The Gilded Age (2022- HBO)

[Huntn]

HBO’s late 19th Century New York, Downtown Abbyish period series, created by Julian Fellows. Too bad we could not watch it on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater.

S1E1: So far so good, the scene has been set, unlike the Upstairs Downstairs focus on employers and employees, in The Guided Age focus so far is between New Money Railroad Tycoon Russels vs Old Money and trying to break in to established New York City society. The episode ends with a hint of conflict, they’ll regret not coming to my party!

Anyway, as I am a fan of such melodrama, loved both USDS and DA, I’m looking forward to how this new story plays out.

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'The Gilded Age' gives old New York money the HBO treatment

The new series The Gilded Age, from the creator of Downton Abbey, takes a big, talented cast to 1882 New York for a story about money and class.

www.npr.org

At least It was not filmed in Croatia or Prague...

Where is The Gilded Age filmed? HBO series filming locations

Where is The Gilded Age filmed? Let’s consider the filming locations for the 2022 HBO series. Where is the historical drama set?

www.hitc.com

 

[Roller]

HBO’s late 19th Century New York, Downtown Abbyish period series, created by Julian Fellows. Too bad we could not watch it on PBS’s Masterpiece Theater.

S1E1: So far so good, the scene has been set, unlike the Upstairs Downstairs focus on employers and employees, in The Guided Age focus so far is between New Money Railroad Tycoon Russels vs Old Money and trying to break in to established New York City society. The episode ends with a hint of conflict, they’ll regret not coming to my party!

Anyway, as I am a fan of such melodrama, loved both USDS and DA, I’m looking forward to how this new story plays out.

View attachment 11295​

'The Gilded Age' gives old New York money the HBO treatment

The new series The Gilded Age, from the creator of Downton Abbey, takes a big, talented cast to 1882 New York for a story about money and class.

www.npr.org

Thanks. I've seen the promos and it looks interesting, especially since my wife and I were huge Downton Abbey fans. The question is whether to watch it in "real time" as it were, with a week between new episodes, or wait until the season ends and watch as many at one sitting as we want. Decisions, decisions...

 

[lizkat]

The question is whether to watch it in "real time" as it were, with a week between new episodes, or wait until the season ends and watch as many at one sitting as we want. Decisions, decisions...

Exactly what I've been mulling over. Probably going to wait awhile but I'm looking forward to this series.

 

[Huntn]

Thanks. I've seen the promos and it looks interesting, especially since my wife and I were huge Downton Abbey fans. The question is whether to watch it in "real time" as it were, with a week between new episodes, or wait until the season ends and watch as many at one sitting as we want. Decisions, decisions...

Exactly what I've been mulling over. Probably going to wait awhile but I'm looking forward to this series.

If I did not already have an HBO subscription, violating my hit and run subscription philosophy for now cause of some stuff my wife is watching, and HBO is/was running a deal on a year at $11 vs $15 per month, and you can still cancel at any time without penalty. Anyway 10 episodes, wait still 6 have aired and then subscribe for 1 month.

 

[lizkat]

If I did not already have an HBO subscription, violating my hit and run subscription philosophy for now cause of some stuff my wife is watching, and HBO is/was running a deal on a year at $11 vs $15 per month, and you can still cancel at any time without penalty. Anyway 10 episodes, wait still 6 have aired and then subscribe for 1 month.

I already subscribe... and caved in and watched the first episode. Liked it, and so I know I'll watch the rest, still not sure if I'll wait and watch a few at a time. I'm not good at scheduling a TV watch so I'll probably be lagging behind the releases.

 

[Huntn]

Just watched Episode 2, simmering status.
Background:

The Gilded Age: The History Behind HBO's New Period Drama

The Gilded Age's Russell and van Rhijn families are inspired by actual New York high society at the turn of the century.

www.cbr.com

 

[Edd]

Watched the first two eps. This show wouldn’t have aired on HBO pre-Max. Too tame. I read it was originally intended as an NBC show. This could still be network TV easily. I like it so far.

 

[Huntn]

Watched the first two eps. This show wouldn’t have aired on HBO pre-Max. Too tame. I read it was originally intended as an NBC show. This could still be network TV easily. I like it so far.

