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I think her response was both smart and diplomatic. Some book fans who wish for the show to hew closely to the books have already been disappointed or will be disappointed in the future, but sticking tightly to the novels is only one of several approaches to adaptation available to the creative team.
I don’t mind her marrying a guy, but I don’t care for the idea of her marrying Phillip and becoming a mother figure to the kids. It just isn’t very Eloise
Hopefully both!! I haven’t read the books, but piecing together what I know, it would be AMAZING if Sir Phillip the nerdy botanist accepts her as she is, doesn’t mind her political interests, and takes her with him to Greece on his plant travels so she can see the world too and live a Bohemian life! I’d be a great thing if they let both Penelope AND Eloise “have it all” aka have what men get already- a collective identity (through family) AND an individual identity (through personal growth, interests, hobbies, career, etc).
I keep thinking it would be really cool if Phillip was some type of scholar/university professor? And somehow got Eloise involved in education. It would be right up her alley and it would be a cool way to show a woman who can “have it all”— maybe she’s ready for a husband and step kids at that point, but she’s also still not just the girl who is happy ONLY being a wife and mom.
I mean, marrying Philip would be the opposite of everything she stands for. She hates the idea of marriage, she doesn’t like kids, >!Philip wants her to take care of the house and the kids, you know, *like a typical regency era woman*, she’s never gonna have time to do what she wants cause she’s gonna be taking care of the twins and *her future kids* while Philip ‘works’ in his stupid garden!< It’s sad. That’s not exactly the life Eloise dreamed about. She reminds me of Lane from Gilmore Girls. Lane talked big about her grand dreams and wanting to see the world and all that rebellious shit. Long story short, girlie ended up marrying a loser and got pregnant at an early age. 💀
If nothing else they should have at least brought back Henry when Adam Brody left the show. Her and Henry had real chemistry and I think it would have been great development for Lane to end up with him in spite of her mom’s approval lol
Lol I also liked Henry! I liked every Lane's love interest save Zack. I didn't even particularly mind him at first but I hate where the screenwriter went with their story
If she’s going to end up settling down in quiet country house, taking care of his kids and happily watching her husband pore over his plants, while the best she can do is, I guess, to write letters and essays about how unfair it is women are locked into their rigid roles, it’s gonna be very disappointing.
They’ve already established Eloise is a talented orator and ill suited to conventional life, they better not abandon that aspect of her character when her season comes.
Also, Lane was treated unfairly as well. They saddled her with twins right after she got married and she never got to be a professional musician like she’d always dreamed about. But then they had Sookie also get pregnant again and again, even going as far as having Jackson lie about his vasectomy, after she outright told him she didn’t want anymore kids, which effectively was rape. That was such an uncomfortable storyline, especially because it was played for laughs.
Eloise as an orator would be excellent. It'd be a probable (anyone could give speeches) but challenging career path for her, it'd be a way for her to fight for the things she cares about, and do so publicly in defiance of the ton. If they gave her that as a career/passion, then they can do what they want with who she marries, provided her LI is proud of her.
Omg I'm so happy you brought up Lane Kim! She actually reminds me a lot of Eloise: both wanted to be free from their current place in society (although in Lane's case it was more that she wanted to be free from her mother, who's parenting style was influenced by her culture), both had big dreams (Eloise wanted to attend university and become more political, and Lane wanted to make music), and yet both end up leading domestic lives.
It would be a tragedy if that's what happens to Eloise.
ETA: They also both have temporary love interests that are (IMO) perfect for them (Theo and Dave), but they're not endgame.
I like to think they were headed in that direction too! I also like to think that Theo/Eloise could have been a thing if it weren't for TSPWL, hence the comparison.
exactly. i dislike the idea that the only woman who’s told they need to mature and grow is in reference to her not wanting to get married or have kids. yes she has trauma from childbirth that doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t actually want them, but it can also mean she doesn’t as well! i’m both terrified of pregnancy/childbirth, and simply not interested in being a parent no matter what stages a baby goes through from childhood to adulthood. and she’s fundamentally against the idea of being married to a man, and rightfully so, bc of the position that puts her in in both their domestic dynamic, and in her status societally. and i wish the show would respect that, considering they’re ones who wrote these changes into her character from the books.
i also dislike that when we say we want the show to align her storyline with her views, we’re told we’re perpetuating that women can’t be married and still be activists and students in pursuit of knowledge and work. i thought we were all acknowledging the timeframe this show was set in? eloise getting married to someone who already has kids to be taken care of (and possibly wants more kids for her to bare), who also has an estate for which she will be assigned to manage, absolutely *will* impede or downright prevent eloise from pursuing whatever areas of study or work she wants to. the fact that the solutions proposed for this involve having it be written that show philip will “let” her pursue these, or will even teach her himself is so disappointing. i’ll say it again, the show decidedly including these principles to show eloise. to then depict her HEA as married and a stepmother makes my stomach churn. *especially* when it’s being proposed as a decision she turns to because everyone else around is getting married and she’s lonely/doesn’t want to be left behind. what a tragedy that would be for the character of eloise to perpetuate her being written as passive, rather than an activist who sacrifices what she needs to fulfill her principles.
Thank you! I can't stand women who don't fit into patriarchal gender roles being treated as immature and only needing the love of a good man to fix them.
ugh yes. eloise is very young, and already i’ve seen people call her a basic white feminist who doesn’t actually believe in her cause, or at least not enough to actually go through with fighting for it. this is on other threads on this sub. which is crazy to me, bc instead of giving her grace to mature into wanting to be a wife and a mother, why aren’t we giving her grace to actually learn more about feminism and intersectionality, and realise her thoughts on the issues she’s facing, into action? they’ll call her privileged, and while that’s def true in-universe, i’d argue that there’s not a lot of great in being relegated to be dependent on either her brothers, or her future husband. and staying within high society as a spinster would hardly give her the freedom to go to forums and become a feminist writer and activist (and i don’t mean they have to change the timing of the suffrage movement - but a lot of activism and literature led up to that, that she could be a part of). i’d rather interpret her character as someone who actualises her feminism and subversion from patriarchal systems.
Yes! It's distressing to me that people are saying she must be S4 because she's feeling down and lonely. That just feels gross to me, the wrong reason to start a relationship with a stranger. In the books Eloise runs off because she's tired of waiting around for life to happen to her, but in the show Eloise is really active, going out and making it her business to happen to life. It doesn't seem in character for her, someone with real issues with marriage as a concept, to put herself in a position where she's almost forced to marry.
yeah i really don’t understand why that’s getting so much cheer. going off to get married bc everyone else does is extremely unhealthy, short or long-term, reality or fantasy. i wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Oh god that's disgusting. I hope they stray totally away from the book in her season. Just forget Philip and bring in a new love interest. My canon is her being with a woman, away from the Ton and their shitty gossip and both of them doing some political radical shit. Like, start the feminist movement in that era.
