"The Gilded Age" on HBO

[+ poolboy48220]

Anyone else excited about this new series from Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey?  it's set in New York City in the 1920's or so. Starts next week, Monday January 24, I think.

[jeezifonly]

It’s set in 1882, when the old moneyed families in New York City began to feel threatened by A) freed people of color, B) immigrants from Europe and C) new money of the robber barons (moving in on their social turf).

Great actors - a lot of them stage actors, who were out of work in 2020. Overall quality of production/cinematography not at same level as Downton Abbey. Despite period inaccuracy of costumes and hair, everyone looks rich and viewers will get the gist of the era. 
Warning: There is some gay

[cany10011]

I enjoyed it for what it was. It‘s becoming quite a formulaic success for Julian Fellowes depicting class struggle, catty women downstairs, scheming women upstairs, a (poterntial) gay storyline…  But, for anyone comparing it with Downton Abbey would be let down. Otherwise, a fun little trifle. Loved Christine Baranski. 

Edited January 25, 2022 by cany10011

[+ poolboy48220]

I've read that a young Cora Levinson (Lord Grantham's American wife from Downton) may make an appearance.  According to timelines, she's about 14 in 1882.  The Levinsons were considered "new money".  That brings up the possibility that her mother's character, Martha Levinson, played by Shirley MacLaine on Downton, could also show up.

Edited January 25, 2022 by poolboy48220

[+ tassojunior]

Disappointed. Not up to the worst Downton Abbey, and that's not a high bar. The acting and direction are terrible and why so much obvious CGI ? Even interiors. I like real sets. This seems to all have been done entirely on green screen. The actual filming was done in Rhode Island and upstate NY. Did they ever even visit New York? I read it was originally supposed to have been NBC instead of HBO and it fits that style more. It's done decent on Rotten Tomatoes so maybe I'm missing the appeal. I did hear it was supposed to be about the Vanderbilts which would be interesting but the lead actor is 100% different than Vanderbilt was.  

A small example of how unaware of the period the entire film is was when no one showed up at the reception and the head butler was told to donate the expensive food to charity and said " what are poor people going to do with lobster salad?" In 1880 lobster was still plentiful and a poor person's food, not the rich. How many writers and researchers did this pass through? 

[cany10011]

I did like how it took  12 hours to get from Doylestownn, PA to NYC that involved multiple transfers and a ferry ride.

[+ poolboy48220]

Downton Abbey made a huge effort to be historically accurate; I remember a special featuring Alastair Bruce, their history consultant. I've no idea if they had a corresponding person for The Gilded Age.

[+ tassojunior]

The show The Gilded Age could have been.
https://news.yahoo.com/show-gilded-age-could-110110430.html

 

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

This show has the best cast of theatre-folk I've seen in a long while.

[Guest MikeThomas]

I might have to continue watching just for the Larry Russell eye candy, and the Oscar Van Rhijn / John Adams shenanigans.

Not sure if these two bars would have been open in the 1880s for Oscar ad John...

https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2015/06/the-slide-19th-centurys-most-notorious-gay-bar.html

.

[jeezifonly]

On 1/25/2022 at 10:31 AM, poolboy48220 said:

Downton Abbey made a huge effort to be historically accurate; I remember a special featuring Alastair Bruce, their history consultant. I've no idea if they had a corresponding person for The Gilded Age.

I believe that Fellowes is in this for the money and doesn’t particularly care about accuracy  of history Americans don’t care about. So the art director or production designer is left to decide on how it looks on camera. Wrong can still be pretty for a soap opera. Clothes and hair especially. Pretty. And many of them wrong. 

[+ poolboy48220]

I read someplace long ago that they filmed a western with clothing and hairstyles accurate to the period, and the test audience laughed; it was at the moustaches, if I remember correctly.  I do laugh sometimes at the slang in Downton Abbey; you rarely hear someone say "Golly!" these days. 

