I will concede that basically all historical accuracy has gone out the window for the ladies, but they look FIIIIIEEEERRRCE! I am so obsessed with that teal gown Penelope slays the house in.
Colin is pretending to be something he isn't. He's trying hard because he was told to feel less by everyone, including Anthony who told him he should have taken him to more brothels. When Anthony and Simon behaved like they did and people think Colin is the one that has to grovel and all? It's a weird take to me. Colin's only mistake was not realizing his best female friend loved him, and she never told him. The younger friend that grew up with his younger sister and that he was conditioned to see as one. He made a comment about not courting her, it was careless to say with that group but it was clear on the ''she's like a sister' vibe. Anyway, I'm loving this season so far, and i like how Penelope and Colin are conducted, they are friends and love each other...once the desire is involved, it's checkmate.
Agree, so confused about why people are hard on Colin. He made that one comment (which in the book, is even more understandable). He's always been sensitive & kind, what's not to like about him.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928I think people are more so bias because we’ve been seeing things from pen’s perspective this whole time but realistically he’s a good guy just oblivious
I agree with you wholeheartedly, especially about Simon and Anthony. Some people act like season 2, especially, was almost perfect, and criticize Colin's words (and I do believe they were bad, but it was unintentional). What about Anthony taking the sister of the woman he loves to the altar and almost marrying her? And Simon's supposed inability to have children. Daphne and Kate also made some bad choices. I really believe that one of the messages of the series is that everyone makes mistakes, and it doesn't mean they don't deserve love. What matters is that they learn from these mistakes, and do better going forward.
Haha, YESS, I had the exact same "Mean Girls" thought when Pen started angrily writing. Hell, she even does the vindictive little smile at the end, just like Regina. :)
If I’m remembering last season’s Featherington plot line correctly, Lady and Lord Featherington fleeced the Ton into investing into Lord Featherington’s gem mines which didn’t have any gems. Colin realized the fraud but assumed only Lord Featherington was behind the scheme, and basically told him to leave town. Lady Featherington jumped on the opportunity, forged the document giving the Lord Featherington title to whichever one of her daughters bears a son first, and kicked the New Lord Featherington to the curb. Lady Featherington kept all the money she had conned from the nobility and claimed the previous Lord had taken everything when he fled. She seems to have used the recent death of her aunt to explain where they got the money from. Also it’s interesting that both Colin and Penelope have switched to wearing green, a combination of Bridgerton Blue and Featherington Yellow. Great reaction cannot wait for more.
Simon fully lied and manipulated Daphne, Anthony would've married Edwina if she didn't leave him at the altar, but sure, Colin is the one that needs high forgivnnes.
Anthony and Kate were both giving eyes at the altar and picking up her fallen bangle. Then, Edwina finally realized what was happening and then said, "I need a moment" and left the altar. I would've left too if you're making eyes at my sister even we're in the middle of getting married. I'm still pressed. Anthony isn't off the hook from my book for that.
Simon didn't manipulate Daphne at all lmao, he literally told her he didn't want to marry her so that she can have a family, SHE insisted on it anyway. And Anthony wanted to call it off, but Kate pushed him to marry her sister anyway.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928 To be fair, there's a difference between saying 'I can't have children' and 'I wont' have children'. That situation of was an absolute cluster*** of miscommunications and Daphne then proceeded to escalate it to a whole new level of messed up. And as for the S2, Kate shouldn't have asked and Anthony shouldn't have agreed. They were ruining their own lives and someone else's in the pursuit of 'duty'. But the point remains that's Colin's moment of juvenile idiocy draws more ire from everyone disproportionately. He owes an apology, genuinely offers it and tries to make reparations and it's sufficient for Pen because she can see he means it. That is and should be the end of it.
I'm pretty sure 5 different characters called out Colin and that he was acting like a different man. He's put on a mask to please his family and the ton and Anthony, Benedict, Eloise, and Pen/Whistledown, even the boys in town, made a comment that he was "more fun" than he used to be, congratulated him on "growing up" and Eloise even commented that putting on aires "must be lonely". That's why he's really angry at Whistledown she called that man out immediately lmao I think that's a big theme this season because Colin, Pen, Eloise, Cressida, and even Fran are acting in a way untrue to who they are right now.