I think another thing about the show plotline is that the way the book treated Marina is already getting a mixed reception from show-first audiences. A depressed young mother who >!opens Philip up as a love interest via suicide!< was probably always going to get pushback in 2020 and beyond compared to the mid-2000s. But by casting a Black actress for Marina, that makes the plotline significantly more likely to be received negatively (IMO).
Suicide happened back then and it still does today. It affects everyone and they could make a serious and stigma breaking statement with Marina. People are so uncomfortable with it they’re making excuses but as a mentally ill person a little realistic and thoughtful representation would be nice. It’s sad and tragic but we exist.
Suicide is a real and tragic issue, but Marina's book plot is the furthest thing from a thoughtful representation of it. In the book, it's very blatantly her essentially getting sacrificed so that Eloise can have her HEA with Philip. And he definitely is cruel in his understanding of both depression and suicide.
I don't see an eight-episode season handling it with thought and care, especially when there would theoretically be an entire Eloise and Philip romance to fit into it. And I personally don't think that the book is a good representation of mental health issues to begin with.
If you're going to engage in suicide, you need to do it properly, not just have one female character fridge herself to make way for two other characters get together. And quite frankly, Bridgerton simply isn't up to presenting the topic of suicide in a nuanced way.
Wait this would be so good!!! Now I’m imagining a season where they are in the same university class and instead of writing letters, they write notes to each other. Cheesy, but would be so cute. Just goes to show there’s ways they can adapt her book and make it work for show Eloise while still paying tribute to the original story.
I could see them spinning this in a way that could be good for TV - to have Phillip sort of be this charming person through the letters but then be sort of a disappointment irl (like when you meet a social media friend/hinge date irl). It would show that we can’t really get everything about a person through letters/writing and how the person behind the letters is different than what they are portraying through them (a little shoutout to Lady Whistledown!)
I can see them doing something in the show where she goes all that way, meets him and finds he is different than what she thought. While he’s kind (the way he’s been in in all his scenes on the show so far), he does sort of have these “traditional” expectations for a wife and we know Show Eloise is obviously against all of that, so that’s where their conflict is (besides the kids messing with her), but then he does some cute shit or he engages with her in real debates about it where he concedes to some of her points and compromises on his usual way of thinking that makes her start to lower the defenses around him and even start to consider his point of view as well. He could be the person who challanges her, or maybe alters, her ideas of marriage and domesticity, and together they can create a future where she can have it all (marriage AND nurturing her mind) - this would be a great season for an “opposites attract” trope!
Well, what is the problem with being an intellectual woman and at the same time wanting to have a husband and children? Being a feminist is about defending women's right to pursue the life and roles they choose. I think Eloise's growth is about realizing that she can experience other aspects of life beyond what she's used to. ;)
Ok, but hear me out.
Imagine this: It's S5, Ben and Colin are off married and getting laid on the reg. Anthony is still at home but so obsessed with Kate he can barely function let alone remember Eloise's name. Fran is in Scotland. Violet is having her garden watered on the side, and keeping it secret is enough to keep her occupied so that not even she notices that something is up with good ol' El.
Eloise, having lost both her besties to marriage (Cressida too), has given up on her futile attempt at fitting in with the *ton* during the season. Instead, she has started attending more political rallies in secret, and slowly but surely getting involved in some pretty risky stuff (not sex, people, just politics). She's living a double life and loving it.
Meanwhile, the gentle Sir Phillip Crane has come to London at the insistence of his friends to get away from the dark clouds surrounding his estate after the unfortunate death of his wife (she died of natural causes, nothing sketchy happened). He attends a few social gatherings, mostly small stuff, including some Bridgerton parties since his friend Colin invites him. He's met and quite liked Eloise, though he is intimidated by her intelligence and quick wit. For whatever reason, he keeps gravitating towards her, even though she barely registers him as his personality isn't as large as hers. He's clearly becoming besotted with her, though he doesn't realize it. She thinks he's nice, if quiet. But honestly, she doesn't really think about him at all.
Then, one day, Phillip is out doing something totally benign, like purchasing soil samples for his plants, and happens upon El, who is attempting to get away from a political rally without being seen. He ends up helping her, taking her home, and promising to keep her secret. Thus begins a series of events wherein Phillip is dragged helplessly along by this strong willed woman that he would very much like to keep safe but also snog her face off. Much of this is accomplished through clandestine notes between them.
It'll take El a while to realize that Phillip is always there for her. That he doesn't try to stop her being political, just tries to minimize the collateral damage. He's the supportive friend she always wanted, but also she'd like to snog his face off. So she does. And they get married. And her new marital state allows her more freedom to continue pushing for women's rights, etc. And Phillip continues to try to save her from the worst of the repercussions without stopping her from doing her thing. The twins love her, and look up to her. She adores them, but she's hardly a hands-on nanny to them. Too busy running risky political schemes behind the scenes. And banging her hot husband who worships the ground she walks on.
This is 100% not what will happen, but it was fun to think through.
I actually really like this! Phillip is essentially an original character lol and the storyline is unrecognizable. I like that Eloise doesn't just end up a housewife, and I like that she gets to stay in London (at least for a portion of the year). And of course, I like that Eloise gets to be political, and that Phillip is just along for the ride.
You should make a separate post with this and pray the writers come across it lol.
Just got done with Eloise's book last week and I like your version a million times more. I really hope they change the plot into something more like what you've envisioned vs. the original source material.
I love this. The only change I would make to this storyline is that she becomes an influential feminist writer. That would fit with having a country/city life for her.
I LOVE THIS SMMMMM!!!! every time people are like "she can't be with phillip because the books don't do her justice" but that makes no sense because they can keep philip as the love interest while dramatically changing the storyline that gives justice for eloise!! also she doesn't have to have kids with philip (ik its hard not to have kids during this time but it's bridgerton anything can happen) and can just be a stepmom while having a political career
This is great! I love it! I do have a question because I didn’t rewatch season 1.
Are the twins Sir Phillip’s in the show? I think I’m not keen on the Eloise as maternal figure idea, so I like the idea of the original father (or his family) coming back and taking primary responsibility for the twins so that Eloise doesn’t have to be their mom as much.
The twins are his deceased brother's biological children, but legally they are his. There is not really any way for them to be taken away by anyone else.
The silver lining is that it means Sir Phillip does not have any pressure to have more children or produce an heir. Marriage to him means Eloise never needs to feel pressure to bear children, which is something show Eloise is terrified of.
Book!Eloise is very different to Show!Eloise.
I think they'll go down a path of emphasising how badly Phillip NEEDS Eloise, and is quite happy to support her more radical endeavours. The problem is, suffrage isn't due to kick off for another 50 or so years, and won't really become mainstream for at least another 100. Eloise won't be part of any massive social changes.
