The Gilded Age

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think George has been pretty whiny the last few episodes—“Sell me your railroad or else, waaaah!”

He also broke his promise to Gladys that she wouldn’t have to get married, and pressured her along with Bertha, now it’s all Bertha’s fault.

That last bit regarding Gladys is indeed really irritating as a character choice, but also incredibly realistic for one of these titans of industry. If Gladys manages to win out over sister Sarah and become a raging success as Duchess (using the advice and guidance of her mother in doing so), George will immediately claim credit for the whole thing. But since right now it looks like a bit of ugly business and he's resentful about how big the dowry was at the same time as other financial difficulties, he's going to blame the whole thing on Bertha and resent her. Kind? No. Realistic? Oh heck yes.

[Anonymous]

I know George is the most unrealistic character on the show, but I do hope the bullet didn't hit anything too important and we can keep looking at Morgan Spector smoldering in period clothing in the future...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think George has been pretty whiny the last few episodes—“Sell me your railroad or else, waaaah!”

He also broke his promise to Gladys that she wouldn’t have to get married, and pressured her along with Bertha, now it’s all Bertha’s fault.

Yes, and historically men like him were monsters. But Fellows can never quite make his people as abd as they should, because Morgan Spector is charming. So George gets whitewashed a bit.

Yes, I can’t forget the giant eye roll I had when in the first episode of Fellows’ Downton Abbey, the Earl made a comment about the poor souls on the lower decks who didn’t stand a chance of safely escaping the Titanic. Those people in steerage wouldn’t have been an afterthought to the aristocracy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know George is the most unrealistic character on the show, but I do hope the bullet didn't hit anything too important and we can keep looking at Morgan Spector smoldering in period clothing in the future...

Ditto!

[Anonymous]

George forgives Bertha on his deathbed. Larry and Maid Marian marry. (Bertha may get credit for this.) Larry gets the company and Marian runs Bertha's house. (Or, Bertha and Larry battle it out for the company.) With Bertha in mourning, there is no one left to host the ball except Ward McAllister. Jack scores an invite. By mid-season 4, Marian is hosting salons inclusive of blacks, gays and divorcees.

[Anonymous]

I mean, speculation but the trailer for next week shows them at the ball. Bertha wouldn't be hosting a ball if her husband just died. Better than even odds that he's just in a sling. Probably saved by Peggy's doctor boyfriend.

[Anonymous]

Marian and the curly haired baby baron have to get back together!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know this is an old series (2022, although there are unreleased episodes that were scheduled for 2025). I needed something to watch. S1E1--how did it get good reviews? The acting is so stilted (at least most of the white actors) they sound like high school kids performing their lines. Or like Carrie Underwood when they did the live stage performance of the Sound of Music. Does it get better?

Edith Wharton this sure isn't.

It’s like watching a train wreck. It’s is horrible but you can not turn away.

Wanna bet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know this is an old series (2022, although there are unreleased episodes that were scheduled for 2025). I needed something to watch. S1E1--how did it get good reviews? The acting is so stilted (at least most of the white actors) they sound like high school kids performing their lines. Or like Carrie Underwood when they did the live stage performance of the Sound of Music. Does it get better?

Edith Wharton this sure isn't.

It isn’t even Edith Bunker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean, speculation but the trailer for next week shows them at the ball. Bertha wouldn't be hosting a ball if her husband just died. Better than even odds that he's just in a sling. Probably saved by Peggy's doctor boyfriend.

This, and Bertha is wearing red and white in the scenes for the ball (the same dress she's wearing in a bunch of the promos for this season). No way George dies. Agree that Morgan Spector is the hottest thing on the show, male or female, and they aren't going to kill him off. More likely the shooting will be used as a device to get the Russells all back together after being at odds all season, and next season will be about all four of them conquering their respective spheres.

I am genuinely curious if Larry and Marion actually get married. I feel like the show has been trying to push them together since the beginning (old money NY marrying new money NY) and part of me really wants it because I think it will force the two households to collide a bit more, and I always enjoy that. One of my favorite dynamics on the show is when the butlers of the respective houses get together and gossip and share tips, I don't know why but I find this hilarious and delightful. Would also enjoy a lot more scenes with both Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski, and you are welcome to throw some Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Fish into that mix at will. I like these actresses and those characters have tons of potential and I want more passive aggressive fighting over how things are supposed to be done.

The only problem is that Larry and Marion are the two drippiest, dullest characters on the show and I'm not particularly invested in their romance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean, speculation but the trailer for next week shows them at the ball. Bertha wouldn't be hosting a ball if her husband just died. Better than even odds that he's just in a sling. Probably saved by Peggy's doctor boyfriend.

