[@syaliishi914]

her treatment of cressida (who is also a victim) was so sad to see. honestly, felt really bad for cressida throughout the season :((

[@delanybell5613]

My biggest problem with all of this in regards to Eloise is that the writing absolutely did her a disservice. At the very few moments she gets called out and is given an opportunity for growth, it’s completely thrown out and goes nowhere. Her character would feel so much more fleshed out and real if we saw any kind of growth or change, but it just goes right over her head. A lot of this season felt like that, not just for Eloise, but this and polins storyline suffer the most it feels. It felt like they just stumbled into a happy ending but Penelope and Cressida took the brunt of the suffering and blame for everything. It felt like no one actually got to communicate ANYTHING. Penelope spent the 2nd half of the season literally begging to be forgiven and loved by people that are supposed to be by her side but treat her TERRIBLY and anything meaningful Cressida said to Eloise felt like talking to wall. Like was I supposed to be rooting against her? I completely understand why she did what she did. With the way Eloise was treating her I thought it was going to end in some kind of consequence that would finally give her some perspective and growth. Cressida was so desperate for a way out and all she got was punished for it and Eloise doesn’t care at all. Such a disappointing season overall.

[@stormy6029]

Her writing and acting are the worst parts of the show

[@lainadelpay]

My sentiments exactly. The 2nd half of pens season didn’t feel like a love story

[@MoonlightBrillance]

The writing and direction this season was just so poor. And because it performed so well numbers wise, I doubt they’ll resolve these issues next season :/.

[@greeneyelove2003]

Eloise is the 'I'm not like other girls' girl that makes you want to scream. And she wants to be respected for different views, but she can't respect others who have their own views.

[@akshayaravi7680]

She is a rich brat with champagne problems, she never cared for pen, she befriended her ex bestfriends bully, she is the one who blabbered about polin lessons, she is so self involved that she cannot even let the happy couple be without making it about herself and once she thought cressida will write bad things about her and her family she suddenly wants LW's help. I also think she is jealous of pen as she was able to do something worthwhile with her life

[@rachelsato7953]

Out of all the characters in Bridgerton - Eloise is my least favorite. I feel like she’s supposed to be the strong, feminist, smart, and driven character but she just comes off as entitled, whiney, and self-centered. She idolizes lady whistledown for being a woman with a career then dislikes her later on for being a gossip mill instead of talking about feminism and the stuff that she wants to read. And I feel like she’s just kind of jealous of lady whistledown because she can independently make her own money without a man. Also, she also only complains about her own problems, she never listens to her friends and their issues. Sometimes I feel like their problems are way worse than Eloise’s and she’s just like “uh huh, uh huh, now on to my problems”. And I feel like she’s been told more than once by Pen that “not everyone can be a pretty Bridgerton” and that not everyone has the loving, rich family that the Bridgertons do. Like Eloise can either marry (because she’s beautiful and rich and everyone would kill to be associated with the Bridgerton name) or she can not marry (and her family would probably give her money and rooms in the house for the rest of her life since they are close). So she has all this privilege to choose the future that she wants and constantly hates on women who try to seek a husband because that is their only option for a good, secure, and possibly happy future. Also, in the video they mentioned that Eloise started talking to other ladies at the ball and they were laughing at her jokes which was a nice sign that maybe she was growing as a character and showing her likable side. However even that annoyed me, as I feel like some of them wanted to talk about piano forte, dancing, reading, sewing, and other activities that the women in the ton liked to do to be more marriageable and she just made snide, sarcastic comments about how it’s so dumb that those are their hobbies. She fancies herself this great thinker, and she does like reading, but other than that I don’t see her doing any hobbies or trying to make money or business for herself like she keeps saying women should do for themselves so they don’t have to be reliant on men. Also, when women, like Daphne, truly do want to get married and have a family she belittles them too. I understand in this time women really couldn’t have fulfilling lives without being married, but how is it unfeminist and vapid to want a family, a husband, a house to look after and children? And like the video went over she’s horrid to her “friends”.

