The Gilded Age: Charity Has Two Functions
February 21, 2022 7:16 PM - Season 1, Episode 5 - Subscribe

Bertha, Marian, Aurora, and Peggy make an overnight trip to see Clara Barton speak. Gladys’ desired beau is invited to dinner.

"Marian: Maybe the Worst? Look at your LIFE, Marian. Look at your CHOICES."—from Alice Burton's 4-star recap for Vulture.

That recap also wants us to know that there is now a category for Gilded Age fanfics on Archive of Our Own, so have at it.
posted by bcwinters (11 comments total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Tonight I learned that Livia Soprano is a vampire of sorts. Probably an energy vampire.
posted by ishmael at 12:28 AM on February 22, 2022


Like the whole time I was waiting for Miss Armstrong's mother to blurt "oh poor you!"
posted by ishmael at 11:00 AM on February 22, 2022


What show are you even talking about?
posted by jeoc at 6:41 PM on February 22, 2022 [2 favorites]


Marian seems convinced of Tom’s aw shucks Pennsylvania innocence, but he’s clearly playing some kind of game here.

Marian thinks she’s smart and the show treats her aunts like sour old biddies, but she’s way out of her depth in New York society and it’s not a terrible idea for her to follow their lead for a while.
posted by jeoc at 6:49 PM on February 22, 2022 [3 favorites]


What show are you even talking about?

Miss Armstrong's mother. The one who threw the pie against the wall- dead ringer for Livia Soprano.
posted by ishmael at 9:15 PM on February 22, 2022


Well she certainly isn't a dead ringer for love.
posted by biffa at 3:46 PM on February 23, 2022


Oof, I'm embarrassed. I tried to make a joke and failed. Mods, please delete my derail.
posted by ishmael at 10:47 AM on February 24, 2022


You’re not crazy, ishmael, I was thinking the same thing in those scenes.

But the real comedy of this episode was Nathan Lane’s accent. Colonel Sanders? Foghorn Leghorn?
posted by jimw at 9:14 PM on February 24, 2022 [4 favorites]


But the real comedy of this episode was Nathan Lane’s accent.

Seriously!

I did forget it was Nathan Lane for most of the episode, though, so I guess his accent did kinda work.
posted by ishmael at 10:38 PM on February 24, 2022 [1 favorite]


Ha, Nathan Lane was hilarious. Loved the accent; I wonder if he's got a sideline making fried chicken.

The best thing about this show's writing continues to be Peggy Scott. Every scene she's involved seems so much more meaningful than the other stuff. Part of that is just the reality of it; the challenge of a Black woman trying to navigate white society is just going to be more compelling to me than rich white people posturing against each other. But also it's the specifics of the writing and the acting. Marian's chagrin at embarrassing herself and Peggy last episode felt meaningful to me, as did Peggy's frank assessment of the situation.

I was really struck by the familiarity between the maid Turner and the scion of the neighbors' house, Oscar. It sure crossed class lines. Maybe it's idiosyncratic: Turner is unusually bold and Oscar is unusually casual. But it also felt sort of American to me, and of the era, that the lines between staff and household aren't quite as strict as all that.
posted by Nelson at 11:54 AM on March 1, 2022


“See the lady in black? She’s mad that lady’s husband killed her husband. Sort of. He kind of deserved it? Oo, also we saw that actress on Broadway!” - me explaining a scene to ny husband.

I love this show!
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 8:29 PM on March 15, 2022 [1 favorite]


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