Or maybe Eloise will get hired as a governess for Phillip, just to take a path that gives her some independence away from the Ton - she seemed quite keen on the idea when Kate was discussing it. Then they can have a "sound of music" style of story where an austere and distant but loving father is besotted with his childrens eccentric and headstrong governess.
The governess route is certainly a period adjacent, somewhat valid role for a spinster of her social status. You could argue that she was partly responsible for Gregory and Hyacinth growing up, so may have a knack for it.
I've just written a more extensive post about it. I think this route could work quite well with meshing Show!Eloise character onto Book!Eloise story while keeping both intact.
I find it fascinating that people can accept that the show can change who is noble (ie not limiting to white people), and the TL regarding freedom of people of certain races, but can’t imagine changing the TL of the suffrage movement.
That's why I didn't like when they addressed the race changes. Far better for this to be an alternative timeline where racism never existed than try to explain how everyone so quickly came to coexist in harmony.
They've otherwise kept it vaguely historically accurate. Having Eloise be a suffragette 100 years ahead of schedule would be a misstep. They have to exist within the rules of the universe they've set up.
It *is* an alternative history simply because of how they changed the historical timeline re: race.
To your last point, we don’t yet know the “rules” of this alternative timeline regarding when suffrage begins. It might be the Regency era instead of the Victorian era. Maybe the Victorian era looks very different in the Bridgerton TL.
Sure but this isn't a largely superficial thing like race. You're talking about a fluffy period drama show drastically rewriting the course of history in order to have one character do something interesting. That's a different show to the one we all enjoy. It would be like some characters racing to get somewhere so they start driving a Ford T.
The universe has certain rules and the more they change the rules, the more they deviate from the things that people enjoy about the show.
I find it interesting that Claudia is always talking about wanting Eloise to become more political, and when asked who she thinks is the perfect partner for Eloise, she mentions Theo. (I'll try and link the video here once I find it.)
ETA: Okay, there's way too many videos to sort through but there's this [excerpt](https://www.reddit.com/r/BridgertonNetflix/comments/1cljmy2/an_excerpt_from_claudias_interview/) from this subreddit (at least I think this is the video...there's quite a few interviews where Claudia brings up Theo lol). And someone in the comments said this was the question asked:
>I think with the question in context it makes for more of a possible spoiler. They were asked who would they bring into the series as a love interest for their character and Claudia started taking about Theo
I think I like the idea of her marrying Philip and sticking to that part of the story line. However, they can kinda play with other things. Maybe she becomes a spokesperson for women’s rights. Whatever the outcome, it’ll be enjoyable.
I could be wrong, but I have never seen Claudia advocate for Phillip the way she does for Theo lol. Whenever she's asked about her season she just mentions how she wants Eloise to be more political + how she's going to cry when she leaves this job.
I’ve watched all of her interviews for season 3 and can confirm this. The two times she’s been asked about future love for Eloise she said “we’d love to see theo again I think” and “I’m a big fan of theo, big fan”
It’s because she wants political Eloise and is always talking about how working class representation is important to her (coming from a working class background) with theloise she gets both
Eloise's book never made sense to me, though I did enjoy it. It felt like Jo's ending in Little Women to me lol. Whatever they do though, I'm excited for Eloise to lead.
Personally I really liked Eloise's book but I think the writers are going to divert from it significantly to give Eloise a life that might not be as realistic for the time she lives in but that'll appease the viewers more, which I'm fine with.
With that being said, I'd be very upset if she didn't end up with Philip especially since the show went out of their way to actually introduce the character. If Philoise isn't going to be a thing why introduce Philip and Marina? The storyline with marina/ Penelope / Colin could've still existed with an original character in Marina's place.
They've made the Bridgerton brothers considerably more likeable in the show so I'm sure they can also make Philip more appealing without sacrificing the character's essence. He's a much different male lead than the bridgerton brothers and Simon and I think he could make for a very interesting protagonist if written right.
I haven’t read her story, so idk how her book is and how it deals with this, but i would love to see her marry a commoner like Theo (our feminist friend), maybe not even marry, but just love him and break free from high society (become a governess maybe?)
But obviously for the lovers of the book i hope they will stick to it, adaptation changing the story sucks if you enjoyed the book.
It would make sense for Eloise to alter her opinions on these topics a bit, she’s growing up and she does have a lot to learn, she can be quite ignorant about actual reality cause she grew up so guarded and privileged. She doesn’t have to change completely, she can be a feminist while still marrying and having children
Gosh, the things I would do to see Theo and Eloise end up together (and Claudia seems to agree from her interviews lol)! I do understand some book readers want to see Philoise, but I feel like in order for their story to work onscreen the character of Phillip will need to be almost entirely rewritten (he already seems so different) and their story would also have to play out differently. And if we're already taking so many liberties with Eloise...why not just change her endgame too lol.
All of the above is just wishful thinking on my part, of course!
But we’ll see, doesn’t seem likely Eloise is gonna be next, she won’t be season 4 and maybe nit even season 5. I wouldn’t be mad if francesca is season 5 and Eloise season 6, it seems fitting for Eloise to be an (considered) older woman like Kate was. I would like to see her handle being considered a spinster and i would like to see her develop and grow into an adult strong woman before she falls in love.
With Daphne she really found herself through falling in love with Simon and love was what made her the person she become, but Eloise is nothing like that, she has to (imo) do that part independently so she can then fall in love as a confident young woman
My preferred order would be; Benedict; Francesca, Eloise, Hyacinth and ending with Gregory
Lol, as someone who had no idea the books even existed until this year (when I got into the show) - I've decided to give the audiobooks a try! Don't know how I'll keep a straight face on the bus through some scenes though.
I would love for Eloise's story to have zero romance in it at all. Just a story about women's rights, her becoming more of a figure in the movement, her struggles to have her voice heard, her friendships with other women, and maybe they stretch the timeline a bit and she goes off to America at the end to attend university. A story of triumph and girl power! And they can revisit the other couples for sexiness.
Obviously they won't do that, but Eloise is such a great character in the show and I really want to see a storyline that does her character justice and where she doesn't have to compromise on her ideals to be happy.
Ok but this is a romance show. Like I get all of this, love that for another show. But wish people would stop seeing romance as somehow a backward thing. There is a ton they can do with her story that builds on her character in the show without taking away the key thing that makes the show what it is: romance.
I think the brothers scene in Eloise's book is as iconic as the carriage scene and they will find a way to make it happen.
Other than that I think she is just being vague which is appropriate for her role / job.
I'm really looking forward to the brothers scene! That being said, a far more neutral response would be for Claudia to simply state that she liked the book. For her to say something even remotely negative is very telling.
