User Reviews

Things are moving nicely now. Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector are particularly on their game. I feel like the show is now on a solid foundation. Well done.

Per previous episodes, railroad magnate George Russell is now facing the charge of manslaughter, because it has been determined the derailment causing fatalities in Millbourne Pennsylvania was caused by faulty axles, and it seems use of the axles was directed by him to save money. He is obviously not wild about being found guilty, but more than worry about any sentence the judge might impose, he is very very concerned it will torpedo wife Bertha Russell's so-far baby steps toward acceptance into the New York society's highest tier (aka "The Four Hundred"). Away from New York in Newport, the over-bearing old money Mrs Mamie Fish is not so subtlely hinting to Bertha that exclusion will be the family's fate should things not go their way in court.

George is convinced a foreman Mr Dixon at one of his rail yards is responsible for the substandard axles and was stealing funds for quality ones, installing the bad ones, and pocketing the difference. However his secretary Mr Clay, his lawyers, and his investigators (much to his chagrin) can find no evidence that this is the case, and things proceed to a judge who will decide if the case shall go forward to a jury trial.

But wait! A chance encounter by Marion Brook with George's stenographer at Bloomingdale quickly leads to proof that Mr Dixon is the culprit.

George is not only exonerated - but the judge declares he (George and to us viewers Bertha also) leaves the courtroom with "his reputation intact". Off the hook, how convenient! And quite a clipped end of this part of the story to this reviewer.

Now to Newport. Again, per past episodes, it is clear Aunt Ada's son Oscar Van Rhijn is a closeted homosexual. A dandy-like social gadfly, Mr MacCallister OK, but Oscar openly having a male lover in the 1880s, c'mon on!

And as was the case during The Gilded Age, old money accounts/assets were trending down, and new money accounts/assets up up and away!

So in addition to wanting to hold onto his place in high society, Oscar desires a wife for financial reasons, as it seems the Van Rhijn's family riches are not what they used to be. So Oscar has set his sights on the Russell family's wealth, by hopefully marrying their daughter, Gladys. Oscar's boyfriend, John Adams, is aware of all this and accepts it, but he is none too happy about it either.

Up to this point Oscar and John have been great party pals, hanging around socially together as "friends", both enjoying the life of the idle rich. Now though Oscar is concerned of possible gossip about their relationship and tells John to stay home and not to come along with him to the upcoming festivities in Newport. But John has other contacts in The 400 and ends up in Newport anyway, to Oscar's surprise(discomfort too probably), but Oscar is nothing if not pokerfaced.

At the Newport Casino(more a country club than gambling house) John impresses Mrs Fish, who invites him to dinner with Oscar, Mr MacCallister, and what she calls "The New People"(The Russells except George still in New York). At the dinner, Oscar is charming/ingratiating himself with Bertha, seeming to believe the path to marrying Gladys runs through her mom. Bertha, though, is actually more interested in saying the proper things to Mrs Fish and does not pay much attention to Oscar. Meanwhile polite, well mannered, and handsome, John is hitting it off quite well with Gladys! Hmmm... how will this all play out? I guess we must wait and see in Season Two.

OK, I have covered what to me are the most significant goings-on in this episode, the rest I will summarize. Aunt Ada's snobbery about new money continues unabated, but seems to be having less and less impact on those around her. Housekeeper Miss Armstrong's disdain for Miss Scott comes to a head, and it is not pretty. The Van Rhijn house footman, young Jack Treacher, shows his sensitive side to housegirl, sweet Bridget. Can she overcome her past traumas and will anything come of his desire for romance? Let us hope so! Mrs Fane tries to warn Marion off of Mr Raikes, but does not seem to make any headway with her.

Finally there is the interesting ending scene where on the sly, Mr MacCallister engineers an unauthorized tour of the Astors' just renovated Newport Mansion for Bertha. There is a disruption though and the way it ends seems to be saying loud and clear, "you have a ways to go to join the 400 Bertha Russell"!

Russell faces his accusers and through fortune finds a way to slip through his slime trail. It is through the carelessness of others. He is still as bad as ever but can't resist turning the knife handle one last time. There is a funny scene where the Astor's house has been invaded and Mrs. Russell must run for her snobbish life. The whole upper crust, conspicuous consumption thing is sad to watch. I'll be sad to have to wait for another year to see what happens after the final episode.