Editor’s note: The below contains spoilers for The Gilded Age Season 3.
The Gilded Age‘s Bertha (Carrie Coon) has proven herself near unstoppable as she establishes herself as a force to be reckoned with against all odds. In just two seasons, she has gone from a newcomer whom few would dare to speak to, much less visit her house, to one of the most notable members of New York society. She has a grand house on Fifth Avenue, another in Newport, and the best box at the Met. In short, there is very little that can touch Bertha Russell now. However, her ambition continues to grow as she sets her eyes on arranging an advantageous marriage for her daughter, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga). Hector, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb), has captured the attention of everyone in New York, but Bertha has built a relationship with him in order to pair him off with Gladys, yet there is one major challenge: the press seems to have inside information about the goings-on in the Russell household.
While the gossip may seem like nothing more than an inconvenience, it has more power than that. The family’s reputation determines everything, and any little upset could ruin Bertha’s scheming. As she relies on public opinion, this is Bertha’s biggest challenge to date, and she must put an end to said gossip quickly, yet, she has no idea how the papers are so well-informed. This issue surfaces in Season 3, Episode 2, “What the Papers Say,” but the problem is far from resolved. Given the accuracy of the information, someone close to the Russells must be involved, but how bad will it get before the culprit is identified?
Gladys’ Engagement Is Announced in the Papers Before Being Confirmed in ‘The Gilded Age’
So far, Season 3 has included a major dilemma regarding Gladys’ future. While Bertha has pushed for a wedding to the Duke, Gladys resists her mother’s aims, and thanks to George (Morgan Spector) and Hector’s tense negotiations, Bertha’s plan hits a bump in the road, almost falling apart completely. However, there is more pressure on the situation because the paper is adding fuel to this particular fire. In Season 3, Episode 2, the papers announce Gladys’ engagement to the Duke, revealing Bertha’s plan before it has been finalized. In fact, it is the first time that George even hears about his wife’s goal when he should be among the first to know. Bertha’s intentions aren’t entirely subtle and are suspected by many. Mrs. Fish (Ashlie Atkinson), for example, has thoughts on the matter, but as much as Bertha tries to write it off, these leaks may be more than mere gossip fuel.
The announcement forces Bertha to accelerate her plan, legitimizing the rumors to the point that it is difficult for George to back out of his negotiations with Hector. When George asks Bertha how the press got wind of the information, Bertha insists that it is no more than gossip and guesswork, claiming she doesn’t want to be the focus since Hector deserves his privacy. While The Gilded Age hasn’t given the situation more focus, this scene, along with the many other references to what the papers have claimed about Gladys’ future, sets up a dangerous situation for Bertha and the entire Russell family. No matter how Bertha tries to excuse it, as far as she is concerned, the papers were right, begging the question of how they got the information in the first place.
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Which Character Is Leaking Information About the Russells in ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3?
While feeding secrets to the newspapers sounds like just the sort of risky and ambitious thing Bertha would do to get what she wants (which is why her own family doubts her denials), she doesn’t seem that desperate yet — but if Bertha isn’t the source, who is? In Episode 1, Bertha warns Larry about trusting Mrs. Fish; however, she has been supportive of Gladys’ romance with Billy Carlton (Matt Walker) and has no reason to betray the Russells. Additionally, Bertha’s lingering enemy and former lady’s maid, Mrs. Winterton (Kelley Curran), hasn’t appeared yet in Season 3, though The Gilded Age hasn’t provided any way for her to acquire such precious information. There’s another obvious answer to the mystery, however: every member of the Russells’ staff has heard about Bertha’s plan for Gladys to marry the Duke.
The family’s servants even knew of Hector’s return before Gladys and Larry (Harry Richardson), as Bertha verified her plan with Church (Jack Gilpin) in the Season 3 premiere. While none of them seem to have ill will toward the Russells, the Season 1 storyline involving Turner (before she became Mrs. Winterton) hints that there could be some lingering resentment. Plus, there is always the chance that Mrs. Winterton still has a friend or two on Bertha’s staff. While the series has not introduced everyone working in the Russells’ house, at least one member of the staff, Mr. Bevan (Philip Themio Stoddard), could carry bitterness towards the family after Larry forced him to serve Jack (Ben Ahlers) in the premiere.
However, the reactions of the more familiar servants are worth noting. When Adelheid (Erin Wilhelmi) reads the announcement of Gladys’ engagement in the paper, Miss André (Rachel Pickup) ignores it, reminding the younger woman that it’s not their place to gossip. Meanwhile, both Borden (Douglas Sills) and Adelheid have an interest in the subject, speculating about how the marriage could impact them. Given their general surprise at the announcement, they’re not likely suspects. Less impressed are Bruce (Celia Keenan-Bolger) and Church. While Church recognizes the notoriety Gladys will receive, Bruce comments about the choice not being Gladys’, saying that had she had the chance, she could regret it. Both Bruce and Church seem to agree with Bertha about Gladys’ marriage, potentially making them suspects, though neither has shown anything but loyalty to the Russells in the past. If the culprit is one of the servants, they’re hiding it well, giving Bertha a considerable web to untangle.
Gossip Is the Biggest Threat to the Russells in ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3
So far, the biggest potential casualty in the gossip is Gladys’ reputation. The speculation and seeming announcement of the engagement make for higher stakes in Episode 3, “Love Is Never Easy,” as Bertha’s plans threaten to fall apart because the Duke’s apparent loss of interest could create rumors that he found Gladys an unfit bride. This could also destroy all of Bertha’s progress, meaning this gossip has to be stopped before it escalates — which also gives Bertha a new mission for Season 3.
Much of the Russells’ Season 3 storyline would make for good gossip, including Gladys’ late-night escape and secret meetings with Billy, the family’s arguments about Gladys’ future, Larry’s attempts to hide his relationship with Marian (Louisa Jacobson), and George’s struggle to fulfill his plan for a new railroad. None of them would want that information to end up in the press, but the servants are likely already well aware of the secrets their employers are keeping — secrets that any paper would pay good money to acquire.
The Gilded Age is streaming on Max in the U.S.
