The fourth season of HBO's "The Gilded Age" has commenced with an episode titled "Ring the Bells," picking up months after the previous season's conclusion. The premiere dives into a mix of personal dramas and professional conflicts, highlighting the era's excess and social maneuvering.
Births and Marriages
The season opens with a perilous childbirth for Gladys Russell, the Duchess of Buckingham, in England. Her mother, Bertha, faces a difficult decision as doctors grapple with saving Gladys or her baby. Ultimately, Gladys delivers a son, Hector Jr., but her uterus is removed without her immediate knowledge, rendering her unable to have more children. Meanwhile, back in New York, Oscar van Rhijn marries Enid Winterton in a ceremony marked by social gamesmanship. Enid's past as Bertha Russell's maid is revealed, creating tension with Oscar's aunt, Agnes van Rhijn, though Enid's offer to fund Agnes's social endeavors smooths over the conflict.
Peggy Scott's impending marriage to Dr. William Kirkland is also fraught with familial tension. Peggy's future mother-in-law, Elizabeth, disapproves of the Scott family's middle-class background and Peggy's success as an author, despite outwardly generous gestures.
Business and Intrigue
George Russell, recovering from an assassination attempt, finds himself in a business dispute with John D. Rockefeller over oil transportation rates. Both men, however, share a common adversary in President Grover Cleveland, who is known for his anti-monopolization policies and is slated to visit New York. The President's visit is set to occur at the home of Agnes van Rhijn and Ada Forte, adding another layer of social obligation.
Shifting Alliances and Personal Revelations
Marian Brook attends an afterparty downtown, where she reconnects with Larry Russell. A carriage accident leads to an intimate encounter, leaving Marian feeling ashamed and "ruined." The episode also sees George Russell hire the Pinkerton detective agency to find his would-be assassin, whose trail leads to a tenement downtown. The identities of the individuals are hinted at as being familiar to George.
Among the various storylines, a montage depicts Jack learning the proper etiquette for dining, including how to eat an artichoke and use an oyster fork, a recurring theme of refinement on the show.