silverusagi

I've watched what's aired so far of The Gilded Age, a new period drama on HBO. If you want to watch rich people in gorgeous costumes have rich people drama, this is the show for you. It takes place in 1880s New York, and is by the creator of Downton Abbey (so the potential to go downhill is definitely there, lol). It follows two principal families (and their servants), so it doesn't quite have the narrow focus of Downton Abbey, but we'll see. It's also interesting because while it's not actually connected, this is the type of world Cora from DA would have been coming of age in. Like DA, it's very pretty and so far it's well written. My only complaint so far is that like DA, there seems to be a lady's maid who hates her lady. Otherwise, you have two families living across the street from each other--the fabulously wealthy new money Russell couple, and the Van Rhijns, a widow and her unmarried sister, of the old New York (played by Christine Baranski and Cynthia Nixon). The show starts when their brother dies, and his impoverished only daughter comes to live with them, just as the Russells' mansion next door has been completed, and they are moving in as well.