No matter how much money someone has, finding a perfect match can be challenging. In The Gilded Age season 2 episode 2, Gladys Russell (Taissa Farmiga) weighs up an offer while her brother Larry (Harry Richardson) meets someone new.
All of the Russells negotiate different proposals this week, as George (Morgan Spector) balances family with plans to halt a potential strike and Bertha (Carrie Coon) moves full speed ahead with opera war strategy.
It's busy at the van Rhijn house, as Agnes (Christine Baranski) assures Peggy (Denée Benton) she won't have to live in a hostile environment and Jack (Ben Ahlers) starts a new project. Meanwhile, Marian (Louisa Jacobson) navigates work and her social life.
Love and job proposals
Gladys doesn't want to go to Newport with her mother until she finds out the outcome of Oscar van Rhijn's (Blake Ritson) desire to marry her. A conversation with her father shows she does not love him. Sure, he has an impressive name and can make her laugh, but George wants more for his daughter. He says he will let Oscar down gently. When the time comes, George will support her choice of husband — even if it goes against Bertha.
When he meets with Oscar, it's a brief conversation in which he is firm that this is the final word. Oscar's plan to settle down with a young woman from money is already floundering.
It isn't all bad luck for this family, as Marian happily accepts a ride home from school with Dashiell (David Furr). He wants to make it up to her for inadvertently spilling the secret about her teaching job, but Marian is unphased by Agnes' disapproval.
Agnes gives her niece a hard time and is quick to show judgment when Ada (Cynthia Nixon) is friendly over tea to the new rector (Robert Sean Leonard). However, she isn't entirely without empathy as Agnes happily welcomes Peggy back as her secretary. The van Rhijn matriarch informs Armstrong (Debra Monk) that her racist and rude behavior won't stand. Earlier that day, Armstrong is characteristically harsh when footman Jack attempts to figure out why his alarm clock is broken.
Widows and new wives
In Newport, Mr. McAllister (Nathan Lane) introduces Larry to Mrs. Susan Blane (Laura Benanti) for much-needed home renovations. Larry's good architectural eye immediately enamors Mrs. Blane and she hires him on the spot, citing how she operates on instinct. When Larry mentions his schedule is open except for the date of the Newport Lawn Tennis Tournament, it leads to an invitation to Mrs. Blane, and it's impossible to ignore the flirtation.
Bertha also clocks this and her disapproval is apparent. Thankfully, McAllister distracts her with gossip about the ultra-wealthy Mr. Winterton (Dakin Matthews) and his new bride. While he does have a box at the Academy, his new wife is young and she might persuade him to join Bertha's side.
The Newport Lawn Tennis Tournament
The Newport Casino hosted the US Open from 1881 to 1914, where Larry's friend Richard "Dick" Sears won seven consecutive titles. Although Marian has little idea how good Dick is when she suggests Dashiell place a bet on him to win. It isn't all victory for Marian, as the Agnes-approved date with Edward Morgan is a nightmare thanks to his oafish behavior.
Several people come to Marian's rescue, including Gladys, who has an awkward run-in with Oscar. Gladys tells Marian about her father wanting her to be with someone she loves. Marian notes this is not how her aunt sees marriage.
Larry fares a lot better when he takes Mrs. Blane home and ends up spending the night. Bertha is less thrilled, warning him this could cause a scandal. When George arrives later that day, he quips that "boys will be boys," underscoring the double standard.
However, George is preoccupied with strike action at a factory in Chicago that suggests his Pittsburgh problem is not going away. He plans to woo the union leader with the finest New York offers. One person who is enamored by this conversation is Bertha, as the Russell marriage is as strong as ever.
Using work to forget
Even with people away in Newport, plenty is occurring in New York. Watson (Michael Cerveris) receives a visit from his son-in-law while he is out, and Church (Jack Gilpin) relays this information. Later, Watson explains his predicament about his daughter and the scandal his servant status could cause.
Peggy talks to her editor, T. Thomas Fortune (Sullivan Jones), about how she is going back to the van Rhijns to push away her grief. Thomas tells her he also lost a baby a few years ago and understands why she wants to bury herself in newspaper assignments and Agnes' correspondence. Peggy also has to deal with bitter servant Armstrong, who continues to be rude despite the warning from her boss — she does say thank you for her sewing help, but only after the rest of the staff encourages it.
An introduction and a face from the past
At McAllister's Newport Casino evening gala, Bertha tells the host she is the new chairman of the Met fundraising committee. She suggests McAllister should pick a side, but so far, he is content with playing for both teams.
Matchmaker Aurora (Kelli O'Hara) introduces Oscar to Maude Beaton (Nicole Brydon Bloom), and they immediately hit it off. He gets over his rejected proposal disappointment when he finds out Maude might have a great deal of money.
Nothing quite prepares Bertha for the reveal of the host's new wife, as it is her former lady's maid Turner (Kelley Curran), who left the Russell employment under a very dark cloud. It's safe to say Bertha is left speechless by this introduction, and the opera is the last thing on her mind.
The Gilded Age season 2 debuts new episodes Sundays on HBO and Max for US viewers, and Mondays on Sky Atlantic for those in the UK.