I think it's super easy to not notice the nuance of Colin's development in this season. He does seem like one of those people who always talks about his trips, but Pen is the only one I think he actually told any details too that weren't scandalous for the sake of fitting in with the boys club. In previous seasons, he seems to be brimming with enthusiasm to talk about his travels, but in the carriage with his brothers, he keeps it to himself, and tbh, yeah it can be annoying, but it's also sad that he's grown to feel like he's had to make himself smaller. Which isn't to say he's without flaws, but I definitely think that context makes him more sympathetic and relatable, at least to me as a viewer.
I have read the book four times. There is a time jump, so Pen is 28 and Colin 33. In the beginning it is said she lost some weight in her second season, but still wasn't slender/thin. So a few years pass, where she has seen Colin in between, so if it were her weight loss, why wouldn't he have noticed earlier. Colin from the book: "She was soft, curvy, and lush, just as he'd always thought a woman should be." I don't get why people keep saying that he suddenly felt attracted to her, because she was slender. That's false! ☹️
Yeah Colin in the book didn’t start liking Penelope because she lost weight IDK where anyone is getting that from she had lost weight years before he actually started feeling something for her. And even when she lost weight in the book she still wasn’t described as thin.
Can I offer my perspective on this? He certainly doesn't "owe" her - and no one "owes anyone" reciprocity of feelings. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a "friend zone". But him as a respected member of the ton, a desirable Bridgerton, saying what he said (and the way he said it) so openly, obviously influences the opinion of the other members of the ton on her and clearly hurts her prospects in the marriage mart. What pissed me off was that it was so unnecessary! He was super nice to her in one scene and in the next, he was humiliating her to appear cool to his incel mates. I tend to have a lot of sympathy for Penelope because for some reason I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HER!!! She has absolutely no one in her corner. No one appreciates her- her intelligence, her wit, her beauty. She is utterly alone. Stuck with a narcissistic and neglectful mother and stupid vapid and cruel sisters. Her father was also shit and didn't give a f*ck about his family. Everybody who knows her either kind of despises her or feels sorry for her, (I'll NEVER know why)- EXCEPT the Bridgerton. Of course, she is going to love and idolize them, They are the only ones who show her a taste of human kindness towards her, so of course, she's going to love them. Even though I feel like the friendship she has with Eloise was not always a super great one for her. I got the feeling that Eloise sometimes treated her like her little sidekick. I kinda like that they are apart and finding themselves outside that friendship dynamic so they come together more healthily. I feel like I understand why Penelope would end up doing Whitledown. She has met with so much gratuitous scrutiny since forever; I mean, how can someone cope with this? I don't condone everything she does as Whistledown, but I can understand, and I feel so f*cking sorry for her. She comes across to me as someone utterly alone and lost and the gossip sheet gives her solace and purpose in this empty and lonely environment where no one can appreciate her as a person.
@@nicolebustamante313 It's just what young guys do. They always play a part around other guys so they fit in. It's like women who don't want to standout in their friend group so they bash men to fit in. It's not a big deal.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928 It _was_ a big deal in that society, though. Daphne herself said to Anthony: "You can't know what it's like to have your whole life reduced to this one thing, finding a husband. And without one, I'm worthless," (or something along these lines). So Colin didn't just embarrass his friend in front of several people, moments after promising to always take care of her. He risked her social standing, in the eyes of those lords. And boys talk, like you said, so probably they told it to a lot of people after that.
Oh thank goodness - I have been waiting impatiently for your reactions to season 3 because you are both so insightful AND entertaining. But did I just hear you say that Benedict made out with a man last season? Maybe I misheard, but just wanted to say that Benedict did not make out with a man last season: he opened a door and saw two men making out at a party. Even with my nitpicking - I have to say that you two give the BEST REACTIONS EVER! So happy to be subscribed to your channel!!!
