It’s rare for any series, particularly one as prestigious as HBO’s The Gilded Age, to maintain such consistency in its identity. Yet, three seasons in, that’s exactly what Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield’s period drama has achieved. You’d have a difficult time describing The Gilded Age to any viewer apart from the ones who have already been lured in — there’s no reason that a show with such grandeur, scandal, and melodramatic stakes should be considered comfort viewing, but that very dichotomy is precisely what makes it so appealing. Thanks to a veritable who’s who of faces within the Broadway community, a breezy pace that continually keeps the story moving for a large ensemble, and everything Christine Baranski continues to do in every scene that features her, The Gilded Age returns for a third installment that seamlessly slots in alongside its predecessors. If you’re looking for more of the same in Season 3 — including an update on what’s going on with footman Jack’s (Ben Ahlers) clock — you won’t be disappointed. That said, three seasons is a long time for any series to go without some major shake-ups — and in that vein, The Gilded Age also delivers. Alongside the important romances that experience some significant ups and downs, the show doesn’t shy away from tackling some of the larger issues that were slowly beginning to impact the world at this time, in particular the financial crisis that appears to be looming for some of New York’s wealthiest families. Whether The Gilded Age will delve into this real-life economic depression head-on is a question best reserved for a future season, but after watching the entirety of Season 3 provided for review, it appears that things are about to get much tougher for some of our favorite characters before they get better.
What Is ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3 About?

The Gilded Age Season 3 doesn’t waste any time before catching you up on its most important storylines and just how far they’ve progressed (or not) since Bertha Russell’s (Carrie Coon) triumph in the opera war. While Bertha’s scheming ways have driven her to all but ensure her daughter Gladys’ (Taissa Farmiga) hand in marriage to the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), she’s also taking advantage of her husband, George (Morgan Spector), one of the biggest defenders of their daughter’s happiness, being out of town on business. Amid all of Bertha’s meddling, she’s also surprised by a blast from the past with the arrival of her sister, played by Merritt Wever, who also serves as an unwelcome reminder of her less privileged background. Meanwhile, Bertha and George’s son Larry (Harry Richardson) has every intention of publicly declaring his relationship with Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) after their kiss at the end of last season, but Marian’s reluctance stems more from the reality that her last two engagements were dissolved fairly publicly, so, for the sake of her reputation, they’ll both need to exercise some patience, even if they keep looking for ways to be alone in brief moments. None of the Russells’ present dilemmas are helped by the fact that someone seems to be leaking details about them to the press — the only question is: who?

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As for Marian and her aunts living across the street, things have distinctly shifted in the van Rhijn household now that the newly widowed Ada Forte (Cynthia Nixon) is in charge of the cash flow. With Agnes (Baranski) technically the owner of the house, and Ada considered the new mistress by their staff, the obvious consequence is a lot of confusion about who should really be calling the shots. Agnes’ son, Oscar (Blake Ritson), whose bad money management nearly plunged the family into debt, has resumed working to restore their side of the fortune, although it doesn’t take him very long to become an honest man of business once again. While Agnes’ secretary, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), has also been hard at work writing new stories, she also unexpectedly encounters a new suitor, Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), who instantly begins courting her, much to the delight of her mother (Audra MacDonald) and the chagrin of his (Phylicia Rashad). Of course, as previously mentioned, there’s more progress on the clock front for the van Rhijns’ footman, Jack, but any major developments are best left unspoiled. On a larger, society-wide scale, true progress is marching on, whether Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy) likes it or not — but she may not have any choice but to go along with the changes that are happening within the Four Hundred when one particular scandal occurs much closer to home.
Different Faces Step Forward in ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3

With a cast as large as The Gilded Age’s, it’s only reasonable that the show would have to treat certain storylines as more of a revolving door — with some characters operating at the forefront in one season before becoming more secondary by the next. Season 3 is where it starts to feel like the younger generation of this impressive ensemble is finally earning more of the spotlight; it’s no coincidence that this is also the point when we see Gladys Russell finally leave the nest and establish her new place within society. Since Farmiga has largely been a background presence up until now, giving her a meatier storyline this time around is a welcome change, allowing the audience to have an even deeper understanding of who this young woman is through her anxieties about marriage, her distress over that type of decision being made above her head, and her inner conflict about whether to choose love over duty. Farmiga is one of the biggest surprises of The Gilded Age Season 3, and Gladys’ arc also spirals into more intriguing drama within the Russell household, especially once family members take up conflicting sides regarding her future. We’ve seen Bertha and George at odds before, of course, but never quite like this. While Spector spends more time in offices, grappling with economic threats to the family’s wealth, Coon picks her battles in ballrooms, dressed in impeccably-tailored gowns that feel like Bertha’s armor against the world, save for equally welcome moments when she’s much more stripped-down and vulnerable. In contrast to Gladys, Peggy has had an increasing presence on the series over the years, but Benton’s Season 3 storyline is her best yet. After her doomed affair with married newspaper publisher T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones), you might expect that the show would pull back on giving Peggy another relationship for the time being, but Season 3 does the exact opposite by introducing her to Dr. Kirkland. Peggy is one of those characters in The Gilded Age who you can’t help but root for, including in the love department, so it’s delightful to watch a new romance blossom for her alongside some of the show’s other couples — and treated with the same significance by the narrative.
‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3 Isn’t Afraid to Go Even Darker Than Before

Image via HBO

While there are notes of conflict for every one of The Gilded Age’s relationships this season, ranging from opinionated mothers to financial strain and even the shame of divorce, the series also doesn’t fall into the trap of predictably resolving every thread by the end of every episode. Some problems can’t be fixed by throwing money at them, and in many cases, money actually proves to be the root of a much bigger issue rather than a helpful solution. As consistent as the last two seasons of The Gilded Age have been, Fellowes and Warfield seem to be using this newest batch of episodes to settle in with the type of storytelling that will have long-term ripple effects on these characters. It could be seen as a risky move, given that the show is well-known as a somewhat soapier period drama, but it also teases an exciting future for The Gilded Age — provided a Season 4 renewal is swiftly ordered. The Gilded Age Season 3 is a turning point for the show on several fronts. New York society is on the cusp of greater advancement, with several storylines emphasizing that the older way of doing things is falling out of fashion, but it’s also at risk of being impacted in lasting, irreparable ways. Meanwhile, in allowing characters who have mostly remained on the fringes to take center stage, the series breathes some new life into its story. It would have been easy for The Gilded Age to coast on its reputation or the delightful buffet of Broadway names, both new and old, within its ensemble, but Season 3 quickly establishes that it isn’t interested in playing it safe, hinting at the possibility of much darker times ahead. The Gilded Age Season 3 premieres June 22 on HBO and HBO Max.

The Gilded Age

The Gilded Age remains one of the most consistent period dramas on television, but Season 3 hints at even tougher times ahead.

Release Date

January 24, 2022

Network

HBO

Directors

Deborah Kampmeier, Salli Richardson-Whitfield

Morgan Spector

George Russell

Pros & Cons

Taissa Farmiga and Denée Benton earn two of the best storylines in Season 3.
Bertha’s marriage plot for Gladys leads to some juicy division within the Russell household.
The cast is a delectable buffet of Broadway faces, including some exciting newcomers this season.
Any time Christine Baranski is in a scene, it’s going to be a lot of fun.

The series still seems more invested in the lives of the upper class over its working-class characters.