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The Gilded Age is finally back, and the very first episode kicks off with a bang — although I will say it's so dark I can hardly see what's going on. In case you forgot, season 3 ended on quite the cliffhanger. George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha's (Carrie Coon) marriage is on the rocks, and Larry (Harry Richardson) and Marian (Louisa Jacobson) have also called it quits. But it's not all bad news: Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) is pregnant, and Peggy (Denée Benton) and Kirkland (Jordan Donica) are engaged!
Whew, okay now that we're all caught up, we can get into The Gilded Age season 4, episode 1. Watch it on HBO Max now.
Gladys and Hector finally have a child.
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Dr. Thomas has arrived to Hector (Ben Lamb) and Gladys' house, and he's rushing, but unfortunately it is kind of hard to see because it's the middle of the night. Oh, Gladys is finally giving birth...but the baby is breech. Yikes. That's a terrifying situation today, and even more terrifying in the 1880s. Thank goodness for modern medicine.
This scene definitely has a lot of emotions because one moment I'm laughing at Adelheid telling Gladys "be strong" just because it was so unexpected, and the next I'm ready to fight anyone who wants to kick Bertha out of the house. Telling her that she doesn't have any power or say in Hector's house because she's not its mistress is crazy work.
Gladys finally gives birth to a son after the doctor thinks he'll only be able to save one of them. Thank goodness! But I have a keen intuition, and I can tell something is just not right. I feel like Downton Abbey traumatized me with Sybil's dying after giving birth, and now I'm terrified Gladys is going to die. Yep, she's bleeding out. At the very last minute Dr. Thomas is able to save her, but in order to do so, he has to remove her uterus. AKA she can't have any more kids. Ugh, that is so devastating. And this is so not important but I'm also so distracted by how amazing every actor's accent is.
And the rest of the Russell family has plenty of drama.
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Meanwhile, George is dealing with Rockefeller drama that feels just a little less important than his daughter's life hanging in the balance. But oh! Now there might be a lead on the assassin that tried to kill him in season 3. These characters have been through so much, I can barely keep up.
Let's take just a brief moment to point out that I made eye contact with Morgan Spector at The Gilded Age premiere, and I'll forever be grateful.
The other member of the Russell family is, of course, Larry. Unfortunately Marian and he have decided to call of their relationship (which I DO NOT ACCEPT), but they're continually giving each other longing, yearning stares. Marian claims they just aren't good together, but as the great poet Tate McRae once said, "friends don't look at friends that way." Just give in, y'all.
And it wouldn't be an episode of 'The Gilded Age' without a van Rhijn standoff.
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I'm not sure anything surprised me as much as Enid (Kelley Curran) and Oscar (Blake Ritson) getting married in The Gilded Age season 4 episode 1. What a left turn. This is a nice comedic break in the episode because I love seeing these two together, plus Agnes (Christine Baranski) saying she wants a grandchild sounds like every mom ever.
While Agnes is waiting for a grandchild, she's also having to depend on Ada's (Cynthia Nixon) cash because they're hosting Grover Cleveland (Jim Gaffigan). But when Peggy brings his beliefs to light, Ada realizes she doesn't want to give her own money to host him anymore...and we're back to a van Rhijn sister standoff.
Larry and Marian are still my favorite couple on the show.
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After Enid and Oscar's wedding, the group sneaks out to a dance hall, and Larry and Marian decide to dance! I am such a sucker for a dance in slow motion oh my GOSH the music, the gowns. I'm crying. KISS KISS KISS!
They did not kiss.
They did, however, share a cab that broke down in the rain. This really just proves I couldn't survive pre-1900 because this just does not look enjoyable to me. When they stop at a hotel, they end up finally kissing...and then sleeping together. Oh this whole scene is so romantic, I am literally smiling like an idiot at my screen.
Marian, however, is not smiling the next morning. It's crazy that sleeping with someone during this period could literally ruin your entire life. I love what Louisa said at the Gilded Age season 4 press conference, how "Marian's struggle is a period struggle. It's like particularly of its time. And I think you have to watch it without a 2026 lens, and you have to remember that these people were living in 1886."
The show is definitely a sobering reminder that in 1886, everything for women is an emergency.
And 'The Gilded Age' season 4, episode 1 ends on an unexpected note.
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Downstairs, we are finally reunited with Bridget (Taylor Richardson) and some new employees. We also get a new look at Clock Twink (um, sorry, Jack (Ben Ahlers)). I love him.
He's become a self-made man thanks to his inventions, but he's feeling very insecure about his supposed lack of class and education. "I may be in business but I will never be one of them." Ugh, my heart!
As we near the end of The Gilded Age season 4, episode 1, the drama just continues to unfold. Peggy and Kirkland are happy (for now), but Peggy is just trying to survive her mother-in-law. And it looks like the same can be said of Enid, whose previous role as Bertha's lady's maid is discovered by Agnes. However, it seems like these two could be teaming up and they're such a dangerous and delicious combo I hope they wreak havoc on everyone.
Buckle up folks, this is only the beginning.
What did you think of the first episode of The Gilded Age season 4? Let us know in the comments and check out A Complete Breakdown Of The Gilded Age Family Tree.