"Praying to the old gods I see" - I am loving the Game of Thrones reference! Another reactor mentioned something GoT related in another episode so this could be a trend. 🤣
I guess I don't really understand what everybody is beef with Colin is about⁉️❓ It seems to mainly be about him acting stupidly not maliciously, or poorly. And I think if I was as vicious to everyone I thought was stupid as people are towards Colin.... Throw some horns on me and call me Maleficent cuz I'm taking everyone down. He has been a generally sweet 🍬DUNCE. He has got a lot villainizing for it! why people act like they've never said something stupid to try to make a point.....?? I'm just very concerned about how these reactors are going to be going forward, me watching @ 8:05
I’m so hooked on this season already, way more than the other two. Colin was a jerk before, but I’ve been waiting for him to wake up to himself since season 1. I love Colin and Pen together and I need him to do better.
I have watched quite a few reactions to this season on YT and literally all of them have followed up Cressida's line of "it has been more difficult to find a friend" with "yeah its cause youre a b*tch!" 😂😂😂
"You've got some time little bub..." Would Gregory not be entering society as a young man next? We haven't gotten a boy's debut yet, so I think it would be fun to follow his. I do think it's funny he's finally taller than Hyacinth.
Don’t quote me on this, but I believe boys generally entered society later than girls. They were expected to get an education first, and I’d assume, in the case of 2nd sons+, some kind of establishment that would allow them to provide for a family.
@@jessaandalexwatch That's a good point. I'm also unsure of the age gap between Francesca and Gregory. I do look forward to more of him and Hyacinth eventually because they are a lot of fun, especially together.
I don’t know what you’ve been watching but Benedict didn’t make out with a man 😭. You must be referring to his artist friend who he saw making out with a guy in the earlier season.
You don’t even understand the books, Penelope lose some weight, she was no thin, Colin even describe her like lush and curvy, plus is you read the other books you will know that Penelope lose weight way before her book 🙄
I'm clearly in the minority on this, but I never thought Colin was making fun of Penelope with that comment at the end of Season 2. It is incredibly out of character for him. It's not in his character to openly make fun of *any* woman that way, let alone his best friend who he's always been extremely protective of and who he just promised to take care of moments before. Even this season, when he has fully embraced his rake persona, he still refuses to denigrate the contessa to his "friends" by sharing intimate details about her, despite their clear expectations. And she is 1) nowhere near as close/important to him as Penelope, and 2) unlikely to be impacted socially, as none of those men knew her. That's not to say that people don't sometimes act against their character. But if he had, if he had gone so far against his innate character as to mock his best friend in order to gain social acceptance, that would create significant cognitive dissonance. He would certainly feel at least some amount of guilt over it. Considering his already low view of himself, he would probably end up beating himself up endlessly... it would become yet another voice in the internal chorus of self-loathing. But what he wouldn't do is simply forget it, as if it were any other random comment. So the fact that he doesn't even remember what she's talking about when she brings it up is telling. Also, consider this: Penelope completely cut him off immediately after this incident, and he spent the better part of a year wondering why. Colin is always quick to assume the blame when those around him are upset, even when it has nothing to do with him. And yet in this case, when he actually is at fault, it doesn't even cross his mind. He interpreted her silence as her simply living her life and having no need of him, like the rest of his family. This conversation wasn't even a flicker at the edge of his consciousness. The fact that it didn't even occur to him makes it pretty clear that he didn't mean it in the insulting way she/we took it. In his mind, he was asked if he was courting her, and he said no. Period. It wasn't even worth remembering, let alone considering as a possible reason for Penelope's sudden distance. To be fair, his wording was unnecessarily emphatic, but I honestly think it had to do with the fact that he hadn't yet recognized the feelings he had for her. He protests too much. We have to remember that we're seeing all this through Penelope's eyes. We saw her hopes get built up, only to be dashed so brutally. We felt her heart breaking in real time. And it's only human nature to jump to the worst, most painful conclusion. We see her do exactly this after the ball in this episode. He compliments her dress, and she assumes he's mocking her. He wants to find somewhere private where they can talk, and she assumes it's because he's embarrassed to be seen with her. But we the audience just saw him interrupt a conversation with two men (who were part of that same group from Season 2) to inquire after her, and then when they tried to brush her off, he straight up ditched them to go check on her, with no pretense whatsoever. He's clearly not ashamed to be seen with her (also, he sought her out in broad daylight at the garden party earlier, and she was the only person he spoke to individually, clearly singling her out to anyone who was paying attention). But in her hurt and anger she jumps to the worst, most painful conclusion. Because that's what people do. This is not to let him off the hook. He did hurt her, personally and socially, and she has every right to be upset about it and to tell him so. But it simply doesn't make sense that he would step so far outside his own character as to throw his best friend under the bus like that, and yet not even remember doing it. It seems clear to me that it was a mistake (a hurtful one) rather than callousness or cruelty, or even an attempt to win the approval of his peers.
