As The Gilded Age marches confidently into its third season, the social wars are fiercer, the stakes higher, and the personal battles more intimate. Episode 2, titled “What the Papers Say,” picks up right where the premiere left off and wastes no time plunging viewers back into the glittering, cutthroat world of New York’s elite. Forbidden love, sibling rivalries, illness, heartbreak, and scandalous exposés, this hour delivers drama with the precision of a gilded dagger.
Gladys' Rebellion Shakes the Russell Empire
The Russell mansion awakens in quiet chaos - Gladys is gone. Her bed is cold, her room empty, and no one knows where she’s fled. The servants, terrified to be the bearers of bad news, relay the discovery to Larry, who rouses Bertha from her slumber. Her reaction is immediate and icy: not maternal concern, but suspicion. In Bertha’s world, a daughter's disappearance isn’t a tragedy; it’s a strategic disaster.
But before hysteria can take hold, a letter arrives from Mrs. Carlton. Gladys is safe, tucked away under her watch. One might think this would soothe Bertha’s nerves, but no. She sees the gesture as an insult, a challenge to her authority. The idea that Gladys might be pursuing love, and not the Duke Bertha hand-picked for her, is intolerable; she immediately rejects the Carletons' peace offering, refusing to acknowledge their intentions as anything but interference.
Despite their boldness, Gladys and Billy's rebellion doesn’t last long. Under pressure and perhaps unsure of their own footing, Gladys agrees to return home; her emotional armour is beginning to crack.
George Returns, but the House Is Already on Fire
Just as this family crisis brews, George Russell returns from his business trip, bailing out the Metropolitan National Bank and securing J.P. Morgan’s backing for his transcontinental railroad. He expects to be the master of his empire, but instead, he walks into emotional warfare.
He finds himself as the unexpected mediator in the conflict between Bertha and Gladys. When newspapers jump the gun and announce Gladys' engagement to Billy, Gladys points a trembling finger at her mother. Bertha denies planting the story, but we all know her fingerprints are all over it.
George listens patiently to both sides. Bertha frames her ambition as protection, promising a future paved with security. Gladys, with rare directness, reminds her father of his promise to support her right to choose love over status. Moved by this, George agrees to meet Billy. But he also warns Gladys to think wisely. In this house, love is a delicate currency—easily devalued.
Downstairs, the servants buzz with gossip; rumours of an engagement stir both excitement and anxiety. Adelheid, dreaming of life in England, is especially invested. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bruce, ever the realist, offers a bleak view of marriage. Her pessimism troubles Mr. Borden, who’s recently learned his estranged wife has died. With that chapter closed, he’d hoped for a future with Mrs. Bruce—but now he isn’t so sure she believes in futures at all.
Peggy Heals—and Something New Begins
In the Van Rhijn household, Peggy Scott is finally receiving the medical attention she was denied in the previous episode due to blatant racism. Her parents arrive with Dr. Kirkland, a compassionate physician who treats Peggy with urgency and respect. Soon, he delivers promising news: she’s on the mend.
As the illness fades, something new begins. Kirkland and Peggy connect over shared history, and he reveals that her father's pharmacy inspired him to become a doctor. There's something warm and unspoken growing between them, a subtle flicker of admiration that hints at more.
Meanwhile, Dorothy brings an invitation from Peggy's cousin; she’s been asked to speak at a women’s group meeting. The opportunity excites Peggy, and Agnes, in a moment of grace, allows her the time off.
Peggy’s parents spend time in the Van Rhijn home, navigating polite society’s undercurrents. Arthur Scott is sceptical of Agnes' civility, and they have an honest exchange about race, class, and respect. Agnes admits the world is steeped in prejudice, but insists she’s not blind to it. In a rare, unguarded moment, she even reveals the story of nearly losing Oscar to typhoid—a subtle olive branch between worlds.
Ada Asserts Herself—And Sparks a Civil War
While Peggy recovers, tension between sisters Ada and Agnes reaches a boiling point, Ada introduces a temperance pledge to the staff, asking them to abstain from alcohol. It may seem simple, but it’s not just about drink—it’s about authority. Ada, once overshadowed by Agnes, is stepping into her own.
Agnes, of course, bristles; she resents the intrusion, the moral superiority, and especially the implication that Ada might now hold the reins. The staff is torn; no one wants to offend either sister. Armstrong signs the pledge, perhaps out of guilt or sincerity, while others quietly object.
The tipping point arrives when Bannister, caught between duelling queens, is forced to raise his voice. It’s a shocking moment of servant speaking to mistress—and it works. Both sisters are stunned. Visiting guest Aurora Fane diplomatically resolves the dispute: Ada now has the final say. For Agnes, it’s a humiliating loss. For Ada, it’s a taste of power long denied.
Even Marian, who’s usually aligned with Ada, declines to sign the pledge, admitting she sees no harm in an occasional glass of wine. Ada is disappointed, but accepts her niece’s honesty with grace.
Love, Loss, and Career Crossroads
As Jack prepares to present his innovative clock design, Larry buys him a proper suit and coaches him for the big moment. The two have formed a quiet bond an unspoken alliance between ambition and opportunity.
Meanwhile, Larry’s feelings for Marian blossom. He sneaks her into a carriage, kisses her, and confesses his love. But Marian, cautious after seeing Aurora Fane’s marriage crumble, is unsure. She confides in Ada, who offers her typically measured support.
Elsewhere, Oscar runs into his former lover, John Adams. Though their relationship has been strained, John boldly declares his love and gives Oscar money to help him rebuild. After losing his fortune in Season 2, this gesture is both emotional and practical, a fresh start wrapped in devotion.
The Fane Scandal and Bertha’s Unrelenting Grip
At a benefit hosted by Aurora Fane, social tensions come to a head. Aurora’s husband, Charles, makes a surprise appearance—with his mistress on his arm. The lie she told, that he was sick, is exposed, and Mrs. Astor storms out. Aurora’s social exile begins in real time, her reputation crumbling before her eyes.
But Astor’s outrage is laced with hypocrisy. Her own daughter, Charlotte, is in a loveless, crumbling marriage—a secret Astor is desperate to hide. In The Gilded Age, morality is performative, and reputation is everything.
Meanwhile, Gladys still holds out hope that Billy will speak to her father. But Bertha isn’t done. At the benefit, she corners Billy and issues an ultimatum: marry Gladys, and George will destroy your career. Gladys will be disinherited. The gloves are off.
Billy tries to approach George, but the weight of the business titans around him proves too intimidating. He backs off. Later, at the servants’ entrance, he breaks Gladys’ heart, telling her he’s walking away. The cost is too high.
Tears still fresh, Gladys dresses for the Duke’s arrival, Bertha’s plan advancing even without her daughter’s consent. George and Gladys realise they’ve underestimated Bertha. The chessboard is hers—and she’s already moving the pieces.
Behind Every Gilded Wall, a War is Being Waged
Episode 2 of The Gilded Age Season 3 dives deep beneath the satin and silver, exposing not only the politics of marriage and money but the human ache beneath it all. From Ada’s rebellion to Gladys’ heartbreak, from Aurora’s humiliation to Peggy’s recovery, every character is fighting a battle society says they shouldn’t be waging.
And as Bertha cements her power, one can’t help but ask: In a world obsessed with appearances, what happens to those who dare to be real?
The Gilded Age Season 3 streams Sundays on Max. Stay tuned—because in this world, elegance is just a mask for war.
Read more: The Gilded Age Season 2 Complete Recap
