Home / Arts and Entertainment / Gilded Age Finale: Life, Death, and Dueling Balls
Gilded Age Finale: Life, Death, and Dueling Balls
12 May
Summary
- George Russell survives a near-fatal shooting thanks to a Black doctor.
- Two major social events, a Black and a White ball, marked the season finale.
- Multiple characters faced proposals, reconciliations, and reflections on ambition.
The Gilded Age's Season 3 finale, "My Mind is Made Up," delivered a dramatic conclusion to the season's storylines. The episode centered on the aftermath of George Russell's shooting, where his life was ultimately spared by Dr. William Kirkland, a Black physician visiting Peggy Scott. This intervention was a risky act for Dr. Kirkland given the era's racial tensions.
The finale prominently featured "dueling balls," a Black and a White social event, which served as a backdrop for significant personal developments. William proposed to Peggy, and Oscar van Rhijn entered into a marriage of convenience with Enid Winterton. Marian Brook and Larry Russell also took steps towards reconciliation.
However, the episode also explored the consequences of ambition. George Russell, after his brush with death, began to question his marriage to Bertha. Bertha, in turn, contemplated whether her relentless pursuit of social standing had gone too far. Creator Julian Fellowes highlighted that these storylines were planned from the season's inception.
