The anticipation for the premiere of the third season of The Gilded Age only increases, even more so with the teasing of the cast, such as Louisa Jacobson, who posted a story hugging Harry Richardson, asking for fans of “Larian” and saying that “kind of soon” the series will be back. We are certainly talking about the second half of the year.

But Louisa didn’t stop there: “There are many twists and turns in the plot,” she teased in a conversation with People. “It will keep you on your toes,” she said. Twists and turns? We already imagined many, but we got more details…

The fact that the season will bring many more new characters fuels the hope for more seasons, but nothing is certain. The point is that Francesca Orsi, HBO MAX’s programming executive, has made several comments about the platform’s products, including, of course, The Gilded Age.

One of the comments that suggests “a leap forward in time” is the mention of the series being “entering a new era.” And there’s more: “I think, in general, it’s an interesting way for us to explore that era of how divorce came to the forefront of relationships in the United States,” she told the reporter. “I think there’s a conversation to be had about arranged marriages and, if they don’t necessarily work, what divorce looked like in that era and what that represented to society. And then, whether or not you are accepted in society based on a divorce.”

Yes, she mentioned the word DIVORCE no less than three times. I guess Orsi still hasn’t gotten the idea that fans of The Gilded Age behave differently than fans of Downton Abbey. Since many of the characters are inspired by or are “real” people, there is a chance to anticipate much of the drama, including who might get divorced.

We don’t have to stray too far from the Russell family to consider the drama. After all, Bertha (Carrie Coon) and George (Morgan Spector) are inspired by the Vanderbilts, and SPOILER: they got divorced. Alva Vanderbilt, just like Bertha in season 1, “won” New York with an ultra-VIP ball, and just like in season 2, she led the leadership division in the “Opera Wars” – until then with Caroline Astor (Donna Murphy) – winning once again by helping to build the Metropolitan Opera House.

In season 3, we will see how Bertha, who, like Alva, will receive guests at the marble palace built in Newport. But when she was at her “height”, Alva discovered her husband William’s infidelity and, instead of following the model of the time of separating but pretending not to know anything, she filed for divorce, custody of the children, and a large part of the fortune as alimony. She got everything, but went back to square one socially because she was once again rejected by the big families because of the “scandal”.

What’s different here is that George had the opportunity to cheat on Bertha with his housekeeper, Enid Turner (Kelley Curran), and refused. The fact caused friction between the couple, but they overcame it, even with Turner’s return, now married and rich with Mr. Winterton. No, the problem between George and Bertha promises to be about Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) and the so-called “arranged marriage” mentioned by Orsi.

At the end of the season, it was almost clear that Bertha auctioned off her daughter’s hand to ensure the Duke of Buckingham’s (Ben Lamb) presence at the MET, without warning or consulting either Gladys or George. This will also be problematic because George promised Gladys that he would let her marry for love. It will be dramatic!

Gladys, who reflects the story of Consuelo Vanderbilt, will eventually get divorced, but before that, she will be one of the most popular noblewomen in England (and very unhappy in her marriage). The divorce in The Gilded Age seems to be Bertha and George’s. Why? For several reasons.

Alva, as a divorcee, was practically banished, but she managed to reverse the social rejection with Consuelo’s wedding party with the Duke. All of New York society wanted to be at the ceremony that transformed a Vanderbilt into a noblewoman, and once again, they submitted to Alva’s willpower. She certainly looks like Bertha, don’t you think?

Another detail that reinforces the suspicion is that, after all this, Alva embraced Feminism and the issue of Suffragism (women’s vote), and there are rumors that the topic will be included in the series. However, without knowing the details yet, I love knowing that we will have people from the Russells’ past, such as Bertha’s sister, Monica O’Brien (Merritt Wever). Bertha certainly has things she wants to leave behind!

Still on the subject of “divorce”, there is another possibility. The announcement of the arrival of Caroline’s oldest daughter, Charlotte (Hannah Shealy), who returns to New York after a “hectic” trip abroad, is because the real Charlotte lived through a big scandal, and yes, ended up getting divorced. But her story is more exciting!

Charlotte married her first husband, J. Coleman Drayton, but their marriage fell apart. He publicly cursed her when she preferred to stay longer in England, in the company of another American millionaire, Hallett Alsop Borrowe. Outraged by the betrayal, Drayton challenged Borrowe to a duel in Paris, but it was called off.

Charlotte was disinherited, but was helped by her brothers until she divorced and remarried months later. George Ogilvy Haig, brother of Count Haig, stayed with him until his death. My bet is that the Russells will differ from the Vanderbilts in the marriage issue, as for the Astors! Imagine Caroline’s reaction to her daughter’s story?

The twists and turns alluded to by Louisa make me nervous for the van Rhijns. Oscar (Blake Ritson) fell for Maud Beaton’s (Nicole Bryson Bloom) scam and lost the entire family fortune. Maud was inspired by the con artist Cassie Chadwick, and even though it seems she’s making a comeback, the money is already gone. Luck knocked on the door when Ada (Cynthia Nixon) went against Ada (Christine Baranski) and lived a great love story with Pastor Luke Forte (Robert Sean Leonard), who passed away and made her a rich widow.

However, the announcement that Andrea Martin will play the psychic Madame Dashkova, who, as shared, “claims to be able to communicate with the dead”, suggests that Ada will try to contact Luke and at this point, we know that the family is easily fooled by clever people. Yes, there was a real character who served as the basis for Dashkova, the con artist Ann O’Delia Diss Debar, who did “spiritual paintings” and operated in New York and Newport. Do you know who she stole from? William Vanderbilt, yes, Alva’s husband. Since George is a practical man, the most obvious vulnerable ones are the sisters Ada and Agnes.

There is still unofficial information that David Furr, cousin Dashiell Montgomery, will also return (in addition to the regular cast), as well as Nicole as Maud Beaton and Kelley as Turner.

The one who makes sense to return, but has not yet been officially announced, is Susan Blane (Laura Benanti), the widow from Newport who had a torrid affair with Larry. The suspicion that she got pregnant and that this will create problems for “Larian” is very strong.

Larry and Marian are perfect together, but they do not have the profile expected by Bertha or Agnes; they will have to face their families to be together. It can’t be that easy!

The only confirmed absence is that of Tom Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel), who left the plot after breaking Marian’s heart and marrying another woman for money. Julian Fellowes considered the character’s arc complete, making it unnecessary to bring him back.

I hated Raikes, but can we mourn his departure? It would be wonderful to see him swallowing hard when Marian marries the rich Larry (for love). I always bet that Raikes had stolen Marian’s father’s fortune, but I was wrong. Life goes on!

The same excuse was given to remove Sylvia Chamberlain (Jeanne Tripplehorn) from The Gilded Age. In this case, her friendship with Marian is cool, but the story progresses very well without her; if she were to appear, it would be great too.

The anticipation is growing, and I bet that the trailer will be released soon. We want to know more!

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