I’m suffering from Agnes Van Rhijn syndrome (Christine Baranski): I think everyone who shows up has some secret or dark plan up their sleeve. And because I got it right with one character in the past, I use the same rule for everyone. Maybe I got the angle wrong with Reverend Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard), but as my sister pointed out, the person being passed over is probably Oscar Van Rhijn (Blake Ritson). As? What? It’s folks, the season is fast-paced and we can’t miss anything! Agnes’ family got ahead of the Duke of Buckingham and dominated the part of the story that promises to yield even more.

In Newport, Watson saves the night, and Bertha’s reputation

Bertha (Carrie Coon) heads full steam ahead to the reception and lodging of the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb) and the only one not interested is Gladys (Taissa Farmiga), precisely the most important player in the game. She is still irritated by Bertha’s interference even in choosing her clothes, and I’m already starting to want new defeats so that our protagonist can put her feet on the ground. Larry (Harry Richardson) is drowning his sorrows in alcohol and so he is immediately sent to New York because Bertha anticipates that he will embarrass himself at dinner. Everyone obeys.

George (Morgan Spector) is having more serious problems in Philadelphia, but he gives Larry a mission to represent him on the Brooklyn Bridge committee and leaves for Newport, in support of his wife. A providential trip, not so much for him but because it allows Watson (Michael Cervis) to arrive in time to disrupt Enid Turner-Winteron’s (Kelley Curran) plans. And what plans!

As we imagined, she hires the Russells’ lackey Peter Barnes (Michael Farrell) to ruin the dinner, which he accepts (it’s extra money, after all!). I hope it was enough because Peter’s mission was to help the other man infiltrate the kitchen, an employee of the former chambermaid who was not subtly ruining all the food that passed through his hands. He was caught over-salting the first course and then laughing with Peter that the Duke would have the soup hot or cold. Watson didn’t even step foot in the kitchen, he discovered their connection and saved the Russells. Peter lost his job and if it weren’t for a quick change of Church (Jack Gilpin), the night would have been unforgettable, and not in a positive way.

Before moving on, let’s talk about Watson. His ‘secret’ past seems to be even less secret than Turner’s past. He speaks so openly to everyone, including George, that I still don’t know if the proposal to leave so as not to embarrass his daughter is still valid! Instead of a valet, he should have been a detective. However, his mission here was accomplished with flying colors. He may be useful again because Enid is still not satisfied.

In Alabama, the honeymoon ended with panic

Peggy’s (Denée Benton) excitement on her trip south quickly turns into a nightmare when T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones) defends a black woman from an attack by two white men. Pursued, they have to run away and hide before catching a train to New York. It’s terrifying but when Peggy confesses her fear, Fortune tries to comfort her with a hug that soon turns into a kiss and almost becomes something more, if he hadn’t stopped before things went too far. Now the night has become terrifying and uncomfortable, and I doubt either of them will be able to sleep. And it’s unlikely that Peggy will ever be the same again because what she’s faced with racism so far doesn’t hold a candle to what almost happened.

The Van Rhijns in crisis over Ada

Ada (Cynthia Nixon) remains nervous but finally tells Agnes that she is engaged to Reverend Forte (Robert Sean Leonard) and that they will get married within a week. “I don’t need a long engagement,” she comments. Obviously, the older sister’s reaction is anger, which creates a family schism.

The rebellious and romantic Marian (Louisa Jacobson), as well as Oscar, support their maiden aunt, but Agnes is unyielding. The pressure works and Ada begins to consider “postponing” the ceremony, over protests from her niece and her fiancé. Agnes tries to pressure him into giving up, first reminding him that Ada has no money and then confessing her fear of loneliness. But Luke is not like the others and stands his ground. He concedes that he will stay in New York, so the sisters can see each other often, but that’s about it. He loves Ada and wants to get married. Agnes is still surprised, like us, by the rush, but without any other argument, she insists on boycotting the party until she herself realizes that it will be useless and too aggressive towards the only person who understands her, as she says. She’s the last to arrive, but she attends the wedding and now we have Mrs. Forte, a woman married for love when life seemed to have other plans for her. Now that’s what Ada suggests to Marian, that she only accepts a husband she’s in love with. Advice that clearly hinders the plans of Dashiell (David Furr), perfect in the role for the young woman, but for whom Marian does not sigh for a second.

A reunion in New York to provoke fans

The writers of The Gilded Age are clearly mirroring Ted Lasso‘s trolling, making us scream for Larry and Marian but effectively doing nothing to bring them together. Our Romeo and our Juliet are best friends, and as soon as Larry sets foot in New York he meets his neighbor again, another cute-meet. Larry admits that he is heartbroken and Marian reminds him that hers is too. She jokes that they’re a draw, while he suggests that they be “friends in combat”, and that suggestion doesn’t seem romantic to me, but I accept it. The two are perfect, but they will have maternal/family opposition to a possible relationship. As they are not like The Fortes, they are going very slowly…

In New York, Larry discovers that the engineering mastermind behind the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge is not actually Washington Roebling as widely believed, but his wife and fellow architect, Emily (Liz Wisan). Another true story that The Gilded Age cleverly recovers. It seems to me that Larry will forget his widow without much trouble if he stays in Manhattan.

Oscar wants to do well so badly… will he do badly?

Let’s move on to consider that Reverend Forte’s rush was really to end his loneliness after he found a vulnerable and quickly in love Ada, but there are so many of Bertha and Turner’s antics that it seems to me that everyone has an ulterior motive in some way. And yes, I worry about Oscar.

Oscar is desperately trying to find a suitable bride – young and rich – to cover up the fact that he is gay, but it seems to me, that EVERYONE has already figured out the strategy. His investment in Gladys went wrong and he immediately turned his attention to Maud Beaton (Nicole Brydon Bloom) who not only reciprocated the attention but she seemed to be more interested in him than the other way around. She has been asking Oscar for help to guide her in financial investments, saying she is unprepared and insecure. However, she already found out that he was after Gladys because of her fortune and that he wanted to ensure that she was not a mere substitute. Maud’s cleverness clashes with her inability to do business and she is nothing stupid. What worries? Not only did Oscar accompany her to a strangely confidential meeting with the accountant, he also invested a significant sum of money out of his own pocket. Seeing him tearing up a check in the trailer for the next episode makes me fear a new mistake from our beloved Oscar. Is there no one nice for him?

Pesquisar

Pesquisar