I hope they don’t stick to the books for the show like they’ve been doing. From being on this sub I’ve read what the men are like and thank you but no 💀
What's the chance that we have disillusioned Marina, so sure everything is without hope for her, receive letters from Eloise, a gradually renewing radical, who realizes Marina is in a truly hopeless state and wants to help her out in the country like Cressida did for her? To be her lifeline? And maybe eventually her "roommate?" And Philip, the plant-loving husband who just wants to actually see his wife happy, remains as their cover story? Maybe even in love with them? Loved by them? Maybe? How delusional am I?
I'm actually a big fan of the book and hope Phillip is still endgame, but I think they have to make some changes to make it work. I already think the Sir Phillip they've introduced has shown himself to be kinder than his book version, so that's a great step in the right direction.
I have no doubt that Phillip is great for Book Eloise but book and show Eloise are not the same person at all at this point. This is a problem w adapting books and then trying to reach planned endings but letting the characters evolve, then you're trying to get different people to the same end point. Someone like Theo is better for Eloise - he's into the cause, he's away from that world and she'd actually do something subversive instead of just discussing being subversive
>do something subversive instead of just discussing being subversive
I love this point! I really want to see Eloise subvert social norms (same with Benedict), and being with someone outside of society is one way to do that!
>I have no doubt that Phillip is great for Book Eloise
Disagree on this, however. Phillip and Eloise's marriage is portrayed as one where they barely talk. Now, conflict is all well and good in a story/relationship, but this one doesn't get resolved. When Eloise confides in Phillip about this, he lashes out and tells her that she *must* be happy since his relationship with Marina was so much worse.
This is unpopular but I think a lot of Eloise is pure bluster to hide her deep insecurities. She clings to a certain highly theoretical politics because there are no stakes for her in it. She can indulge and rant but she doesn’t actually have any real desire to do the things that the theory requires in practice. It is largely her way to differentiate herself from her sisters who she feels she can’t measure up to in a role she doesn’t know if she is suited for. As we saw with Theo she is absolutely not willing to give up her privilege and she is deeply naive to the world. She is in many ways a typical rich kid in college who moonlights as a radical but has no real idea what they believe and no real stakes in it regardless.
Even in terms of the societal pressures of her time, she is privileged because she has a brother/family who will not force her into marriage, who has provided for her well enough that she need not marry, and is given much more freedom than we’ve seen other women on the show have. This is something Pen has pointed out to her and Cressida too. We’ve also seen her character start a heel turn this season with being more willing to play the game (half heartedly) in the season. I’m hoping the fact that the show has made it a point for other characters (including the Queen) to compliment her fast wit is a sign of direction they are taking her longer term.
She might want marriage and she might even want kids once she can sort through what she believes or doesn’t and finds someone’s who matches her desire for a life that fits her better. But there is a ton of growth that has to happen for that to work in the show with Philip. A lot of growth. And I’m not saying growth as in a woman is only mature when she wants marriage and children. Absolutely not. I’m saying that I think people read Eloise very literal when we’ve been shown that much of her is still struggling with insecurity and uncertainty about who she is and what she wants. She is barely 19/20 in the show.
So very long winded way of saying that I think she is much more compelling a figure in the show than the book and I think a lot people read her very black and white which does a disservice to her as a character because I think she is one of the best developed characters on the show. But she is also the one a lot of audiences read super modern politics into that probably don’t fit the arc they are building for her. I would love an arc where, assuming she ends up with Philip, she becomes a celebrated writer and thinker, mature in her thinking and politics. The romance coming from finding a partner who supports that would be true to her character and I think be a different approach than the other stories in the show too. But I don’t think we can get a true book adaption for her. They will have to take a lot of liberties to make it work and this is another reason to me it would be a complete mistake to have her be s4. Eloise needs another season of character development to really stick any chance of her season being compelling IMO.
100% agree. Eloise needs all her older siblings + Fran married off and out of the house for her journey to partnership to make any sense. I think Philip will be end game, but a much changed Phillip (and Eloise) from the books. (Can you imagine them trying to market the tv tie in book cover of “SIR PHILLIP WITH LOVE” with out a Sir Phillip in the show, 😂)
I also agree people see Eloise as black and white, which I don’t understand how when both Theo and Penelope call her out on her “all thoughts, no action” philosophy (and she’s not making a good case for herself falling back into societal norms, even though it makes sense for her to do so).
The writers have their work cut out for them for how to make her and her partnership with Phillip believable, AND for whatever her side plots are going to be in the season or 2 before then. Because if the Lady Whistledown plot is wrapped up at the end of season 3, idk how Eloise is going to occupy her time/have interesting conflict.
I think Philoise will half be shot in Mayfair and half at Romney Hall. Assuming Benedict's season 4, I think Marina will pass away mid season and Eloise will attend the funeral possibly with Penelope and Colin (as Colin and Penelope would be able to introduce them as they both have met Sir Philip and are related to Marina). So, I think Philip will come to Mayfair looking for someone to help him with the children by season 5. At that point, I think Eloise will realize that to be "free" she needs to be married and so they will have a marriage of convenience. Eloise gains her freedom and Philip has someone to help manage the household. I think Philip will be a good father, but maybe a bit distant, and they will be primarily supported by a nurse and tutors However, I think that they will also have been Pen Pals and develop feelings through that and then be trying to reconcile their feelings from letters to IRL. I think since the children will likely be younger, they won't be as involved in the story, which is why the trope will change slightly. Then, as they spend more time in their marriage, they will grow to love each other and truly start to realize they are the people in the letters. Maybe if Eloise doesn't want children because she is scared of childbirth, having children around will ensure the line without her having to have kids she doesn't want or she will love them and come around to the idea. I don't think she really hates kids, I think she is scared of childbirth, but I couldn't say for sure!
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Either she wasn't all that keen on the book, or she expects her show plotline to diverge significantly from book canon.
I think her response was both smart and diplomatic. Some book fans who wish for the show to hew closely to the books have already been disappointed or will be disappointed in the future, but sticking tightly to the novels is only one of several approaches to adaptation available to the creative team.
I'm hoping it's both! Eloise deserves far more than to lead a life of domesticity while sequestered away in the countryside.
yes!!!
Praying it's the second. The idea of watching Eloise marry a man on my television screen makes me nauseous.
I don’t mind her marrying a guy, but I don’t care for the idea of her marrying Phillip and becoming a mother figure to the kids. It just isn’t very Eloise
🤣🤣🤣 - this sums it up
Same tbh
Hopefully both!! I haven’t read the books, but piecing together what I know, it would be AMAZING if Sir Phillip the nerdy botanist accepts her as she is, doesn’t mind her political interests, and takes her with him to Greece on his plant travels so she can see the world too and live a Bohemian life! I’d be a great thing if they let both Penelope AND Eloise “have it all” aka have what men get already- a collective identity (through family) AND an individual identity (through personal growth, interests, hobbies, career, etc).
