In Terms of Winning and Losing
Hello Lovelies,
Today, we are gathering for a written review of HBO MAX’s The Gilded Age. With delay, I am here to review.
The Play-by-Play
The opening scene is of Mrs. Russell frantically obsessing with her husband over the fact that Mrs. Astor bought the duke. She receives a letter from him stating that his plans have changed and that he will attend the Academy instead of the grand opening of the new Metropolitan Opera. Mrs. Astor has paid him a pretty penny for his attendance. I’m with George on this one; I wish she would stop obsessing over that duke. He seems fickle and disloyal to me, only going where the money is. I spy a character flaw in him, and I pray that Mrs. Russell uses her discernment to not pin this man onto her daughter just because of his royal title.
Aunt Agnes meets with an attorney and scolds Oscar
Next, we see Aunt Agnes discussing the van Rhijn family fortune being depleted with an attorney. Oscar, having made a bad investment, lost to Miss Beacon. She yells angrily at him that he has lost the family wealth and that she’s ruined. Already planning her downsize, the attorney’s mention encourages her that she won’t be destitute if she does so.
Oscar apologizes, and she roughly reprimands him, saying he will no longer manage her financial affairs and that he’s thrown away the work of centuries. Agnes tells him that she has survived her irresponsible and unthoughtful brother and married an uneasy man to live a secure life, but now she must beg because of her son’s lack of vetting. He only spared the house and thank goodness he did. I’m met with much empathy towards Aunt Agnes. Although a tough cookie, you can tell she has sacrificed a lot in her youth, thinking of her financial security as a woman and marrying someone she didn’t love, only to throw it in the toilet. Since she cannot afford to pay for Marian’s wedding, she hopes Dashiell will step in, albeit untraditionally, for the groom to pay for the wedding. And I pray that Marian speaks her truth in this episode and gets out of this engagement.
Oscar will spend much time wallowing in his decisions and mature from this (at least, I hope). I hope he will grow up in the next season and understand that his decisions as the only male in the immediate family mean he needs to be unselfish and not just think of his pleasures but others around him. The servants gossip in their quarters about what’s to become of them while this disaster is happening and how they must look for jobs.
Peggy parts ways with Newspaper and Mr. Fortune.
On another note, Mr. Fortune’s wife and baby stopped by the office. Viewers can barely see her profile, as we are only shown her silhouette. This tells me that her character will be revealed in season 3. Peggy’s face is a mix of bewilderment, shock, and guilt. I could tell that seeing the baby carriage made it all very real for her.
Towards the end of the episode, we know that she resigns from her position at the newspaper with Mr. Fortune after briefly talking with him. Her conscience was eating at her, and she didn’t want to be a homewrecker, so she decided to take the high road and leave, seeing as their feelings toward one another had the possibility of growing exponentially. I was alarmed that if she didn’t resign, Mr. Fortune seemed as if he would have continued or even escalated their inappropriate exchanges. It made me think of him in a questioning way. I was proud of Peggy taking the moral high ground and not continuing to engage in this adulterous relationship.
John’s Patent is Approved
John’s patent is approved! I can’t help but feel elated for him. We can tell early on that he has high hopes and dreams to move up in ranking despite his current position in servitude. And I love that he can dream big, having planted seeds of creativity and ingenuity. All his colleagues are happy for him and really do support all that he does. As I mentioned in my prior review, young Bridgett will regret her rejection of him in the future. That boy is going somewhere. Do you remember when he tells his colleague in season one that men like Mr. Russell are the future? This directly foreshadowed his path and a future working relationship with the Russells. Marian learns of his patent approval and takes him to Larry Russell for business advice. Smart move! It’s great to bounce ideas off successful businessmen or others who are where you want to be. A kind gesture from Miss Marian, who used her connections to help someone with nothing to give her. Bless her heart.
It is revealed that Mr. McAllister is the one who convinced the duke to go back to the Academy. He seems two-faced. Mr. McAllister straddles the fence in his friendship with Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Russell. He admires Mrs. Russell, but he is loyal to Mrs. Astor. I hope Mrs. Russell realizes this and uses her discernment when sharing information with him or even in her associations with him. I won’t be surprised if this will be his first of many betrayals.
Marian Calls the Engagement Off
Marian finally admits to Dashiell that she doesn’t want to get married to him. She tells him that he is not her true love, nor is she his. She also tells him that he’s still not over his deceased wife. He knows this, which Is why he took her rejection so well. I was holding my breath for his reaction but was glad to see that he was not delusional and that he was willing to be honest with himself. He did walk away from the exchange, flustered and visibly upset, but I don’t think it’s anything he won’t get over. Another proud moment I witnessed during this episode. I was glad that, as a woman, Marian was aware that the person she’s with should love her in a way that doesn’t translate into her being a placeholder or a filled void for someone else. She deserves so much better, and I can’t wait for her true love to love her how she wants and needs.
