👼🏾 💕

📍 🍹it takes wine, women, and books✨ 🥥loves iced coffee, the gilded age & Ao3

[sidleckie]

bertha russell is such a fun, clever character to watch bc she is literally exploiting her society's weaknesses until her peers are backed into a corner with no choice but to do what she wants them to do. and never ever do you see her recklessly throwing all of society out the window. why would she do that when she could keep them in her pocket!!

[mariusperkins]

thinking this morning about how Bertha's manipulation of their daughter is to put Gladys into a life where she can do anything she wants while George's manipulation of their son is so that Larry does exactly what he wants for the rest of his life

[cassi0pei4]

gilded age season 4

Alright, strap in, folks. Compiled hints and spoilers for Gilded Age Season 4 under the cut.

Generally speaking, I'd bet money we start in late winter/early spring 1885. (Season 3 ended in September(ish) of 1884.) All three prior seasons have started at that time of year, and Sonja is on record saying that the season will take place in 1885 and a bit of 1886, so I'm guessing there's no 1884 in Season 4 at all.

Two bits that don't obvious fit elsewhere below. The Statue of Liberty ticker tape parade has been widely leaked. According to this flyer it happens in show-land in Oct 1885, so I'd guess it's near the end of the season? And there's some orientalism afoot. Doubtful that they'll engage with it much beyond aesthetics, but there are opium dens and the rampant abuse of Chinese immigrants during railroad construction to engage with should they choose to.

Now for the characters:

Bertha

We get one shot of Bertha entering 61st St and preparing to greet someone with seeming warmth. This looks like a traveling cloak to me, though lots of speculation that it reads like maternity wear. I'd say that it's her returning from England where she's been for Gladys's birth, but then who is she greeting so warmly?

Then we get a series of clips with this dress

Agnes says, "Please tell me who did you buy to get them over to your side?" and Bertha says "Life's meaning isn't where we came from, it's where we're going." Definitely in the same scene but not necessarily in that order, though if I had to guess I'd say it would be and it relates to Agnes's new VP position preserving the city's history.

Christine says she gets to go "head-to-head" with Bertha which implies this could be an actual plotline.

Possible casting notices related to that plot:

Mrs. Knapp Curtis, the trailblazing editor of the popular periodical The Ladies’ Home Journal -> maybe part of one of their campaigns to build/preserve whatever it is they're fighting about

Lee Klein, an artist who sells his first painting at an unforgettable Society event, and an apprentice to the famed artist William Merritt Chase -> "unforgettable society event" feels quite Bertha

Nurse Virginia Saville, a kind nurse who works at the Neighborhood Settlement House in the Lower East Side -> more doubtful, but perhaps related to whatever area will be torn down/preserved?

Same dress as before, but Bertha's looking back over her shoulder now with some real foreboding. George returning to 61st St? Who knows.

In terms of plot beats I'd bet: ep 1, in England with Gladys; ep 2-4, in NYC estranged from George, striving and fighting with Agnes; then some version of reconciliation/need a united front against enemies to round things out.

George

We've got two clips of George from the leaked upfronts BTS. In neither does he appear to be doing particularly well. "Things have changed, keep up!" could be being said to just about anyone. Worth noting that he's saying it from his home office, so he does pop up there at least at some point. Perhaps he's back at home, or maybe he just works from there sometimes. He also is drinking, and seems a little unkempt and tired also in bts stills, so odds are up on an addiction storyline.

Possible casting notices related to this:

Grover Cleveland, the 22nd President of the United States, who comes to New York to curry favor with the elite class.

Daniel Manning, a seasoned politician and Secretary of the Treasury under President Grover Cleveland.

(Casting calls for presidential entourage, featured dinner guests and presidential dinner guests)

John D. Rockefeller, the famed businessman and oil tycoon. A thin, self-made man of humble origins, now one of the richest and most powerful in the world. A devout Baptist and philanthropist, he does not always see eye to eye with his fellow robber barons

Dr. Reginald Harris, William Kirkland’s mentor, who visits New York to fundraise for the Freedman’s Hospital in Washington, DC, and makes a surprising connection

Ok, so (at least) two sets of plot lines hinted at here. Cleveland is in town and appears to come well before the ticker tape parade that's leaked to try to "curry favor". There's going to be some kind of dinner while he's in town and some political plot lines. It's worth noting that Cleveland famously screwed over men like George by, you know, actually applying a regulatory framework to the railroad industry which was a bit of a financial wild west at the time. No idea if they'll get into this, but could be fodder for Morgan's quote that "things aren't getting any better for George" in addition to the addiction possibility.

