Gather around everyone, because we need to have a serious conversation about a particular ship on The Gilded Age.
And no, I’m not talking about my beloved Marian and Larry, or Peggy and her new beau, Dr. Kirkland. Those couples may have issues, but I have faith they’ll find their way.
No, we need to have a chat about the OG Gilded Age couple whose golden marriage is breaking down in front of our eyes: Mr. and Mrs. George Russell.
You may be thinking to yourself, ‘You’re being dramatic, Miss Whitney! Nothing could shake their unbreakable bond.’
And to that, I would say, have you not noticed the theme of divorce that has permeated the freshly painted walls of The Gilded Age Season 3?
From poor Aurora to Mrs. Astor’s desperate attempts to save her daughter’s fledgling marriage in the face of the big D word, it’s been something lingering in the background all season like a fungus that won’t go away.
We’ve seen how Aurora’s whole life has changed due to her husband’s infidelity and cruelty, and Mrs. Astor’s been scared to death that it will infect her family next.
And during The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 5, we saw Bertha go against the grain and stick up for Aurora when she was ostracized and made to feel like a pariah simply because her husband was the worst.
It was a nice moment for the much-maligned Bertha, who spent much of the season scheming and being her usual self.
But I couldn’t help but notice that her and George’s relationship, which has often seemed so strong over the series, has been slowly falling apart.
The tension between the two hit a fever pitch this season when Bertha’s plan to marry Gladys off to the Duke came to fruition, and while Gladys was convinced her dad would take her side, he didn’t.
Instead, he essentially sided with his wife.
However, he was ever vocal about his reservations, leading to one of the most awkward weddings you’ll ever see during The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 4.
George has spent much of the season preoccupied with his railroad business, and he put a lot of trust into Bertha, as he always does, but with each passing week, you could see his patience with his wife weaken.
He’s appeared completely fed up with Bertha on several occasions, whether justified or not.
It truly does feel like the two are drifting apart in a way you could not tell me would happen when I first met the couple during The Gilded Age Season 1.
Seeing Gladys hole herself away and spend what should have been the happiest day of her life on the verge of a breakdown while walking down the aisle in front of the highest of high society may have been George’s breaking point.
Because it’s more than just being tired of Bertha’s schemes, he’s used to that. But he’s not being heard anymore, and you can tell that it’s taken a toll on him.
For her part, Bertha has often had George wrapped around her finger.
She’s always been in total control of the household, but between the pressures with his business and Gladys’s disdain for her new life, he seems completely done.
His decision to stay outside the home felt like a big one.
While he may cool off and remember where home is, would I be totally off base in saying that it seems like he’s completely checked out of that marriage?
Maybe I’m being overly pessimistic, or perhaps the spirit of Marian and overreacting has taken hold of me. Still, there’s something off about the vibes of the Russell marriage right now.
And with the constant talk of divorce, I just have this bad feeling that right when Bertha’s got everything she wanted for her family’s position in society, complete with Mrs. Astor’s household on fire, she’s going to get the rug swept out from under her.
Maybe it won’t be divorce per se, but with only two hours left and the Russells on two separate wavelengths, I’m not confident these two are going to figure things out right now.
I have a weird feeling, y’all! Talk me out of it!
Or tell me you have the same feeling so that we can commiserate together.
Either way, please share your thoughts in the comments and let me know how you’re feeling about the Russell marriage!
You can watch The Gilded Age on Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
Watch The Gilded Age Online
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