Another hour, another lesson about love and society.
The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 3 was once again an hour dominated by matters of the heart, as Gladys lost the battle she’d waged to control her destiny, Peggy and Dr. Kirkland grew closer, and Ada confronted her feelings.
It was a heavier episode in some respects, but also set us on a clear path for the rest of the season.
The characters are the best part of The Gilded Age because of their complexity at various times.
George and Bertha are perfect examples of that, as two ambitious and somewhat cold-hearted individuals who have worked hard to achieve a specific position in life and won’t back down from maintaining it.
George is a ruthless businessman who has reached the heights he’s always dreamed of, not by playing it safe, but by taking risks and recognizing that the key to success will always lie in playing the perfect hand at the ideal time.
George is also a family man beneath his tough exterior, always presenting himself as Gladys’s protector, but he was destined to fail regarding Bertha’s Duke plan.
It felt like he wanted to be on Gladys’s side, and he knew it was the wrong decision, but Bertha had put so many schemes in motion that he was essentially powerless. Or at least powerless enough that potential fallout would be worse than the perks Gladys would achieve by entering into a transactional marriage.
Because that’s genuinely what it was, as evidenced by the dowry negotiations, which saw George trying desperately to give his daughter something for himself, and Bertha coming from behind to completely devalue it.
I sound like a broken record each week, getting frustrated with Bertha while also understanding where she’s coming from as a woman in society who wants even better for her daughter and future grandchildren.
But Bertha’s wants and desires don’t align with Gladys’s, and instead of accepting that and allowing her children to write their own stories, she’s always been insistent upon writing those stories herself.
For a minute, it appeared that Bertha was going to let things with the Duke go, at least until she came up with a better plan. Still, he forced her hand when he was seen in public with another family, and from there, you knew it was only a matter of time before she found a loophole to get what she wanted.
The thing about the Duke is that he’s not the worst guy in the world, but he’s also just a rich guy looking to stay rich, and he’ll always put the needs of himself over Gladys.
I can’t foresee some grand love story between the pair, but they are cordial and open with each other at least, which could result in a union that while not romantically fulfilling could at least be something of a comfort to them both in a, ‘hey, at least we don’t hate each other!’ kind of way.
My heart goes out to Gladys because she tried to put on a brave face, but the nerves were radiating off of her. Getting engaged, coupled with realizing the fairytale ending she’d created for herself with Billy, had truly and utterly collapsed, leaving her in a weird state of limbo.
Outside of Larry, who the hell else in the world truly gives a damn about what she wants?
The hour, ending with Gladys’ nerves fraying to the point that those pearls came cascading down onto the floor, was as dramatic as it was telling.
She’s lost, but now she’s about to be a wife, a powerful one at that, and it’s time to start anew.
Elsewhere in the Russell house, Marian and Larry were caught by Bertha’s maid, and let’s be very serious here, people; Bertha’s next mission will be to ensure Larry doesn’t get crazy ideas about marrying Marian.
But will she succeed this time? That will be the real question in all this.
By virtue of being a man, Larry doesn’t need his parents in the same way Gladys does, and thus being disowned wouldn’t affect him in the same way. And quite frankly, if we’re being honest, George would put up more of a fight for Larry than he did for Gladys.
Though it may not matter what Larry wants in the end because Marian was still fighting her feelings (for good reason), it makes you wonder how many times he can say he loves her without hearing it back.
I have no doubt Marian loves Larry, but as a woman, there’s a lot more at stake for her than for Larry. And she’s been in this position more than once. She’s not interested in making another ill-informed decision and then having to deal with the consequences in an unforgiving society.
You want to root for Larry and Marian because theirs is such a genuine thing, born from friendship and a deep respect for each other, but I have a sneaky suspicion that things aren’t going to go magically for them.
And I’m not even talking about the inevitable meddling Bertha will do to try and stop Larry from marrying someone whom she undoubtedly doesn’t see as being worth enough for him.
Marian always seems to get a bad hand every season, and I want to hold on to hope that she’ll get her happy ending this time, but it’s not looking good right now!
Speaking of happy endings, let’s discuss Peggy in Newport, because she and Dr. Kirkland have all the chemistry in the world, and there’s something so pure and kind about their interactions.
But my goodness, things might get nasty with his mother.
The casting on The Gilded Age Season 3 is chef’s kiss, and adding Phylicia Rashad to the cast was a stroke of genius. She’s always had such an incredible screen presence, and the scenes between the Kirkland’s and the Scott’s were the best of the hour.
I’ve lamented the way the series has at times seemed to skirt some of the heavier themes of racism, but they’ve essentially shut me up this season.
Colorism with the black community and the implications of slavery are some heavy topics to tackle, and I appreciate that they are bringing these issues to the forefront because they were a part of the community at that time.
Arthur, as a formerly enslaved person, isn’t looked upon the same way as someone like Mr. and Mrs. Kirkland, whose lineage doesn’t include slavery and instead boasts a series of firsts with the upper black echelon of society in the north at that time.
When Mrs. Kirkland spoke with the Scotts, she was assessing them to determine their position in society, and it was evident that the longer the conversation went on, the less she saw them as equals to her family.
Arthur picked up on the bad vibes immediately because if there’s one thing Arthur knows, it’s when someone is being shady, and the conversation was so awkward and played out like a chess match as Mrs. Kirkland took every opportunity to assert her family’s prominence.
You could dismiss it as haughtiness if you wanted to be obtuse, but her comment about her grandchildren not getting too much sun was rooted in colorism.
Colorism has deep historical and societal roots, particularly relevant to the period depicted in this series. During slavery, people with lighter skin were often treated differently from those with darker skin.
And that’s a belief that has existed and continues to exist within the Black community. Mrs. Kirkland’s concerns weren’t about sun exposure; it was about skin tone.
Diving into this topic wasn’t something I was expecting. Still, it’s an important one, and it sets up the potential courting of Peggy and Dr. Kirkland in a very interesting way if there’s a divide between the two families.
I’m always Team Peggy and always Team Love at the end of the day.
Love was on Ada’s mind, and your heart just had to break for her as she navigated the fact that no one in the house wanted to sign the pledge because it started to make her feel as though she was failing her husband.
Ada has put on a fearless face, but when she was talking to Mrs. Bauer, you could see all the grief bubble up inside of her. And I’m happy she was able to express that freely, but what was Mrs. Bauer talking about when she mentioned Ada getting a chance to speak to the reverend?
Are we getting like a medium or something?
Agnes will have an absolute ball with something like that, and I need to see it immediately.
Posh Extras
- Jack is going to secure his bag. All signs are pointing in that direction.
- That portrait of Gladys came out wonderful!
- I love the Newport sets so much. It’s such a lovely and light departure from the darkness of New York.
This hour felt like a filler episode, but even a filler episode of The Gilded Age is better than most other things currently on television.
Let me know where you think things are going from next!
Will Gladys and Hector find common ground?
Will George eventually tire of Bertha’s tricks?
Are you liking Peggy and Dr. Kirkland together?
A comment or share lets me know I’m not just screaming into the void!
Let’s chat about things in the comment section!
You can watch The Gilded Age on HBO at 9/8c p.m. on Sundays.
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