Second plot relates to Rockefeller. I've speculated that post-shooting George will want to make his life "meaningful" and rich people often do that by giving money/naming things after themselves/getting legacy. Rockefeller certainly did, so maybe he helps George see there's a better way to robber baron?

Biggest speculatory swing is that the "surprising connection" for Dr. Harris is George. If they really do an addiction storyline, maybe he helps George recover? If they don't, maybe the doctor's fundraising solution is George? Not a crazy leap given that he's Kirkland's mentor. Could easily be a "I know a handy robber baron who owes me one, want me to send him a note" kind of moment. (If George does get sober with help of a Kirkland-adjacent Black man, I will take my royalties in the form of bts Carrie Coon content pls, HBO? Jk...but also, please?)

Larry and Marian (and Jack)

First we get a pair of scenes with Marian in this blue dress. She and Larry are out dancing and then she looks shocked. No engagement ring on and she's not in a tiara so they're definitely not married/engaged yet.

But we do have Bridget seemingly overseeing them put out an awful lot of white flowers. Could be for Oscar's wedding celebration? Though I kind of think Oscar/Enid will tie the knot off-screen and already be married by the time the season starts. If so, maybe this is to celebrate a re-engagement?

Jack and Larry are still hanging out (possibly working together?) though Larry also has a new job as the producer of Pirates of Penzance. He also, at some point, runs through the ticker tape parade for the Statue of Liberty looking concerned.

Possibly cast related:

Nurse Virginia Saville, a kind nurse who works at the Neighborhood Settlement House in the Lower East Side -> lots of speculation that Marian will want to get into nursing post-saving George, so perhaps this is related to that

Porter, a young gentleman of Society with an Ivy League education and money to invest in exciting new ventures -> plausible that Jack's looking for investors (with or without Larry) and bumps into him

Fiona Summers: cousin to the prominent Astors, Fiona is a free-spirited young woman from a good family who is not afraid to explore the limits of convention -> feels like she's most likely to crop up with Larry and Marian?

Peggy and Kirkland

I don't have screenshots, but from the synopsis and leaks so far it seems they are not married yet at the start of the season. I'm guessing they justify the longer engagement because Mrs. Kirkland is continuing to be a pill about everything. There were casting calls for Black elite "event guests" in Troy which strongly seems like it would be for Peggy's wedding. (Troy is Black Newport, which will never not be funny in a very dark way to me.) So I'd guess, a couple of eps of lead-up wedding drama, then a fairytale wedding and then...? No obvious hints so far.

Gladys and Hector

Both are notably absent from any of the footage out so far. I'm guessing this is because the footage of them is all more heavily spoiler-y so they're avoiding including it.

This casting call seems very likely to be for Gladys's baby. (Newport is where they film Devon as well.) If so, perhaps the main scenes they've shot of either of them so far involve Gladys very pregnant (which would spoil how big of a time jump we have) or Gladys with a baby (ditto).

As for plot lines, no hints. If I had to guess, they'd turn up in the states again at some point (maybe towards the end of the season) but who knows. I assume we will never get closure on how George found out Gladys was pregnant (and happy) and why that failed to remove the stick up his ass, but perhaps miracles do happen.

Oscar (and Enid) + Agnes and Ada

Oscar has some fun new facial hair. Agnes is fighting with Bertha. Agnes and Ada are still fighting for dominance at home. Nothing major to report.

There are also a few shots of Bridget in out-of-work clothes, so presumably more of her going out and about (with Jack?) in our future.

As always, watch this space (or twitter) for more of me losing my mind. <3

[cassi0pei4]

Updates! I'll try to keep updating here as more things leak and then will do a new post should that become unwieldy.