I will concede that basically all historical accuracy has gone out the window for the ladies, but they look FIIIIIEEEERRRCE! I am so obsessed with that teal gown Penelope slays the house in.
Colin is pretending to be something he isn't. He's trying hard because he was told to feel less by everyone, including Anthony who told him he should have taken him to more brothels. When Anthony and Simon behaved like they did and people think Colin is the one that has to grovel and all? It's a weird take to me. Colin's only mistake was not realizing his best female friend loved him, and she never told him. The younger friend that grew up with his younger sister and that he was conditioned to see as one. He made a comment about not courting her, it was careless to say with that group but it was clear on the ''she's like a sister' vibe. Anyway, I'm loving this season so far, and i like how Penelope and Colin are conducted, they are friends and love each other...once the desire is involved, it's checkmate.
Agree, so confused about why people are hard on Colin. He made that one comment (which in the book, is even more understandable). He's always been sensitive & kind, what's not to like about him.
@@KforFreedom They mainly just self identify with Penelope femcel energy. Colin legitimately is one of the nicest people in the show.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928I think people are more so bias because we’ve been seeing things from pen’s perspective this whole time but realistically he’s a good guy just oblivious
I agree with you wholeheartedly, especially about Simon and Anthony. Some people act like season 2, especially, was almost perfect, and criticize Colin's words (and I do believe they were bad, but it was unintentional).
What about Anthony taking the sister of the woman he loves to the altar and almost marrying her? And Simon's supposed inability to have children. Daphne and Kate also made some bad choices.
I really believe that one of the messages of the series is that everyone makes mistakes, and it doesn't mean they don't deserve love. What matters is that they learn from these mistakes, and do better going forward.
Haha, YESS, I had the exact same "Mean Girls" thought when Pen started angrily writing. Hell, she even does the vindictive little smile at the end, just like Regina. :)
Know Nicola Coughlan, I’d bet you anything that was deliberate!
If I’m remembering last season’s Featherington plot line correctly, Lady and Lord Featherington fleeced the Ton into investing into Lord Featherington’s gem mines which didn’t have any gems. Colin realized the fraud but assumed only Lord Featherington was behind the scheme, and basically told him to leave town. Lady Featherington jumped on the opportunity, forged the document giving the Lord Featherington title to whichever one of her daughters bears a son first, and kicked the New Lord Featherington to the curb. Lady Featherington kept all the money she had conned from the nobility and claimed the previous Lord had taken everything when he fled. She seems to have used the recent death of her aunt to explain where they got the money from.
Also it’s interesting that both Colin and Penelope have switched to wearing green, a combination of Bridgerton Blue and Featherington Yellow.
Great reaction cannot wait for more.
Ahhhh! Thank you!
That's so interesting about the wardrobe
Simon fully lied and manipulated Daphne, Anthony would've married Edwina if she didn't leave him at the altar, but sure, Colin is the one that needs high forgivnnes.
Colin's only sins are not watching his mouth and kind of being oblivious 😅
Anthony and Kate were both giving eyes at the altar and picking up her fallen bangle. Then, Edwina finally realized what was happening and then said, "I need a moment" and left the altar. I would've left too if you're making eyes at my sister even we're in the middle of getting married. I'm still pressed. Anthony isn't off the hook from my book for that.
