<i>The Gilded Age</i> Season 3 Finale Recap: Heartbreak and Happiness

Spoilers below.

Little did Bertha Russell know that the plans she set in motion for Gladys to marry the duke would blow up her life. Given that George nearly dies at the start of The Gilded Age season 3, episode 8, you would think this finale has peaked too soon. However, every major plot unfolds at breakneck speed, giving us plenty to talk about as we round off a triumphant season.

The end-of-season Newport ball must go ahead so as not to raise suspicions that anything is wrong with George (his railway deal is still at stake). While the culprit behind the shooting is not unmasked, George has a fair idea who wants him dead. The Russells also have broken hearts to mend, with Larry and Marian continuing their back-and-forth about who is at fault. Peggy is equally distraught when her past threatens her relationship with Dr. William Kirkland, whose late visit to 61st Street at the end of the penultimate episode proves to be a case of good timing. It is a lavish and dramatic end to the year, raising questions about whose relationships will still be intact when the HBO series returns for its fourth season.

After leaving us hanging, the show quickly reveals that George was shot in the ambush at his office. Instead of being taken to a hospital (emergency medicine is in its infancy), he is transported home and laid out on the dining table. Luckily, Bannister sees the commotion and tells Bertha that a doctor is visiting Peggy. William leaps into action, with Marian taking his limited medical supplies to the Russell home. It is all hands on deck with William instructing Marian to help stem the bleeding; she climbs onto the table to apply pressure. It’s a pretty badass move with zero hesitation. William has seen plenty of gunshot wounds and begins to operate on George in a room that has seen more banquets than bloodshed. He successfully removes the whole bullet, but George goes into shock. Bertha is distraught, telling William he needs to save her husband.

The next morning, George is stable but not out of the woods, as there is the risk of his wound getting infected. The Russells' physician, Dr. Logan (Dylan Baker), finally arrives, explaining that his delay was due to delivering twins (one was breech). Dr. Logan is incredibly rude to William before seeing that William is the reason George is alive. Bertha asks William to be discreet about the shooting, as they are not involving the police due to the ongoing business deal. Later in the episode, he receives a significant payment for his work.

Larry bursts in, having just received the note about the shooting this morning. When things have calmed down, Larry catches sight of the blood on Marian’s gown and thanks her for helping save his father’s life. Now might seem like the perfect chance for reconciliation between the pair. Marian believes Larry’s version of events at the Haymarket because Jack has backed up his story, but this raises another red flag. Larry is far from thrilled that she didn’t trust him without verification, and his mind is too muddled by current events to deal with their ongoing issues at the moment.

Of the Russells, it is only Gladys who is experiencing romantic bliss. While she is worried about her father’s condition, she is content about living at Sidmouth (especially as Lady Sarah will not be there by the time they get back). When they arrive at Newport, Gladys is delighted to see recently dismissed lady’s maid Adelheid waiting for her. Thought it might seem like they came all this way for nothing as Bertha wants to call off the ball. However, George needs the festivities to proceed so that it appears as though nothing is amiss. George also makes it clear that Richard Clay is the primary suspect behind the assassination attempt.

Peggy is bursting with pride when she tells her mother about William saving George’s life, but the big question is why William was visiting so late, and why is he so eager to see her in Brooklyn that morning? They think it might be a proposal: what follows is a gut-punch transition from giddiness to tears. Peggy fills in the many blanks of the gossip William’s mother heard. She notes that it has taken her a long time to forgive her father and that she needed to build the courage to tell William.

After hearing the whole story, William says he needs to take a walk to think things over. One thing is certain: it has strengthened his mother’s argument against their relationship. It is precisely what Elizabeth wanted, and Peggy is devastated. Peggy can barely speak through sobs when she tells her mother what happened. “No matter what happens, you are worthy of a husband who understands, gives you grace and cherishes you,” says Dorothy. It is a powerful sentiment that Audra McDonald delivers fiercely, leading to more tears (both Peggy’s and my own). Peggy wishes she could believe her mother.