(cut for spoilers)

It's looking like Season 4 will have (at least) two weddings. I had previously speculated that Oscar and Turner's would happen off-screen but that seems to have been wrong. Check out Oscar below with a bride.

There was some speculation this could be him walking Marian down the aisle. But someone on tiktok posted the following (seeming from the same day? Though Oscar now has a flower? But I think that's the same cravat) and that's definitely Marian + household staff in attendance. Also worth noting that Carrie and Morgan and Ben were all at events in the city Sunday/Monday, and it's a solid 3 hours to go back and forth. None of them would attend Oscar/Turner but all would attend a Larry/Marian wedding, so I think we'll see Oscar's wedding on screen.

And, earlier speculation about casting for Black elite event guests seems to have been accurate, because here's Peggy looking awfully bridal. Whether this is her actual wedding dress or a wedding event of some kind seems unclear. (The hat feels not particularly wedding-day to me? But I am not an expert in such things.) But regardless, looks like a summery wedding in Newport is in her future.

[cassi0pei4]

More updates (both the production trailer and some other content)

First up we have a party that Bertha throws (for the president, presumably) or at the very least with quite patriotic themes. We can see Agnes attends, along with the woman from the heritage society, Ada, Oscar and Enid and Marian. By this point, Oscar and Enid are married (she has a tiara), Marian isn't (no tiara), and I would guess Gladys and Hector have come to visit (couple at the bottom of the stairs). That's some guess work, but I'm guessing the BTS shots were all taken during the same shoot (in which Bertha's bedroom wasn't in use so they could shoot there). Notice that Marian is in the same gown in the BTS as in that still. If so, then Bertha is in her party dress and it's silver, not the yellow of the couple coming down the stairs. Marian is also giving that couple an excited look, perhaps because it's the first time she's seeing Gladys since she's back in town?

Agnes certainly looks very smug in that last shot and costuming has given her a bit of a glow-up in terms of bling, I'm guessing to signal she's Bertha's primary opponent this season. Bertha is dressed in a way that vaguely resembles the statue of liberty to me, perhaps a signal of her storyline this year.

This is also possibly from that gathering - notice the flowers are also in red, white and blue motif - but that's much less clear. Could be that the patriotic colors last for a while at the Russell house and this is a different party. If I had to bet, I'd say it's the same event and it was shot relatively early in production and that's why it's ready for this trailer. George here looks...not good to me. But Oscar is married already. That puts his wedding earlier in the season (makes sense) and means George might be midlife crisis-ing for a bit.

I'm guessing the very start of the season has Bertha in England. I've speculated this before but this new still:

appears to be the same chair as this one

which means she goes to Sidmouth at some point. For the birth perhaps in an early episode leaving enough time for Gladys to recover and come to NYC for the president's visit? That'd be my guess at least.

We also got more BTS of this scene. Definitely looks like a night club/dance hall of some kind. Larry's bringing Marian there and there's some orientalism afoot. Oscar also appears to be in the background, so perhaps he's brought Enid as well.

I'm guessing this is them practicing as if planning to dance at someone's wedding? Oscar's perhaps?

And now the two George/Bertha scenes that kill me. In the first they're in his office and she tries to kiss him and he turns his head (kill me). It looks like she's either getting ready to leave for the evening or returning home because she's in a cape that reads outerwear.

In the second they're at the Newport cottage. Notable here is that George is very underdressed for being on the staircase. Bertha sometimes removes her jewels but post-party George never removes his jacket until he's in his room. This is also giving me mid-life crisis vibes (something Morgan literally said in a recent interview).

Peak midlife crisis vibes here. George, angry and in a tux throws his glass of liquor into the fire causing the flames to explode. It's too dark to tell where this is, but I'd guess his home office.

These two shots seem to be the same room. I'm guessing this relates to the artist storyline (note the number of paintings even just propped on the floor)

Lee Klein, an artist who sells his first painting at an unforgettable Society event, and an apprentice to the famed artist William Merritt Chase

Maybe this is the event? Or maybe just where they meet him?

And here we have our first look at Nurse Virginia Saville, a kind nurse who works at the Neighborhood Settlement House in the Lower East Side who seems to be connected with Marian's storyline as previously speculated.

