The Gilded Age S01E07 is the seventh episode of a historical drama television series created by Julian Fellowes for HBO that is set in the United States during the Gilded Age, the boom years of 1880s New York City. Fellowes is, of course, best known for creating critically acclaimed and popular period dramas like the Gosford Park film and Downtown Abbey TV series.

S P O I L E R S

Entitled “Irresistible Change”, The Gilded Age S01E07 utilises the advent of electric power as a metaphor for change within New York society itself. The Russell family very much represents the tip of the spear as far as any social change is concerned, as the nouveau riche replace the ‘gentility’ of the old families that defined the upper crust of American social circles in the late 19th century. Ironic then that the episode itself features little evidence of this change happening as irrational prejudice continues to rule hearts and minds.

READ OUR REVIEWS OF THE GILDED AGE.

The main gist of this week’s plot involved the Van Rhijns, as Agnes forced the sacking of Turner due to a misunderstanding of the nature of her relationship with son Oscar, while niece Marion Brook continued to test the social boundaries with clandestine meetings with Raikes facilitated by the pariah Mrs Chamberlain. Yes, not exactly the most risqué activities for us in the modern age but in the context of the series, very much so. The only other real source of tension was between George Russell and son Larry as the latter revealed his ambitions to leave the family business and go into architecture. Obviously, George is dead set against any such plans but again, not much grist for the drama mill, is it?

The Gilded Age S01E07 was not very exciting and did not develop the plots or characters too much. Much improvement needed!

Now streaming on HBO Max.

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