The Gilded Age Season 1 Episode 1 Review: Never The New
Mary Littlejohn
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For those of us who can't get enough lavish period dramas about privileged high society folk and their servants, look no further -- The Gilded Age has everything you could want.
On The Gilded Age Season 1 Episode 1, we are treated to a movie-length (80 minutes!) premiere introducing us to the many characters, relationships, and plotlines that will define the season.
Julian Fellowes struck gold with the wildly popular Downton Abbey, and The Gilded Age is arguably even better.
The Gilded Age does not disappoint in terms of spectacle. Bob Shaw's production design and Regina Graves' set decoration are flawless. Kasia Walicka-Maimone's costumes are works of art. It's all very decadent.
Not only are the production aspects magnificent, but the cast is superb as well.
A treasure trove of talents, the cast is made up largely of experienced performers from Broadway and the West End. Any theatre aficionados (myself included) will delight in recognizing the many faces that have found their way from stage to screen.
Christine Baranski is the regal, "old money" Agnes Van Rhijn. Baranski has that rare gift of making every role she plays seem like it was written for her -- she makes the most of every line, dry with the nuance of her years of experience. Agnes is set to become as iconic as Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess.
Oscar Van Rhijn: Mama, you are incorrigible.
Agnes Van Rhijn: I take that as the highest praise.
The dynamic between Agnes and Ada, her spinster sister (played by Cynthia Nixon), is intriguing.
They have such a complex history, with mentions of the father, their brother, and Agnes's husband, and through it all, the two of them have stayed together.
Ada is quick to defend her acerbic sister. Agnes is the dominant one, which makes sense since Agnes made the "sacrifice" to marry. It will be interesting to see how having the niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson) in their lives puts them at odds with each other.
Marian is resistant to buy into the prejudices of her aunts because, to her (and us), they seem fairly arbitrary.
Intriguingly, Agnes takes on Peggy (Denee Benton) as a secretary without a second thought. Agnes is deeply prejudiced in other ways but happy to accept Peggy and her skills.
Even some Van Rhijn servants are colder towards their mistress's new employee than Agnes herself. It appears to be a deliberate choice on the part of the writers, and I'm curious to see how this friction will manifest.
Peggy and Marian have charming chemistry, and their friendship is a strong heart beating throughout this episode.
Sonja Warfield is credited as a writer on all ten episodes this season, so it feels safe to assume that the characters of color will be treated with respect and be in charge of their narratives separate from the white characters. Just what is Peggy's secret, and why is it holding her family back?
I know he feels what he thinks is love, but I disagree with his definition.
Peggy Scott
There are obvious sparks between Marian and Larry Russell -- which is probably part of the reason why Marian wanted to go to the party so badly, but the inclusion of Gladys into their friendship is sweet as well.
Larry cares a good deal about his sister, encouraging his mother to foster her independence, which is refreshing. There's also the question of the attractive young lawyer Mr. Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel), with whom Marian has unfinished business.
And then there's Oscar Van Rhijn. He's certainly his mother's son, with wit and charm to spare, but he's hiding a huge secret -- a relationship with his "friend" Mr. John Adams -- that could produce quite the scandal if unearthed.
Is Agnes the type that would disown her only son? It seems inevitable that someone will discover his secret and use it as leverage against him and the Van Rhijns -- but whom?
Bertha Russell is a formidable character, and Carrie Coon truly cements herself here as a fierce force to be reckoned with, much like her character.
She's hungry and ambitious, with all the tools at her arsenal except for the respect she so desperately craves.
Berta's relationship with her husband is refreshing. He respects her and doesn't pander to her -- but there is still plenty of love and support there. George Russell (Morgan Spector) is brutally ruthless in his own right, making them a well-suited match.
Both Mr. Russell and Mrs. Russell made intense power moves. George stood his ground with Mr. Thurston, showing that he doesn't care what people think of him, and he is playing to win.
I may be a bastard, Mr. Thorburn, but you are a fool -- and of the two, I think I know which I prefer.
Mr. George Russell
Bertha, furious and humiliated, stood her ground and kicked Mrs. Fane (Kelli O'Hara) out of her home.
It was an appropriate response after the disrespect these women showed her. If the charity women want Mrs. Russell's money, they will need to grovel and prove that they are willing to accept her.
Mr. George Russell: Whatever her faults, she has imagination and taste -- and nerve.
Mr. Stanford White: She will need all three in New York.
The servants are just as much fun as their masters.
There's Turner, the maid who acts above her station, thinking herself better than her mistress. When you have great character actors like Michael Cerveris and Douglas Sills making meals out of their roles, it's even more delightful and fun to speculate on what's in store.
People want to know you when you’re a success. It’s when you fail they turn their backs.
Watson
Jack Treacher (Ben Ahlers) promises to be a great character as well. He's playfully defiant of the older, more seasoned Van Rhijn servants (Bannister and Armstrong) and is willing to stick his nose in where it shouldn't be.
There are a lot of characters, making the long premiere necessary. Everyone got enough screen time to give us a sense of who they are.
If you need help brushing up, HBO has provided this handy guide of the major and supporting characters. Be warned, though. It does give away a few minor plot points for future episodes.
A period piece like this set in the USA is rich ground for exploration. We're familiar with this era in American history but more so in the form of Wild West stories.
It would be easy to forget how they are happening concurrently if Mr. Russell hadn't casually mentioned the death of notorious outlaw Jesse James.
Much is said of the old money, and there is a certain reverence for those first settlers. It's only 17 years after the end of the Civil War. Many of these characters will have lived through it, and that experience has undoubtedly shaped their lives.
Revolutions are launched by clever people with strong views and excess energy.
Agnes Van Rhijn
What is the appeal of privileged people in times so removed from our own that intrigues us? They were essentially celebrities before such a definition existed.
With lives so far from our own, it's almost fantasy. They can elicit sympathy (gilded cages and all that, self-imposed restrictions, upholding archaic societal rules, exclusion based on upbringing or social standing).
It is also satisfying to watch because of the precariousness of it all -- the higher up someone is, the harder they fall. Even being torn down by each other, they'll still have more riches than most of us can ever dream of having.
Tracks for this journey are being laid like a railroad if you will. Russell is an ambitious builder of connections that will shape the country.
Still, one hopes that the series will acknowledge the labor of those unseen and unacknowledged upon whose backs the nation was built and not just the elite behind it all.
The Gilded Age is exactly what it promises to be -- a mannered drama with impeccable production values and a magnificent cast. It's familiar territory, but the American spin gives it a more relevant appeal to viewers on the Continent this side of the Atlantic.
Fellowes and Warfield have created a vividly realized world, meticulously crafted with no expense spared -- not unlike one of Mrs. Russell's soirees.
If the rest of the series holds up to the promise, this will surely be the "toast of the season" and develop as devoted a following as its predecessor, Downton Abbey.
What do you think, Fanatics?
Has the world of The Gilded Age suitably seduced you?
Which characters most intrigue you?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Mary Littlejohn Mary Littlejohn was a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic.