And now some more random bits:

First look at the president. And Peggy (presumably) will be giving speeches! She is also getting married (see Knicks celebration footage at her wedding) though not right away because first there needs to be more MIL drama.

And finally, they're filming at the NYC capitol building with 3 principal actors and 9 background. They could be using the building to double for any space really, but it seems like a lot of trouble to go to to clear it unless you want something that looks more political. Who knows.

[mariusperkins]

As we move into season 4 of the gilded age, I need people to remember that, in canon, the reason that other women in the show don't like Bertha Russell is because she's new money. It's not because she's flashy (Maime is famously flashy), it's not because she has a lot of money or enjoys having money (they all do!), it's not even because she's kind of a bitch (again, they all do this), it's not for marrying Gladys off (historically normal and canonically doesn't seem to phase anyone outside the Russell family - even Marian, the show's pov character/tender heart, is upset because Gladys is upset but isn't against the idea of it on principle). It's that she's new money and she's not sorry about it.

And you might say, well, after three seasons surely this isn't a big deal any more, surely they and the show have moved on. Historically, no they didn't, and the show reflects that, the women of the show by and large act like she is an outsider because, to them, she still is: she's new money.

[millaysmaeve]

i still baffles me that they decided to make lady sarah humiliates gladys for not wearing a tiara cuz: first, lady sarah, a spinster, was wearing one (or it's seems to be one in that scene) while demaning gladys to follow the rules as married woman; and secondly they really wanted us to believe that gladys, a woman that grew up being educated to be lady didn't know about this?? i get they they need to make bertha go there and make up to her daughter, but all of this sounds gladys wasn't aware of social conventions and wasn't prepared to be a wife in the first place. which doesn't make any sense btw she was raised for that, she might be young, but no girl with money grew up without this kind of education.

[tiredandoptimistic]

If nothing else, Sebastian sure inherited his father's misogyny.

In all seriousness, I think it's fascinating how he's trying to make Clary think that she and Jocelyn are just as bad as him and Valentine by completely decontextualizing their actions. Sure, Jocelyn manipulated Valentine by pretending to be in love with him because he had been drugging her against her will, doing evil science experiments on living beings in the basements, and plotting to take over the world. She's the villain for arranging consequences to his genocidal actions.

Jocelyn is ruthless, and that's one of my favorite things about her. She was in an abusive relationship for years and systematically isolated from any sort of support network, but she still gathered her resources and did whatever the hell it took to bring Valentine down. She stayed in that house even after knowing what a monster he was, because she knew that she was the only one with the tools to stop him before it was too late. Most importantly, she was willing to let her friends pay the price for their actions. After years of the Circle supporting each other through increasingly atrocious actions, Jocelyn finally decided that some things can't be ignored. Friendship is enough to make many people turn a blind eye, but Jocelyn set those personal connections aside and was able to recognize that the Circle was a dangerous cult whose members (no matter how she felt about them as individuals) were dangerous to the world at large.

Anyways, I love Jocelyn Fairchild and I hope she absolutely ruins even more horrible men.

[technoturian]

Ugh the way they're pushing Marian to "admit when she's wrong" like Larry didn't LIE TO HER about going to a brothel THE SAME NIGHT of their engagement, while simultaneously downplaying it and acting like she was crazy for "not trusting" what he LIED to her about.

When the romance is so blandly inevitable that they try to ~spice it up~ and character assassinate one of the only inoffensive men in the process and then go "whoops we still gotta get this back on track" and their solution is to have every other character on the show band together to sweep it under the rug and tell them to get back together. Woof.

[woahimawesxme]

Please, Bertha being flirted with in front of George is soo funny to me

[woahimawesxme]

Despite what im posting my favorite part of the gilded age is Peggy and the Scott family.