This, and Bertha is wearing red and white in the scenes for the ball (the same dress she's wearing in a bunch of the promos for this season). No way George dies. Agree that Morgan Spector is the hottest thing on the show, male or female, and they aren't going to kill him off. More likely the shooting will be used as a device to get the Russells all back together after being at odds all season, and next season will be about all four of them conquering their respective spheres.

I am genuinely curious if Larry and Marion actually get married. I feel like the show has been trying to push them together since the beginning (old money NY marrying new money NY) and part of me really wants it because I think it will force the two households to collide a bit more, and I always enjoy that. One of my favorite dynamics on the show is when the butlers of the respective houses get together and gossip and share tips, I don't know why but I find this hilarious and delightful. Would also enjoy a lot more scenes with both Carrie Coon and Christine Baranski, and you are welcome to throw some Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Fish into that mix at will. I like these actresses and those characters have tons of potential and I want more passive aggressive fighting over how things are supposed to be done.

The only problem is that Larry and Marion are the two drippiest, dullest characters on the show and I'm not particularly invested in their romance.

Throw in Merritt Wever and we've got a real party on our hands!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Who can we petition to have a spinoff that focuses on the black elite during the Gilded Age?

Im in.

[Anonymous]

Best episode of anything on tv. Agree — more Christine and Carrie scenes. I don’t think Morgan Spector has a season 4 contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Best episode of anything on tv. Agree — more Christine and Carrie scenes. I don’t think Morgan Spector has a season 4 contract.

I don't buy that they are writing MS off the show. A gilded age drama without a robber baron? Nope. Maybe in a couple years if they can flesh out Larry enough to make him a true replacement (though I just don't think the would have called him Larry if that was the plan). It's too early and he is still one the most dynamic characters in the show and his marriage with Bertha a source of good drama.

I think he and Coon are in it as a team. They are both a little too good and in demand for this show, but it works because they both agreed to do it. That means they can also tag team on contracts and make certain demands on scheduling so they can both do other projects. They are also both members of actor couples and that makes them more valuable to HBO. Just offer Rebecca Hall a plum directing project as part of the deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh no, what do we think happened?!

I found Oscar’s story heartbreaking. To love someone like that, then lose him and never be able to talk honestly about it with anyone… However, as lovely as Marian was to him, that was so incredibly unrealistic. No one in that time would ever have treated a gay person kindly. Quite the opposite. This show really takes liberties when it comes to social issues.

Yes, I agree, same with the van Rhijn house entertaining black suffragettes. That would have simply not happened.

+1
Exactly. I mean, it makes for a nice story, but totally unrealistic. However, they do seem to keep to the social mores re: things like Peggy’s child, divorced women, etc.

By both of your logic, we would have never progressed anywhere, ever. Of course it started with small kindnesses and small steps. And yes, ath that time there were white abolishinists who raised their children to be more progressive. There were “radicals” at that time, it’s documented. Lucretia Mott, Elizabeth Margaret Chandler…

Agreed, and also I don't find it that weird that Ada and Agnes would host the suffrage meeting because they are established as characters who are feminists, far more welcoming to black people than most of their peers (Agnes hiring Peggy and supporting her writing career, welcoming Peggy's parents into their home, etc., and Ada just kind of being an all around bleeding heart). This is in contrast to their social peers who don't do this sort of thing ever. Also I think there is an undercurrent with both Agnes and Ada that they view their own lot in life as somewhat unfair (Ada for so long being consigned to being her sister's ward because she was a spinster, and Agnes being forced to endure a brutal and loveless marriage in order to maintain the family fortune) which makes them more attuned to other unfairnesses. Yes they are also incredibly oblivious sometimes, and tone deaf, and Agnes is a stickler for certain old rules of civility. But the idea that they would support suffrage or be friendlier than most to certain black people (note they are only welcoming to upper class, educated black people).

A big theme on the show is the idea of tradition v. progress and these two families, the Russells and the Van Rhyns, were chosen specifically because of how they represent that tension. So I don't think it's that weird or surprising when Agnes is sort of progressive on racial issues while also being very old fashioned about her son's possible homosexuality, or that Mrs. Russell would be open minded about divorced women while also selling her daughter off for a title. The contradiction is the point.

There's no "old fashioned" about it. Homosexuality was absolutely taboo. The scene where Agnes is realizing that her son is homosexual was one of the most realistic scenes yet. Her face conveyed the horror, shame, and disbelief that she was feeling. No one during that time would *ever* have been sympathetic to homosexuals - unless they too were gay, of course.