"Persistence is the key to everything. Persistence - and patience."
Hello everyone!
You see, a few show seasons ago HBO launched it's new period drama that I would have checked out for the era alone, but they billed one of the best names in the industry under its star power: Christine Baranski.
And if you know Baranski, you KNOW she never picks a bad role!
Nor did she do so in this one, where she serves us a weekly dose of realism and sarcasm tightly laced into a corset with eyebrows that could challenge Elrond.
I love it.
So if you want to take a quick look at glitz, glamour and a whole lot of humour along with the drama, look no further: we're talking The Gilded Age tonight.
As this is from the same creator as Downton Abbey, and I do believe I have a thing or two about that on here, you can find the link(s) at the bottom of this page, as per usual.
Now, The Gilded Age's first season opens up with a funeral and the poor orphaned girl (well, young woman really), Marian, on her way to the big city of New York to live with her aunts, sisters on her father's side. We then proceed to witness the battle between Old Money and New Money, and more importantly, between the Van Rhijns and the Russells, who happen to become their across-the-street neighbours.
The Russells are self-made and climbing the ranks in New York quickly, something that the Old Money, like Baranski's character, REALLY despise, because they can't imagine someone working for their own fortune.
Alas, there's more and more of these upstarts about, and so the Astors take a stand that none shall pass the gilded gates (see what I did there?).
The Russells take that personally.
Thus begins a season-long battle that's only the first barrage in an ongoing war which actually did take place in the society of New York City back in the day, when the families who had lived in their own set ways for years, sitting like hens on their piles of riches, had to inevitably give way to the newcomers.
HBO just makes it funnier because they add the below-stairs for entertainment between the two opposing households as well, and of course by casting Baranski.
Other notables in this include Carrie Coon, Louisa Jacobson, Harry Richardson and Morgan Spector, who all bring extreme qualities to their roles and their characters to life.
Especially now in the currently-streaming second season, during which we learn that while, yes, the Russells HAVE won the first battle, the war is far from over yet, and will center around the opera and the new Metropolitan just being built.
As you can imagine, the old guard don't want to share the seats and the toys, so the new people are simply building their own thing!
And it is delicious to watch against the backdrop of glittering jewels and breathtaking costumes worn by everybody. Not to mention the societal issues they address, from the inclusion of POCs to now union workers.
It may not always be ENTIRELY historically accurate but, it more than makes up for it with humour, so if you haven't had a look at this yet, I definitely suggest you give it a shot. At least for one episode, and if Baranski doesn't win you over with her direct, to the point and crochety Agnes Van Rhijn, well, then I suppose humour is indeed dead, as is sarcasm.
But in all seriousness, have a watch, and I promise you're unlikely to be disappointed!
xx
*images and video not mine
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