The Gilded Age on HBO Max Is the New U.S. Downton Abbey
Another royalty-esque drama show takes storm. On January 24 at 9 p.m. EST, HBO’s The Gilded Age will premiere.
The Gilded Age tells the story of a young girl, Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), who moves to New York City from a rural town in Pennsylvania. She moves down with friend Peggy Scott (Denée Benton). Brook and Scott look for a fresh start after the death of Brook’s father. They move in with her Aunt Agnes. Both girls become involved in the social hierarchy of Aunt Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Aunt Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon). They must navigate the drama of wealth that follows during this historically economic time.
Julian Fellowes, who won multiple Academy and Emmy awards for his writing of Downton Abbey, is the screenwriter for The Gilded Age. However, The Gilded Age is the twist of this British drama but in the U.S. It tells the life of extreme wealth and poverty in New York City. Beads and vibrant fabrics create elegant costumes. Gold is plated all over houses. Big hats fill the screen. But, the show also focuses on the influence of architecture and technology of late 19 century America.
Not to mention, the cast lineup mixes highly recognized stars from all forms of entertainment. The cast ranges from T.V. shows to Broadway shows stars such as Christine Baranski, Audra McDonald, and Nathan Lane. But the headline is of the main character Louisa Jacobson, who, despite being the daughter of Meryl Streep, will perform her acting debut with this show.
The first episode of the series is already available on HBO Max and received mixed comments about the show. Some viewers thoroughly enjoy the pilot and are left wanting more. Others find it too similar to other shows and with not enough drama. Though it is only the first episode and mainly positive critiques, HBO must up the drama (and continue the extreme costume design) to keep viewers tuning in.
Oh okay, the first episode of The Gilded Age was an hour and a half long, but I wanted it to keep going!#TheGildedAge #TheGildedAgeHBO pic.twitter.com/Y5mv3wP7b6
— Sareni 🙃 (@Sareni19) January 25, 2022
HBO Max will continue to release new, lengthy episodes each Monday at 9 p.m. EST. As only 10 episodes are set for release, for now, the love for wealthy, historical dramas from viewers continues and sets for another successful HBO show.
