‘The Gilded Age’ – Season Two – Review
High society returns in Season Two of The Gilded Age, and this time the stakes are higher, the corsets tighter, and the claws even sharper. Julian Fellowes delivers another dazzling slice of period drama that’s dripping in opulence, scandal, and no small amount of ambition. If Season One was about entering society, Season Two is about dominating it: and everyone’s playing for keeps.
We’re plunged back into the gas-lit grandeur of 1880s New York, where old money and new ambition clash in the ballrooms, opera houses, and parlours of the Upper East Side. At the centre of it all stands Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), a woman of unmatched drive and icy poise who is determined to conquer the elite at any cost. Coon continues to be a magnetic force of nature, crafting Bertha into a gilded steamroller; elegant, calculating, and completely unstoppable. Whether she’s muscling her way into the Academy of Music or outmanoeuvring her enemies in society chess matches, every scene she’s in sparkles with tension and theatrical flair.
But Bertha’s not the only one on the move. Season Two smartly expands its scope, giving more depth to its sprawling cast. Morgan Spector’s George Russell remains a tycoon with teeth, delivering steel-eyed charm as he wrestles with labor strikes and business rivals, while also trying to keep pace with his wife’s social conquest. On the other side of Fifth Avenue, Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and her ever-sniping wit continue to uphold the Old Money code with an iron fan. Baranski is glorious as always, her withering glances sharp enough to cut diamonds.
One of this season’s most rewarding arcs belongs to Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), who emerges from her ingenue cocoon and takes more agency over her future; romantically, socially, and professionally. She’s no longer just drifting between scenes but finally challenging the rules of the game she was born into. Meanwhile, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) continues her groundbreaking work as both journalist and activist, navigating the intersection of race, gender, and class with intelligence and strength. Her storyline, especially involving her family and work at the New York Globe, brings vital substance and emotional weight.
And of course, it wouldn’t be The Gilded Age without drama. Affairs are uncovered, secrets bubble up from the past, rivalries reach boiling point, and reputations are made and destroyed in a single dinner party. Fellowes keeps the intrigue humming, all while bathing us in the show’s signature lavish visuals: ornate drawing rooms, towering mansions, exquisite gowns, and that irresistible period gossip. Director Michael Engler returns to helm several episodes with a keen eye for both visual elegance and narrative rhythm.
There’s a sharpened edge to Season Two, a sense that the gloves are finally off. Characters maneuver more ruthlessly. The divide between the old guard and the nouveau riche grows deeper. The show leans into its themes of power and progress, often reminding us that the American Dream always comes at a cost — especially when it’s wrapped in silk and served with Champagne.
The production values continue to be chef’s kiss. Costumes designed by Kasia Walicka-Maimone are pure fantasy, but meticulously grounded in historical reality. Every stitch, ruffle, and jewel tells a story — whether it’s the glittering triumph of a successful ball or the quiet despair behind a velvet curtain. Paired with the show’s sweeping cinematography and soaring score, The Gilded Age is a feast for the senses.
Season Two of The Gilded Age is prestige drama at its most seductive. It’s got the dazzle, the danger, and the deliciously dirty details we crave. The performances are sublime, the storytelling is richer, and the social stakes are deliciously high. Whether you’re in it for the fashion, the backstabbing, or the slow-burn victories of cunning women, this season doesn’t disappoint.
Season Two of The Gilded Age is currently streaming on SKY TV and NEON.
Image: SKY TV
