I'm on winter break, so any subbing stories from before the break will be saved until after. Until then, it's "summer schedule" time, so I'm going to talk about a TV show I've been watching.
I'm not sure if I should call this "streaming" as it's been airing on HBO. (I just have the streaming service, but if you subscribe to HBO, you could have been watching this as it was broadcast. It had its season finale last week.) Everything for me nowadays is streaming, though. (The pros and cons of this belong to their own post.)
I often will seek out a TV show if I am familiar with the team behind it. A decade ago, I kept up with Downton Abbey. I enjoyed it. And so when I heard Julian Fellowes, the executive producer, had created a new show, I was in. Like Downton Abbey, it's a period piece. Unlike Downton Abbey, it takes place in America.
The Gilded Age takes place in (gasp), the Gilded Age, which sets the era as the 1880s. New York.
The show centers on two families, one who is "old money" and one who is "new". Or, as they call them, "the new people". They live across the street from one another. At the beginning of season one, the Russells are just moving into the new mansion they built as Bertha Russell has made it her mission to join the high society of the "old money" establishment.
The thing that's great about this show is that I can't really explain all the various plots in the space of a blog post. The wealthy and their servants each have story arcs, and these arcs intersect at various points, but sometimes they are quite separate. The complexity is a good thing as that keeps the plots from falling into melodrama.
Well, not the usual melodrama.
I have embedded the trailers for seasons one and two. That's the best way to see who's in it, as you will recognize several actors, I am sure.
Season one trailer:
Season two trailer:
Has anyone seen this show? (I'm sure many of you don't get or stream HBO, so no worries.) If you have seen it, what do you think of it? Do you have any good shows to recommend for me?
"The wealthy and their servants each have story arcs, and these arcs intersect at various points, but sometimes they are quite separate."
ReplyDeleteCoincidence: I watched a Malayalam movie this afternoon and these arcs make up its plot. My latest post is a personal review of that movie.
Similar shows? I wouldn't be surprised.
DeleteNo HBO (Max?) but I have toured a number of Gilded Age mansions over the years. If done right, this series would be quite interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is.
DeleteI'm not usually one for period shows, but that looks interesting. Too bad I don't have HBO.
ReplyDeleteI do like period pieces but, like J E, don't have HBO. Maybe it will become available elsewhere eventually.
ReplyDeleteHopefully. That would be great.
DeleteThe intricate plots and character arcs keep me eagerly anticipating each episode. It's a refreshing break from the usual melodramas. Definitely worth checking out!
ReplyDelete- www.melodyjacob.com
Definitely.
DeleteI've been meaning to watch these two shows because I like period drama. Have you seen The Buccaneers? It's what I'm into now.
ReplyDeleteI saw a PBS version of this novel years ago. I don't currently have Apple TV, but when I do, this one is on my list of ones to watch.
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