[@alyssapinon9670]

Mine too. I also think that if she were a real person alive today, she’d be the biggest white feminist.

[@adrianagauci4894]

Penelope’s mum is the only character with any real interesting plot line and development in this show at this point.

[@majinneda]

Thank yooouuuu!!! I think a lot of people forget just how hurtful she was repeatedly to Daphne in season 1 as well. She is a bad friend, but I think you were right in that she also has a lack of empathy for other women.

[@greenllamasnails]

I honestly think Eloise was a better friend to Penelope in S3 Part 1 (while they were apart) than she ever was in the previous seasons. She didn't want her friend to be left lonely, went to visit her to apologize about spreading gossip about Colin and Pen etc etc And i was so hoping that her and Cressida's friendship would make her learn to be a better friend (which i think in some aspects it did) except that in the end Eloise treats Cressida how she used to treat Pen... I was so pleased that Pen and El reconciled at the end of Part 2 but man I wish El learnt way more from the lessons of S3

[@allisonlong8857]

I despise Eloise. She's a horrible, immature friend. She's horrible in general actually. I miss the Eloise from the books.

[@PatricisHeth]

I miss a lot of the characters from the book, as well as the story line.

[@lydia-roseaigbedion6025]

Got to say, they are all horrible to each other. And this part 2 just makes them all look worse. I feel like pen is just more socially palatable because she is quiet. Pen litterally "figures out" that she is punching down on people when she was writing as Whistledown. Mind you this is something Eloise told her the LWD could talk about so much more in season 2. And pen bullies people via Whistledown just like Cressida bullies people irl. Cressida is a bully but at the very least we understabd where that is coming from and she questions her mother for writing about the Bridgertons. Eloise is just obnoxious but she does initailly try to help and empathize with her friends. For example withdrawing support of LWD when pen was subject to scandal, looking of LWD to retract her statements on pen and her family, visiting Cressida at her family home assisting her with lord debbling, even telling cressida its okay to keep her distance from her. Like she does help, but at a certain point she stops because what else can she do? Once the whistledrama started all that got thrown out in favor of drama. Which she has a right to see to the end because pen hurt her and her family and continued to do so into season 3. In the end, non of them are listening to each other and theiy are just back biting.

[@kresspqressie7722]

I agree with u

[@vickyvale711]

Thankyou!! Penelope is my favorite character, but even I can admit that she is a bit of a bully. People often criticize Eloise for being a bad feminist, but praise Pen for writing scandalous things about other woman. The best part of this awful season was when Pen finally confronted her mom about the shitty treatment she received growing up. In my opinion, Penelope used LW as a way to avoid the needed conflict between her family and Eloise. Pen isn’t much better than the Ton either. Confronting her family would have done more for her sense of self and confidence that Lady Whistledown could have done. I loved that Lady Featherington actually called out Penelope. She said that “I took their money, but you took their dignity”. And I lived for it! I’m glad my girl is living a life outside of the shadows. There should have been a lot less angst though.

[@StrawberryFrog985]

I usually stray from crackships, but to be honest it was very saddaning to see that none of the Bridgerton's can see past their priviledge. While Cressida is a bully, and no one should forgive her, she truly called Eloise the only one she could trust. While at the same time Eloise called her Viper. Even though Cressida has reached out, looked up and tried to honestly create something with Eloise, even if we think it was both a jab at Pen, or the fact that Eloise is a Bridgerton it felt really bad, they could at least have had one last discussion where Eloise got put a peg down. For her character improvement, and tha same could be said for Cressida it had such potential!

