‘The Gilded Age’ Bosses Break Down Season 4 Premiere’s Messy Hookup and the Russells’ Tricky Road Ahead

"The Gilded Age" returned for its fourth season, teeming with high society drama, as the show kicked off with a marriage of convenience, a storm, and potential ruin. Season four's premiere titled "Ring the Bells" brought back viewers to the opulent world of 1880s New York City, introducing new dynamics and twists to prepare for the chaos to follow.

The season's co-showrunner Sonja Warfield revealed that they aimed to "reset" the audience with big openings that would allow everyone to understand the characters' positions again, while a historical tropical storm was incorporated to heighten the tension.

Oscar van Rhijn and Enid Winterton's marriage stood out as a significant development in the episode. Oscar's decision not to consummate their union, despite Enid's offer, hinted at the cracks in their plan. Meanwhile, Oscar's mother, Agnes, discovered that her daughter-in-law once served as a lady's maid, further complicating the situation. "The Oscar and Enid story illustrates the rules they lived by and that we are not shackled by," creator Julian Fellowes shared with TheWrap.

Meanwhile, Marian Brook and Larry Russell's relationship faced a setback when their carriage was damaged in the storm, forcing them to stay in separate rooms at a hotel. Their first encounter in the morning led to an intimate connection, but inevitably, Marian was wracked with guilt over potentially damaging her reputation. Fellowes emphasized how the show aimed to remind viewers of the perils faced back then, which modern society has fortunately left behind. The reaction of Ada and Agnes to Marian's situation further emphasized the societal dangers.

Ada's appointment as the hostess for President Grover Cleveland at the New York Heritage Society's home added another layer of tension to the episode. The sisters' disagreements over Ada's role in hosting the affair highlighted the challenges the Van Rhyn household faced in navigating the social landscape. Additionally, the search for a new footman for Oscar's household added yet another thread to the complex web of drama that "The Gilded Age" would weave throughout the season.