Julian Fellowes’ high-society drama, The Gilded Age, has returned for a fourth season, continuing its run despite widespread criticism of its narrative quality. The season opens with a dramatic scene featuring a doctor rushing to a stately home to assist Gladys, the daughter of the nouveau riche Russell family, who is in the midst of a difficult, drug-free labor. As screams fill the house, the dialogue quickly descends into predictable tropes, with observers noting the obvious bleeding and medical emergencies in terms that feel increasingly thin. According to a doctor with a fully qualified moustache races up a carriageway towards an immaculate stately home. “I fear we should have sent for you sooner!”, The lady who greets him on the doorstep as the screams of a woman in. It can only mean one thing: Brownstone Abbey – AKA Julian Fellowes’ Revenge, AKA What Did We Do to Deserve This?, AKA The Gilded Age if you insist on its official title – is ba, when this many cliches assemble so quickly. Oh, ya think? is not Dr Moustache’s reply. Meanwhile, Gladys loses her uterus (“What’s wrong?” “The script using the word ‘uterus’”) and – do you know what. So do hold on to your hats, all signs point to it being the equivalent of the opera house wars from season one.
The narrative remains anchored in the lives of the wealthy elite of Fifth Avenue and the shifting dynamics of New York society. Gladys, now married to Hector, the 5th Duke of Englandshire, resides in England Hall. Meanwhile, in New York, the wedding of Oscar, the Van Rhijn family scion, to Enid, the wealthy widow of Mr Winterton, serves as a primary plot point. Oscar’s mother, Agnes, played by Christine Baranski, seems satisfied with the match, despite the reality that Oscar is a dedicated homosexual and the union is one of convenience. According to “At last my son is married!”, Agnes, for viewers who have just watched the wedding but still need a bit of help. “And to a fine-looking woman with enough money for them to live well. Meanwhile, back in America, the costume budget is assembling in church for the wedding of Oscar (Blake Ritson – again, I’m sorry but I don’t make the rules), scion of the old-money Van Rhijn family, and Enid (Kelley Curran), wealthy widow of Mr Winterton and former lady’s maid to Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon). Enid has mastered the constipated diction of the US aristocracy enough to fool Oscar’s mother, Agnes, into thinking that she is a suitable wife for Oscar. (Agnes is played by Christine Baranski, whom one imagines praying nightly before a shrine to Maggie Smith, the patron saint of actors’ retirement funds, begging for a sign that she has done the right thing.).
Cynthia Nixon’s character, Ada, now finds herself wealthier following the death of her clergyman husband, though she maintains a strained demeanor throughout. Her niece, Marian, played by Louisa Jacobson, continues her pursuit of Larry Russell, the son of the wealthy industrialist George Russell. Their storyline includes a forced overnight stay at a hotel following a dramatic coach accident involving a sudden storm and a spooked horse. Daughter of Meryl Streep and honestly, family Thanksgivings must be so awkward whenever this is airing) is still yearning after the Russells’ (heterosexual) scion Larry (Harry Richardso, her niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson. And soon I shall entertain the president of the United States.
Financial turmoil continues to plague George Russell, portrayed by Morgan Spector, as he navigates complex business dealings involving railroad survival and mounting transportation costs for oil. Additionally, he remains preoccupied with uncovering the individual responsible for shooting him before the previous season’s Newport ball, a plot thread linked to mining disputes.
Secondary storylines persist, including Peggy’s engagement to William and the resulting tension with his mother, played by Phylicia Rashad. Fellowes and co-writer Sonja Warfield continue their exploration of race and class relations in turn-of-the-century America, though critics characterize these efforts as lacking nuance. Among the household staff, Bridget remains focused on her affection for the young inventor Jack, who is now promoting an electric mixer. Bridget, the Irish maid (Taylor Richardson), still hasn’t mastered her accent (“Halp me get the kek!”) and is still pining for Jack, the young inventor (Ben Ahlers).
The series continues to lean heavily on melodrama, from Gladys’s medical complications to the constant societal maneuvering at Brownstone Abbey. Despite having secured Emmy recognition, the show faces persistent skepticism regarding its writing and execution, with some viewers noting that the production seems destined to continue regardless of its critical reception. She’s not having a stroke – Grover Cleveland is indeed due to be hosted at Brownstone Abbey.
