The Gilded Age celebrates a golden era and the changing of the guard in New York’s social set.
The battle between the old establishment and the new money continues in season three. Here are six reasons to watch.
1. Old New York
Excess and grandeur were the themes of the era, and the show’s production spared no expense on re-creating American aristocracy for a modern audience.
Filmed across several locations in New York, the series transports you to the city in the 1880s and holds you hostage in several of its decadent Brownstones.

2. Corsets, Crinolines, Bustles, Oh My!
It’s all about attention to detail for costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone and her team of 65 staff on the set of The Gilded Age. From elaborate dresses, corsets and bustles, each item of clothing is coded with markers that distinguish the old money from the new money characters.
For example, new wealth leans into louder and brighter Parisian fashion, while the old-money crowd sticks to traditional outfits. With more than 5000 costumes featured so far, we’re expecting another visual feast on the sartorial front in season three.
3. The Carrie Coon Effect
Carrie Coon’s standout performance in the latest White Lotus season had many people scratching their heads and asking, ‘‘Where have I seen her before?”
Could it have been her breakthrough roles in The Leftovers? Or Fargo? In fact, it’s her transformative portrayal of trailblazing social wannabe Bertha Russell (pictured above, and based
on Alva Vanderbilt) that has helped cement Coon’s leading lady status.

4. The First New York ‘Met’
Long before Anna Wintour made The Metropolitan Museum of Art the hub of choice for New York’s elite, the city’s Metropolitan Opera House was the spot for social gatherings.
In fact, the Opera House’s opening became the focus of the heated opera wars fought out in the final episode of season two, which (spoiler alert) saw the Russells leap to the top of the social set over old-guard rivals, the Astors.
5. Julian Fellowes
If spicy historical series are your guilty pleasure, this follow-up to Julian Fellowes’ beloved Downton Abbey is a must-watch.
With all the elements of an addictive period drama – feuds, blockbuster-worthy sets and decadent costumes – The Gilded Age explores the ideal of the American dream. While the location might be a change, fans of Fellowes will no doubt enjoy his signature wit and storytelling.

6. Reality Stars
Many of the characters in the show are based on real-life historical figures, including:
Caroline Astor
As the queen bee of one of America’s richest families, Caroline Astor (played by Donna Murphy) ruled New York’s high society for decades. If you weren’t invited to her annual January ball, you weren’t part of her famed “Four Hundred” inner-circle (named after how many people could fit in her ballroom).
T. Thomas Fortune
Inspirational writer T. Thomas Fortune (played by Sullivan Jones) is based on one of the greatest Black newspaper editors in American history. The real Timothy Thomas Fortune was born into slavery but ended up an editor and activist, founding groups that led to the establishment of the NAACP.

Mamie Fish
Though born into high society, the larger-than-life character Mamie Fish (played by Ashlie Atkinson) couldn’t stand the stuffiness of the elites and danced to her own tune. She lived for fun and loved to throw OTT parties (check out her crazy doll party in season one) that were the talk of the town for years.
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