Simon didn't manipulate Daphne at all lmao, he literally told her he didn't want to marry her so that she can have a family, SHE insisted on it anyway. And Anthony wanted to call it off, but Kate pushed him to marry her sister anyway.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928 To be fair, there's a difference between saying 'I can't have children' and 'I wont' have children'. That situation of was an absolute cluster*** of miscommunications and Daphne then proceeded to escalate it to a whole new level of messed up.
And as for the S2, Kate shouldn't have asked and Anthony shouldn't have agreed. They were ruining their own lives and someone else's in the pursuit of 'duty'.
But the point remains that's Colin's moment of juvenile idiocy draws more ire from everyone disproportionately. He owes an apology, genuinely offers it and tries to make reparations and it's sufficient for Pen because she can see he means it. That is and should be the end of it.
@@namjoonswife3300 this was prob why i didnt enjoy s2 very much (along with the awfully boring subplots) 😭😭 i felt bad for edwina
I'm pretty sure 5 different characters called out Colin and that he was acting like a different man. He's put on a mask to please his family and the ton and Anthony, Benedict, Eloise, and Pen/Whistledown, even the boys in town, made a comment that he was "more fun" than he used to be, congratulated him on "growing up" and Eloise even commented that putting on aires "must be lonely".
That's why he's really angry at Whistledown she called that man out immediately lmao I think that's a big theme this season because Colin, Pen, Eloise, Cressida, and even Fran are acting in a way untrue to who they are right now.
I think it's super easy to not notice the nuance of Colin's development in this season. He does seem like one of those people who always talks about his trips, but Pen is the only one I think he actually told any details too that weren't scandalous for the sake of fitting in with the boys club. In previous seasons, he seems to be brimming with enthusiasm to talk about his travels, but in the carriage with his brothers, he keeps it to himself, and tbh, yeah it can be annoying, but it's also sad that he's grown to feel like he's had to make himself smaller. Which isn't to say he's without flaws, but I definitely think that context makes him more sympathetic and relatable, at least to me as a viewer.
I have read the book four times.
There is a time jump, so Pen is 28 and Colin 33.
In the beginning it is said she lost some weight in her second season,
but still wasn't slender/thin.
So a few years pass, where she has seen Colin in between, so if it were her weight loss, why wouldn't he have noticed earlier.
Colin from the book:
"She was soft, curvy, and lush, just as he'd always thought a woman should be."
I don't get why people keep saying that he suddenly felt attracted to her, because she was slender.
That's false! ☹️
Yeah Colin in the book didn’t start liking Penelope because she lost weight IDK where anyone is getting that from she had lost weight years before he actually started feeling something for her. And even when she lost weight in the book she still wasn’t described as thin.
Not sure what series they are watching, but Benedict hasn't made out with ANY guys and the artist guy had a whole DL and beard storyline.
I was thinking the same thing. He did walk in on two men kissing but he has not!
I wish people would stop acting as if penelope is owed colin's love. Staring longingly at a man for over a decade doesn't mean you get dibs on him.
I was really glad Pen stopped pining and tried to find a match elsewhere. It really helped to ease her fem-incel energy.
Can I offer my perspective on this? He certainly doesn't "owe" her - and no one "owes anyone" reciprocity of feelings. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a "friend zone". But him as a respected member of the ton, a desirable Bridgerton, saying what he said (and the way he said it) so openly, obviously influences the opinion of the other members of the ton on her and clearly hurts her prospects in the marriage mart. What pissed me off was that it was so unnecessary! He was super nice to her in one scene and in the next, he was humiliating her to appear cool to his incel mates. I tend to have a lot of sympathy for Penelope because for some reason I COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND HER!!! She has absolutely no one in her corner. No one appreciates her- her intelligence, her wit, her beauty. She is utterly alone. Stuck with a narcissistic and neglectful mother and stupid vapid and cruel sisters. Her father was also shit and didn't give a f*ck about his family. Everybody who knows her either kind of despises her or feels sorry for her, (I'll NEVER know why)- EXCEPT the Bridgerton. Of course, she is going to love and idolize them, They are the only ones who show her a taste of human kindness towards her, so of course, she's going to love them. Even though I feel like the friendship she has with Eloise was not always a super great one for her. I got the feeling that Eloise sometimes treated her like her little sidekick. I kinda like that they are apart and finding themselves outside that friendship dynamic so they come together more healthily. I feel like I understand why Penelope would end up doing Whitledown. She has met with so much gratuitous scrutiny since forever; I mean, how can someone cope with this? I don't condone everything she does as Whistledown, but I can understand, and I feel so f*cking sorry for her. She comes across to me as someone utterly alone and lost and the gossip sheet gives her solace and purpose in this empty and lonely environment where no one can appreciate her as a person.
