In the wake of the Downton Abbey world coming to a close after six seasons (and two subsequent feature films!), anticipation swirled around Julian Fellowes’ next potential period drama project. While The Gilded Age has been a long-gestating idea for the screenwriter and director, first announced back in 2012 during Downton’s initial TV run, it wasn’t until last year that the show finally made its debut on HBO, delivering on not just the time-honored clash of inherited versus acquired wealth but its absolutely packed cast of stars. From Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon as the old-money van Rhijn sisters to Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector as the new-money Russell power couple, it was clear that the social war playing out on-screen would be a who’s who of famous faces, including those who have made a name for themselves on Broadway, like Denée Benton, Kelli O’Hara, and Audra McDonald, or one of our modern-day reigning horror queens Taissa Farmiga.

Season 1 of The Gilded Age followed a drastically different domain than the upstairs/downstairs storylines that played out in parallel (and sometimes overlapped) on Downton. There’s still the occasional focus given to the domestic workers who have found themselves in the employ of New York City’s most elite families, but even heading into Season 2, their narratives feel more like window dressing for the main attraction of the upper class. Who’s achieved the most wealth by various means, and who’s made the biggest and best impression on friends and even rivals? Who’s managed to climb the society ladder all on their own power, and who could potentially lose it all after one bad decision or investment? Most of the drama tends to hover around these questions, yet The Gilded Age remains a show that’s still reassuring at its core — a comfort watch of characters experiencing various trials and struggles even though most of the time, all works out as it’s supposed to.

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‘The Gilded Age’ Season 2 Balances More Storylines Than It Should Be Able To
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The ensemble cast of The Gilded Age was already bursting at the seams in the show’s first season, and somehow, Season 2 has found a way to add even more parties into the mix. New names like Laura Benanti (as a widow looking to revamp her Newport mansion) and Robert Sean Leonard (the new rector at the van Rhijns’ church) may not necessarily be long-term additions to the series, but their inclusion does significantly impact certain characters, who will no doubt be changed forever for having crossed paths with them in the first place.

There’s a much stronger emphasis on Nathan Lane’s Ward McAllister — and his rather distinct accent of choice — but now, the society paterfamilias finds himself torn in his loyalty between two parties: Bertha Russell (Coon) and Mrs. Astor (Donna Murphy), each of whom is determined to maintain his support or discard it as soon as they deem him unnecessary to their overall plans. Within the younger generation, Agnes’ (Baranski) son Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) has more of a part to play this season, coming to the conclusion that he needs to finally settle down and marry — if not for love or personal preference, than at least to maintain the standard of living that he’s accustomed to. Circling around an heiress (Nicole Brydon Bloom) with a promising fortune is one thing, but what about the possibility that he might actually like her?

Meanwhile, now that the main cast has doubled from 12 names to 24, and several actors promoted to series regular status for the sophomore outing, you might be wondering how that impacts the number of storylines that play out and whether anyone ends up sitting on the sidelines this time around. What’s more unexpected is the fact that Season 2 not only manages to juggle an impressive amount of narratives but even successfully weaves them together most of the time. Having discovered that she can embrace her true passion — and impact minds — by writing articles for a local newspaper, Peggy (Benton) is tasked with an assignment to cover the construction of a school in Tuskegee, Alabama. The season spends ample time exploring the stark difference between New York City and the American South, where race relations are in a much more dubious and dangerous state, as well as delving into the complications of Peggy’s relationship with her handsome editor, T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones), especially as the two attempt to maintain a more professional dynamic. Peggy’s plot, which later shifts focus to an attempt to close Black schools in New York City, exists in sharp contrast to the luxurious atmosphere of the rest of the show and could have been incorporated a bit more seamlessly with broader cast involvement. However, it’s still refreshing to see a fan-favorite character get some much-deserved time to shine in her own right.

‘The Gilded Age’ Season 2 Gives George Russell a Particularly Timely Story
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It shouldn’t come as any surprise to learn that George (Spector) and Bertha Russell have remained as strong as they’ve ever been in The Gilded Age Season 2. While there is a dash of setback between the couple as the story progresses, a little marital tension pales in comparison to what George has to face on a professional level — a situation that’s been building in the background and finally reaches its breaking point when the show picks back up again. From what we’ve learned about them so far, the Russells have made their money in classic robber baron fashion, wielding certain business decisions to benefit their fortune and societal standing. Now, George’s choices have caught up with him, and the workers have had enough of settling for low pay, unsafe conditions, and no indication whatsoever that things are likely to change — and they’re threatening to go on strike.

This element of the season, like Peggy’s unique storyline, is mostly reserved for George himself and how he’ll deal with the evidence that most of his employees — the ones who literally keep the factories running, that is — will be standing up in resistance until their demands are met. While other parties, like his loyal secretary Clay (another new series regular in Patrick Page), are advising him to meet the incoming conflict with a closed fist, George wars with himself over whether to offer an open hand instead. It’s a dilemma he keeps from Bertha until the last possible minute, not wanting to trouble her with the particulars, but while he does eventually come clean about some of the details, there are other pieces of information he maintains as his own secrets — which could possibly come to light and create even more uncertainty in their rock-solid relationship.

‘The Gilded Age’ Season 2 Offers an Intriguing Setup for More
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The first season of The Gilded Age, while entertaining in its own right, didn’t feel like it operated with a strong sense of narrative urgency or left more questions open-ended than resolved. With Season 2, however, it seems as though Fellowes is laying the groundwork for storylines that are meant to carry through into a potential third season and beyond. There might still be major dilemmas that earn conveniently swift resolutions at the outset, but the ramifications they’ll have on future power dynamics represent an intriguing change of pace for the series.

Over the course of the entire season provided for review, it’s plain to see that The Gilded Age has finally settled into its identity, less concerned with meandering narrative setup and more about diving into complicated character relationships. Costume designer Kasia Walicka Maimone and the rest of the team have made everything bigger and bolder this time around — and the same holds true for the show itself. If you’re tuning in at this stage, you already know what you’re in for, and The Gilded Age doesn’t waste any time before thrusting you right back into its realm of unadulterated glamour, cutting ambition, and precarious scandal, all set to the Gregson-Williams brothers’ sweeping orchestral score.

Rating: A-

The Big Picture

The Gilded Age Season 2 introduces more new characters this time around, juggling an impressive amount of storylines for its already-packed ensemble cast. Season 2 focuses primarily on the power struggles of the upper class, emphasizing wealth, status, and the potential consequences of bad decisions. Peggy’s storyline, which partly explores racial tensions in the American South, provides a refreshing contrast to the otherwise luxurious atmosphere of the show and allows a fan-favorite character to shine.

The Gilded Age premieres Sunday, October 29 on HBO, with new episodes airing weekly each Sunday thereafter.