The Gilded Age season 4 review: the show's best season yet?

I think this might be the best season yet of The Gilded Age, because the show finally manages to become more of its own thing besides just being the American Downton Abbey. The HBO drama, which premiered in 2022 and stars Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon, airs its fourth season on Sunday nights.

If you're not familiar with it, it's a show for history buffs who also love Bravo. It's a wedding cake soap opera sprinkled with real life events and people. One of those real people is Henry Frick, the Gilded Age tycoon whose former mansion in New York is now a museum. He gets a shout out in season 4.

George Russell takes on Rockefeller in The Gilded Age season 4

This season, it's George Russell versus Rockefeller. George is fighting for his company's life against Rockefeller, but he's also fighting for his actual life. He's addicted to pain meds after getting shot last season, and Bertha comes to the rescue again.

Bertha and Agnes also battle over who will host a dinner for the real life president, Grover Cleveland, played by Jim Gaffigan. "I did not expect the dinner to go down like it does."

Marian and Peggy's love lives take center stage

Marian and Peggy's love lives are front and center as they drive the Prince Charmings in their lives crazy. Peggy is forging into the future, maybe a little too fast, while Marian is maybe stuck a bit too much in the past.

Season 5 hasn't been officially announced, but the show is certainly setting it up with quite the tease for Agnes' love life. That's a good thing, since her sister Ada gets yet another romance this season.

Enid and Oscar van Rhijn make a spectacular match

Bertha's former lady's maid, Enid, now a wealthy widow, marries Oscar van Rhijn as his beard. It turns out to be a pretty spectacular match. After seeing the van Rhijn family beaten at every turn by the Russells for three seasons, "it's very satisfying to see them finally become more competitive this season."

Andrew Burnap joins as Jack's new friend

Our clock king, Jack, makes a new friend in the upper class. He's played by yet another Broadway star in a show full of them, Andrew Burnap. He's not that famous, but I like him. I saw him in Camelot.

Visiting the Frick before or during the season

The Frick is under construction like everything else in New York these days, but it's open. If you want to get into the Gilded Age before or during the show's run and you're in the tri-state area, you should go. Buy tickets in advance, because they often sell out.

There's a restaurant inside, but you have to make a reservation, and they don't take advance reservations. Get a ticket for early in the morning and make a reservation as soon as you get in, because it fills up fast.