Bridgerton Season 3 has started streaming on Netflix, but the big question is why it is being released in two parts.
After an unfortunate delay until 2024, Bridgerton looks to regain its place atop the Netflix charts with Season 3's release.
Bringing the fourth book in the Bridgerton book series to life (see spoilers from that story here), anticipation is building as fans wait to see how Julia Quinn's literary romance will grow on the small screen.
Bridgerton Season 3's Confirmed Release Plan
Bridgerton Season 3 is confirmed to be released in two parts. The four episodes making up Part 1 arrived on Netflix on May 16 while the next four episodes in Part 2 will be pushed out four weeks later on Thursday, June 13.
While this release strategy is a first for Bridgerton, Netflix is no stranger to releasing seasons of its biggest shows in multiple parts over the last few years.
Stranger Things Season 4 took this route in 2022, with Part 1 arriving on May 27 and Part 2 coming five weeks later on July 1. Fans are also waiting to see if Season 5 will be released similarly, although the final season will not debut until 2025.
In 2023, The Crown embraced the two-part release model, delivering Part 1 on November 16 and Part 2 on December 14.
Netflix performed well throughout 2023 with this strategy, thanks to a split season for You Season 4 (February 9 and March 9) and The Witcher Season 3 (June 29 and July 27).
Cobra Kai will take this idea even further with a three-part release. The first two parts of Season 6 will hit Netflix on July 18 and November 28, respectively, and Part 3 is set for a 2025 release.
Why Is Bridgerton Season 3 Being Released in Two Parts?
Considering how often Netflix has split up releases for different seasons, including Bridgerton Season 3, it appears to be part of the company's strategy moving forward.
The most likely reason for this is that conversations surrounding the season have a longer shelf life. With full-season drops on one day, that chatter could last for a week or two at most, whereas a two-part drop ensures weeks or possibly months' worth of discussion pertaining to the show at hand.
Another advantage of this method is that it allows a streamer to finish any outstanding work on episodes coming later in a given season.
While episodes are not necessarily filmed or edited chronologically, Netflix could have done that for Bridgerton so it could finish the first four episodes in time for one drop while still working on the last four.
Regardless of the reasoning, Bridgerton's first four drama-filled episodes already have viewers talking, and the anticipation for Part 2 is steadily growing until mid-June.
Bridgerton Season 3, Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix, and Part 2 will debut on Thursday, June 13.
Read more about Bridgerton on The Direct:
Who Is Victor Alli? 4 Things to Know About Bridgerton's John Stirling Actor