[@gracehaven5459]

My two cents as a person in grad school to be a therapist: I have a bit more grace for Eloise because of her age group. She's supposed to be only about 19 this season, a teenager still. She is still developing mentally. What does that entail precisely? Well, at 19 and into the early 20s, we are still rather focused on our own experiences and issues developmentally. It isn't until about our mid-20s that we start fully appreciating other people's hardships and experiences, and incorporating it into our actions. Teenage years are about discovery, personal identity, and world expansion. Discussing ideas and asking the "what if's?". Eloise is right on schedule and even typical for her age group in her thought processing and social interactions. Development isn't linear, nor are all individuals on the same timeline. I fully expect Eloise and Penelope to still be exhibiting some level "selfishness" and "immaturity" still. They're just young girls still figuring out their world and how to interact and behave in it. Though some of the writing and characterisation is definitely flawed in-universe, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't impressed by some of the details included with young womanhood. At least some of the writers definitely have memory of what it was like to be a young girl and how that impacts your relationships with friends, family, and significant others. We expect girls to be more mature than their age group as a society so often times. Eloise was indeed behaving a bit petty and immature when it comes to her interactions with Penelope and Cressida this season... but most 19 year old girls are. She truly believes she is acting the right way because of her lack of real world exprience. They're still learning. They're still growing. It's just the nature of the process. Is it an excuse to hurt people? No.... but I do believe we as a society need to learn to be kinder to female characters for being imperfect and by extension the girls and women in our society as a whole. Alright, I think I've preached enough! 😂

[@delanybell5613]

This is a great way to put it!! I’ve been trying to find the right words for why I found her character arc this season so disappointing. It’s understandable why she’s acting the way she is because of her age, as irritating as it can be as a viewer. I think what actually disappointed me was that there were many moments set up for her to have a moment of growth or a realization moment, especially with Cressida calling her out, but it all completely regressed by the end of the season. Of course, growth is never linear and there are going to be times when you mess up, but it felt like the first half of the season was really highlighting her blind spots and even set up some growth for her (like when she went to apologize to Pen abt the gossip in regards to Colin helping her out) but then completely walked it all back in a very bizarre way by the end. Not in a way that felt like she would get any growth from it in the future. She essentially faced zero consequences for the way she treated Cressida and even Penelope. I’m hoping her going to Scotland with Fran will be used to have her reflect on these past few seasons. She mentioned she wanted to see more of the world so she can change it, and I hope that experience is able to help her reach some kind of change herself. I just wish there were any kind of consequences for the way she has treated her friends so far. Because while these kind of behaviors are normal for someone her age, there are still consequences. We’ve all had that falling out with a friend in our late teens that we reflect back on and realize where we were in the wrong. I would just like to see that from her. Otherwise it feels like a disservice to her character overall and sloppy writing.

[@gracehaven5459]

​@delanybell5613 right, like I said, the writing and characterisation is definitely flawed to be sure. The season definitely needed a few more edits before it hit the floor and they dropped the ball on that

[@katiesmith2447]

I believe her age can help excuse some of her behaviors towards Penelope and Cressida. However, her snide comments towards the other woman regarding embroidery wouldn't be appropriate from someone even half her age.

[@gracehaven5459]

​@katiesmith2447 to that I would say I think we are too rigid with portrayals of female characters. If a man did that we wouldn't bat an eye, but for the female characters we desire for them to be kind, always and have little grace for imperfect ones that aren't portrayed as downrightvillains. I truly believe the intention was to show Eloise being a bit bratty in that moment as a point of character. It implies she still has a way to go in being progressive with women but being accepting of traditional femininity. The scene was intentional.

[@DanieB322]

THANK YOU I HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THIS VIDEO CAUSE I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY LIKE ELOISE IS THE WORST FRIEND SELF-CENTERED ENTITLED BLIND AND SPOILED PERSON

[@annadough5309]

The fact that she only decided to truly side with Penelope and accept her again was when she and her family were threatened by Cressida is DIABOLICAL.

[@Veda.]

The audio is a little disturbed from 8:50 to 9:20

[@deborahtheexplorer]

I’m so sorry about that! My audio shifted, I hope you could still enjoy it!

[@Neddoest]

Didn’t read the books and never will. It’s out of character for me that I’ve even watched this ridiculous show But season 3 was kind of awful and not in a fun way. Cressida’s storyline was the most interesting to me, hands down. I was really hoping for Cressida to fall in love with a hot Welsh chick and live happily ever after.