[+ E.T.Bass]

On 1/25/2022 at 3:38 PM, MikeThomas said:

I might have to continue watching just for the Larry Russell eye candy, and the Oscar Van Rhijn / John Adams shenanigans.

Not sure if these two bars would have been open in the 1880s for Oscar ad John...

https://www.boweryboyshistory.com/2015/06/the-slide-19th-centurys-most-notorious-gay-bar.html

.

Oscar is such a sweet fellow, and yes, definitely easy on the eyes. 
He also seems apt to flout convention.  😛  Will we see if that extends into the bedroom, whether boys or girls?

I'm loving Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook, (center).  Is she perfect?

I've only watched S1Epi1 on HBO.  Sounds like some of the above posters have seen all of it.  I'll probably need to ignore this thread for the spoilers.

[+ Snbrd]

On 1/14/2022 at 8:04 AM, poolboy48220 said:

Anyone else excited about this new series from Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey?  it's set in New York City in the 1920's or so. Starts next week, Monday January 24, I think.

Yes. Not expecting perfection but enjoyed Episode 1. Look forward to the rest.

[CuriousByNature]

To me British period-dramas set in the UK have a cinematic quality that those set in the USA don't seem to have.  I suppose Baranski - who is admittedly a great actress - is supposed to be the equivalent to Maggie Smith in Downton, but so far I think the character falls short.  Nevertheless I will keep watching because the blend of fictitious and historical figures is intriguing to me, and it is set during a period of history that I've been interested in for some time. 

[jeezifonly]

On 1/29/2022 at 3:58 PM, CuriousByNature said:

To me British period-dramas set in the UK have a cinematic quality that those set in the USA don't seem to have.  I suppose Baranski - who is admittedly a great actress - is supposed to be the equivalent to Maggie Smith in Downton, but so far I think the character falls short.  Nevertheless I will keep watching because the blend of fictitious and historical figures is intriguing to me, and it is set during a period of history that I've been interested in for some time. 

The part should maybe have gone to someone with more period gravitas like Kate Burton. 

I will boycott S2 if Mary Louise Burke is not in it. 

[+ tassojunior]

One can easily tell this was originally intended for NBC, not HBO. 

I never watch broadcast TV so this is the first piece I've seen shot entirely it seems in greenscreen.  so weird

[handiacefailure]

I liked Episode 1.   Will watch 2 tonight or tomorrow.   But I'm love Christine.   Wish Audra and Mary Faber had bigger parts.  

 

 

[jeezifonly]

21 minutes ago, tassojunior said:

One can easily tell this was originally intended for NBC, not HBO. 

I never watch broadcast TV so this is the first piece I've seen shot entirely it seems in greenscreen.  so weird

There were improvements made in wardrobe and lighting, to the degree that I consent to E3. 

[+ tassojunior]

8 minutes ago, jeezifonly said:

There were improvements made in wardrobe and lighting, to the degree that I consent to E3. 

not so sure about the lighting. the above pic of the 3 has them with sharp edges clearly filmed in front of a greenscreen and in lighting totally different than the superimposed room they're supposed to be in. 

[jeezifonly]

I’m sure you are right about this. I was more involved with story, and character progress and better wardrobe. 

[CuriousByNature]

4 hours ago, jeezifonly said:

The part should maybe have gone to someone with more period gravitas like Kate Burton. 

I will boycott S2 if Mary Louise Burke is not in it. 

I think Kathy Bates or Holland Taylor could have been good choices as well.

[handiacefailure]

Love the show.   Christine has some great lines.

And it was announced it is getting a second season.  

[jeezifonly]

The actors do seem to be finding things to make the characters more interesting - if that continues, it stands a chance. It’s all in Julian’s capable American hands, now…🥸

[+ poolboy48220]

I'm not loving it yet like I love Downton Abbey. It might be looking at the past through rose-colored glasses, but I thought I connected with Downton's characters immediately. I'm not getting that with the Gilded Age's characters.