The Gilded Age has officially been renewed for a 3rd season by HBO. Creator Julian Fellowes’ new series following the war between Old Money and New in late 19th-century New York has captured audiences with the same witty drama and period costuming and sets as Downton Abbey. Fellowes’ engaging characters and stories convey the concerns primarily of the upper class in the 19th and 20th centuries to a modern audience.
The Gilded Age season 3 promises more from Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) as she makes a life for herself in New York City, while her aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Forte (Cynthia Nixon) also assert themselves. While aspiring journalist Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) continues to make waves in her industry, the railroad tycoon George Russell (Morgan Spector) and his family will continue to shock New York as they climb the social ladder. In the future, the show will again depict the complex socio-economic politics of the title period in American history.
8 Agnes And Ada’s New Power Balance
Mrs. van Rhijn and Mrs. Forte must sort out their new household.
Shortly after Agnes’ son Oscar (Blake Ritson) is scammed and loses their entire fortune, her sister Ada inherits another fortune from her late husband Luke Forte (Sean Robert Leonard). While this is good for Agnes because she does not have to move, it does mean that Ada may claim more power in their household. Their butler Bannister (Simon Jones) surprises Agnes by deferring to Ada in the season’s final scene, followed by Marian pointing out that Ada will be paying the staff’s wages now.
Agnes previously gave all the orders and implicitly expected Ada, Marian, and Oscar to follow her lead, but Ada is now asserting her power. There are valid arguments for both of them to have some control: Agnes endured an abusive marriage to provide for her sister, while the new money belongs to Ada. The Gilded Age season 3 will need to show the sisters finding a new dynamic.
7 Gladys’ Love Story
Gladys may have finally met her match.
Early in season 2, Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) seriously considers marrying Oscar for an amicable but mutually beneficial partnership. Her father George ends this because he wants Gladys to have a love match and promises that he will unconditionally support her when she falls in love. This conversation foreshadows a grand romance for Gladys, one that will likely anger her mother Bertha (Carrie Coon). In The Gilded Age season 2 finale, Gladys is revealed to have become friends with a young man called Billy Carlton (Matt Walker). She is eager to spend more time with him, waving at him from her opera seat. Is love in the air?
6 Jack And Larry’s New Business Venture
Jack spends season 2 working and gains a valuable business partner.
Jack Trotter (Ben Ahlers), the footman of the van Rhijn household, spends season 2 diligently working to repair an alarm clock and fighting to get a patent for a new part he invented. When Jack finally succeeds, Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) asks Jack to become his business partner. Season 3 must show them working together; Larry has not been seen doing much architecture work lately and might be considering another career path. On the other hand, Jack is entering a new world of business, working with a family who built their fortune from scratch. While Larry can provide Jack with valuable resources, he and his self-made father could also fuel Jack’s ambitions.
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5 Tensions Between Oscar And Agnes
Agnes’ anger shows no signs of abating.
Agnes misses no opportunities to express her anger towards Oscar in the season finale. Oscar spends season 2 pursuing Maud Beaton (Nichole Brydon Bloom), who leads him to invest in a fake railroad company before she and her partners disappear. The household will be maintained by Ada’s fortune, but this does not mean all is forgiven between Agnes and Oscar. Agnes will likely be frustrated by Ada’s new power and take it out on Oscar, who caused the situation. Oscar will probably try to make amends before becoming frustrated with his mother’s continuous judgment.
4 Marian And Larry Finally Get Together
Mary and Matthew have competition.
Marian and Larry’s romance is teased in The Gilded Age Pilot by their meet-cute in front of the Russells’ mansion. They become close friends over the next two seasons and tell each other everything that is going on in their lives. Marian even jokes, “We know far too much about each other’s lives not to be friends forever.” After both being distracted by other romances, Marian and Larry kiss when he is dropping her off at home in the season 2 finale. They might have just realized that they are perfect for each other, which means their real romance and potential marriage will be explored in season 3.
3 Cameos From Historical Figures And Downton Abbey Characters
Fellowes has teased a certain Downton resident’s appearance.
The Gilded Age occasionally references the Rockefellers and the Vanderbilts and members of these families may make appearances in the show’s future. This is especially likely since Downton Abbey occasionally incorporated history into the plot. For example, in the Downton Abbey season 4 finale, the Crawley family helps cover up Prince Edward of Wales’ affair with Freda Dudley Ward.
Speaking of Downton Abbey, Fellowes has also teased the possibility of a young Cora Levinson appearing on The Gilded Age(via Deadline). Cora’s (played by Elizabeth McGovern in Downton) family are New Money like the Russells; the Levinsons could be friends of the Russells who will come to visit New York in a future episode. In The Gilded Age/Downton Abbey timeline, Cora’s mother takes her abroad to find a husband. Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) marries Cora because he needs her inheritance to maintain his estate. Similarly, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb) probably wants to marry Gladys because he needs the Russell fortune to maintain his own holdings.
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2 Peggy’s New Career Trajectory
Peggy quits her job at the New York Globe.
In the season 2 finale, Peggy leaves her job at the New York Globe to put a respectable distance between her and her married boss T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones) when they begin to develop romantic feelings for each other. Peggy will likely continue to work as Agnes’ secretary as she starts to compose her own novel. While Peggy made significant strides in her career working at the Globe, she has shown herself to be clever and ambitious. The end of her time at the Globe is by no means the end of her career.
1 Conflict In The Russell Family
Bertha crosses a line concerning her daughter’s future.
In the season 2 finale, it is strongly implied that Bertha promised her daughter Gladys in marriage to the Duke of Buckingham to convince him to attend the Met Opera’s opening night. Bertha cuts off Gladys from Billy, instructing her to converse with the Duke. Bertha’s deal could throw the Russells into chaos. Neither George nor Larry would approve of Bertha’s ambitions driving her to secretly arrange Gladys’ marriage.
If Gladys does fall in love with Billy, it will lead to a confrontation when George fulfills his promise to support Gladys’ choice of husband and Bertha pushes Gladys to marry the Duke. The ambitions of the New Money are a huge part of The Gilded Age, depicted through George and Bertha’s determination to triumph over Old New York society. However, this may lead to disaster for Bertha next season.
