The Gilded Age

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ada and her temperance nonsense is annoying. And foisting it on the servants shows an unempathetic side of her.

Is Marian going to have a happy ending with James or is there something fishy about it all?

Billy: weak. His mother: ugh.

Peggy is obviously going to get with the doctor.

I feel bad for Aurora. Her husband is such a jerk.

Aurora’s husband really is the worst. Throughout the first seasons, I always thought he looked far younger than Aurora and that he was miscast.

Also, would a still-married man really bring his mistress to a party (at his own house, no less)? That seemed so outlandish. You’d think his mistress would have been mortified to be “outed” like that too.

Turns out Kelli O'Hara and Ward Horton are the same age, both born in 1976.

I think the styling on the show ages the women but not the men. It's the fussiness of their clothes and hair. Carrie Coon also looks much older. They manage to make Gladys and Peggy look younger but those actresses are very baby faced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My god, the writing is absolutely atrocious. I can't understand how the creator of Downton Abbey - a beautiful, well-written show - could also have created this drivel. And the only time they're not filmed on a set is during the very few outdoor scenes in Newport.

And Jack's alarm clock - why on earth isn't he getting the full $600,000? Why should he have to split it with an already fabulously wealthy man? If Larry Russell was a true gentleman, he would insist Jack keep all of it.

Does Julian Fellowes just hate Americans and is making this show awful on purpose?

Because he didn't know how to market or sell it. If the show was true to history he probably would have gotten $100 shiny dollars and the buyers would have negotiated only with Larry and Jack would never have known what it sold for.

+1 I was waiting for that to be the plot, and mildly surprised that Larry had “only” taken half.

Agreed, but I like where they are taking it instead, with Larry continuing to be friends with Jack and maybe sort of mentor him about being wealthy in NYC.

A central plot of the show is that the Russells are "new money." Yes, Larry was born into wealth, but to parents who were not and who have normalized the idea that if you work hard enough, you are entitled to whatever you want. Larry is totally open minded to Jack in part because he's not as hung up on the idea that there is some uncrossable divide between a butler and a railroad baron.

So while it's still kind of unrealistic, I like Larry and Jack becoming friends, and Larry cutting a more fair deal with Jack over the money (keep in mind Larry negotiated an extra 200k out of the deal, the idea that it's unfair for him to take half ignores the fact that without Larry, Jack would have been completely swindled by those guys) is part of that. Plus with Larry's guidance and connections, we will get to see what it means to have the opportunities of NYC open up to someone who just came into a fortune like Jack. I think it could be really fun.

Heck, without Larry, Jack never meets with those guys in the first place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Call me crazy but I think this show gets better each season - it is a bit ridiculous but I enjoy it anyway. I can’t wait to see what happens with Gladys, Miss Brooke and Jack the now rich servant (whatever his title is).

I agree! Every season is better.

Waiting for the divorces.

DH and I were originally hate-watching, but realized this mid-season that we were actually enjoying it. Still completely cotton candy, but the characters and plots have improved significantly.
Except Marian. We still think she’s a cardboard character with a bad actress.

[Anonymous]

I wish they would give Christine Baranski more to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish they would give Christine Baranski more to do.

Yes, she's so good. And you know she'd be reeling since her whole identity was so wrapped up in being wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Gladys' father looks like he just got off a boat at Ellis Island.
Not great casting.

He is hot.

+100 The beard and the super intense eyes!

+1
And he's the only man in the cast who is actually... manly. I can't stand the way the rest of them speak.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ada and her temperance nonsense is annoying. And foisting it on the servants shows an unempathetic side of her.

Is Marian going to have a happy ending with James or is there something fishy about it all?

Billy: weak. His mother: ugh.

Peggy is obviously going to get with the doctor.

I feel bad for Aurora. Her husband is such a jerk.

Aurora’s husband really is the worst. Throughout the first seasons, I always thought he looked far younger than Aurora and that he was miscast.

Also, would a still-married man really bring his mistress to a party (at his own house, no less)? That seemed so outlandish. You’d think his mistress would have been mortified to be “outed” like that too.

Turns out Kelli O'Hara and Ward Horton are the same age, both born in 1976.

Kelli O'Hara is adorable but I can't stand the Ward Horton husband. And I felt that aversion way before he ever announced he was leaving her. He just has such a slimy way about him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After the most recent episode, does anyone else think that Mr. Russell is going to lose all the money he just put into his railroad scheme? And since that money was meant to be Gladys‘s dowry, her marriage to the Duke will fall through and the Duke will run away to some other rich girl.

Also, should Peggy marry the Doctor with the snobby, racist mom?

Mr. and Mrs. Russell will get divorced, as well as Gladys and the Duke.

I would be disappointed if the Russells divorce - they seem a very complimentary pair who actually love each other (it’s been mentioned several times that they married for love vs what Gladys had to do).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After the most recent episode, does anyone else think that Mr. Russell is going to lose all the money he just put into his railroad scheme? And since that money was meant to be Gladys‘s dowry, her marriage to the Duke will fall through and the Duke will run away to some other rich girl.

Also, should Peggy marry the Doctor with the snobby, racist mom?

Mr. and Mrs. Russell will get divorced, as well as Gladys and the Duke.

I would be disappointed if the Russells divorce - they seem a very complimentary pair who actually love each other (it’s been mentioned several times that they married for love vs what Gladys had to do).

DP. True, but Bertha is such an overbearing social climber and prestige-whore that I imagine George is sick to death of her at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anyone else totally turned off by Peggy's doctor suitor? So prissy. And his awful mother - good god. Run, Peggy, run.

[Anonymous]

Fancy camera work at the end of S3E6!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fancy camera work at the end of S3E6!

That ending reminded me of the fall down the elevator shaft on LA Law.

[Anonymous]

Marian's take not prisoners attitude is ridiculous for someone who supposedly loves Larry., not even giving him a chance to confirm or deny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Marian's take not prisoners attitude is ridiculous for someone who supposedly loves Larry., not even giving him a chance to confirm or deny.

+1 I liked her character and she seemed very level headed. But her reaction to this is so over the top. And the drop the letter off while Larry is still out of town is such a drama queen move. I'm very disappointed in where this storyline is going. Maybe she is some kind of marriage tease.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fancy camera work at the end of S3E6!

Those flying CGI apples!

At least they didn’t do a close up on his dead face, like they did for Cousin Matthew in DA.