The first season focused on tensions between socially established “old money” families—represented by matriarch Agnes Van Rhijn (ChristineBaranski) and her sister Ada (CynthiaNixon)—and “new money” entrepreneurs, represented by George Russell (MorganSpencer) and his socially ambitious wife, Bertha (CarrieCoon). Their conflicting ideologies are viewed primarily through the eyes of Marian Brook (LouisaJacobson), a young and naive woman who comes to live with her aunts, Agnes and Ada, after the death of her father and is later romantically pursued by her father’s lawyer, Tom Raikes (ThomasCocquerel). Another thoroughly riveting storyline concerns Peggy Scott (Denee Benton) forging a career in journalism as a Black woman and navigating the obstacles placed in her path due to race and sex. As the first season of The Gilded Age draws to a close with its Monday, March 21, finale, keep reading to find out everything we know about The Gilded Age Season 2.
When will The Gilded Age return for Season 2?
The writers for The Gilded Age began plotting out stories for Season 2 well before the show’s renewal was announced on Feb. 14, 2022. “We’re always getting the second season ready long before we know whether it goes ahead or not,“executive producer Gareth Neame told RadioTimes.com in January 2022. “Because, you know, the moment we know we’re going ahead, we have to start—the cameras have to start rolling. So you sort of have to prepare.” Having said that, there’s no word yet on when we can expect the second season to return, but our best guess is that it will be sometime in early 2023.
Is The Gilded Age going to be based on a true story in Season 2?
While The Gilded Age is a fictional story, it’s historically grounded in the year 1882; the first season included several real-life figures, including ClaraBarton, founder of the Red Cross, and T. Thomas Fortune, the founder of African-American newspaper New York Age (renamed The Globe for the show, where Peggy gets her big break as a writer). Season 1’s storyline also featured some events that actually happened, such as the climactic social event in episode 7 when Thomas Edison presented a fully illuminated New York Times building. For now, Season 2’s possible plot points haven’t been revealed, but we have one prediction: In season 1, Bertha was thwarted in her attempt to buy a seat at the Academy of Music, the traditional opera venue where no more than a dozen private boxes are held by old money families. Social historian Carl Raymond tells The New York Times that attending the opera “was a social battlefield… it was about where you sat, what you were wearing—and most importantly, who saw you do it.” New money families pooled their resources to fund the construction for a bigger venue, and the Metropolitan Opera House opened at Broadway and 39th Street in 1883. Might we see Marian Brook and/or the Russells attending its premiere performance of Faust in Season 2?
What happened at the end of The Gilded Age Season 1?
Going into the season finale, The Gilded Age more or less resolved the train crash scandal in favor of George Russell, who (surprisingly?) had nothing to do with the cheap and faulty equipment that caused the crash. Peggy revealed her past to Marian and the van Rhijn sisters: She had been married, and had given birth to a child who died. This is also the heart of her rift with her father, who forced Peggy’s husband to annul their marriage. Peggy has left the house to avoid any further entanglements with the scheming Mrs. Armstrong. There’s also the prospective elopement of Marian and Tom Raikes, the manipulations of Oscar van Rhijn (BlakeRitson) to secure the fortune of Miss Gladys Russell (TaissaFarmiga) and continue with his lover John Adams (ClaybourneElder), and various other servant stories (the most compelling of which is how Watson knows Flora), not to mention how Bertha Russell bounces back from her humiliating back door escape from Mrs. Astor’s Newport mansion.
Will there be a Downton Abbey/Gilded Age crossover?
Since Fellowes is at the heart of both Downton Abbey and The Gilded Age and both series take place in the 19th century, it’s not unreasonable to ask if we might see a character or two from Downton Abbey cameo on The Gilded Age. The answer, however, is that we shouldn’t expect to see it. As Fellowes told The Hollywood Reporter, “I never saw the series as connected because The Gilded Age starts 30 years before Downton Abbey… I’m not saying I would never have a character from Downton Abbey at some point, but these are two completely separate shows.”
Who will be in The Gilded Age Season 2 cast?
There’s no word yet on who specifically from the main cast will be returning for a second season, but barring any season finale surprises or scheduling conflicts, we can safely expect the return of the show’s primary characters. Baranski has expressed definite interest in returning to the role of Agnes van Rhijn. Before Season 2 was officially announced, Baranski told Town & Country, “We’re all hoping that it goes on. If it doesn’t, it’s a hell of a wonderful 10 episodes. It ends in a kind of wonderful way and we’ll see. But I could definitely, happily continue with this show and with these actors, and with this particular marvelous writer, Julian.” Baranski may have to juggle filming The Gilded Age with her Paramount+ courtroom drama The Good Fight, currently in production for its sixth season.
Where can I watch The Gilded Age?
The first eight episodes of The Gilded Age Season 1 are available to stream exclusively on HBO Max. The ninth and final episode of Season 1 will be available to stream on Monday, March 21, at 9 p.m. ET. Next, Christine Baranski Shares the Acting Advice She Gave Her Daughter, Why She Loves The Gilded Age and More
