Bridgerton parents guide: This steamy period piece is not for the kids

It’s been a long wait for Bridgerton season 3, but the first half of the season is almost here on Netflix, with four episodes to work through tomorrow, May 15, 2024.

This upcoming season, we’re focused on Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan) and Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton) through their burgeoning romance. Penelope is done being the one forgotten about. She’s pursued Colin and hoped he would choose her for so long, but now he is gone and she is ready to live her life for herself. It’s time for her to find love.

Meanwhile, Colin returns home and finds out that his best friend is no longer there for him. Does he start to see Penelope in another light? It’s time for another Bridgerton sibling to settle down.

Before you get hyped for a binge to prep yourself for Season 3, take a look through our parents guide for the first two seasons, so you know what to expect.

Bridgerton parents guide: The TV-MA age rating explained

This Netflix series is not for the younger viewers. It’s rated TV-MA in the U.S. It is worth noting that the UK has a 15 rating, which suggests that it could work for older teenagers, but you’ll want to check it out first. There are some steamy moments!

Sex & nudity: The first two seasons have brought plenty of both. This is a show that is not afraid of showing women’s breasts. There are also scenes where you can tell a man is giving oral sex to a woman. There are also scenes where people are having sex on beds, although usually, only the man is naked and it’s not full-frontal nudity.

Language: There is a lot of cursing throughout the series. After all, the show is making the most of it being on a streaming platform. The F-bomb is used a lot. The B-word is also dropped a fair few times throughout the first two seasons. We’re fully expecting the same with the third season.

Violence & gore: We don’t get too many elements of violence in the series. The focus is on love and romance. However, there are a few fights between men. At one point, Simon punches Nigel in the face. There is a scene that involves childbirth, which is on the graphic side for a romance series.

Alcohol & drugs: Considering this is a time period when the alcohol was safer than the water, it shouldn’t be surprising to hear that there is a lot of drinking throughout the series. There is also a point where “snuff” is used, which was the drug of choice at the time. Plenty of characters smoke cigarettes and cigars, making it clear the fact that this is set in the Regency period.

Overall verdict: Who is Bridgerton appropriate for?

If you have younger children in the house, watch Bridgerton once they’ve gone to bed. They will find the level of sex and nudity in the series uncomfortable. Older teenagers may be okay watching this, but there are chances the want to watch it alone and not around their parents! This series earns its TV-MA rating when it comes to the sex and nudity, though.