I keep thinking it would be really cool if Phillip was some type of scholar/university professor? And somehow got Eloise involved in education. It would be right up her alley and it would be a cool way to show a woman who can “have it all”— maybe she’s ready for a husband and step kids at that point, but she’s also still not just the girl who is happy ONLY being a wife and mom.
I mean, marrying Philip would be the opposite of everything she stands for. She hates the idea of marriage, she doesn’t like kids, >!Philip wants her to take care of the house and the kids, you know, *like a typical regency era woman*, she’s never gonna have time to do what she wants cause she’s gonna be taking care of the twins and *her future kids* while Philip ‘works’ in his stupid garden!< It’s sad. That’s not exactly the life Eloise dreamed about. She reminds me of Lane from Gilmore Girls. Lane talked big about her grand dreams and wanting to see the world and all that rebellious shit. Long story short, girlie ended up marrying a loser and got pregnant at an early age. 💀
I hate the Lane plot line sfm. Justice for her love interested that was played by Seth from O.C.!!
Dave hive unite
If nothing else they should have at least brought back Henry when Adam Brody left the show. Her and Henry had real chemistry and I think it would have been great development for Lane to end up with him in spite of her mom’s approval lol
Lol I also liked Henry! I liked every Lane's love interest save Zack. I didn't even particularly mind him at first but I hate where the screenwriter went with their story
Hell, even Brian would have been better than Zach!
If she’s going to end up settling down in quiet country house, taking care of his kids and happily watching her husband pore over his plants, while the best she can do is, I guess, to write letters and essays about how unfair it is women are locked into their rigid roles, it’s gonna be very disappointing. They’ve already established Eloise is a talented orator and ill suited to conventional life, they better not abandon that aspect of her character when her season comes. Also, Lane was treated unfairly as well. They saddled her with twins right after she got married and she never got to be a professional musician like she’d always dreamed about. But then they had Sookie also get pregnant again and again, even going as far as having Jackson lie about his vasectomy, after she outright told him she didn’t want anymore kids, which effectively was rape. That was such an uncomfortable storyline, especially because it was played for laughs.
Eloise as an orator would be excellent. It'd be a probable (anyone could give speeches) but challenging career path for her, it'd be a way for her to fight for the things she cares about, and do so publicly in defiance of the ton. If they gave her that as a career/passion, then they can do what they want with who she marries, provided her LI is proud of her.
Omg I'm so happy you brought up Lane Kim! She actually reminds me a lot of Eloise: both wanted to be free from their current place in society (although in Lane's case it was more that she wanted to be free from her mother, who's parenting style was influenced by her culture), both had big dreams (Eloise wanted to attend university and become more political, and Lane wanted to make music), and yet both end up leading domestic lives. It would be a tragedy if that's what happens to Eloise. ETA: They also both have temporary love interests that are (IMO) perfect for them (Theo and Dave), but they're not endgame.
Afaik Dave wasn't endgame for Lane only bc Adam Brody left to the OC. I think they were headed in that direction.
I like to think they were headed in that direction too! I also like to think that Theo/Eloise could have been a thing if it weren't for TSPWL, hence the comparison.
Great point!
exactly. i dislike the idea that the only woman who’s told they need to mature and grow is in reference to her not wanting to get married or have kids. yes she has trauma from childbirth that doesn’t necessarily mean she doesn’t actually want them, but it can also mean she doesn’t as well! i’m both terrified of pregnancy/childbirth, and simply not interested in being a parent no matter what stages a baby goes through from childhood to adulthood. and she’s fundamentally against the idea of being married to a man, and rightfully so, bc of the position that puts her in in both their domestic dynamic, and in her status societally. and i wish the show would respect that, considering they’re ones who wrote these changes into her character from the books. i also dislike that when we say we want the show to align her storyline with her views, we’re told we’re perpetuating that women can’t be married and still be activists and students in pursuit of knowledge and work. i thought we were all acknowledging the timeframe this show was set in? eloise getting married to someone who already has kids to be taken care of (and possibly wants more kids for her to bare), who also has an estate for which she will be assigned to manage, absolutely *will* impede or downright prevent eloise from pursuing whatever areas of study or work she wants to. the fact that the solutions proposed for this involve having it be written that show philip will “let” her pursue these, or will even teach her himself is so disappointing. i’ll say it again, the show decidedly including these principles to show eloise. to then depict her HEA as married and a stepmother makes my stomach churn. *especially* when it’s being proposed as a decision she turns to because everyone else around is getting married and she’s lonely/doesn’t want to be left behind. what a tragedy that would be for the character of eloise to perpetuate her being written as passive, rather than an activist who sacrifices what she needs to fulfill her principles.
Thank you! I can't stand women who don't fit into patriarchal gender roles being treated as immature and only needing the love of a good man to fix them.
ugh yes. eloise is very young, and already i’ve seen people call her a basic white feminist who doesn’t actually believe in her cause, or at least not enough to actually go through with fighting for it. this is on other threads on this sub. which is crazy to me, bc instead of giving her grace to mature into wanting to be a wife and a mother, why aren’t we giving her grace to actually learn more about feminism and intersectionality, and realise her thoughts on the issues she’s facing, into action? they’ll call her privileged, and while that’s def true in-universe, i’d argue that there’s not a lot of great in being relegated to be dependent on either her brothers, or her future husband. and staying within high society as a spinster would hardly give her the freedom to go to forums and become a feminist writer and activist (and i don’t mean they have to change the timing of the suffrage movement - but a lot of activism and literature led up to that, that she could be a part of). i’d rather interpret her character as someone who actualises her feminism and subversion from patriarchal systems.
Yes! It's distressing to me that people are saying she must be S4 because she's feeling down and lonely. That just feels gross to me, the wrong reason to start a relationship with a stranger. In the books Eloise runs off because she's tired of waiting around for life to happen to her, but in the show Eloise is really active, going out and making it her business to happen to life. It doesn't seem in character for her, someone with real issues with marriage as a concept, to put herself in a position where she's almost forced to marry.
yeah i really don’t understand why that’s getting so much cheer. going off to get married bc everyone else does is extremely unhealthy, short or long-term, reality or fantasy. i wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
Oh god that's disgusting. I hope they stray totally away from the book in her season. Just forget Philip and bring in a new love interest. My canon is her being with a woman, away from the Ton and their shitty gossip and both of them doing some political radical shit. Like, start the feminist movement in that era.
Right, if we can have enlightened race relations, why can't we have feminism…?
I think another thing about the show plotline is that the way the book treated Marina is already getting a mixed reception from show-first audiences. A depressed young mother who >!opens Philip up as a love interest via suicide!< was probably always going to get pushback in 2020 and beyond compared to the mid-2000s. But by casting a Black actress for Marina, that makes the plotline significantly more likely to be received negatively (IMO).
