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The Gilded Age Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
9 Episodes 2022 - 2022
Episode 1
Never the New
Mon, Jan 24, 202281 mins
In 1882 New York City, ruthless railroad industrialist George Russell moves into an elaborate Stanford White-designed mansion with his wife, Bertha, and their young-adult children, Larry and Gladys. Across the street, sisters Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Brook, from Mayflower stock, await the arrival of their niece Marian Brook, who leaves Doylestown, Pennsylvania following her bankrupted general father's death, discovering to be home- and penniless despite attorney Tom Raikes's free help. Peggy Scott, a graduate of the Institute for Colored Youth, offers assistance when Marian's purse and train ticket are stolen, so Marian's aunts allow Peggy to stay over while a storm wrecked the ferry service. Agnes later offers Peggy employment as her secretary. Peggy's mother, Dorothy, wants her to reconcile with her estranged father. Agnes's son, cynical gay party animal Oscar, meets Larry Russell at a party hosted by socialite Mamie Fish, both meet Marian upon returning to New York. Bertha attempts to break into high society by hosting a lavish party, which Marian secretly attends, but no old money shows up, shunning Bertha, who donates all the food to charity and vows revenge.
Episode 2
Money Isn't Everything
Mon, Jan 31, 202250 mins
Marian's Doylestown benefactor, young lawyer Tom Raikes, has moved to New York City, seeking a new position, still romantically interested in Marian. Aspiring writer Peggy has sent query letters to publishers without receiving any replies. Marian arranges for Peggy to consult with Tom regarding a legal matter. Bertha offers her ballroom for Mrs. Morris and Mrs. Fane's upcoming charity bazaar. Instead, they hold it in an expensive hotel, solely to snub 'upstart' Bertha. Offended, the Russells attend the bazaar, where George proceeds to buy everything and has it immediately delivered to his home, effectively ending the event, as society queen Astor leaves immediately and concludes there's a new force to reckon with. Having bankrupted a railroad competitor to scare anyone out of resisting his best bids, George meets with alderman Patrick Morris, who thereto agrees to ignore the socialite embargo on the new money, striking a deal in which various aldermen will buy George's company stock on margin, then pass a law allowing George to build a new train station in the city, resulting in huge profits for everyone. Marian finds the Van Rhijns' cook attempted to steal silver, desperately in debt, so asks Oscar to advance the $50, in exchange for a social introduction in the Russell mansion, but Ada, assuring not to share Agnes's posh stand and explaining how Marians' father nearly wrecked their lives, insists to pay and keep Agnes in the dark.
Episode 3
Face the Music
Mon, Feb 7, 202256 mins
Learning the law will not pass as the aldermen are manipulating the stock selling short, promising to deliver shares at a lower price expecting them to go down, George daringly buys back as much company stock as possible, driving the aldermen into poverty by forcing them to buy at the now higher price. Peggy declines the Christian Advocate's offer to publish her story due to their racist conditions. Oscar van Rhijn plans to court Gladys Russell as sweat, wealthy front, still worrying gay lover John Adams's chagrin. At a Red Cross branch foundation benefit, Ada's former suitor Cornelius Eckhard calls on her. Decades ago, Ada's father turned him away, knowing Eckhard considered Ada a "meal ticket." When Agnes warns that Ada has no money of her own, Eckhard scatters. Settling surprisingly fast, attorney Tom Raikes proposes to Marian, who withholds an answer, knowing Agnes would oppose the match. The aldermen beg George to stop inflating his company's stock price, but he is merciless. Facing financial ruin, Alderman Morris kills himself.
Episode 4
A Long Ladder
Mon, Feb 14, 202250 mins
George offers to help alderman Charles Fanes recover from the stocks debacle if his wife Aurora helps introduce Bertha into the old money circles. New York Globe editor T. Thomas Fortune hires Peggy, who turned down getting a story published paid but anonymously to cover up her color, to write an article about political affiliations. Retrieving Ada's runaway spaniel, Van Rhijn house butler Bannister enjoys a tour of the Russell house and make disparaging comments about the 'modern' way the house is run, even the French chefs cooking. Sylvia Chamberlain, a widow, tainted by rumors that she was her late husband's pregnant mistress, attempts to befriend Marian, bit even Ada disapproves of such social suicide. Bertha's maid Turner, is rebuffed attempting to seduce George. Bridget tells Mrs. Bauer that she was sexually abused as a child, her mother did nothing. Before and while visiting her parents in Brooklyn, Peggy argues with her father. Marian arrives unannounced with used shoes, intending it as charity, offending the Scotts. While attending a concert for the Red Cross with Bertha and the Fanes, Marian runs into Tom Raikes and insists he must win over her aunts so she may accept his marriage proposal.