[@Natta44]

Tbh I really thought she would end up with Lord Debly. Yes she would be bored and lonely, but she'd be married and secure but still be a mean gossip in the ton.

[@jh-hh6vs]

I thought Eloise befriended Cressida to hurt Penelope. Cressida isn’t pitiable in my option. So, Eloise doesn’t listen, that is said in the book. She also talks constantly.

[@mordecaiissad8529]

I thought they became friends become both were lonely and alone in the country with no friends. It was a friendship of mutual convenience. However it grew into something more for Cresida but not for Eloise.

[@purpleflows5680]

Eloise is definitely “not like other girls.” 😅 All joking aside, I wish they would have hit up on the clear jealousy she felt because Pen is actually doing something. Because of their privileges, the Bridgertons as a whole seem to have a blind spot for their arrogance. Eloise treated Pen like her “DUFF” and then was petty when she found out Pen is so much more. Yes, with many flaws, but still a woman taking action and doing things in the world. Unpopular opinion: Colin treated Pen in a similar, arrogant, “how dare you be better than me at something” manner. The Bridgertons likely think, consciously or subconsciously, that they are better than most people, including their friends and spouses.

[@BeautifullyAnimated]

I do feel like if Penelope had known of Cressida's troubles, she may have helped with her article. Especially understanding the effects of abuse delivered by your own family. Update for clarity: I'm not talking about Pen helping Cressida right an article. I'm talking about Pen talking Cressida up to find a husband in Pen's Whistledown article. This would've had to happen before Cressida became so desperate, she'd lie about being the writer.

[@kresspqressie7722]

This, they actually can talk instead rush like "noo my family will die bcs u pen or bcs cressida?" Pen has power for herself and for the oppressed so she can do that with help or calming a while. El know Cressida's Problem or Pen need help to calm the axienty so maybe they can change Pen meet Cressida and ask why. The books? After changing Michael become Michaela i think Shonda Rimes no need the og storyline more, just borrower the characters from it then make greater show.

[@nopename01]

I call Eloise "The Judgist". Everything is always about her. She gives nothing of herself and expects everything from others. Just a selfish person all round.

[@kengeorgejones6855]

I think Eloise has always hidden behind the "not like other girls" persona and is the type of person who thinks everything she says or believes is profound, while having little time for the struggles of others. I do appreciate the work from Claudia Jessie, and I enjoy certain moments with Eloise (like her scenes with Benedict), but otherwise her role just tends to feel like the same resentments going unresolved and repeating season after season.

[@timingmile7030]

I think the writers should have gone with the Theo storyline to help her character widen her world view beyond her white priviliged life. I can't see her character growing very much otherwise as this season she was an awful friend and person to be around. She constantly mocks other women for their desire to be married (their only option in life) and lets them down when they come to her for help. Her being kicked out the ton would have done her character a lot of needed growth. I don't see how her going to scotland to live in a castle will have the same effect and she is still within her privliged circle.

[@sjotsu4000]

Good. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Eloise has always been a bad friend.

[@emmawikander8382]

I agree with you! I was actually mortified at how easy and quickly Eloise discarded Cressida. And I don't think Eloise's actions are warranted regarding Pen. I get she's mad and might have needed to take some time to cool off and think but she makes no effort at repairing their friendships and gives Penelope no tools to reach out either. She makes it very clear she wants nothing to do with Penelope. Thank you for bringing this up! I agree, Eloise is not a good friend. Not to Cressida and not to Penelope.

[@garlantyrell6368]

Eloise is such a bad friend. She didn’t even give her official congratulations to Colin and Penelope after the whole LW was revealed. All she was concerned about was “changing the world” or some bs like that.

