'Bridgerton' fans are praising the disability representation in season 3, including an 'autistic-coded' character (2024)

Since season three, part one was released on Thursday, fans of the Regency-era drama have gravitated toward the character, with many saying that she seems "autistic-coded."

Here's how season three handles characters with disabilities, why fans have interpreted Francesca as autistic, and what Dodd and showrunner Jess Brownell have said about her characterization.

Fans are lauding season 3 for its representation of people with disabilities

During the season three premiere, Dolores Stowell (Kitty Devlin) is one of the young women who makes her debut in society and is presented to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel). After bowing to the unimpressed queen and walking away, Dolores uses British Sign Language to tell her mom, Lady Stowell (Sophie Woolley, who is deaf), that she thinks the royal hates her. In response, her mom signs back, "Impossible. You were perfect."

Another character with a disability appears when Penelope tries to talk to potential suitors at a ball in episode two after receiving lessons in charm from Colin.

One of the men she speaks with is Lord Remington (Zak Ford-Williams), who uses a wheelchair. Penelope and Lord Remington immediately get along after he admits that he enjoys gossip and is a big fan of Lady Whistledown — completely unaware that he's talking to the gossip columnist herself. Lord Remington is seen again during episode three, at the hot-air balloon presentation.

Both characters resonated with fans on X (formerly known as Twitter) and people praised the show for not marginalizing them.

Some people also think that Francesa shares similar qualities as autistic and neurodivergent people

Francesa, the sixth-born Bridgerton, is far more introverted and introspective than her siblings. She's less interested in entertaining potential suitors and would much rather play the pianoforte or read a book.

Her passion for music and shy demeanor attract the attention of Lord John Stirling, the Earl of Kilmartin, who has a similarly reserved disposition.

In their encounters, Francesca and John enjoy each other's company without exchanging many words, much to the bewilderment of her family.

Then during episode four, they have a slightly awkward conversation in town, in which Francesca criticizes a nearby violinist's performance because she feels the pace of the song is "too fickle" to be enjoyable. John seems impressed by her but runs off and later apologizes to Francesca at the queen's ball. He explains that he's not much of a talker, but he believes in the power of a gesture and gives her sheet music that has been rearranged exactly as she imagined it.

After watching season three, part one, fans on X and Reddit said that Francesca and John both appear to have signs of autism.

"Can we just talk about the disability representation in #BridgertonS3 for a minute? Not only is there a deaf actress using BSL to communicate on-screen, there's also an eligible suitor in a wheelchair. Not to mention the fact that Fran & John are autistic coded AF," one fan wrote.

"I really enjoy her character in part 1 and I find myself relating to many of her mannerisms. Which leads me to the question if anyone else thought that she has the television 'traits' of autism. I don't mind it for representation, but just wondering if I'm reading too deep into her mannerisms," one Reddit user wrote.

While not everyone thought Francesca was necessarily autistic, some just appreciated her as a relatable introvert.

"I found her very relatable. I don't know if I'm on the spectrum, but there are a few traits that overlap for me. She seems very much like an introverted person who hates loud noises and too much sensory stimulation," said one person in response.

Francesca isn't explicitly stated as being on the autism spectrum in Julia Quinn's 'Bridgerton' novels or on the TV series

Many people, especially women and gender-nonconforming people, are misdiagnosed or don't find out they're autistic until their 30s or later. Some of the more subtle signs, according to a psychologist, include feeling misunderstood by others in social situations, having difficulty maintaining conversations, and getting overstimulated.

It's unclear if Francesca is intended to be autistic. (Business Insider reached out to Netflix representatives for "Bridgerton" regarding how the character has been received by some fans, but did not receive an immediate response.)

But showrunner Jess Brownell has said that Francesa is different from her family in that she "doesn't always say what she's feeling like the rest of the Bridgertons."

"So we were always looking for little ways to clue people in on the fact that there's a lot more going on than meets the eye," Brownell told Netflix's editorial site, Tudum. "She has a very rich internal world."

Dodd shared similar comments about Francesca's disposition in the production notes for season three.

"She is slightly more shy but, as with a lot of introverts, she's grown up around these people, so she is quite comfortable and knows her place within the family," the actor said of the difference between Francesca and her siblings. "I've tried to play her so there's a difference when she's going out into society and meeting new people, and how that makes her go into her shell a bit."

"She's still quieter than her other siblings, but she is comfortable with them, she knows them, they know her, and she slots in," Dodd added. "She still has this kind of sarcastic humor that they all have, and a banter. But she's more observant."