The first two episodes are the introduction to the series and the time period . The Gilded Age is my favorite period in American history . With rapid industrialization of the country vast fortunes were made, and the making of the American millionaires. I feel that the reason the first two episodes fall flat is because they’re trying to explain historical content as I feel most Americans and perhaps others won’t understand the context of what they’re watching :man_shrugging: . Old knickerbocker New York society was established, and didn’t take too kindly to the new money arrivals . The women truly were the key holders of this society, and they ruled with an iron fist . The ruling class in New York had closed gates, and didn’t want to grant access to the rest of the country . In other words just because you were very wealthy and you were from California per say that didn’t grant you an entry into the wealth, connections, and the politics you needed to further your businesses and financial endeavors.
If you want to get a better feel for society at the time read or watch House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence .
Episode three seems to finally be getting into the meat and potatoes of the storyline .
Such a delightful show with just the right amount of feels and laughs!
Huge fan of Downton Abbey... This show isn't that so far... YES the costumes, the scenery, the sets! However the casting is falling flat. No one is likeable; the people your supposed to root for are cold as of first episode. Will watch more... but I'm not going to be putting this at #1 to watch for the week...
Well the first episode down and to be honest with you, there’s not on likeable character at the moment, none of the comfort or joy of downton abbey.
I will try another one or two episodes, but I’ve already got that nagging feeling this show isn’t for me and probably won’t be around for long….
Teo insufferable Trump haters in one show may be more than I can take. Looks like Fellowes got woke.
Downton Abbey, but make it less interesting.
Tepid American version of Downton Abbey. Poor writing. Computer graphics distracting. Lots of manufactured social drama. Yawn!
Carrie coon deserves more Shows She's just great
Well this show is quite enthusiastic to watch. The whole cast is quite dynamic and there's some kind of fast pace in the setting which is quite good and surprising for an historical drama. Let's see where it leads...
Don't really understand why people have difficulties "liking" the characters as they're too cold - this is the point, society in that period was all about old and new money (still is in some ways). The sub-concept of the show is the relationship between this old and new societal positions.
Having said that - great show, thoroughly enjoyable.
[HBO Max] A disappointing introduction to New York high society by Julian Fellowes, who crafts a slick imitation of Edith Wharton's novels. It is a recreation of the lavish representation of money and social criticism of the wealthy classes, in which all the archetypes of the time fit forcibly, even if they are unlikely. A series that stops at the brightness of luxury without delving into the dirt of the background.
The hope was that this was going to be the DOWNTON ABBEY of the United States, fuelled by the glitter of the New York and Newport social scene of the late 1800s. But, I’m afraid it was the shabby sister. The dialogue was stilted because the upper class accent of society’s elite was too far a reach for many of the actors. Christine Baranski has many talents but she can’t deliver the one liners or disdainful silence of the Dame Maggie Smith. Julian Fellowes just didn’t translate well to the USA. It’s a pity. However, if you were seeing this as a stand alone piece, completely without the comparison, I think you might enjoy it. The costumes are splendid. The venues are breathtaking. The stories were pulled from the headlines of the times. I give this series (first and second seasons) a 7 (ambitious) out of 10. [Period Drama]
Costume, set designs, and DRAMA!!! It can get a bit dreary from time to time, but Gilded Age is generally entertaining.
New Season are upcoming from HBO Max twitter
Cue the fireworks.
#TheGildedAge will return for Season 3.
I really, really enjoyed the first season. Being one of those people, who never caught the appeal of the Downton Abbey, I found The Guilded Age really refreshing take on a period when the old, hereditary based class-system of America starts to shift. Not only the new money has power in the industry, but they start to have a serious impact on the high society. The family of van Rijn and Brook represent the old system while just across the street, literally, lives the Russell family which has no centuries old claim to their esteemed position in the society.
The first season gave us a surprisingly variant view on the issues of contemporaries; topics included racial injustice, reasons for marriage, structure of the household in the 1880's, and societal control of people's behaviour and conduct. All given themes seemed to be tackled with certain amount of whippy humour and respect for character's circumstances and values.
I was certainly worried that the second season would be much duller, but oh boy, was I wrong. The Guilded Age manages to pull heart strings which I didn't even realize having. The variety of characters, misfortunes they encounter and joys they trample upon is just marvellous. The series manages to run several quite multifaceted plots along each other and even the side characters seem to have a soul, a beating heart, a personal story.
(The following spoiler gives up some plot of the 2nd season.) Take, for example, aunt Ada with her timid acting and story of a love found in the most suprising moment, when all the hope she had for it had long been lost. Take the misfortune of losing her husband and how the writers and the cast managed to bring out the most believable reactions out of the very differently wired characters. Look at the story of the young clock maker which at first seemed totally trivial, but ends up being a start of very unlikely start of a business relationship between two social classes. Look at how Marian tackles the demands for her to give up a job of her dreams, and how the same demand is put on Ms. Scott, but the series shows how different their agency and the expectations of their peers is because of the colour of their skin and the rank of their social status.
It is a emotional roller coaster, that what describes the show the best. The pacing, the music, the scenery, the dresses, it's all just on point. I dare to hope that the third season will continue on living up the expectations I now cast on it based on the marvellous first two seasons!
Shout by SophiasoVIP 4BlockedParent2022-03-22T14:16:45Z
Having seen the first season, I can now say that The Gilded Age is a decent series. The other commenters are right that it's not Downton Abbey and this has its flaws and perks; by the end of the first season, I had a few characters in Downton Abbey that I detested, but in The Gilded Age, actually, none of them are despicable (at least not to me). I come to like many characters, especially the Russells, and I am interested in what the next season will hold. I think it's worth a watch if one likes period dramas, but don't expect anything major - as I said, it's a decent series.