@@nicolebustamante313 It's just what young guys do. They always play a part around other guys so they fit in. It's like women who don't want to standout in their friend group so they bash men to fit in. It's not a big deal.
@@nicolebustamante313 Couldn't have said it better. 👏🏼👏🏼
@@thelegacyofgaming2928 It _was_ a big deal in that society, though. Daphne herself said to Anthony: "You can't know what it's like to have your whole life reduced to this one thing, finding a husband. And without one, I'm worthless," (or something along these lines). So Colin didn't just embarrass his friend in front of several people, moments after promising to always take care of her. He risked her social standing, in the eyes of those lords. And boys talk, like you said, so probably they told it to a lot of people after that.
I BETTER see yall post the reactions to all episodes. Y'all just gagged me with this upload 😭❤️
That’s the plan!
Recently finding out how old Nichola 37 and Claudia 34 are was wild. These girls are out here looking half their age 🤩
Benedict has never made out with a man. They’ve only shown him to be nonjudgmental about two men together
Oh thank goodness - I have been waiting impatiently for your reactions to season 3 because you are both so insightful AND entertaining. But did I just hear you say that Benedict made out with a man last season? Maybe I misheard, but just wanted to say that Benedict did not make out with a man last season: he opened a door and saw two men making out at a party. Even with my nitpicking - I have to say that you two give the BEST REACTIONS EVER! So happy to be subscribed to your channel!!!
"Praying to the old gods I see" - I am loving the Game of Thrones reference! Another reactor mentioned something GoT related in another episode so this could be a trend. 🤣
Unnecessary Colin hate 🙄
loved this reaction! can’t wait for you guys to get into the other 3 episodes 🙈
Lord Debbljng sure is a whole man. Damn.
I guess I don't really understand what everybody is beef with Colin is about⁉️❓ It seems to mainly be about him acting stupidly not maliciously, or poorly. And I think if I was as vicious to everyone I thought was stupid as people are towards Colin.... Throw some horns on me and call me Maleficent cuz I'm taking everyone down. He has been a generally sweet 🍬DUNCE. He has got a lot villainizing for it! why people act like they've never said something stupid to try to make a point.....?? I'm just very concerned about how these reactors are going to be going forward, me watching @ 8:05
I’m so hooked on this season already, way more than the other two. Colin was a jerk before, but I’ve been waiting for him to wake up to himself since season 1. I love Colin and Pen together and I need him to do better.
Shout out to Jessa for knowing and singing Do I love you. 🎶
I really like the new Spiderman movies "With great power becomes great responsibility" said again analogy for Violet's love pep talks.
Hilarious reaction! Can't wait to see your thoughts on the rest of the season
love your reactions guys
22:10😭😭 I completely forgot about that Rodger and a Hammerstein song!!!❤❤❤
A personal favorite!
I have watched quite a few reactions to this season on YT and literally all of them have followed up Cressida's line of "it has been more difficult to find a friend" with "yeah its cause youre a b*tch!" 😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂
‘And she has a really good face for this period!’
"You've got some time little bub..."
Would Gregory not be entering society as a young man next? We haven't gotten a boy's debut yet, so I think it would be fun to follow his. I do think it's funny he's finally taller than Hyacinth.