[woahimawesxme]

BERTHA HAS NEVER DONE ANYTHING WRONG IN HER LIFE IDC; SHES JUST A WOMAN DOING HER BEST 😭

[ravens-cactus]

okay but marina sirtis really opened my eyes to why i love deanna troi so much

she’s talked a lot about how deanna troi was the sex symbol until chain of command when she was required to wear a standard uniform and then the writers started giving her really interesting material

but, like, marina sirtis always played deanna troi with such depth even when the writing didn’t support it! she’s always been complex but underestimated, and that’s why i love her. she’s a badass/whip smart/talented AND she’s sensitive/empathetic/kind and those aren’t mutually exclusive

i don’t know this is such a ramble but my favorite tng episodes are almost all deanna troi heavy episodes, and the ones that aren’t are beverly crusher episodes, and i will always tip my hat to marina sirtis and gates mcfadden for developing such strong and complex characters in the sciences

[heavenboy09]

Happy Belated Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Blonde Haired 👱‍♀️ Dramatic & Stunning American Actress Of The Ghostbusters 👻 Franchise

Born On January 24th, 1981

She is an American actress. Known for her portrayals of complex women on stage and screen, she has received a Critics' Choice Television Award, as well as nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe Award and a Tony Award.

In television, she has starred as grieving mother Nora Durst in the HBO drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017) and as Gloria Burgle in the third season of the FX anthology series Fargo (2017). She won a Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress for The Leftovers and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress for Fargo. She also starred in the second season of the anthology drama series The Sinner (2018), and has played aspiring socialite Bertha Russell in the HBO series The Gilded Age since 2022.

On stage, Coon was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the 2012 revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She has also appeared in numerous films, including the thrillers Gone Girl (2014) and Widows (2018), the dramas The Post (2017) and The Nest (2020), She has also portrayed characters in blockbuster films such as Proxima Midnight in Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and its sequel Avengers: Endgame (2019), and the daughter of Egon Spengler in Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and its sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).

Please Wish This Delightfully Dramatic & Talented Beautiful Blonde Haired 👱‍♀️ American Actress, A Very Happy Belated Birthday 🎂 ❤ ♥ 💖 😊

You All Should Know Her

I Just Got To Know Her Because Of Ghostbusters 👻

& She Is Quite Alluring and Well As Magnificent In Acting

Ms. Carrie Coon 👱‍♀️ aka Callie Spengler Of Ghostbusters 👻 Afterlife & Ghostbusters 👻 Frozen Empire ❄ 😈

Happy Belated 45th Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You Ms. Coon 👱‍♀️ & Here's To Many More Years To Come

#CarrieCoon #TheLeftovers #Fargo #TheSinner #TheGildedAge #GhostBustersAfterlife #GhostBustersFrozenEmpire #CallieSpengler

[piecesofanita]

Hello! You appear to be the only other person actively losing it in the Gilded Age tag rn! I just finished season three tonight I'm aahhhhhhhh

Omggg yes I come back to rant once in a while 😭😂😂

[elatedbird]

I need a Bertha cleanse on my page, so.

Them 💖

[mariusperkins]

the thing about GeorgeBertha in season 4 is like, yeah of course I want them to get back together, but not if it's going to be Bertha being miserable for 7/8 episodes, begging and pleading for George's forgiveness before we get some shred of resolution.

I don't expect JF to change his own personality/tastes and write George on his knees weeping and pleading, but I will find it pretty annoying and kind of distasteful for the end "resolution" to be 'we both did bad things' or, worse, 'even though YOU were bad, Bertha, I forgive you'. Frankly, I would rather they got divorced.

[piecesofanita]

Omggg I thought I was the only one who prefers a divorce to George gaslighting Bertha and not taking any accountability for his actions and Bertha groveling.

[piecesofanita]

Essays I wrote on Substack

More Wine is an archive that communicates pace and intention.

I created it to build an emotionally inviting archive inspired by the women before me in my matriarchal line and women I have learnt from in this lifetime.

It is an intellectual menu for girls and women that I will nurture with my stories. The essays written here aren't written to instruct but to sit with them and their feelings.

You’re invited to read at your own pace, pause where necessary, and return when it feels right. This is not an archive of essays that demands agreement only your presence.

This is a place where the menu matters. A place where the atmosphere sets the tone before the first taste of wine glides softly across your taste buds. A place where I want you to ask for the archive’s menu not because you’re thirsty, but because it feels right.

This is how More Wine, Please begins.

[piecesofanita]

GIRLHOOD WAS NEVER NEUTRAL

Virginity, Marriage, and the Quiet Architecture of Control