The Gilded Ageseason 3 premiere’s shocking location change is explained by creator Julian Fellowes. HBO’s Emmy-winning historical drama returned after a two-year wait, reigniting the intrigue of New York high society, especially for Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), whose family is rebelling against her plot to marry her daughter Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) to the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb). Meanwhile,George Russell (Morgan Spector) is hundreds of miles awayfrom posh East 61st Street and 5th Avenue.
In an interview withVarietycovering all aspects ofThe Gilded Ageseason 3’s premiere, Julian Fellowes addressed George Russell’s journey to Morenci, Arizona. This stark change inThe Gilded Age’s locale is a literal new frontier, and Fellowes explains thathe"wanted to remind the audience that we haven’t forgotten about the Wild West.“Read Fellowes' quote below:
I’ve always been very interested in the fact that all of America’s history was happening at once. And you know, the Wild West, which we’ve all grown up on, and the East Coast, where people are trying to make their daughters marry English peers and building palaces on Fifth Avenue, existed simultaneously. We wanted to remind the audience that we haven’t forgotten about the Wild West — we know it was going on.
Why George Russell Is In The Wild West In The Gilded Age Season 3’s Premiere
Will Arizona Play A Bigger Role In Season 3?
The Gilded Ageseason 3 opening with George Russell traveling to Morenci, Arizona, was an unexpected but exciting shift in the series' status quo. George seeks to build a faster version of the transcontinental railroad, and he’s leveraging his own fortune to achieve his dream. As Julian Fellowes pointed out, the American West was expanding at the same time that the gilded age was happening on the East Coast. As a millionaire robber baron, much ofGeorge’s wealth is derived from the laborers in the Wild West.
Placing George Russell in a frontier town saloon with gunslingers popping caps behind him was a novel way to kick offThe Gilded Ageseason 3.The Gilded Ageis only 20 years removed from the Civil War, and prospectors were striking it rich by mining gold throughout the West, while railroads brought new workers and settlers into the western states. Julian Fellowes cleverly reminded audiences howAmerica of the late 19th century was civilized on one coast but grew more lawless the further west one ventured.
Our Take On George Russell In The Wild West In The Gilded Age Season 3
George May Be Ignoring A Potential Goldmine
George Russell didn’t linger very long in Arizona, and he soon returned home to New York City to learn about the latest ways his children,Gladys and Larry(Harry Richardson), were defying Bertha’s plans for their futures. However,George may have to return to Arizona inThe Gilded Ageseason 3to oversee the progress of his transcontinental railroad. Meanwhile, George may be ignoring another potential goldmine that could boost his riches.
The Gilded Ageseason 3 begins in spring 1884, which is the same time1923season 2 happens, although Taylor Sheridan and Julian Fellowes' historical dramas are set in different universes.
George called the copper mines in the Arizona land he acquired"worthless,“which may be short-sighted. George is singularly focused on his railroad, and perhaps Russell’s interest would have piqued if his land had gold deposits instead. It seems George is leveraging his resources for his railroad, and his financial position is more precarious than Mr. Russell is willing to admit.The Gilded Ageseason 3 doesn’t seem done with Arizona by a long shot, and there may be more rides to the Wild West for George Russell to come.
