The Gilded Age continues to dazzle with its ornate drawing rooms, sweeping social drama, and emotional intensity. Season 3 Episode 5, aptly titled “A Different World,” deepens the emotional stakes for nearly every central character. It’s a big moment in the season, the halfway mark, and the episode wastes no time plunging headfirst into the aftermath of decisions that have shaken the Russell family, the Van Rhijn household, and the tightly bound strings of Gilded Age high society.
Marian and Larry's Love Story Finally Blooms
After seasons of lingering glances and hesitant flirtation, Marian and Larry’s relationship takes the lead. Once a quiet undercurrent, the love now surfaces with a proposal and an enthusiastic "yes." While fans have long rooted for their union, the real tension lies in how their families will react. Ada, ever the romantic optimist, celebrates the news. But Agnes, despite keeping a composed front, feels betrayed and fears Bertha might wield this relationship as another social weapon.
The Russell household's reaction isn't much warmer. George offers his congratulations, but Bertha is visibly rattled. In a striking contrast to how he handled Gladys’ marriage, George steps up to support Larry, drawing a line in his marital dynamics. But this also ignites a simmering tension with Bertha one that continues to boil throughout the episode.
Gladys Begins Her Life as Duchess
Across the ocean in Sidmouth Castle, Gladys navigates a very different world, one layered with cold tradition and veiled competition. Though she has the title of duchess, her sister-in-law, Lady Sarah, is far from willing to step aside. Sarah clings to her former role with polite hostility, rearranging furniture, commanding the staff, and essentially treating Gladys as an uninvited guest in her own home.
While Hector proves mildly supportive, intervening in minor social details like dinner seating, it’s not enough to stop Gladys from feeling isolated. The firing of her maid Adelheid adds insult to injury, pushing Gladys to finally write to her mother, Bertha, for help. It’s a powerful image, the American heiress turned duchess, desperate to find her footing in a world that treats her with subtle disdain. Interestingly, the show doesn’t make Hector the villain here, hinting there might be a genuine chance for the young couple if Sarah steps out of the way.
Tensions Erupt in the Russell Household
Back in New York, the Russell mansion is far from peaceful. George is now entangled in serious financial complications. His longtime advisor, Clay, warns him that the Merrick family won't budge on selling their shares in the Illinois Central line. George, unwilling to accept a dead end, fires Clay and sends Larry to Arizona to secure the deal himself.
Meanwhile, Bertha tries her own route, hosting a dinner to woo Alfred Merrick. While Merrick is charmed, George is frustrated not because of Bertha’s failure, but because of what he perceives as her continual meddling. The final blow comes when George receives a letter from Gladys detailing her unhappiness in England, blaming Bertha for pushing their daughter into an ill-fitting marriage. George sharply declares that he won’t be home when Bertha returns from her trip.
This split adds to the once-solid partnership. It’s a sharp turn for the power couple, whose influence has long anchored the show.
Peggy’s Past Crashes into Her Present
For Peggy, the balance between personal growth and unresolved history takes on; her relationship with William progresses well, despite his mother’s disapproval. But their idyllic moment at a baseball game is shattered by the unexpected appearance of T. Thomas Fortune, Peggy’s former editor and former flame.
Fortune’s invitation to cover an interview with Frances Ellen Watkins Harper tempts Peggy back into journalism, but his decision to accompany her without prior discussion sets off alarms. When William learns about the trip, a confrontation erupts between the two men. Though Fortune retreats, the encounter forces Peggy to confront parts of her past she had carefully compartmentalized. Now, with William demanding answers, Peggy must choose whether to open up or risk jeopardising her new relationship.
Money, Mediums, and a Return from the Past
Jack’s sudden wealth after selling his handcrafted clock continues to ripple through the Van Rhijn house. Though Jack tries to keep the fortune under wraps, the truth accidentally leaks out when Mrs. Bauer spills the details to Bannister and Armstrong. With Agnes already on edge about Marian’s engagement and Ada’s choices, this financial bombshell promises even more turbulence.
Meanwhile, Ada bravely follows through on her plan to contact her late husband; her visit to the eccentric Mrs. Dashkova leads to vague but comforting messages from beyond. Agnes, ever sceptical, believes it’s all a fraud, but Ada finds solace in the experience; a rare glimmer of emotional peace for a character often overlooked and underestimated.
Yet perhaps the biggest shock of the episode arrives at the Haymarket, where Larry and Jack celebrate a friend's upcoming wedding. There, they cross paths with a ghost from Oscar’s past, Maud Beaton, now calling herself Dolly Trent; her transformation into an adult worker is jarring, and her denial of knowing Larry only adds to the mystery. When Larry informs Oscar of her reappearance, Oscar is forced to confront the humiliating loss of his fortune all over again. Now, with Maud’s secret life exposed, Oscar may finally have a chance for redemption or revenge.
Mrs. Astor is the Target
While interpersonal drama fills the episode, society's shifting rules also take the spotlight. Marian visits Aurora Fane, still reeling from her divorce, and delivers news of her engagement. But the mood sours at a party hosted by Mrs. Fish, where Aurora’s presence is suddenly deemed inappropriate due to her marital status.
Though Bertha attempts to defend Aurora, they both end up leaving in protest. Mrs. Fish then issues a blunt warning to Mrs. Astor that the rigid rules she enforces today may soon backfire on her daughter Charlotte, whose own marriage is now under scrutiny. The season has now planted the seeds for a new society clash, and it promises to be brutal.
Final Thoughts: A Different World, Indeed
Episode 5 lives up to its name; every character is faced with a world that looks increasingly different from the one they’ve known. Marriages are tested, power dynamics are flipped, secrets resurface, and social expectations begin to crumble. As we step into the second half of Season 3, the stakes are higher than ever, and no one, not the Russells, the Van Rhijns, nor even the ever-resilient Berth, is immune to the chaos swirling around them.
The Gilded Age is proving, week by week, that it’s not just about the people fighting to hold on to power, love, and identity in a world that’s rapidly changing. And if Episode 5 is any indicator, the next few episodes are going to be anything but predictable.
Read more: the gilded age character breakdown
