Spectrum On Demand
HBO MaxIt’s 1882 and the Gilded Age is in full swing when Marian Brook, a young orphaned daughter of a Southern general, moves in with her rigidly conventional aunts in New York City. With the help of Peggy Scott, an African-American woman masquerading as her maid, Marian gets caught up in the dazzling lives of her rich neighbors as she struggles to decide between adhering to the rules or forging her own path.
The Gilded Age is a curious, unwieldy thing. It is rich in qualities that I love, such as Broadway stars of a certain pedigree and truly extravagant hats. But, for a series that clearly takes a great effort to make, at what appears to be an enormous expense, it is oddly slight. The events of New York society in the late 19th century glide on by, as women dressed in fine, frilly clothing dip in and out of dramas that are sometimes important, sometimes entirely trivial, but almost always afforded equal weight, regardless of how much they matter.
Ultimately, “The Gilded Age” functions just the same as the iconic “Downton Abbey”: It draws the viewer in with its high-drama, low-stakes tension and provides a simply pleasant viewing experience. Thus, it’s difficult to rave about the mass benefits of the show — it clearly does not reinvent the wheel.Summary “The Gilded Age” provides a simple, low-stakes but high in drama tale which easily draws a viewer in, and keeps them hooked. 4 Stars. More from The Tufts Daily.