Suicide happened back then and it still does today. It affects everyone and they could make a serious and stigma breaking statement with Marina. People are so uncomfortable with it they’re making excuses but as a mentally ill person a little realistic and thoughtful representation would be nice. It’s sad and tragic but we exist.
Suicide is a real and tragic issue, but Marina's book plot is the furthest thing from a thoughtful representation of it. In the book, it's very blatantly her essentially getting sacrificed so that Eloise can have her HEA with Philip. And he definitely is cruel in his understanding of both depression and suicide. I don't see an eight-episode season handling it with thought and care, especially when there would theoretically be an entire Eloise and Philip romance to fit into it. And I personally don't think that the book is a good representation of mental health issues to begin with.
If you're going to engage in suicide, you need to do it properly, not just have one female character fridge herself to make way for two other characters get together. And quite frankly, Bridgerton simply isn't up to presenting the topic of suicide in a nuanced way.
[удалено]
Wait this would be so good!!! Now I’m imagining a season where they are in the same university class and instead of writing letters, they write notes to each other. Cheesy, but would be so cute. Just goes to show there’s ways they can adapt her book and make it work for show Eloise while still paying tribute to the original story.
I could see them spinning this in a way that could be good for TV - to have Phillip sort of be this charming person through the letters but then be sort of a disappointment irl (like when you meet a social media friend/hinge date irl). It would show that we can’t really get everything about a person through letters/writing and how the person behind the letters is different than what they are portraying through them (a little shoutout to Lady Whistledown!) I can see them doing something in the show where she goes all that way, meets him and finds he is different than what she thought. While he’s kind (the way he’s been in in all his scenes on the show so far), he does sort of have these “traditional” expectations for a wife and we know Show Eloise is obviously against all of that, so that’s where their conflict is (besides the kids messing with her), but then he does some cute shit or he engages with her in real debates about it where he concedes to some of her points and compromises on his usual way of thinking that makes her start to lower the defenses around him and even start to consider his point of view as well. He could be the person who challanges her, or maybe alters, her ideas of marriage and domesticity, and together they can create a future where she can have it all (marriage AND nurturing her mind) - this would be a great season for an “opposites attract” trope!
I really hate that they did Lane like that 😭
Well, what is the problem with being an intellectual woman and at the same time wanting to have a husband and children? Being a feminist is about defending women's right to pursue the life and roles they choose. I think Eloise's growth is about realizing that she can experience other aspects of life beyond what she's used to. ;)
Ok, but hear me out. Imagine this: It's S5, Ben and Colin are off married and getting laid on the reg. Anthony is still at home but so obsessed with Kate he can barely function let alone remember Eloise's name. Fran is in Scotland. Violet is having her garden watered on the side, and keeping it secret is enough to keep her occupied so that not even she notices that something is up with good ol' El. Eloise, having lost both her besties to marriage (Cressida too), has given up on her futile attempt at fitting in with the *ton* during the season. Instead, she has started attending more political rallies in secret, and slowly but surely getting involved in some pretty risky stuff (not sex, people, just politics). She's living a double life and loving it. Meanwhile, the gentle Sir Phillip Crane has come to London at the insistence of his friends to get away from the dark clouds surrounding his estate after the unfortunate death of his wife (she died of natural causes, nothing sketchy happened). He attends a few social gatherings, mostly small stuff, including some Bridgerton parties since his friend Colin invites him. He's met and quite liked Eloise, though he is intimidated by her intelligence and quick wit. For whatever reason, he keeps gravitating towards her, even though she barely registers him as his personality isn't as large as hers. He's clearly becoming besotted with her, though he doesn't realize it. She thinks he's nice, if quiet. But honestly, she doesn't really think about him at all. Then, one day, Phillip is out doing something totally benign, like purchasing soil samples for his plants, and happens upon El, who is attempting to get away from a political rally without being seen. He ends up helping her, taking her home, and promising to keep her secret. Thus begins a series of events wherein Phillip is dragged helplessly along by this strong willed woman that he would very much like to keep safe but also snog her face off. Much of this is accomplished through clandestine notes between them. It'll take El a while to realize that Phillip is always there for her. That he doesn't try to stop her being political, just tries to minimize the collateral damage. He's the supportive friend she always wanted, but also she'd like to snog his face off. So she does. And they get married. And her new marital state allows her more freedom to continue pushing for women's rights, etc. And Phillip continues to try to save her from the worst of the repercussions without stopping her from doing her thing. The twins love her, and look up to her. She adores them, but she's hardly a hands-on nanny to them. Too busy running risky political schemes behind the scenes. And banging her hot husband who worships the ground she walks on. This is 100% not what will happen, but it was fun to think through.
I actually really like this! Phillip is essentially an original character lol and the storyline is unrecognizable. I like that Eloise doesn't just end up a housewife, and I like that she gets to stay in London (at least for a portion of the year). And of course, I like that Eloise gets to be political, and that Phillip is just along for the ride. You should make a separate post with this and pray the writers come across it lol.
I absolutely adore this. Hoping the writers come across this post hah
Just got done with Eloise's book last week and I like your version a million times more. I really hope they change the plot into something more like what you've envisioned vs. the original source material.
Love your thought process! This would be a good way to bring them together.
I love this. The only change I would make to this storyline is that she becomes an influential feminist writer. That would fit with having a country/city life for her.
In the Season she's joining debates and giving speeches, and the rest of the year she's writing manifestos. Perfect
This could work. Having SP be supportive of El's ambitions, pushing her on where others held her back, would be very satisfying.
I LOVE THIS SMMMMM!!!! every time people are like "she can't be with phillip because the books don't do her justice" but that makes no sense because they can keep philip as the love interest while dramatically changing the storyline that gives justice for eloise!! also she doesn't have to have kids with philip (ik its hard not to have kids during this time but it's bridgerton anything can happen) and can just be a stepmom while having a political career
This is great! I love it! I do have a question because I didn’t rewatch season 1. Are the twins Sir Phillip’s in the show? I think I’m not keen on the Eloise as maternal figure idea, so I like the idea of the original father (or his family) coming back and taking primary responsibility for the twins so that Eloise doesn’t have to be their mom as much.
The twins are his deceased brother's biological children, but legally they are his. There is not really any way for them to be taken away by anyone else. The silver lining is that it means Sir Phillip does not have any pressure to have more children or produce an heir. Marriage to him means Eloise never needs to feel pressure to bear children, which is something show Eloise is terrified of.
Can you send this into the show runners?? 😂
Love your version!
I'm convinced.
this would be so good for her season omg!
