Sunday nights have a plan again. The Gilded Age returned for its fourth season on Sunday, November 1, at 9pm ET (8pm Central) on HBO, streaming at the same time on HBO Max. If you spent last season gasping at the Russell ballroom and quietly rooting for Agnes van Rhijn to win every argument at breakfast, this one is for you.
Season 4 runs eight episodes, one a week, through a finale on December 20. That puts the last episode right in the middle of holiday week, which feels exactly right for a show this full of gowns, candlelight and people saying devastating things very politely.
Where we left everyone
HBO's own teaser for the season is "be careful what you wish for," and the setup earns it. George Russell (Morgan Spector) has left Bertha (Carrie Coon), which upends the one marriage on Fifth Avenue that seemed built to last. Their daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) is expecting. Over on the other side of the street, Agnes (Christine Baranski) sees an opening to get her old standing back, and her sister Ada (Cynthia Nixon) is never far from the drama.
Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) is engaged to Dr. William Kirkland (Jordan Donica), and this season she has to face her future in-laws, a storyline we have been waiting for since the proposal. Louisa Jacobson returns as Marian, and Audra McDonald is back as Dorothy.
The new faces
Co-showrunners Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield have added a few names worth noting. Jim Gaffigan steps in as President Grover Cleveland, which is either inspired casting or a delightful curveball, and we are curious to see which. Elizabeth Marvel, Andrew Burnap and Dallas Roberts also join the cast.
The weekly schedule
Here are the first four episodes, all Sundays at 9pm ET:
- November 1: "Ring the Bells"
- November 8: "You Won't Hear Me Beg"
- November 15: "Ain't That Good News"
- November 22: "Good Taste"
The remaining four episodes continue weekly to the December 20 finale.
How to watch, and what it costs
If you already have HBO through cable, you are set. If not, The Gilded Age is on HBO Max. According to HBO Max's current plan pricing, Basic with Ads is $10.99 a month or $109.99 a year, Standard is $18.49 a month or $184.99 a year, and Premium is $22.99 a month or $229.99 a year.
Our honest advice: since the season runs exactly eight weeks, a monthly Basic with Ads plan for November and December covers the whole thing for about $22, and you can catch up on earlier seasons along the way. If you already plan to keep HBO Max all year, the annual price saves you real money over paying monthly.
Make it an event
This is a show that rewards a little ceremony. Pour something nice, light a candle, and watch it live with a friend on text so you can react to Agnes in real time. Or save up two episodes and make it a long Sunday in December.
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Our take
The Gilded Age has always been about women negotiating power in rooms built by men, and season 4 puts Bertha, Agnes and Peggy all at turning points at once. With a split marriage, a pregnancy, an engagement and a president at the table, the November 1 premiere sounds like the start of the show's most interesting season yet. We will be watching.
