Warning: SPOILERS for The Gilded Age Season 3, Episode 1
HBO’s fantastic period dramaThe Gilded Ageis back for season 3, wasting no time in getting right back into the characters' messy relationships and power struggles.The Gilded Ageseason 2’s endingset up quite a few big prospects back in 2023, and season 3’s premiere has already begun to answer many of the biggest questions. InThe Gilded Ageseason 2’s finale, Bertha Russell won the opera war by leveraging her daughter, Marian Brook and Larry Russell shared a kiss, and Ada Forte became the head of the Van Rhijn-Brook house thanks to her inheritance.
As always,The Gilded Ageis all about power, and while Bertha may have shown that she is willing to fight for it, season 3 will see conflict within the Russell household as well.The Gilded Age’s season 3 premiere has already proved that the same will be true for Ada and Agnes, andThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s relationship and divorce focusis already coming into play.The Gilded Age’s season 3 opener raised the stakes again, with each of the characters facing new problems, and the series showing that the drama is bigger than ever.
Why Gladys Russell Runs Away From Home
The Youngest Russell Was At Odds With Her Mother Again
Gladys Russell has appeared increasingly throughout the first two seasons ofThe Gilded Age, but season 3 already seems to be setting her up for a much larger role. Across seasons 1 and 2, Gladys' scenes largely revolved around her anger at her mother, Bertha, for being so controlling. While Bertha still wants to maintain control over Gladys,The Gilded Age’s season 3premiere proved that Gladys is finally fighting back. In a shocking turn for the character,Gladys already has a new love interest, whom she has decided to marry.
Gladys and Billy Carlton already have a strong connection whenThe Gilded Ageseason 3 begins, but Bertha knows nothing about it and is stilldetermined that Gladys will marry the Duke of Buckingham. Naturally, Gladys is unhappy about Bertha’s wishes and lets her know, leading the two women to fight over what is best for Gladys’s future. Bertha steadfastly believes she is doing what is best for Gladys, but because it is so at odds with what Gladys wants, she chooses to pack a bag and run away inThe Gilded Ageseason 3 premiere’s final moments, setting up an intriguing episode 2.
Marian Brook & Larry Russell Are A Full-Blown Romance
Their Relationship Has Advanced A Lot Since We Last Saw Them
The Gilded Age’s season 2 ending saw Marian Brook reject Dashiell’s proposal and later kiss Larry Russell after attending the opera together. Marian and Larry have always had great chemistry, especially compared toMarian’s other love interests, so their budding relationship in season 3 was an exciting prospect. Surprisingly, rather than a more slow-burn relationship between the two, building over the course of the season,they are already very committed inThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere.
Larry and Marian are already talking about marriage.
Due to the time jump of several months between the end ofThe Gilded Ageseason 2 and the beginning of season 3, Marian and Larry were able to build their relationship offscreen. Larry and Marian are already talking about marriage and how to go about the process correctly. Because Marian already had two failed proposals, she and Larry must be completely confident in their engagement. This is even more essential becauseAunt Agnes will certainly have something to say about their romancewhen the news comes out.
The Power Dynamic Is Making The Entire House Uneasy
When Ada revealed that she inherited money from her late husband, Luke Forte, at the end ofThe Gilded Ageseason 2, it was both a relief for everyone in the house and a promise that things would never be the same. This upheaval was teased by Bannister addressing Ada rather than Agnes, butThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere proved that was just the tip of the iceberg. Season 3 seems set to be entirely icy in the Van Rhijn-Brook household, withboth Ada and Agnes attempting to control the house and its staff.
Between the interactions of Ada and Agnes and the conversations of the household staff, it is very clear that the divided leadership is taking a toll on everyone. Agnes is very angry about losing control of what has always been her house, second-guessing and belittling Ada at every turn. Christine Baranski’s Agnes is always very fun to watch, even in her more rude moments.The growing conflict with Ada may take their relationship to the breaking point, though, andThe Gilded Ageseason 3 will probably see it get worse before it gets better.
Jack’s Clock Plans Cause Excitement (And Trouble)
The Invention Process Raises Class Issues
Jack Trotter invented a new kind of alarm clock inThe Gilded Ageseason 2, which he patented. In addition, Larry Russell became Jack’s partner to help him in business dealings.The Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere seesJack preparing Larry for a meeting with potential investorsin the clock to drum up new support. However, it was not all smooth sailing for Jack, both with Larry and the Russell household staff.
Although Larry Russell is genuinely trying to help Jack, he does not understand the mechanics behind the clock. As a result, Jack is skeptical about the power imbalance in their business partnership.Jack also receives disrespect from the Russells' staff, who feel that they should not have to wait on him. AsThe Gilded Ageseason 3 progresses, Jack’s clock business will be an interesting way for the series to continue exploring class divides.
Why Is Peggy Suddenly Sick?
Peggy Scott’s sudden illness feels like a very strange addition toThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere. Peggy travels from Brooklyn back to Manhattan, but when she gets to the Van Rhijn-Brook house, she begins coughing and is eventually unable to leave her bed. Though Peggy tells Marian and the household staff that she likely just caught a cold during her trip to East 61st Street,The Gilded Agehints that her illness is much more serious.
The Gilded Age’s season 3 premiere doesn’t clarify what could be wrong with Peggy because the Van Rhijns' racist doctor refuses to treat her. Still,The Gilded Ageseason 3’s trailershowed Peggy in different locations, including one that looked like Newport, which would imply that she recovers. The seriousness with which the other characters were approaching Peggy does make her illness seem like a bigger issue, but it remains to be seen whether this will become a longer plot withinThe Gilded Ageseason 3.
The Fanes Will Divorce In The Gilded Age Season 3, But Will Bertha & George Russell?
Divorce Is The Theme Of The Season
The Gilded Agecreator Julian Fellowes teased that divorce would be explored in season 3. Divorce was becoming more prevalent in the late 19th century but was still not socially acceptable. Even still,Mr. Fane’s announcement that he wanted to divorce Aurora was a huge shockinThe Gilded Age’s season 3 premiere. Considering Mr. Fane is only seen sporadically throughout the series, it seemed far more likely that a divorce plot would surround the show’s main couple, Bertha and George Russell.
While the Russells may still end up experiencing marital strife given Gladys’s decision, the Fanes have now fully entered the show’s drama. Nothing between the Fanes has been solidified yet, but knowing that Mr. Fane was having an affair makes it unlikely that they will have a happy resolution. This does mean, though, that Aurora’s life will change completely, as she shares with Ada, Agnes, and Marian. Even in Agnes' initial reaction to the news, it was clear that Aurora is going to have an uphill battle to remain inThe Gilded Age’s society as season 3 continues.