[@Laurannbeckerman]

Thank you. I have been saying this this since episode 1. I hope she gets better because I don’t think I can handle her season if she’s still that unlikable. Also her borderline fetishization of the printer boy she liked in season 2. He literally tells her all the reasons why she is privileged and that she takes everything she has for granted and she just refused to listen to any of it and continues to act the same. I love the actress but omg her character is so obnoxious.

[@ygritteweirwood9298]

I know it isn’t historically accurate, but the costumes are more so than Eloise’s character. It’s funny that she was reading Emma as Emma was less out of touch with reality. Women needed marriage to eat, have a house, to live in the world. The options are limited. Being a mantua maker was a different class. You see the problem with the Mondriches. He would not be allowed to run his bar and be in the ton. Eloise did not comprehend how sitting on the Bridgerton fortune made her different. Her foray into a friendship with Theo couldn’t even smack some sense into her. She couldn’t think outside herself enough to realize that liaison could ruin the prospects and lives of the remaining single people in her family (a la Lydia Bennet) instead she blames Lady Whistledown for getting caught. She punches down in her whining about the marriage mart and is judgmental AF. I kind of blame Violet but she had a lot of kids but her brothers should have smacked some sense into her. When she said she wondered why people didn’t think liked her, I was like THAT! No sense of awareness. No one ever listened to her and said “ok, so what do you want. What do you want to do that you are being stopped from doing? How can you make that happen?” I think her extended anger at Penelope came from a place of pure jealousy. She wouldn’t talk to her so she could keep her jealousy with a patina of righteousness. I love me a good feminist character (remake of Mansfield park with Jonny lee miller) but Eloise is just plain mean.

[@lesbiangoddess290]

The truth is so evident in this comment. I'm trying so hard not to hate her but why did the writers have to make her like this? As a fellow feminist, Eloise was making me lose my mind

[@yuffiefan7637]

Cressida just got dropped. Clearly she suffered, yes she did bad things- but they all...forget about her? Eloise ignored Cressidas pleas for help so so often

[@nemofish3504]

YES. I agree wholeheartedly. Maybe Eloise would’ve noticed certain things about Pen had she actually LISTENED to her once in their long friendship. The fact that people defend her just make me feel like they’re just like her, the person in the friendship who dominate the conversation regardless of how their friend feels.

[@gotasintrospectivas]

I'm not a peneloise shipper and I had always looked at their relationship as platonic. But, this season I started to question about Eloise's feelings to Penelope. Now I think either Eloise IS Aroace and is suffering because she realized that those closer to her are finding romantic love, and she feels like she is left behind or she has a still not completely understood crush on Penelope. That was a few lines like Colin Said that was a time Eloise loved Penelope too (Penelope this, Penelope that). Obviously he meant in a platonic way, but there were other moments. Colin saying that she is Lucky she never fell in love (after se pretty much Said she was so heartbroken she couldn't talk about it) and she Just stares at him, like she, herself, is questioning. Or when she cried at their wedding, happy af First, but also a little melancholic. So much so that Benedict (the stablished queer character) adressed while she looked longingly at Penelope. Like she had lost her crush to her brother. And The decision of going away for a while. Of course everything can be platonic, but there were so many remarks that could be interpreted as romantic that I Just can't ignore the possibility.

[@gotasintrospectivas]

Just adding that all the pettiness, the refusal to talk to Colin about his relationship with Penelope at First, the "she used me to get to Colin", when she refused to Help Penelope with Colin after Colin discovers about LW. Many, many actions in S3 screamed jealousy and broken heart, like in part 1 she don't hate on Penelope, she Just kept a distance. Maybe Cressida was the start of a healing process for Eloise in part 1. But in part 2, when Penelope is in fact in love with someone else, things have changed. It may be Just because she was protective of Colin or because she realized that Penelope had a lifelong crush on Colin, much like the one she had on Penelope.

[@sharknado623]

​@@gotasintrospectivasactually, yes, it might make sense. It seemed like she was heartbroken, even when Kate went to speak to her when she was sitting sad and alone, and she made that speech about being left alone.