In Newport, Peggy skips her dress fitting for the ball with her mother and Athena, which is fortuitous as Elizabeth pops in to offer some smug words of satisfaction. Dorothy does not hold back, telling Elizabeth that she acts without grace or manners. It is a satisfying dressing down with Dorothy ensuring Elizabeth knows the Scotts will still be at the party. After all, Arthur has made a sizable donation to the Kirklands’ ball, and they have nothing to be ashamed of.

Marian is also nursing a broken heart, and her aunts come to the rescue. At first, Agnes tells Ada that Marian had a lucky escape from the Russells, but Ada thinks a stable, traditional family isn’t the key to a good marriage. Aside from her brief dalliance with temperance, one of the best developments this season has been Ada gaining confidence in her role as head of the house.

Marian cannot escape the Russells as they want to thank her for all that she did, and she briefly sees Larry when visiting a convalescing George. Bertha wants to buy a replacement for Marian’s bloody dress, and they both note they are sad there has been a falling out between Larry and Marian. Bertha is sincere in this sentiment and wants to tell Marian that she is tearing up the no-divorced-guests rule: Aurora and Charlotte are invited to the ball. Marian mentions she will not be attending, which saddens Bertha further. Bertha implores her to come, observing Marian is no feeble debutant. Seeing Marian covered in her husband’s blood without even flinching has permanently altered Bertha’s opinion.

Agnes reacts as you might expect to this update about divorced women, saying that Bertha is treading on dangerous ground. Marian tells her family she will skip the event because of the state of things with Larry. With encouragement from Ada, Agnes suggests that Marian should go to Larry and admit she was wrong, which is contrary to her aunt’s previous opinions. Agnes had a change of heart, and so might Larry. These moments in the parlour with the Forte-Van Rhijns are a delight, with Oscar lounging on the sofa, stroking Pumpkin the dog.

This conversation gives Oscar an idea, as he has told Turner that he will get her an invite to the ball. They ran into each other at the opera, where the recently widowed Turner reminds Oscar that she would no longer be on Bertha’s guest list now that her husband is dead. Oscar goes to see Bertha to stroke her ego to get Turner on the list. Bertha agrees, but only if Marian shows up. Next, Oscar works his magic on Marian, using emotional guilt to implore his cousin to reverse her decision.

Jack swings by the kitchen at 61st Street to tell his former co-workers about his new house and staff. It is a sweet scene, suggesting that Jack will still be around in future episodes despite his new living arrangement. There is a hint of growing feelings between Jack and Bridget, with the latter showing signs of jealousy about the young women he is employing. Later, Bridget drops off a lamb stew at Jack’s new home, and the burgeoning romance bubbles beneath the surface.

There are more changes at the Forte home as Agnes finally relinquishes sitting at the head of the table to Ada. It comes after Ada has called Mrs. Foster from the New York Heritage Society to visit, and she is not after a financial donation after all. Instead, she offers Agnes a position as vice president. Agnes is not as obsolete as she thought, and this all came together because of her sister.

Various characters threaten to skip the lavish festivities in this finale, including William, who tells his mother that he will not attend their annual family event. William is furious that Elizabeth has been spreading gossip about Peggy’s past, and his father is equally angry when he learns of this behavior. Frederick tells his wife that this is not the first time she has “sewn calamity and heartbreak.” Elizabeth did what she thought was right for the family, but they are not buying this reasoning. Frederick wants to talk to William alone, telling his son that he gets to decide what kind of man he wants to be.

At the party, Peggy instantly regrets leaving the house, but Dorothy is having none of this. They look incredible, and Peggy doesn’t remain a wallflower, accepting a handsome man’s invitation to dance. When William arrives, he makes a beeline for Peggy’s father to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Much to Elizabeth’s horror, William gets down on one knee and proposes to Peggy. Dorothy and Arthur look on, overjoyed as their daughter says yes. Having a nightmare mother-in-law shall not ruin this picture-perfect moment.