Don’t quote me on this, but I believe boys generally entered society later than girls. They were expected to get an education first, and I’d assume, in the case of 2nd sons+, some kind of establishment that would allow them to provide for a family.
@@jessaandalexwatch That's a good point. I'm also unsure of the age gap between Francesca and Gregory. I do look forward to more of him and Hyacinth eventually because they are a lot of fun, especially together.
I don’t know what you’ve been watching but Benedict didn’t make out with a man 😭. You must be referring to his artist friend who he saw making out with a guy in the earlier season.
You don’t even understand the books, Penelope lose some weight, she was no thin, Colin even describe her like lush and curvy, plus is you read the other books you will know that Penelope lose weight way before her book 🙄
Being curvy doesn't mean being overweight. Curvy literally just means you have curves, which normal weight women tend to have.
@@thelegacyofgaming2928'lush and curvy' is the author describing extra fat in an attractive way.
We are all Eloise and Cressida shippers here
I'm clearly in the minority on this, but I never thought Colin was making fun of Penelope with that comment at the end of Season 2. It is incredibly out of character for him. It's not in his character to openly make fun of *any* woman that way, let alone his best friend who he's always been extremely protective of and who he just promised to take care of moments before. Even this season, when he has fully embraced his rake persona, he still refuses to denigrate the contessa to his "friends" by sharing intimate details about her, despite their clear expectations. And she is 1) nowhere near as close/important to him as Penelope, and 2) unlikely to be impacted socially, as none of those men knew her.
That's not to say that people don't sometimes act against their character. But if he had, if he had gone so far against his innate character as to mock his best friend in order to gain social acceptance, that would create significant cognitive dissonance. He would certainly feel at least some amount of guilt over it. Considering his already low view of himself, he would probably end up beating himself up endlessly... it would become yet another voice in the internal chorus of self-loathing. But what he wouldn't do is simply forget it, as if it were any other random comment. So the fact that he doesn't even remember what she's talking about when she brings it up is telling.
Also, consider this: Penelope completely cut him off immediately after this incident, and he spent the better part of a year wondering why. Colin is always quick to assume the blame when those around him are upset, even when it has nothing to do with him. And yet in this case, when he actually is at fault, it doesn't even cross his mind. He interpreted her silence as her simply living her life and having no need of him, like the rest of his family. This conversation wasn't even a flicker at the edge of his consciousness. The fact that it didn't even occur to him makes it pretty clear that he didn't mean it in the insulting way she/we took it. In his mind, he was asked if he was courting her, and he said no. Period. It wasn't even worth remembering, let alone considering as a possible reason for Penelope's sudden distance. To be fair, his wording was unnecessarily emphatic, but I honestly think it had to do with the fact that he hadn't yet recognized the feelings he had for her. He protests too much.
We have to remember that we're seeing all this through Penelope's eyes. We saw her hopes get built up, only to be dashed so brutally. We felt her heart breaking in real time. And it's only human nature to jump to the worst, most painful conclusion. We see her do exactly this after the ball in this episode. He compliments her dress, and she assumes he's mocking her. He wants to find somewhere private where they can talk, and she assumes it's because he's embarrassed to be seen with her. But we the audience just saw him interrupt a conversation with two men (who were part of that same group from Season 2) to inquire after her, and then when they tried to brush her off, he straight up ditched them to go check on her, with no pretense whatsoever. He's clearly not ashamed to be seen with her (also, he sought her out in broad daylight at the garden party earlier, and she was the only person he spoke to individually, clearly singling her out to anyone who was paying attention). But in her hurt and anger she jumps to the worst, most painful conclusion. Because that's what people do.
This is not to let him off the hook. He did hurt her, personally and socially, and she has every right to be upset about it and to tell him so. But it simply doesn't make sense that he would step so far outside his own character as to throw his best friend under the bus like that, and yet not even remember doing it. It seems clear to me that it was a mistake (a hurtful one) rather than callousness or cruelty, or even an attempt to win the approval of his peers.
Awww u have watched fellow travellers
hope THE BEAR is after this series
Wait when did he make out with a man? I didn’t see that at all.