And now, Drum Roll of what I thought to be the three most significant moments to end the season!
The Met is a Success, and Larry Kisses Marian
The Grand opening of the Met has proven to be a success! The building is packed out, and the duke chooses the Metropolitan Opera over the Academy after Mrs. Russell’s last meeting with him. The Academy is sad with only Aunt Agnes, Mr. Mc Allister, Mrs. Astor, and others in attendance. Mrs. Fish is there but looks at the turnout and leaves almost immediately. Ha-ha! She wants to go where the people are. I really hope Mrs. Astor sees that Mrs. Russell deserves her respect as she is a force to be reckoned with. The price that Mrs. Russell paid for the duke’s attendance was her daughter. We see her strategically placing the duke next to Gladys, much to Glady’s dismay.
In the last scene, we know that Larry has invited Marian to sit with him in Russell’s box at the Met. It makes me smile because they really do enjoy each other’s company. When the event has ended, they travel back to their neighborhood, and he bids her goodbye with a KISS!! Ahhh! I almost fell out. She accepted it wholeheartedly. How romantic that they are finally out of the friend zone. The chemistry has slowly built up to this moment, and I love to see it.
Aunt Agnes Makes an Announcement
When we enter the van Rhijn residence, Aunt Ada makes a huge announcement. Her deceased husband has indeed left her with a fortune to handle. Praise God! Everyone is in celebration mode because she can save her older sister, Marian, her nephew, and the servants from an impoverished and uncertain future. Aunt Agnes is over the moon but gets a slap of humble pie when her butler turns to her younger sister to confirm orders. Now that she is in a position of authority, she will be handing out the checks. Aunt Ada also vocalizes that much will change in that household under her jurisdiction. And I can already see widowhood has and will have her step into her grown woman energy; I love that for her. (not the widow part, just the coming into her OWN part).
And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. A job well done to the writers, directors, producers, and actors for an excellent second season! Here are my predictions for the next season.
Season 3 Predictions
I predict:
~Larry and Marian start their courtship, although both are planting seeds for their futures. Marian is moving toward her philanthropy, and Larry is in his architectural career. They may not soon be ready for an engagement or marriage, so I assume they will try their best to keep their relationship a secret, especially in the elementary stages.
~ Marian will try to integrate and warm up their families to soften the blow, getting in good with her in-laws, although they seem to like her already. Mr. Russell will not have an issue, seeing as Miss Marian helped him avoid some time in jail since she uncovered the stenographer who tried to pin the railroad crash on him in her returning the lady’s purse. I know that Agnes and Mrs. Russell will be the most difficult to win over.
~A new start for Peggy as an independent writer and potential interest from a possible love match or an eligible bachelor.
~Oscar goes through a depression first, then takes vengeance into his own hands, going on a hunt for Miss Maude Beacon.
~Agnes is going through her process of self-loathing now at the grace of her younger sister.
~ Young John establishing himself in society, increasing his clock knowledge, and integrating into the Clock Makers Association of New York. And a new comradery and mentorship with Larry.
~Marian becoming a certified teacher at one of the black schools she’s advocating for. Potentially ruffling some feathers with people of her rank because of this and being a philanthropist and spokeswoman. This creates more eyes on her and, as a result, increases her value in the eyes of the Russells.
Season 2 Recap
~ Aunt Ada meets the rector (priest), becomes his wife, then his widow, then an heiress
~Oscar takes multiple L’s this season. He tries his hand at Gladys Russell, fails, and gets scammed out of his family’s wealth by a potential marriage prospect.
~ The Opera War between Mrs. Astor and Mrs. Russell starts and ends with Mrs. Russell winning.
~ Peggy returns to work for Aunt Ada after Armstrong tries to create a rumor about her past to get her dismissed. She travels to Alabama, where she covers the Tuskegee University story, gets kissed by Mr. Fortune (her supervisor), and ends her working relationship with him after much thought.
~Marian meets Cousin Dashiell; he takes a liking to her, proposes she accepts, and then declines.
~Larry Russell starts his first architecture project and an illicit sexual relationship with his older widowed woman client.
~Miss Turner goes from lady’s maid to Mrs. Winterton, a woman of high society, and tries to get revenge on Mrs. Russell.
~Mr. and Mrs. Russell’s marriage takes a temporary hit when Mrs. Russell discovers that George keeps her in the dark about Miss Turner’s advances.
~Marian and Larry show their feelings towards one another through a kiss.
Overall, the season was predictable but in a satisfying way (if that makes any sense at all). I couldn’t quite put my finger on whether the predictability was due to a job well done by the actors or because every hope and dream we had as viewers came to fruition. That is, with a few open-ended scenarios that will undoubtedly drag into the next season. (Season 3 has been confirmed, by the way! Woohoo!) Let me know in the comments if there are any similar shows I can binge and review like this one!