Add Mrs. Astor to the long list of people who said they would be staying home rather than put on their finery. Mrs. Astor is aghast that Bertha is threatening to infect society with the “scourge of divorce,” even if it means her daughter Charlotte won’t face exile. Charlotte, on the other hand, is excited to be back on the guest list and calls out her mother’s choice to skip Bertha’s ball as selfish.

History repeats itself, as Bertha is concerned that Mrs. Astor will determine if everyone else stays away. At least she has Hector and Gladys on the receiving line. Like the event in the season 1 finale, this party is well attended. It quickly becomes clear that anyone who is anyone is partying the night away at the Russells’, which is good, considering the jaw-dropping outdoor illuminations.

Bertha even seems glad to see Turner, who is one of the first to arrive, and the pair exchange pleasantries. Bertha admits that Turner knows her better than anyone at the party, prompting Turner to ask if they might be friends one day. Bertha doubts it, though “stranger things have happened.” Now that this idea has been floated, I'm adding it to my season 4 vision board.

Another one of my hopes is coming to fruition as Turner and Oscar are cementing their partnership. Now, Oscar is suggesting that when they are in the city, they should pose as a couple (but upstate, where they each own property, they don’t need to spend all year together). They will make a “fighting pair” if they marry with her money and his connections. I am so ready for whatever diabolical seeds they are going to sow.

Despite telling Bertha otherwise, Mrs. Astor can’t keep away, marking another victory for Bertha. Charlotte is touched seeing her mother, who has chosen her daughter over the rigid societal rules she has long upheld. Later, Mrs. Astor can’t help but quip that the ballroom is full of “tricksters and demimondaines,” with Mrs. Fish replying that Bertha’s party is “full of the future.”

Bertha has pulled together the whole night, all while dealing with the attempted hit on George’s life and the unresolved tension. George makes a brief appearance at the party, which thrills Bertha. She points out how happy Gladys is with Hector; all Bertha has ever wanted is what is best for the family. George notes that being close to death has changed his perspective, which sounds like they are taking steps toward reconciliation.

Before showing his face at the party, George tells Larry not to let a misunderstanding get in the way of his happiness. Larry takes this advice to heart, finally having a moment alone with Marian. It’s now Larry’s turn to apologize; he doesn’t understand how it all got so tangled up. Marian admits that she panicked and assumed the worst, based on her experience in past relationships. Larry thinks they will make mistakes in the future, wondering how they will handle those obstacles. They cannot resolve everything in one night, but they can dance. It isn’t quite as joyful as their first kiss in the season 2 finale; still, it is a great way to build a foundation for a strong partnership. Their fraught break-up remains a one-off.

The following morning, Bertha’s world comes crashing down. George is going back to New York with Larry—they both plan to stay at the Union Club again—and came to the ball only to protect the business. Bertha was under the impression that everything was settled, but George still can’t forgive his wife for making him walk Gladys down the aisle to marry a man she didn’t love. It doesn’t matter that the marriage is working out now. “I don’t blame you for being ruthless. I admire it; it’s what we share. But I’m ruthless in business, not with the people I love,” he says.

Bertha puts up a fight, pointing out that she did this to empower Gladys in an era with limited options for women (even the rich ones), which George will never understand. Again, George is letting himself off far too easily, as he has asked Bertha for favors and involves their son in everything he does. It is a double standard, dressed up in the bow of his near-death experience. The latter made George examine his life, and he doesn’t like what he sees. George isn’t saying he and Bertha are over, but he doesn’t want to come home until he knows what he wants. Bertha, on the other hand, is sure what she wants: her husband back where he belongs.

Bertha tries to hide her deep anguish at George’s bombshell when a cheerful Gladys comes in with some news of her own. She is pregnant! Somehow, Bertha got everything she wanted, but in the process, she faces a future possibly alone. Only time will tell if she can add saving her marriage to the long list of Bertha Russell triumphs.