The Gilded Age’s First Episode Marks an Exceptional Start

Perfection rarely exists in the form of a series’ first episode. Sometimes, it takes multiple episodes for a show to draw apprehensive audience members in, while in some cases, it’s instantaneous. Julian Fellowes’ The Gilded Age’s first episode, “Never the New,” falls somewhere in the middle, but it’s a fantastic episode that carefully establishes where the characters will go. 

For viewers who aren’t used to television outside of the states (where episodes are generally longer), the pacing in The Gilded Age’s “Never the New” could seem questionable. Yet, that’s precisely what makes it an excellent episode to properly give each key player a critical moment to shine and establish their roles in this wildly competitive period. It’s slow at times, yes, but the writing ensures that every word plays a vastly important role in what the future will look like. It doesn’t make it easy to root for anyone, but instead, it looks deep into dated beliefs to help viewers see that the seemingly simpler days weren’t as they seem. 

The Gilded Age’s First Episode, “Never the New,” Sets Everything in Motion 

One of the best moments in the episode occurs at the very end when a tearful Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) declares to her husband George Russell (Morgan Spector) that she will not give up, noting to her role in society where she is shunned by those deeming her new money unworthy. The van Rhijn sisters, Agnes (Christine Baranski) and Ada (Cynthia Nixon), apprehensively welcome their niece Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) after her father’s death. Agnes also hires Marian’s traveling companion, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), as her secretary. We get insight into the team working at both van Rhijn house and the Russell manor while the show makes it clear that this rivalry isn’t going to end anytime soon.

It’s always fascinating to look back on a first episode after multiple storylines have occurred to take note of the seeds that are planted within. Now that The Gilded Age is two seasons in, this is especially gripping because there’s plenty in this first episode that we’ve already seen come to fruition. 

Somewhere in the distance, a narrator reads, “Two households both alike in dignity. In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny…” The picture is evident here—something somewhere down the line will have to end the prejudice and rivalry between the Russells and the van Rhijns, and given the kiss in the Season 2 finale, Season 3 is undoubtedly going to up the stakes.

It’s interesting because viewers tend to joke that the series has no stakes, but it’s the quiet moments that play a crucial role in ensuring that the series’ plot is just as compelling as the characters. What we have in The Gilded Age’s first episode lays everything on the table, and it does so by spending enough time with the characters for us to understand their value. There’s not a single person in the show that you can’t look back on and pinpoint how their significance is evident down the line. 

While it’s a general rule that the beginning should hint at the middle and end, not every series plays with this motion as closely as they should. Further, the latter form isn’t always a bad thing either because sometimes, a character’s importance makes itself known later down the line. Still, here, the storyline and characters are so carefully entwined that the meticulous plotting is part of the show’s charm.

There are ample stakes within The Gilded Age, and much of it comes to the surface in the first episode while we understand who these people are and what makes them tick. We get a clear sense of the dynamics and how they could flip and evolve, and we also see that everyone has a specific weakness that weighs them down. Frankly, I’d deem it perfect.

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First Featured Image Credit: Photograph by Alison Rosa/HBO