[@Carols989]

this would actually make her a way more interesting and relatable character. also its not a clear line sepparating platonic and romantic feelings I think, its, as most things are, a spectrum

[@sophistoast]

im so glad someone finally said something. She really gives me the serious ick as a character. She is not a good friend. She is incredibly self-centered at all times, judgemental, and selfish.

[@lilwinborne]

I liked Eloise’s development more in season 2, personally. I appreciate that she goes against society with the marriage mart. I like that Eloise and Penelope were great friends at the start! Her and Kate had good conversations! Also, just love hearing different opinions on Bridgerton!! I agree with your points

[@blairanderson5262]

While I agree with a lot of your points, we need to stop cutting Penelope so much slack. She got lucky that she didn’t face much scrutiny from the ton, she literally made money from airing out other people’s dirty laundry. That is toxic and disgusting, especially considering the power and influence the column had. I don’t care how insecure Penelope was. I would cut ties with a friend who did something like this.

[@AlexandraM689]

Agree 💯, everyone is making excuses for Pen or worse celebrating her alias as Lady Whistledown when it's actually a sad girl hiding behind the moniker and using the fact no one paid attention to her to reveal their secrets which she overhears by standing in the corner

[@vickyvale711]

This! Penelope is my favorite character because of her layers. Not all of those layers are positive traits. I have seen far too many people scrutinize Eloise, Colin, Marina, and Edwina without empathy. But they refuse to acknowledge that Penelope has betrayed all of her neighbors. Additionally, Eloise wouldn’t have met Theo and been in danger if Penelope had been honest about being LW to Eloise from the beginning. She only met Theo in the process of searching for Lady Whistledown. Had Penelope said “I’m actually Lady Whistledown”. It would have cut all of Eloise’s self involved rants to nothing. Part of why Eloise had been talking over Penelope is because she was consumed with finding LW, and Penelope would simply go, “oh she isn’t gonna be easy to find haha” instead of shutting Eloise down. I find Penelope relatable because I grew up without a voice, but I realized that I also let people walk all over me to an extent. And while standing up for yourself isn’t easy, it must be done. Penelope avoided necessary conflict that she needed to have with her own family and Eloise by posing as LW. My favorite part of the new season was the argument between Pen and her mom, because that is where her insecurity stems from. Plus Lady Featherington is able to do something that most Bridgerton fans refuse to do, which is calling out Penelope for her fuckups. Portia basically said that her and Penelope are doing the same thing to the ton (and that Pen’s actions are worse). I was leaping in my chair when that happened. Say what you want about Portia, but she is realistic!

[@AlexandraM689]

@@vickyvale711 you're correct 💯 Penelope has a family issues that caused her to develop a alter ego of sorts , the lack of support, no one is denying that but how she went about it is problematic at best . Heck Colin in the books published his journals under his own name without any alter ego , which takes far more strength.

[@Nahuelindomable526]

​@@AlexandraM689 It doesn't seem appropriate to compare Colin and Penelope in this context. Colin can do that because the time of his time allows him to publish his book without problems. Penelope does not suffer the same fate because she is a woman in a time where women almost never have a voice or vote in society. So Penelope has no choice but to publish under a pseudonym. I am not justifying Penelope's actions, I am just clarifying why your comparison between both characters is invalid.

[@Nahuelindomable526]

​@@AlexandraM689 Besides; A fundamental difference between Penelope, Eloise and Cressida is that Penelope had the courage, the audacity and the good sense to admit guilt for her mistakes, try to improve and try (within her means) to fix them. While Eloise and Cressida never admit their bad behavior and never make even the slightest effort to improve their toxicity. It is not my intention to idealize Penelope, I am just clarifying an important fact about the 3 characters. In addition to explaining why many of us prefer Penelope (with virtues and defects alike) over Eloise and Cressida.

