The end of the intense third season of The Gilded Age saw the show become a worldwide phenomenon, gaining momentum for at least one more season. Filming isn’t expected to start until 2026, so it’s unlikely we’ll see anything on screen before 2027. That leaves us with only speculation.

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If the series keeps its firm pulse in the heart of the 1880s, we can imagine reuniting with everyone at least a few months ahead (if they jump years, we’ll certainly find Gladys with more than one child). That’s why I believe that since we saw 1883, the story should advance to 1884 or 1885 — which is great to deepen the conflicts and dramas we already know, without losing the richness of the historical context. After all, these are crucial years for New York high society, where the clash between the old aristocracy and the new capitalist magnates is still very much alive and sparking.

Marian Brook, still on that quest for autonomy that has always been her guiding thread, will face a scenario where the role of women is beginning to be questioned — albeit subtly and restrictively, especially in the more privileged layers. The suffragist movement was gaining ground, and women’s causes started to attract more attention, even if the real revolution was still to come. The real history of the moment shows that women like Marian, who want something beyond the expected, must navigate social conventions and personal ambitions. This creates rich tension for her arc, especially if, as imagined, she and Larry Russell formalize their union early in the season. The marriage won’t just be the joining of two characters, but the symbolic fusion of the Russell family’s new money with the desire of an elite still unsure how to handle the changes of the 19th century.

Larry, meanwhile, finds himself in the eye of the economic hurricane sweeping the United States at this time. The copper mines the Russells exploit are more than just a source of income — they represent the new frontier of industrialization, the technological and financial arm beginning to dominate the country. In 1884-1885, the American economy was growing rapidly but already showed signs of tension, especially in the financial sector, and battles between huge monopolies. Larry becomes a protagonist not only because of his involvement in business but also due to the investigation of the attempt on George’s life — a mystery embodying the brutal, silent battles occurring behind the scenes of power. This plot reflects the real environment of the time, where corruption and political betrayals were common currency, and economic growth went hand in hand with deadly intrigue.

Peggy Scott and Dr. Kirkland form a core that directly connects the social plot with the era’s racial and gender struggles. Married, they represent what could be a small personal revolution: a determined and increasingly influential Black woman confronting the deeply rooted machismo and racism in American society. In 1884-1885, the country was in a delicate moment for African American civil rights, especially following the end of Reconstruction decades before and the rise of segregationist laws in the South, while social barriers in the North remained rigid. Journalism — the medium through which Peggy seeks her voice — was beginning to emerge as a tool for social critique and engagement. The series can brilliantly explore how her fight is not only personal but also symbolic and political.

George Russell, still dealing with the physical and emotional recovery from the attempt on his life, faces a complex political landscape. The election of Grover Cleveland in 1884 — the first Democratic president after the Civil War — signaled a real attempt to reform American politics, especially corruption institutionalized in cities like New York. Cleveland was known for his anti-corruption campaign and fight against the clientelist system that Tammany Hall represented. George, immersed in family business and local politics, certainly feels this wind of change — and must decide how to react. His relationship with Bertha, already strained by her superficiality, takes on personal and symbolic crisis contours, reflecting the elite’s tensions: what matters more, love or power?

Bertha Russell is perhaps the character with the most fascinating arc at this stage. Like the real-life Alva Vanderbilt, who grew tired of superficiality and embraced philanthropic and political causes, Bertha could have the big turnaround of the season. Amid political and social upheavals shaking New York, Bertha begins to question her own life, ambitions, and role in high society. This transformation is powerful because it humanizes the “antagonist” and reveals the reinvention potential so present in the Gilded Age. New York’s social scene at that time also lived this contradiction: ostentation on one hand, charity and reform on the other — and Bertha can be the bridge between these worlds.

Oscar and Turner, meanwhile, walk the thin line between maintaining appearances and securing their place in society, at a time when pressure for status was intense and relentless. They represent families that needed to play their cards right to survive, through discreet alliances and small maneuvers, in an environment marked by fierce competition and social masks.

Agnes Van Rhijn and her daughter Ada, guardians of the old aristocracy, begin to face a real dilemma: resist new money at all costs or learn to negotiate in order not to lose everything. In 1884-1885, “old money” was already realizing that change was inevitable, and even rigid figures began to open small windows to modernity — albeit reluctantly. This family dynamic is excellent for deepening the tension between tradition and adaptation.

Jack, the inventor, is the living symbol of advancing modernity. The period was marked by inventions beginning to transform urban life, especially in New York, a city being lit by electricity, with telephones becoming more common and industry growing rapidly. His social rise and possible personal alliances illustrate the American dream — and also the impact technological innovation has on a society still trying to find itself between past and future.

Gladys and Hector, though distant in England, represent the global extension of the Gilded Age, with their transatlantic connections, political and social alliances. England was living its own moment of imperial power and social transformation, and its ties with New York are an important part of the plot that unites two changing worlds.

Finally, the ideal season opener — the weddings of Marian and Larry, Peggy and Dr. Kirkland, and Oscar and Turner — is more than a social moment — it’s a celebration of the union between tradition and transformation, power and desire that defines the Gilded Age. Each of these unions carries tensions, expectations, and possibilities unfolding in a period when Grover Cleveland’s politics seek to impose order and ethics, while cities like New York experience explosive urban expansion fueled by immigration, industrialization, and technological innovations.

This mix of deep personal dramas with the pulse of real history creates the perfect ground for a season promising to be intense, sophisticated, and relevant — because, after all, what drives the series is exactly this dance between the resisting past and the advancing future, inside and outside the marble houses of high society. Let’s watch closely!