I'm a fan of historical dramas and love watching the Downton Abbey saga. It's one of my favourite shows. Imagine my excitement when I discover that Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, a British show, is also the person behind The Gilded Age American TV series. I'm behind by three seasons and it has been renewed for a fourth season. This means I have a lot of binge-watching and catching up to do.
What intrigues me more is that this American historical drama is sort of like a prequel to Downton Abbey. One of the lead characters in the British show is an American heiress who married the Earl of Grantham and her inheritance was used to save the family from ruin. So this American show takes us back to the period and place where this heiress grows.
Created and written by Julian Fellowes, The Gilded Age is an American historical drama set in the 1880s known as the boom years in the United States. It focuses on the age-old conflict between old money and new money.
The wealthy Russell family moves to New York city and tries to become an integral part of the Upper East side. The husband is a railroad tycoon and ruthless in business deals while the wife is smart, classy and desperate to be accepted by high society.
This leads to consistent clashes and dramas with old money families like the Van Rhijn, Astor, Fane and others. Who will win? Will the presence of the Russells upset the balance of societal power in New York?
My Review And Rating
I think it's easy to spot Julian Fellowes' works and his art shows in this American show. I thoroughly enjoyed the first season and understand why the series is still ongoing. Like Downton Abbey, this show is fascinating and entertaining. Its central plot focuses on the upper, middle and lower class of the society. Every scene captures their lifestyle, their personalities, and the struggles they had in the late nineteenth century.
I also like that a black character is added to the lead characters. This means themes like racism, the legal standing of women in the society, robber baron and protests by organised labour were covered in this show.
The acting is outstanding. I liked the ensemble cast. Carrie Coon as Bertha Russell is impressive. She's smart and ruthless and deserves her position in society. Some fans may not like her methods of rising but I understand her need to be at the top. Her husband, George played by Morgan Spector, suits her perfectly as an equally ruthless partner. Their chemistry is convincing and they are good together.
It's good to see Christine Baranski as Agnes Van Rhijn. Her character is sharp tongued, smart with a dark sense of humour and downright condescending sometimes. She reminds me of Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey played by Dame Maggie Smith. I think Julian Fellowes likes to make a replica of his unique characters in both shows.
I like the relationship between Peggy Scott, a black lady, and Marian Brook, a white lady and cousin to the Van Rhijns. They start well but things get complicated along the way. Yet they did not allow society's view on skin colour to affect their friendship.
There isn't much to grab my attention from those downstairs-the servants and lower class. There's the usual drama of trying to blackmail the upper class, secrets and love interest between them but nothing so fascinating. Maybe as the show goes on, the story of those downstairs might become more interesting.
The cinematography and costumes are colourful and fascinating such that I feel they surpassed Downton Abbey in this aspect. The city of New York is well captured, every street comes alive. Their costumes are flamboyant, a reminder of those times when modesty was at the top of their rules of living.
Rating this historical drama, I will give it 4 stars out of 5. It's about class and status, an edge between new and old money. I love the actors. Their acting makes the story vivid and we get a view of how life was in the 1880s in the US. I can't wait to binge-watch the second season.
All images above are screenshots from series trailer
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