The Gilded Age Season 3 finale followed the cardinal rule of every good period drama: your season must culminate in the event of the year! Or, in the case of the hit HBO series, the event(s) of the year. Last year, it was the opening of the competing opera houses. This year, it’s grand balls in Newport, Connecticut, marking the highlight of the social season.
The Russell family can’t catch a break
Bertha Russell (an exquisite Carrie Coon), arguably the series’ heroine and antiheroine, is in charge of one of the Newport balls. But first, she’s got a lot to deal with back in New York. Her husband George (Morgan Spector) is in critical condition after being shot in a cliffhanger ending last week.
On top of that, son Larry (Harry Richardson) is at odds with former fiancée Marian (Louisa Jacobson) over Larry’s visit to a “house of ill repute.” The normally amiable pair won’t see eye to eye over the issue (Larry went on a night out with friends, but was faithful to Marian).
The drama with the possibly-bleeding-to-death George takes center stage, but the Larry/Marian conflict still feels woefully overwrought. Drama for the sake of creating drama on a show already full of, well, drama? At least Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) is finally happy in her marriage of convenience to a duke (Ben Lamb)!
Drama across town
Across Newport, Mrs. Kirkland (Phylicia Rashad) is planning her own ball. Still hellbent on keeping her son, Dr. Kirkland (Jordan Donica), from marrying journalist Peggy (Denee Benton), Mrs. Kirkland has one last trick up her sleeve: a twist from Peggy’s past. Seasoned fans of The Gilded Age know all about Peggy’s mysterious history before New York and Newport, but it’s all news to the Kirklands.
But The Gilded Age may as well be called the Strong-Willed Women of Society Show. Mrs. Kirkland may have a firm grip on her household, but Peggy is determined to control her own destiny. Whether or not Dr. Kirkland is up to the task is a fate we will leave the reader to discover for themselves.
Class divide
The Gilded Age’s balance between its social classes has largely stayed upstairs-only, with servants downstairs getting a quick word or two in per episode if they’re lucky. It figures, then, that the only servant with significant screen time all season is the only one to rise the ranks of society.
Former footman Jack (Ben Ahlers) is fresh off a business deal that has him set for life. With his dream of making his own fortune achieved, he doesn’t know where he stands in society. Is he above the servants he once worked with? When housemaid Bridget (Taylor Richardson) visits Jack’s fancy new house, she can’t picture herself worthy of sitting at Jack’s dining table. It’s a fun inversion on Season 1’s theme of rising the ranks of society.
The Russells were new money, but we met them after they became wealthy. Jack’s scrappiness has been evident from day one, but he’s just now reaping the reward. Will he continue to feel caught between worlds?
The under-seen side of The Gilded Age
If the servants continue to be cast aside in Season 3 (more of Mrs. Bruce, Chef Borden, and Church’s sleuthing, please), the Van Rhijns across the street may be the second-least attended-to in the finale. With Ada (Cynthia Nixon) snapping out of her dependence on a fraudulent psychic, she goes back to patronizing charities with her deceased husband’s wealth.
Her sister Agnes (Christine Baranski) has had little to do all season but spew snarky witticisms and cock her eyebrow. Agnes’ son Oscar (Blake Ritson) finally had his due screen time in the season. Not to mention that run-in with former confidante Mrs. Winterton (Kelley Curran) promises more in their future.
Once at risk of cancellation, HBO’s soapy drama turned serious drama continues to thrill. But can it truly balance its class analysis? Can it find genuine drama rather than contrived (looking at you, Larry/Marian conflict)? We have another season ahead to find out.
The Gilded Age is available to watch on HBO Max
Images courtesy of HBO Max
REVIEW RATING
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'The Gilded Age' Season 3 Finale: "My Mind is Made Up" - 7/10
7/10
Claire was once asked in elementary school why her go-to question was always, “Watch anything good lately?” It’s still her go-to question, because she loves hearing what other people are passionate about. She often sacrifices sleep in the hopes that she will one day clear her to-watch and to-read lists (a futile effort so far).