[@ohw5306]

Omg yes 😢 she was such a fair-weather friend the entire time and I thought I was the only one who thought so. She seems to be a fan favourite so I kinda thought that her actions would have been overlooked while noticing the small things that she did to be very concerning

[@jkp1219]

Her not understanding that Pen as LWD was OBVIOUSLY writing to protect her from the Queen suspicion just put me off so much. Like, we're supposed to believe she's intelligent AND that stupid at the same time? Yes, bad feelings etc... but COME ON! The alternative would have been much worse and she absolutely had to know that.

[@Einamla10k]

Eloise truly pissed me off. My last straw was when Cressida cries and she just didn’t gaf. Like girllll you went to her house during court hours and now you wannna not be present….typical Eloise. And again how the hellllll you didn’t peep your own best friend liking your brother. And she didn’t even seem close to Colin as she was with Benedict sooo why act like you’re losing them when he runs away to travel all the time… AND she should’ve had the queer arc not Fran

[@williethomas5116]

For all her talk of female empowerment Eloise is a fair weather friend. She doesn't have the backs of the other women who are her friend when they need her most. It's not out of malice. It's out of fear. Penelope called her out about it. "At least I've done something!! For all your talk that is all it is talk!!"

[@CH-vb1qb]

I think a lot of Eloise's inattentiveness to others doesn't necessarily come from malice. It's not that she doesn't care about them, she's just self-absorbed, and I mean that in the best way possible. She always has something that she's obsessing over in every season, whether it be Lady Whistledown's identity, keeping herself from getting married, or Penelope's secret identity. She doesn't notice Cressida's desperation not because she doesn't want to, but because most of the time, she doesn't leave room for consideration for anything else. She's continually shown a very obsessive nature, and once she gets hooked on something, whether that be a goal or a secret, there's no room for anything else for her to consider. Once again, this isn't out of malice, but perhaps passion, or even being overzealous. She's so focused on not getting married, on not being one of those girls who's shackled down by marriage and an overbearing husband. She's ambitious, she's driven, but it's so much that she's become overzealous, and therefore unlikeable. I'm not defending Eloise's actions by any means. I agree that she wasn't a good friend, but perhaps her actions have more to it than just simply not seeing it. Combined with the obsessive overzealous nature and her goal driven self, along with perhaps a smidgen of a hope she was clinging onto that Penelope would also hope to be like her was why it took Pen straight up yelling at her for her to realize. Penelope was basically Eloise's only friend, and if Penelope was running off to get married, later on to her older brother, no less, would mean that Eloise is basically left alone on the marriage market with no one to really rely on. In her moment of weakness when she was broken up with Pen, she meets Cressida and the two hit it off, but Eloise's obsessive nature strikes again and Eloise ends up becoming a bad friend to Cressida. It's also possible that Eloise didn't consider how much Cressida's problem was affecting her. She could have thought that Cressida was a strong enough woman that she could handle whatever life threw at her. But that's just speculation.

[@dayschange2]

Oh, whatever video editor you were using clearly burned you in the export process. I'm so sorry. : ( Love your thoughts though. I've had mixed feelings on Eloise throughout the course of the series too. I've been hearing different things as whether the next season of the show will focus on Eloise or Benedict, but I find myself hoping that Benedict will take center stage so we can have a bit more time to see Elosie mature into a more thoughtful person.

[@lucidtofu]

I really love that this is brought to light, but I always thought that the bridgerton family members aren't 100% good people or 'so nice' as said in Romancing Mr Bridgerton, but especially the bridgerton children. Daphne and Eloise are both privileged and often blind to actual struggle, even the ones other aristocratic experiences. The boys are known rakes both in books and show, always utilizing their Bridgerton name to show power and outrank people. The boys also became a good -or at least better- people only when they're around their love interest. I can't articulate this thought well right now but Bridgerton family is essentially virtue signaling without the virtue.

