‘The Gilded Age’ Boss Previews Season 3 Finale: Relationship Hurdles, Big Steps & More

In the shocking final moments of the penultimate episode of the 1880s costume drama’s third season, a gunman burst into the palatial home of railroad titan George Russell (Morgan Spector) and his wife, NY society queen Bertha (Carrie Coon), aimed at assassinating George, just as he had saved his failing fortunes with the help of his son, Larry (Harry Richardson).

When The Gilded Age Season 3 finale opens, George lies between life and death as Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), who was visiting his fiancée, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton), across the street, tries desperately to save his life.

As George lies grievously wounded, his son tries to heal the serious breech with his neighbor’s niece, Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), who ended their engagement after discovering that on the night of telling their families the news, Larry spent the evening at what Marian calls “a house of ill-dispute.”

There is, of course, plenty more emotional drama to come including broken hearts, shattered conventions, apologies, redemptions, and dreams coming true, much of which takes place at two glamorous balls, one each for New York and Newport, R.I.’s segregated Black and white societies’ elites. Much is about trust, says Sonja Warfield, The Gilded Age’s co-writer and showrunner. “Trust,” she explains, “is vital in all relationships and when that falters, it calls everything into question.”

Before the big events, the vicissitudes of love — and distrust — continues with Marian’s dear friend Peggy, beginning when William’s snooty mother, Elizabeth (Phylicia Rashad), a grandee in Brooklyn’s long established Black community, maliciously shares with William the info about Peggy’s annulled early marriage and resulting child that she falsely was told was stillborn. “Peggy was going to tell William,” says Warfield. “It’s heartbreaking that Elizabeth beat her to it. This presents an enormous hurdle in their relationship.”

Karolina Wojtasik/HBO

The annual opulent Newport ball now hosted by Bertha, who supplanted the former society queen Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy), has even more cache of the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham, Hector (Ben Lamb) and his wife, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga), the Russells’ daughter. Though Gladys was essentially forced into a bought-and-paid-for marriage that her mother desperately wanted in her rise in New York’s “old money” society and Hector needed to pay his bills, the couple seems to be falling in love.

That is thanks to Bertha, who rushed to England to aid her homesick daughter, saving the marriage, “by emboldening Gladys as only Bertha can,” says Warfield. “She challenged Gladys to ask questions about the Duke’s estate and the renters on it and put Hector’s overbearing sister in her place.” Bertha will also side with women in a decision that breaks a long-held convention to bar scandal-ridden women from galas, indeed from society — even if they weren’t at fault.

You can expect romantic and other domestic decisions to dominate the dance floors at both balls. Even Marian’s deeply closeted cousin, Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson), who has been grieving his closest male friend John’s sudden death, takes a big step, “as he navigates that world where he cannot be authentic,” says Warfield. At the fête, he makes an interesting proposal to a wealthy widow with a huge secret, with the help of a beautiful country cottage that John had basically bequeathed him.

In other news, “old money” snob, the long-widowed Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) is given an unexpected historical honor, while her younger and now wealthier, also widowed sister, Ada (Cynthia Nixon), gains prestige at home.

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As for John “Jack” Trotter (Ben Ahlers), Agnes and Ada’s former footman turned successful inventor and entrepreneur, “he’s pulled himself up from service to become a gentleman [with a beautiful new townhouse],” says Warfield. “It won’t be an easy journey and will put him at odds with his former life.” Can this sweet young man follow the lowly roots of George and Bertha Russell and move up in society, but without becoming ruthless along the way, like ditching his onetime fellow servant, Bridget (Taylor Richardson), whom he’s pined for, for a woman with a pedigree? Time will tell.

And finally, there is a nice surprise for the Russell family, but there’s also another huge shock for Bertha in Season 3’s final moments, which could change her life deeply when The Gilded Age returns. We can’t wait.

The Gilded Age, Season 3 Finale, Sunday, August 10, 9/8c, HBO