Does ‘The Gilded Age’ Have Romance?
From Julian Fellowes, who brought to our screens Downton Abbey (2010), comes the next best historical drama you'll see. Decadent and glowing with an amazing cast at the helm, The Gilded Age (2022) is the kind of period piece you want on your screens for decades to come. (Seriously, I dread the day when we'll hear the words ‘final season.’) Naturally, though, if there's one thing I also understand as a fan of romance is the hesitation of starting a show when the lack of happy endings is a concern.
Countless people turn to the genre for escapism, so it's often understandable that people would be wary when Downton Abbey has killed off characters in the past. And while The Gilded Age isn't a traditional romance with guarantees of happily ever afters, there are a few love stories in it that do genuinely feel promising right now.
Is ‘The Gilded Age’ Like ‘Bridgerton’?
Bridgerton (2020) did something compelling during the pandemic by going viral in such a broad form that it successfully showcased how enthralling period dramas have often been and can be for those who typically aren't fans. As someone who used to watch a period drama with the dread of thinking it could be canceled for not having enough viewership, it's genuinely incredible to see the progress in the sub-genre. And credit where it's due to Bridgerton.
That said, if I had a nickel for every person who asked if The Gilded Age is like Bridgerton, I'd have too many nickels to keep track of. Because the short answer is, no. The only similarity the two shows have is that they involve elaborate costumes and don't take place in the same era as the one we're currently living in. Apart from that, Bridgerton is an anthology series, based on eight books, where each book follows one of the titular Bridgerton siblings in their respective journeys toward finding love.
That approach is a large part of the appeal of romance novels because we know that each season should be giving us a complete love story, and the next will primarily focus on another couple. The Gilded Age, however, is not only not based on a book series, but it's a more traditional ensemble show, and it also takes place in New York, during…well, the Gilded Age.
The Love Stories in ‘The Gilded Age’, Explained
Now, while you might have hesitations diving into The Gilded Age without books to confirm whether relationships are endgame or not, the show does something incredibly fascinating in how it gives us hope without openly saying the words aloud. At the moment, there are three big relationships on the show, and there's a good chance these three are indeed endgame.
First, we have what's considered the main love story, and as the fandom has deemed—railroad mommy and daddy—Bertha and George Russell, played by Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector, respectively. The show's primary drama centers around old and new money in New York, and these two are quintessential new money.
They've been solid and ruthlessly glorious together since the first season, but Season 4 is about to test their relationship. George has always been all for their daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) marrying for love, while Bertha has believed in giving her a secure future, so she's arranged for Gladys to marry a duke. As a result, their marriage is now falling apart, but from everything we've seen leading up to this moment, it's hard to imagine that the show would keep them apart for too long if the topic of divorce entered into the conversation.
Their relationship has been so integral, enticing, and addicting in the first three seasons that it's hard to imagine the writers aren't fully aware of how beloved they are. Endurance against all odds is also a huge part of both their character journeys, in and out of society, so that running theme also plays a part in their relationship, too. In other words, I'm not banking on a divorce.
Next up, we have George and Bertha's son, Larry (Harry Richardson), and their next-door neighbor, Agnes van Rhijn's (Christine Baranski) niece, Marian (Louisa Jacobson). The two started as friends despite the old vs. new money perils that kept their families at odds with each other, and slowly began developing feelings. They officially get together in the third season, but secrets pull them apart and leave them in a tricky spot by the finale.
But like his parents, it's hard to imagine a canon world where Marian and Larry aren't together. They've not only had a solid slow burn throughout the show's run, but their friendship is the very thing that's strengthened the romantic pairing. Challenges like this are normal in a relationship, and given the small teasers we have in the Season 4 trailer, we can be confident in the fact that when they learn to trust one another again, they'll be back together in no time.
Finally, at the moment, the only solid pairing in The Gilded Age is that between Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) and Dr. William Krikland (Jordan Donica), who got engaged at the end of the third season. While there will surely be challenges in their lives as well because his mother, specifically, is a piece of work and doesn't exactly accept Peggy's independence as a woman, we can be confident in the fact that these two are going to make it to the end.
It's hard to imagine that the writers would go out of their way to allow us to love and get to know them as a couple if they were going to take it away from us. There's got to be at least one romance that keeps Season 4 intact, and these two will likely be the couple to do so. (At least I really, really hope given everything Peggy's been through.)
While these are the biggest relationships on the show thus far, we also have some surprises with Gladys and the Duke, because while the two were part of an arranged marriage, there could still be something there that's more substantial than being forced together. Simultaneously, Ben Ahlers' Jack and Taylor Richardson's Bridget have had an adorable will they/won't they for all three seasons, and that's another pairing we can see promising material in.
Ultimately, while the show doesn't explicitly market itself as a romance with a happy ending, it's an absolute blast to watch regardless because even the drama is a whole lot of fun. At times, rooting for a pairing and not seeing it happen can be deeply frustrating, but because The Gilded Age shines with incredible characters, it's fun to see what wildly shocking bombshell will unfold.