[@gilly_axolotl]

I dont even hate Eloise, but i swear she will do everything in her power to involve herself in other people's business, but the second they need her help, shes like "i cannot be involved in this any longer"

[@gabrielleduplessis7388]

With Cressida, I feel the break up happened too quickly because of the too many side plots. On the important aspects, especially with Eloise, the writing is the issue. They need to slow down and focus on what they set up instead of adding storylines we don’t have time to invest in. I feel slowing this down can show Eloise being upset that she can longer be friends with Cressida, but still learn from her experience and maybe try to help her. The breakup made sense, but didn’t at the same time. It was too rushed.

[@Hendrik_McSims]

I think the friendship fell apart for many reasons, but the other plots were more important so it wasn't adressed. I think Eloise never really cared about Cressida to begin with, then she lied about being Lady Whistledown even directly to Eloise and Eloise not wanting to be seen with her then was the final nail in the coffin.

[@stormy6029]

She's not supposed to be a likable character anyway. Nobody likes her. Plus her actor is awful.

[@Elly.Trevisan]

So glad I’m not the only one who thinks Eloise was a terrible friend to Cressida!! Great video, thanks for sharing!

[@VyctoriaBrooks]

All your points are on point. I had a friend from elementary school until freshman year of high school similar to Eloise. She was the smartest girl I knew, and I really admired her feminism and perspective. But she was very selfish, pointed, and unaware. Our friendship ended because she had a groups of friends (me and her were best friends but sat with different friend groups throughout the day) that I did not like. They were really immature and already had fights amongst each other. I warned her that they would eventually turn on her but she didn’t want to listen. She thought she knew everything, and again she was super smart, so didn’t want to ever see anyone else’s perspective. Eventually, because I wanted to to hang out with her more, I began hanging out with all of them. Over time, I even became friends with everyone, built my own relationships, and truly became friends with all of them. So one day, when my friend wasn’t around, the girls began talking about her. I told them to stop, but tbh they weren’t making fun of her, more so pointing out her strange behavior. We all believed my friend had an eating disorder and that was th main discussion. It was the first time someone else had said something about it, something I’ve tried to confront my friend about, so while I never participated in the taunting (even told them to shut the shit down) I did talk about it with them all. Later on, she found out from another friend who twisted the situation. My friend comepltey flipped out instead of listeining to everyone- making it clear she always thought she was better than us/feeling embarrassed because people were talking about her. I understood this completely, which is why I tried to stop the convo as soon as the empathy for my friend was replaced with teenage bullying. However, she didn’t want to believe me or listen to me, and she told me she knew what was best. Then she told me to choose between her and them. Again, I told her not to trust these people. I told her not be surprised if they talk shit about her. I defended her, and I was the only one to do so. And i had my own friendships with the girls. They sucked, sure, but unlike my friend they asked me about myself, cared about my interest. My friend thought it was cooler to not go to dances or ever partipate. She was very chronically online and didn’t even like hanging out outside of school. But I wasn’t like that. I wanted to date, girl to parties, be my own person. I was very much the Penelope, always be told what to do or think and I believed her because she was my Eloise, smart, confident, had more than me, and acted like she knew what was right. I chose the other girls, because neither choice allowed me to win. But if I choose my Eloise, I wouldn’t have blossomed and have the confidence in life nor happiness I have till this day. I felt like I’m excited to see Eloise grow. But in vey happy for Penelope. Sometimes you can’t figure out that the ones who love you are the ones holding you back. I remembered once that I talked to my friend for two hours and not once did she let me talk about me. It was always about her. And she wasn’t a bad person, but I never allowed myself to be pushed away like that. I matter and I am a powerful force. I allow myself to hold myself back when I don’t advocate for myself. Go Polin!

[@beanie168]

For me, as well as the treatment of Cressida, I was put off by Eloise begging Penelope to write a Whistledown to clear the family name, but then basically washing her hands of responsibility when Collin finds out that night. She 'can't help her out".

[@nerodiseppia99]

What I didn’t like is that in the second part of the season it’s always Pen who has to say sorry while we don’t hear once Eloise apologize to her. I hoped she would’ve come to her senses and reflecting on how she treated Cressida, so that she would have said to Pen how bad of a friend she was… but no😅 i guess we will see her growth during next season