by Liz Kocan | Decider
Ooooh, Bertha’s in troub-bleeee! For the first time maybe ever, it appears that Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) may have gone too far in her quest for power and status and actually made her husband, George (Morgan Spector), mad. Will he stay mad? Will he stand up for his daughter, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga)? That’s all TBD, but Bertha and the Duke’s need for lawyers hammering out a marriage contract is a far cry from gleeful puppy love with Billy Carlton.
This week’s episode of The Gilded Age begins with everyone in the Russell manse in a panic because they’ve just realized that Gladys has run away from home. After last week’s fight with Bertha, she fled – to the Carlton’s home, it turns out – but someone has to wake up Bertha to tell her the news, and that someone is her son, Larry (Harry Richardson). Larry is pissed, but not at Gladys; he’s mad that his mother has driven Gladys to this. “You’re blaming me? How will that help find your sister?” Bertha scoffs. Hilariously, Bertha’s first thought when she heard that Gladys has run away is not about Gladys’ safety, it’s whether or not she eloped. First thought, only thought, that’s Bertha!
The Carltons have been nice enough to send Bertha a message letting her know that Gladys has taken refuge at their home, but to Bertha, Gladys may as well be in a ditch somewhere in the Five Points. When Bertha arrives at their home, her chilly nature is enough to bring a draft throughout the Carlton’s home. She snaps at Gladys to get in the carriage, and rejects all offers of hospitality and warmth from Mrs. Carlton. Seeing Bertha’s disdain for her family, Mrs. Carlton says, “I hesitate to pull rank, but my great-grandfather signed the Declaration of Independence.” This means nothing to Bertha, who has a whole Duke waiting in the wings.
Across the street from the Russells, there’s another mother on a mission: Dorothy Scott (Audra McDonald), mother to bedridden Peggy (Deneé Benton), has traveled from Brooklyn to see her ill daughter and bring their family doctor to care for her. Despite Agnes van Rhijn’s best efforts to get her own doctor to care for Peggy, it turns out that even wealthy, white New York liberals can’t insulate themselves from racism in 1885. ‘Cause their racist doctor refused to see Peggy, remember? So the Scotts, along with the handsome Dr. Kirkland (of the Costco Kirkland’s I presume), arrive to tend to Peggy. An argument ensues over whether the Scotts should enter the van Rhijn’s home through the servant quarters (Mr. Scott refuses to do so). Hilariously, the one person who’s been watching and judging is Miss Armstrong (Debra Monk), the racist ladies maid, who flees to the kitchen to tell everyone after the Scotts and Dr. Kirkland enter, “There were two colored men in the hall! I’ve seen it all now!” The Civil War was only 20 years ago and Armstrong here is already in a rush to make America great again.
Read the rest of the recap HERE.
