As Michael Bublé and a ton of other artists once famously sang, “It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life. For me, and I’m feeling good.”
That sentiment was felt by just about no one during The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 6, outside of Gladys, who finally started to assert some authority after a visit from big mama Bertha.
But outside of that? Things were pretty bleak all around for everyone, as life just had a way of humbling some, crushing others, and leaving me with a gasp.
Bertha making her way to Gladys was to be expected after The Gilded Age Season 3 Episode 5, and while I’ll never be on Bertha’s side regarding most things Gladys, it was nice to see her be there for her daughter when she needed her.
Of course, everything happening with Gladys was mostly BECAUSE of Bertha, so I’ll only extend a little bit of gratitude here.
I’ll give Bertha her 2s at best.
The thing about Gladys and Sarah is that they’re two very different women, and from the jump, Sarah made it very clear who controls Hector and that household. The only chance Gladys ever had against Sarah was by asserting herself as the rightful lady of the house.
I think deep down Gladys knew that’s what she needed to do, but she didn’t know how to go about it, nor did she have the confidence to do so.
Lucky for her, Bertha has more confidence than just about anyone you will ever meet, and she’s never met a woman she couldn’t go toe-to-toe with if the occasion called for it.
Screw a title, Bertha’s never someone who’s intimidated.
The thing about Sarah is that she’s good at what she does. She’s good at controlling things, and since Hector never pushes back, it’s been very easy for her to do everything. And their dynamic, with Sarah basically having raised him, has left Hector taking the backseat more often than not.
Sarah ran the show his whole life and continues to do so, even with Bertha breathing down her neck. And while Bertha did her best with pushing back every time Sarah was condescending or just downright indignant, it was always going to be on Gladys to make a move.
Bertha was going to leave eventually, and Gladys had to make a stand and she had to do it quickly.
I appreciated Bertha encouraging Gladys, but I’m glad they didn’t gloss over the fact that everything was Bertha’s fault, while also acknowledging that even though Bertha was insistent on pushing Gladys into the marriage, she didn’t want her to be miserable.
I do believe that, and I think Gladys felt that as well.
Did anyone else have a visceral reaction to Gladys asserting her rank at dinner, because I did! The look on Sarah’s face was priceless, and you could almost see the confidence taking over as she finally saw Sarah look and feel as she had since she arrived: unmoored and outwitted.
What a beautiful shot of Bertha leaving, with Gladys bidding her mother farewell, positioned between the two siblings, a position she will most likely inhabit for the foreseeable future.
I’m all for Gladys asserting herself, but I hope she doesn’t lose herself in the process. She’s always been so kindhearted, and it would be such a shame for her to lose that in her pursuit of anything.
Back in the States, things were, frankly, falling apart.
For starters, George may have officially hit rock bottom, and that’s not a place George nor the audience is used to seeing.
Throughout The Gilded Age Season 3, we’ve seen George struggle, sure, but George typically finds a way to make things work. Naturally, there would be hiccups along the way to making his railroad plan a success, but the man has not been able to catch a break all season.
JP Morgan’s impromptu little rich men kidnapping plot was an attempt to help George out, as his plan made better sense for the Merrick’s. But I’m pretty sure we all guessed that firing Clay was going to come back to bite.
Much like Bertha, I see George as a man who loves his family, but can also be cold, calculating, and cruel when it comes to his business, and I don’t like the way he approaches many things.
He’s a ruthless businessman at the end of the day, and hearing him say he’d rather watch everything burn, including his family’s fortune and the livelihood of countless other people, left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
He’s a prideful man out of options, but watching it all burn? I don’t know, y’all.
Of course, he’s unaware that Larry has stumbled upon a potential goldmine (more like copper HA) out in the mines he was so sure were worthless. And it would appear they are setting up for Larry to come through with the capital George has needed to make some of these bigger power moves.
But by the time George finds that out, will it be too late?