Episode 5
Charity Has Two Functions
Mon, Feb 21, 202250 mins
George gets Bertha to invite Gladys's suitor Archie Baldwin to dinner. Mrs. Armstrong visits her abusively-ingrate invalid mother in a small tenement apartment. Bertha wants Ward McAllister's assistance in climbing the social ladder. Aurora, Bertha, Marian and go hear Clara Barton speak at a Red Cross branch opening on Dansville, Peggy followed to write an article for The Globe -not welcomed- and -redeeming- to chaperon Marian at Agnes's request. Miss Barton notes wealthy people use charity to enhance their social standing. Tom kisses Marian but Peggy interrupts them, confiding into Marian she once fell in love but her father disapproved. Marian apologizes for assuming Peggy's family needed charity. Oscar pays Turner to spy in his quest to marry Gladys. George's ultimatum, Archie can accept a lucrative job arranged with J. and W. Seligman and Co. and never see Gladys again after a last explanatory , or never work in finance again, makes him leave abruptly. Richard Clay informs George that a company train derailed outside Millbourne, Pennsylvania and casualties are still uncertain. George and Bertha visit, prepared to address the crisis, with gifts to the helpful Red Cross.
Episode 6
Heads Have Rolled for Less
Mon, Feb 28, 202250 mins
With five confirmed crash deaths, George Russell investigates the train derailment's cause, concluding that someone inside his company passed off substandard axles as new. Bertha is voted onto the Red Cross board, enraging Anne Morris. Peggy's interview with Clara Barton increases the Globe's subscriptions. Gladys bonds at a party, hosted by Mamie Fish, with Carrie, who has suggestions for Gladys' debutante ball. Marian juggles keeping secret Larry's wish to become an architect and eliciting a Red Cross donation from Mrs. Chamberlain, who confirms the premarital rumors regarding her and her husband. Bertha hires van Rhijn butler Bannister to serve an English-style luncheon for Ward McAllister, greatly offending the Russell's butler Church, who had just learned from him. When an anonymous note exposes Bannister, furious Agnes bursts in at the luncheon, then leaves. Armstrong witnesses Oscar meeting with Turner outside the Russell house and reports back to Agnes. The railroad employee claims to Bertha that George instructed him to use the cheaper, substandard axles.
Episode 7
Irresistible Change
Mon, Mar 7, 202250 mins
George Russell presents his plans for a new electric-powered train station and waves son Larry's request to study architecture under its builder, rather then train to succeed as tycoon, but later promises to reconsider. Bertha sets a date for Gladys's debutante ball, ignoring not-amused George may face manslaughter charges for the train crash. Agnes sends Marian to inform Bertha that Turner may be having an affair, but withholds Oscar's name, while the latter tells lover John this misunderstanding helps his cover and another bid for Gladys as front bride. Bertha catches Turner flirting with Larry and dismisses her. Agnes remains unconvinced that Tom would be a suitable husband. The city celebrates Thomas Edison's electric power distribution premiere, he personally activates Pearl Street generating station. Marian stays home when Bertha instead completes her electric event party with Tom and Cissie Bingham, rumored Henry Flagler's bastard.
Episode 8
Tucked Up in Newport
Mon, Mar 14, 202250 mins
George scolds the board for the poor preparation of the impending trial while Bertha plans Gladys's debutante ball. Oscar travels to Newport with the Russell family to court Gladys, but lover John Adams thwarts him. Aurora distrusts Tom, but Marian accepts his marriage proposal and they plan to elope. When Mrs. Flora McNeil asks George's valet Watson why he has been watching her home, he introduces himself as "Collyer," causing her to quickly leave. Bridget finds Jack at his mother's grave, revealing all his family members are dead or estranged. Through Marian, George Russell discovers his stenographer, Miss Ainsley, and George Dixon framed him for negligence and the charges are dismissed. McCallister takes Bertha to see Mrs. Astor's grand Newport home while she is out, but Mrs. Astor returns early, so Bertha must hastily exit out the back. Miss Armstrong intercepts Tom's letter to Peggy, forcing Peggy to reveal to the van Rhijn-Brook family that she bore a stillborn son and her father forcibly annulled her marriage. Agnes will not fire Armstrong, so Peggy resigns.
Episode 9
Let the Tournament Begin
Mon, Mar 21, 202250 mins
As Ada and Aurora rush to stop Marian from making a huge decision, Bertha and Mrs Astor's clash impacts all of New York society. Season finale.
