The Gilded Age Season 3 finale has landed, but the drama is only just getting started. Now that Season 4 has been confirmed, here’s how ‘My Mind Is Made Up’ sets the stage for the next chapter.
Created by Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age has carved out its own niche in the world of period drama TV. Although it’s pitched as HBO Max’s answer to Bridgerton, the show takes a more subtle approach to historical storytelling.
While Downton Abbey was set in early 20th century Britain, The Gilded Age takes us to late 19th century US, centering on New York City’s social scene amid the boom years of the country and dealing with conflicts between new and old money.
The hit TV show has ended for another chapter, but the Season 3 finale proves there’s still plenty of gas left in its tank. Warning: spoilers ahead!
The Gilded Age Season 3 finale sets up major George change
The most dramatic thread heading into Season 4 comes from George Russell’s near-death experience, which actor Morgan Spector says will drive the story moving forward.
After being shot in his office by a gunman posing as a messenger, George was saved by Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), an act that could reshape the railroad tycoon’s worldview entirely.
Speaking with Deadline, Spector explained, “I think the story of George’s bounce back from the assassination attempt would be the story, at least for me, of Season 4.
“I would love to see what happens, but yeah, I think there were moments when these guys decided that they were gonna maybe start treating their workers a little better, or maybe start investing more in philanthropy or something like that. I’d be curious to see.”
George attends his wife Bertha’s (Carrie Coon) Newport ball, which proves to be a huge success, with their daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) making an entrance with her new husband, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb).
However, the Season 3 finale of the binge-worthy show ends with George leaving Bertha, explaining to her that he only attended the ball to protect the business and boost her social status.
George explains that while he admires Bertha’s ruthlessness, he can’t forgive her or himself for forcing their daughter to marry out of necessity rather than love. Despite Gladys now being happy with the situation, George is starting to question his motives.
“I think what’s happening for George is a crisis of conflict between his actual life, the choices he makes, and his moral code. I think that’s what’s really at issue,” Spector added.
“I think he can’t forgive himself for failing to protect Gladys from this marriage, and I think he has to figure out how to forgive himself and go back to being the man he was, or how to change and become somebody else. And I would love to find out whether we get to see him do that.”
No doubt Season 4 will provide the answers, as well as exploring how George and Bertha will navigate the breakdown of their relationship.
Other storylines that will continue in The Gilded Age Season 4
Beyond the Russell marriage cliffhanger, several other storylines are primed for continuation next season. The most uplifting moment had to be Dr. Kirkland’s public proposal to Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) – staged in the middle of the ball.
The couple’s engagement challenges entrenched racial prejudices present in society at that time, setting up a tense dynamic with the Kirkland family matriarch Elizabeth (Phylicia Rashad) in Season 4.
Her disapproval has been a key obstacle all season, with her disapproving of the fact that Peggy has darker skin than the Kirkland family.
As executive producer Sonja Warfield told Deadline, “Colorism is a big issue in communities of color, whether it’s Black communities or latino communities. It’s just not something that I’ve ever really seen on screen.
“I had two grandmothers, one who was of a fair complexion and one who was of a darker complexion. They both were very concerned about how much time I spent in the sun.
“The idea of having light skin privilege is very much real in this country and beyond. And Elizabeth Kirkland, played by Ms. Rashad, embodies all of that. She is a bit like the Black Mrs. Astor of Newport.”
But there will be plenty of joy for Peggy in Season 4, with executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield telling Den of Geek, “We are working on ideas, and we want Peggy again to have a full life, but as we know, nothing stays happy, right?
“Nothing is perfect, and nor do you want to watch a perfect show. Hopefully, we can give Peggy some love and laughter and then give the audience some drama, too.”
There’s also Gladys’ pregnancy reveal, which further complicates matters for Bertha in the moments after George walks out. Four months along and eager to share the news, Gladys is blissfully unaware of the storm brewing between her parents.
Bertha star Carrie Coon explained to Deadline, “I think people have babies to try to save marriages all the time. Never really works out, usually, but yeah, it’s a devastating moment.
“We leave her right in the moment of discovery, where, of course, the first person she wants to share that information with is George, and George is riding off into the sunset alone.
“And then she’s gonna have to explain to Gladys why George left, but she doesn’t entirely understand it yet herself. She feels like it all worked out, and everything is gonna be fine, and [George] survived, and [they] love each other.
“And then he leaves, and I think she’s not quite far down the path of that exploration to understand exactly what happened. We catch her in the middle of trying to process that moment.”
Whether this joyous news could be enough to pull George back into the fold will be one of The Gilded Age Season 4’s most pressing questions.
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