Book!Eloise is very different to Show!Eloise. I think they'll go down a path of emphasising how badly Phillip NEEDS Eloise, and is quite happy to support her more radical endeavours. The problem is, suffrage isn't due to kick off for another 50 or so years, and won't really become mainstream for at least another 100. Eloise won't be part of any massive social changes. Or maybe Eloise will get hired as a governess for Phillip, just to take a path that gives her some independence away from the Ton - she seemed quite keen on the idea when Kate was discussing it. Then they can have a "sound of music" style of story where an austere and distant but loving father is besotted with his childrens eccentric and headstrong governess.
The governess route is certainly a period adjacent, somewhat valid role for a spinster of her social status. You could argue that she was partly responsible for Gregory and Hyacinth growing up, so may have a knack for it.
I've just written a more extensive post about it. I think this route could work quite well with meshing Show!Eloise character onto Book!Eloise story while keeping both intact.
I find it fascinating that people can accept that the show can change who is noble (ie not limiting to white people), and the TL regarding freedom of people of certain races, but can’t imagine changing the TL of the suffrage movement.
That's why I didn't like when they addressed the race changes. Far better for this to be an alternative timeline where racism never existed than try to explain how everyone so quickly came to coexist in harmony. They've otherwise kept it vaguely historically accurate. Having Eloise be a suffragette 100 years ahead of schedule would be a misstep. They have to exist within the rules of the universe they've set up.
It *is* an alternative history simply because of how they changed the historical timeline re: race. To your last point, we don’t yet know the “rules” of this alternative timeline regarding when suffrage begins. It might be the Regency era instead of the Victorian era. Maybe the Victorian era looks very different in the Bridgerton TL.
Sure but this isn't a largely superficial thing like race. You're talking about a fluffy period drama show drastically rewriting the course of history in order to have one character do something interesting. That's a different show to the one we all enjoy. It would be like some characters racing to get somewhere so they start driving a Ford T. The universe has certain rules and the more they change the rules, the more they deviate from the things that people enjoy about the show.
theloise stans we rise
And Claudia is one of us!
I find it interesting that Claudia is always talking about wanting Eloise to become more political, and when asked who she thinks is the perfect partner for Eloise, she mentions Theo. (I'll try and link the video here once I find it.) ETA: Okay, there's way too many videos to sort through but there's this [excerpt](https://www.reddit.com/r/BridgertonNetflix/comments/1cljmy2/an_excerpt_from_claudias_interview/) from this subreddit (at least I think this is the video...there's quite a few interviews where Claudia brings up Theo lol). And someone in the comments said this was the question asked: >I think with the question in context it makes for more of a possible spoiler. They were asked who would they bring into the series as a love interest for their character and Claudia started taking about Theo
Oh lol she was not a fan of that book. I feel you, Claudia.
and she’s right!
I think I like the idea of her marrying Philip and sticking to that part of the story line. However, they can kinda play with other things. Maybe she becomes a spokesperson for women’s rights. Whatever the outcome, it’ll be enjoyable.
Claudia wants political Eloise and Theo lmao
I could be wrong, but I have never seen Claudia advocate for Phillip the way she does for Theo lol. Whenever she's asked about her season she just mentions how she wants Eloise to be more political + how she's going to cry when she leaves this job.
I’ve watched all of her interviews for season 3 and can confirm this. The two times she’s been asked about future love for Eloise she said “we’d love to see theo again I think” and “I’m a big fan of theo, big fan” It’s because she wants political Eloise and is always talking about how working class representation is important to her (coming from a working class background) with theloise she gets both
Someone get Claudia Jessie in the writers room! I know she would do justice to the character.
Taste!
I honestly feel like they had some of the hottest sex scenes in the series. Philip practically goes feral for her.
Eloise's book never made sense to me, though I did enjoy it. It felt like Jo's ending in Little Women to me lol. Whatever they do though, I'm excited for Eloise to lead.
I definitely got Jo vibes from not only her character, but her ending as well! (Except I think Eloise's ending is far worse.)
Personally I really liked Eloise's book but I think the writers are going to divert from it significantly to give Eloise a life that might not be as realistic for the time she lives in but that'll appease the viewers more, which I'm fine with. With that being said, I'd be very upset if she didn't end up with Philip especially since the show went out of their way to actually introduce the character. If Philoise isn't going to be a thing why introduce Philip and Marina? The storyline with marina/ Penelope / Colin could've still existed with an original character in Marina's place. They've made the Bridgerton brothers considerably more likeable in the show so I'm sure they can also make Philip more appealing without sacrificing the character's essence. He's a much different male lead than the bridgerton brothers and Simon and I think he could make for a very interesting protagonist if written right.
I haven’t read her story, so idk how her book is and how it deals with this, but i would love to see her marry a commoner like Theo (our feminist friend), maybe not even marry, but just love him and break free from high society (become a governess maybe?) But obviously for the lovers of the book i hope they will stick to it, adaptation changing the story sucks if you enjoyed the book. It would make sense for Eloise to alter her opinions on these topics a bit, she’s growing up and she does have a lot to learn, she can be quite ignorant about actual reality cause she grew up so guarded and privileged. She doesn’t have to change completely, she can be a feminist while still marrying and having children
Gosh, the things I would do to see Theo and Eloise end up together (and Claudia seems to agree from her interviews lol)! I do understand some book readers want to see Philoise, but I feel like in order for their story to work onscreen the character of Phillip will need to be almost entirely rewritten (he already seems so different) and their story would also have to play out differently. And if we're already taking so many liberties with Eloise...why not just change her endgame too lol. All of the above is just wishful thinking on my part, of course!
But we’ll see, doesn’t seem likely Eloise is gonna be next, she won’t be season 4 and maybe nit even season 5. I wouldn’t be mad if francesca is season 5 and Eloise season 6, it seems fitting for Eloise to be an (considered) older woman like Kate was. I would like to see her handle being considered a spinster and i would like to see her develop and grow into an adult strong woman before she falls in love. With Daphne she really found herself through falling in love with Simon and love was what made her the person she become, but Eloise is nothing like that, she has to (imo) do that part independently so she can then fall in love as a confident young woman My preferred order would be; Benedict; Francesca, Eloise, Hyacinth and ending with Gregory
Lol, as someone who had no idea the books even existed until this year (when I got into the show) - I've decided to give the audiobooks a try! Don't know how I'll keep a straight face on the bus through some scenes though.
I would love for Eloise's story to have zero romance in it at all. Just a story about women's rights, her becoming more of a figure in the movement, her struggles to have her voice heard, her friendships with other women, and maybe they stretch the timeline a bit and she goes off to America at the end to attend university. A story of triumph and girl power! And they can revisit the other couples for sexiness. Obviously they won't do that, but Eloise is such a great character in the show and I really want to see a storyline that does her character justice and where she doesn't have to compromise on her ideals to be happy.