Larry needs to hop on the fastest horse, train, or something and get back to New York to deliver that news to George AND save his relationship with Marian, though!
I adore Marian for the most part, though she can sometimes really make a mess of things. And her reaction to finding out that Larry was a little less than truthful about his whereabouts the night they got engaged made me realize more than ever that she was right to want to take things slower with him, because she doesn’t seem ready to get married.
Larry lied. He certainly did, but he lied about the location of his outing, nothing else. And yeah, I would be upset too, but he didn’t tell Marian that his buddies wanted to go to the casino/brothel/fighting all-you-can-eat buffet because she would have reacted horrendously.
Now, is that an excuse? We saw him shrug off advances from women, and mostly attend for his friends sake and to help Jack celebrate, so he didn’t do anything wrong. But does that justify the lie?
Everyone will have their own reaction to this and Marian’s response, and I don’t think it’s one of those things where there is a definitive right and wrong feeling. But I will say that Marian, at the very least, should have waited to have a conversation with the man before cutting ties.
It’s not even about overreacting, but rather showing that Marian still had a lot of demons and hang-ups about the past, which is entirely valid. However, if she still needs time to process that, then an engagement and wedding probably aren’t something she should consider right now.
I feel for Larry because he’s about to be blindsided and heartbroken, but I also feel for Marian, as she loves the man, yet she’s jaded, confused, and unsure of herself and what she wants right now.
Everyone knew there would be complications, but Marian breaking up with Larry via letter, the episode after they got engaged? Well, that’s just CRUEL.
Speaking of cruel, poor Jack getting kicked to the curb felt undeserved. Perhaps that’s not the right word for it exactly, but it was truly sad to see him asked to leave, when it wasn’t even what he wanted.
If I squint, I can see why everyone thought it better for him to move on, but the idea that he was somehow above the job he chose to do, or that he was making a mockery of it and the people around him, felt wrong.
He’s built his own community among the people he works alongside, and he has money now, but how many times must we all be told that money doesn’t buy happiness before we believe it?
That house made him happy.
Will Jack eventually be okay? Absolutely. But he’s now alone with this massive amount of money and no one to talk to, and how can you not just feel bad about that?
Maybe it was best for Agnes not to live in a household where her footman was worth more than her, but was it best for Jack?
Before I wrap this long review, I’d be remiss not to discuss the ending because OH MY GOD.
Why did they have to do John Adams like that?
Oscar probably did the most selfless thing he had ever done in his entire life, helping Maud and pushing aside his pain and hatred to do something for someone else who may or may not have deserved it, only to be rewarded with seeing the love of his life run over in the street?
Oscar’s never going to be a beacon of truth and decency, but he was heartfelt when he thanked John for helping pull him out of his pity party and despair to start rebuilding his name.
You so rarely see Oscar being that sincere, and now his person is just gone?
Watch Oscar become even more despicable than he ever was with Gladys or Maud.
Posh Extras
- Jack paying back everyone who had loaned him money, plus a little extra, was such a nice sentiment. We’d better keep seeing Jack. This cannot be the end.
- Not enough Peggy and Dr. Kirkland in this hour, but we are getting closer and closer to an engagement. I feel it in my bones. And an engagement means Mrs. Kirkland is going to lose it, unfortunately. Mrs. Kirkland versus Mrs. Scott loading.
- Miss Andre being the leak makes sense, but it would be such an underwhelming reveal. Give us something juicier than that!
- Ada being bamboozled by the medium was not surprising, but at least she now knows the truth. And it was a sweet moment to see her lean on Agnes and honestly confront her loneliness.
A lot was happening during this hour, and with only two hours left this season, we’re in for a bumpy rest of the way!
The angst was on a whole other level, and shows no signs of slowing down, people!
Let me know in the comments your thoughts about this one and what you think comes next for the people of New York City and beyond!
You can watch The Gilded Age on Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
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