Did you watch Downtown Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs? That is the genre. They are all tame, focused on human interactions built on social structure. It all boils down to do you like the story being told, who is going to be sacked, or snubbed next week? Mrs Russell wants desperately to be accepted into NYC High Society with at least two violent, emotional outbursts in private of course, while in public, she acts as if she does not care.

Now personally I would have preferred for this to be on something like PBS Masterpiece Theater, but since I am already subscribed to HBO from a practicality standpoint, makes no difference to me.

In the long shots, you can see the ceilings in the rooms of the Russell mansion, and they look both incredible and CGI’d. I don’t see the producers actually building those,

 

[Edd]

Did you watch Downtown Abbey or Upstairs Downstairs? That is the genre. They are all tame, focused on human interactions built on social structure. It all boils down to do you like the story being told, who is going to be sacked, or snubbed next week? Mrs Russell want desperately to be accepted into NYC High Society with at least two violent, emotional outbursts in private of course, while in public, she acts as if she does not care.

Now personally I would have preferred for this to be on something like PBS Masterpiece Theater, but since I am already subscribed to HBO from a practicality standpoint, makes no difference to me.

In the long shots, you can see the ceilings in the rooms of the Russell mansion, and they look both incredible and CGI’d. I don’t see the producers actually building those,

There’s a fuckload of CGI to my eyes which I don’t mind. Everything is crazy gorgeous. Yeah, I watched a few seasons of DA but dropped it because I hit my limit for soapy plots. Never watched UD but I may someday.

 

[Huntn]

There’s a fuckload of CGI to my eyes which I don’t mind. Everything is crazy gorgeous. Yeah, I watched a few seasons of DA but dropped it because I hit my limit for soapy plots. Never watched UD but I may someday.

Yeah, crazy gorgeous. If I ever had the means to build such an extravagance, I would definietly up the square footage (along with the hired help to keep it clean), but on second thought, I‘d not want staff running about like it’s a hotel. And I’d never build something approaching a castle with 30’ ceilings, because it becomes too impersonal. I’d assume in NYC circa19th century winter, you’d freeze your ass off in such a place.

A while back we visited the Hearst Castle and while it was impressive, with 2 great pools, one indoors, sitting up on top of a gorgeous landscape, the main dining room was not appealing at all, very castle like. However, we fell in love with the 3500SF guest cottages.

 

[Roller]

Yeah, crazy gorgeous. If I ever had the means to build such an extravagance, I would definietly up the square footage (along with the hired help to keep it clean), but on second thought, I not want staff running about like it’s a hotel. And I’d never build something approaching a castle with 30’ ceilings, because it becomes too impersonal. I’d assume in NYC circa19th century winter, you’d freeze your ass off in such a place.

A while back we visited the Hurst Castle and while it was impressive, with 2 great pools, one indoors, sitting up on top of a gorgeous landscape, the main dining room was not appealing at all, very castle like. However, we fell in love with the 3500SF guest cottages.

Two episodes in, it's enjoyable enough to keep watching. It's certainly not a historical drama, though the production design seems reasonably faithful to the times to my untrained eye. Like Downton Abbey, the chief attraction is the often nefarious ways the characters treat each other, along with the desire to see the bad ones get their comeuppance and the good ones find some measure of happiness.

Although both series have things in common with The Crown, the latter is more of a take on events involving mostly well-known historical figures, and the caliber of acting is higher.

As for living in a home similar to the one occupied by the Russells, I wouldn't be at all interested. Like you say, so impersonal, with too many servants about. I like a place where I don't have to dress up for dinner and I can walk around in my PJs. The same holds for modern mansions that are impossible to manage without a sizable staff, not that one will ever be within my means.

 

[Roller]

After giving up on the series for a couple months, we started again and finished the season. We both thought it got quite a bit better over time. Not quite up to Downton Abbey, but still good. No matter what one thinks about the plot, dialog, or acting, the show deserves major awards for its costumes, which are as spectacular as the mansions the characters inhabit.

 

[Huntn]

After giving up on the series for a couple months, we started again and finished the season. We both thought it got quite a bit better over time. Not quite up to Downton Abbey, but still good. No matter what one thinks about the plot, dialog, or acting, the show deserves major awards for its costumes, which are as spectacular as the mansions the characters inhabit.

We rewatched the Downtown Abbey movie yesterday which actually gives off a feeling of warmth which is completely absent in The Guilded Age.