This post contains spoilers from The Gilded Age season 3 episode 7 from this point forward.
We're one week away from The Gilded Age season 3 finale and the penultimate episode sure made us feel all of those pre-finale jitters. There are so many questions left unanswered and one especially important life left hanging in the balance going into the season finale. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about any cliffhangers since HBO already renewed the series for season 4.
The Gilded Age season 3 episode 7 solved one of the season's most intriguing mysteries: Who's spilling Bertha Russell's tea to the newspaper? Even though Bertha was known to slip some gossip to the papers, her trusted staff plants a fake story with André, one of Bertha's maids, and waits to see what happens. Alas, she had been making $40 per Russell story.
From one society gossiper to another, Ward McAllister publishes his new book, which features some unfortunate details about the Russells and more of McAllister's acquaintances. He's effectively banished from society as Bertha takes over a major gala and looks to make some changes, like reinstating divorced women into society. Ironically, she might soon know about the single life...
George's fate uncertain after a shooting
The state of the Russell household is absolutely disarray as George tries to weather the storms of their potential financial ruin. Thankfully, Larry returned home from Morenci with the good news that he sanctioned another inspection that found copper. It's looking up for the Russells' family business and George no longer will have to stop payments to Hector for Gladys.
Still, even with their business matters seemingly sorted out, George and Larry are still giving Bertha the cold shoulder. Like, it's bad. Larry shared his honest feelings with his mother about feeling like a pawn, and while she definitely needed to hear some of those things, you can't help but feel empathy for her. She's at least been trying to be a better person since the big wedding!
But they completely ignore her as they forge ahead on their business matters. They're going to wish they hadn't shut her out given the shocking event that happens at the end of the episode. George and two of his associates are in the office when a man comes to the door seemingly to drive George to the club. However, he shoots both men then aims for George. Will he survive the gunshot?
Oscar basically comes out to his family
After witnessing the death of John Adams, Oscar is pretty much despondent. He meets with John's sister, who informs him that John left him a house and money. She seems to know, understand, and support the nature of their relationship and insists that Oscar accept the house. She also gives him the photos John kept of the both of them. It's deeply heartbreaking.
When Oscar returns home and shares the news with his family, he emotionally breaks down. The pressure of not outwardly feeling John's death the way that he wants or needs to weighs heavily on him. In his outburst, without saying the words explicitly, Oscar essentially reveals to Agnes, Ada, and Marian that he was in a relationship with John. Again, it's heartbreaking.
Agnes processes what she's heard through welling tears, Ada jumps in to seemingly avoid tension, and Marian takes Oscar upstairs. She offers a shoulder for him to literally cry on and does not judge him at all. She admits she's "puzzled," but she cares about him far more. Hopefully, the family continues to be supportive and caring toward Oscar as he grieves this loss.
The gilded odds and ends:
- Marian and Larry's relationship status took a backseat this week, but the pair finally met to talk things over. She doesn't seem ready to trust him, though he insists nothing happened at the haymarket. He still lied about where he went, which is part of the problem.
- Jack bought his own house with the clock money!
- Gladys and Hector appear to be on as solid ground as ever as effectively pushes Sarah out of their home and into her own in London. Game, set, match.
- Dr. Kirkland's mother discovers the truth about Peggy's past, that she gave up her son for adoption and the boy later died. She eagerly informs her son about the secret, but he wants to talk with Peggy first. Will he break up with her? Will he propose to her? Will they simply talk?
Watch The Gilded Age season 3 finale on Sunday, Aug. 10 at 9/8c on HBO.