Yes, we knew that Colin would have to find out that Penelope is Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton Season 4. We would also need to see Colin accept Penelope for that. The changes from book to show made it difficult to believe Colin’s acceptance, though.
In the Bridgerton books, the gossip that Lady Whistledown shares is shocking but not overly shocking. It’s not as harmful to the Bridgerton family as the series has made it out to be. Lady Whistledown also didn’t reveal too many sordid details of others. It was something fun and lighthearted in the books.
In the show, the gossip threatened to ruin people. It meant that there were questions about how Colin would react when he learned that Penelope was the writer of the gossip.
Colin finds out in the same way as the books in Bridgerton Season 4
While some events were switched around, Colin still learned the truth about Penelope being Lady Whistledown in the same way. He followed her and watched her drop a column.
The two talked, and Penelope admitted that she was being blackmailed by Cressida, who had claimed to be Lady Whistledown but couldn’t write in the same way, at all. Colin made it clear that his wife-to-be wouldn’t be blackmailed.
As we expected, Colin accepted Penelope for who she was. This doesn’t make sense, though. It was only at the start of the season that Colin absolutely hated Lady Whistledown for all the problems that she had caused the family. He wouldn’t just be able to forget all the things Lady Whistledown wrote just because it was Penelope doing it. This would bring up more questions. Why would she want to destroy his family so much when she claimed to have loved him all her life?
I expected far more drama and anger with the way the gossip column was created. When it came to Queen Charlotte, it was believable. She has been so blasé about the column that it made sense that she’d allow it to continue. But Colin? I needed more drama there. I needed him to be angrier, and then to realize just how much he loved Penelope.
I also have issues with Penelope never really standing up for herself, but that is somewhat suitable for the time period and the age that Penelope is supposed to be. However, Colin’s reaction just seemed so tame considering his hatred for Lady Whistledown earlier on in the season.