What ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 3 Finale Means for Bertha and George’s Future
So, have you caught the Season 3 finale of The Gilded Age yet? It was a real rollercoaster, especially if you’re invested in the Russell family saga. Carrie Coon, who plays Bertha Russell, recently opened up about what’s going on beneath the surface of that dramatic ending, and honestly, it’s pretty heartbreaking but also fascinating.
By the close of Season 3, Bertha seems like she should be on top of the world. She’s just thrown a dazzling ball in Newport that not only showed off her social clout but also broke down some old-fashioned barriers — like allowing divorced women back into the most exclusive events, which was a huge deal back then. Plus, George, her husband, survived being shot, which felt like a miracle, and their daughter Gladys is now happily married to the Duke of Buckingham, bringing a new level of prestige to the family. So, outwardly, everything looks amazing.
But here’s the twist: the Bertha we see staring out the window at the very end? She’s completely shattered. That near-death experience has shaken George to his core, and instead of bringing them closer, it has revealed cracks in their marriage that might be impossible to mend. George can’t forgive Bertha for essentially using their daughter Gladys as a pawn in their social climbing, and it’s left him questioning everything about his life and their relationship. He even tells Bertha, “I don’t like everything I see,” right before leaving their Newport mansion. The future of their marriage? Uncertain, to say the least.
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Carrie Coon talked about how this season let her explore Bertha’s vulnerability in a way we hadn’t seen before. For the first two seasons, Bertha was this unstoppable force, always confident and in control, but this season showed the toll all that ambition took. She didn’t expect the consequences of her actions, and it really rattled her.
The dynamic between Bertha and her children is also shifting. While Gladys and Bertha end up closer, with Gladys understanding her mother’s decisions, Bertha’s son Larry feels completely alienated from her by the season’s end. That family tension adds even more complexity to Bertha’s story moving forward.
And then there’s the broader picture: Bertha’s social rise has basically toppled Mrs. Astor’s old guard, signaling a new era of American wealth and power. Carrie mentioned that Bertha’s position at the top is fierce—she’s not going down without a fight. But with the parallels drawn to today’s billionaire class and their outsized influence, it makes the story feel even more relevant.
Carrie also touched on the bittersweet nature of Bertha’s win for divorced women’s rights. While Bertha has pushed society to accept these women, she might be joining their ranks herself if things fall apart with George. It’s a heavy irony.
All in all, the finale leaves us wondering: can George and Bertha find their way back to each other, or will this mark the beginning of the end for the Russells’ power couple? Season 4, which HBO has already renewed, promises to dig deeper into these questions. It’s definitely something to keep an eye on if you’re hooked on The Gilded Age and all its drama.
So, what do you think? Will Bertha and George repair their relationship, or is this the start of a very different path for the Russells?
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