The Gilded Age Season 3 is yet another compelling spectacle with higher stakes and thoughtful character journeys that provide plenty of entertainment and worthy angst, all while brimming with excellent performances. We can confidently say that, at this point, the series gets better and better with each new season as it continues to allow the audience to get to know the characters on a more intimate level.
A significant part of the show’s appeal is that it’s unlike any of the other period pieces on TV right now. It’s not an anthology series, and its ensemble cast doesn’t always allow too much room for us to spend as much time with our favorite characters as we’d like. Still, the characters are so fascinating that it’s entirely okay to watch the screen time get dispersed.
The Gilded Age Season 3 Raises Its Stakes – And Does a Good Job of It
When we left the characters at the end of the Season 2 finale, tension was high, and relationships were somewhat rocky. Sure, Marian Brook and Larry Russell get a bit of joy, but we had a solid sense of what would come from other characters. When the trailer was released, all of that tension was elevated as the teaser shows just how much is at stake. And while this review will remain spoiler-free, what’s so gripping about The Gilded Age Season 3 is that no decision feels out of character.
More often than not, when a show pushes boundaries and elevates the stakes, it comes at the expense of the characters’ journeys. We watch people make the kind of decisions they’d never make because of a cheap and lazy decision to add drama, but that’s the opposite of what happens in this Julian Fellowes’ production. All decisions, whether good or bad or something mundane, feel entirely right for the character it’s happening to, allowing the outcome of the events to feel earned and understandable. The story, at the end of the day, is a battle between new money and old, and it never loses sight of its thematic crux while it continues to push these characters to the brink.
The Performances Are Better Than Ever
Countless people are obsessing over Carrie Coon for her role in The White Lotus this year, but it’s what she brings to The Gilded Age Season 3 is something I hope more people will want to talk about. Coon is better than ever as she continues to breathe exquisite life into Bertha Russell’s nuanced and complex character journey. The same, as always, goes for Christine Baranski, whose dialogue as Agnes van Rhijn continues to be the sharpest humor on TV right now. The two women continue to floor me every time, but especially in the third season.
However, perhaps one of the most gripping performances comes from Denée Benton, as she’s given one of the most enthralling narratives to work with at a time when it feels even more necessary than ever. As the trailer shows, Peggy’s involvement in the suffrage movement and everything her character experiences is so rich with clever writing that the performance elevates it all to new heights. Another sweet and unsurprising standout is Ben Ahlers, as Jack continues to be one of the most underrated and delightfully well-rounded characters to date. Audra McDonald, Morgan Spector, Harry Richardson, Cynthia Nixon, Louisa Jacobson, Taissa Farmiga, and everyone involved each bring something exceptional to their roles, allowing their respective arcs to feel even more grounded, layered, and captivating.
The series remains an exquisite feast for the eyes. Every episode is full of moments that are both big and small, letting the conversations viewers will have stretch for a week while we eagerly wait for what’s next. In every way that counts, Season 3 is dynamic, vulnerable, and thoroughly rich in the topics it explores. And because of what we see here, there’s a good chance that the character development could lead to even more well-rounded stories. With each new piece of information we get on the relationships, it brings us to a place that feels as entertaining as it is profound. And it bears repeating that because the characters are fully in the driver’s seat (even when they aren’t), the decisions make for quality television that’s decadent and engrossing in every way.
The Gilded Age Season 3 premieres on June 22, exclusively on HBO Max.
First Featured Image Credit: ©HBO Max