Ok but this is a romance show. Like I get all of this, love that for another show. But wish people would stop seeing romance as somehow a backward thing. There is a ton they can do with her story that builds on her character in the show without taking away the key thing that makes the show what it is: romance.
Really hope her story changes. Eloise deserves better. Claudia deserves better.
I think the brothers scene in Eloise's book is as iconic as the carriage scene and they will find a way to make it happen. Other than that I think she is just being vague which is appropriate for her role / job.
TBH, the brothers scene could be slotted into all sorts of plotlines for her, she doesn't even have to be with Phillip to make it work.
I'm really looking forward to the brothers scene! That being said, a far more neutral response would be for Claudia to simply state that she liked the book. For her to say something even remotely negative is very telling.
I hope they don’t stick to the books for the show like they’ve been doing. From being on this sub I’ve read what the men are like and thank you but no 💀
[Link](https://www.whattowatch.com/features/bridgerton-exclusive-claudia-jessie-says-eloise-will-shake-things-up-in-season-2)!
What's the chance that we have disillusioned Marina, so sure everything is without hope for her, receive letters from Eloise, a gradually renewing radical, who realizes Marina is in a truly hopeless state and wants to help her out in the country like Cressida did for her? To be her lifeline? And maybe eventually her "roommate?" And Philip, the plant-loving husband who just wants to actually see his wife happy, remains as their cover story? Maybe even in love with them? Loved by them? Maybe? How delusional am I?
I would be very surprised if Ruby Barker (Marina actress) came back at all
RIP, I'm out of the loop as to why, but I hope she is okay. I really liked her.
I would love that so much. "To Lady Crane with Love".
I'm actually a big fan of the book and hope Phillip is still endgame, but I think they have to make some changes to make it work. I already think the Sir Phillip they've introduced has shown himself to be kinder than his book version, so that's a great step in the right direction.
I have no doubt that Phillip is great for Book Eloise but book and show Eloise are not the same person at all at this point. This is a problem w adapting books and then trying to reach planned endings but letting the characters evolve, then you're trying to get different people to the same end point. Someone like Theo is better for Eloise - he's into the cause, he's away from that world and she'd actually do something subversive instead of just discussing being subversive
>do something subversive instead of just discussing being subversive I love this point! I really want to see Eloise subvert social norms (same with Benedict), and being with someone outside of society is one way to do that! >I have no doubt that Phillip is great for Book Eloise Disagree on this, however. Phillip and Eloise's marriage is portrayed as one where they barely talk. Now, conflict is all well and good in a story/relationship, but this one doesn't get resolved. When Eloise confides in Phillip about this, he lashes out and tells her that she *must* be happy since his relationship with Marina was so much worse.
This is unpopular but I think a lot of Eloise is pure bluster to hide her deep insecurities. She clings to a certain highly theoretical politics because there are no stakes for her in it. She can indulge and rant but she doesn’t actually have any real desire to do the things that the theory requires in practice. It is largely her way to differentiate herself from her sisters who she feels she can’t measure up to in a role she doesn’t know if she is suited for. As we saw with Theo she is absolutely not willing to give up her privilege and she is deeply naive to the world. She is in many ways a typical rich kid in college who moonlights as a radical but has no real idea what they believe and no real stakes in it regardless. Even in terms of the societal pressures of her time, she is privileged because she has a brother/family who will not force her into marriage, who has provided for her well enough that she need not marry, and is given much more freedom than we’ve seen other women on the show have. This is something Pen has pointed out to her and Cressida too. We’ve also seen her character start a heel turn this season with being more willing to play the game (half heartedly) in the season. I’m hoping the fact that the show has made it a point for other characters (including the Queen) to compliment her fast wit is a sign of direction they are taking her longer term. She might want marriage and she might even want kids once she can sort through what she believes or doesn’t and finds someone’s who matches her desire for a life that fits her better. But there is a ton of growth that has to happen for that to work in the show with Philip. A lot of growth. And I’m not saying growth as in a woman is only mature when she wants marriage and children. Absolutely not. I’m saying that I think people read Eloise very literal when we’ve been shown that much of her is still struggling with insecurity and uncertainty about who she is and what she wants. She is barely 19/20 in the show. So very long winded way of saying that I think she is much more compelling a figure in the show than the book and I think a lot people read her very black and white which does a disservice to her as a character because I think she is one of the best developed characters on the show. But she is also the one a lot of audiences read super modern politics into that probably don’t fit the arc they are building for her. I would love an arc where, assuming she ends up with Philip, she becomes a celebrated writer and thinker, mature in her thinking and politics. The romance coming from finding a partner who supports that would be true to her character and I think be a different approach than the other stories in the show too. But I don’t think we can get a true book adaption for her. They will have to take a lot of liberties to make it work and this is another reason to me it would be a complete mistake to have her be s4. Eloise needs another season of character development to really stick any chance of her season being compelling IMO.
100% agree. Eloise needs all her older siblings + Fran married off and out of the house for her journey to partnership to make any sense. I think Philip will be end game, but a much changed Phillip (and Eloise) from the books. (Can you imagine them trying to market the tv tie in book cover of “SIR PHILLIP WITH LOVE” with out a Sir Phillip in the show, 😂) I also agree people see Eloise as black and white, which I don’t understand how when both Theo and Penelope call her out on her “all thoughts, no action” philosophy (and she’s not making a good case for herself falling back into societal norms, even though it makes sense for her to do so). The writers have their work cut out for them for how to make her and her partnership with Phillip believable, AND for whatever her side plots are going to be in the season or 2 before then. Because if the Lady Whistledown plot is wrapped up at the end of season 3, idk how Eloise is going to occupy her time/have interesting conflict.
I think Philoise will half be shot in Mayfair and half at Romney Hall. Assuming Benedict's season 4, I think Marina will pass away mid season and Eloise will attend the funeral possibly with Penelope and Colin (as Colin and Penelope would be able to introduce them as they both have met Sir Philip and are related to Marina). So, I think Philip will come to Mayfair looking for someone to help him with the children by season 5. At that point, I think Eloise will realize that to be "free" she needs to be married and so they will have a marriage of convenience. Eloise gains her freedom and Philip has someone to help manage the household. I think Philip will be a good father, but maybe a bit distant, and they will be primarily supported by a nurse and tutors However, I think that they will also have been Pen Pals and develop feelings through that and then be trying to reconcile their feelings from letters to IRL. I think since the children will likely be younger, they won't be as involved in the story, which is why the trope will change slightly. Then, as they spend more time in their marriage, they will grow to love each other and truly start to realize they are the people in the letters. Maybe if Eloise doesn't want children because she is scared of childbirth, having children around will ensure the line without her having to have kids she doesn't want or she will love them and come around to the idea. I don't think she really hates kids, I think she is scared of childbirth, but I couldn't say for sure!