‘The Gilded Age’ Renewed For Season 3 By HBO

Nellie Andreeva
·3 min read
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HBO has picked up Julian Fellowes’ The Gilded Age for a third season.

The renewal comes just days after the Dec. 17 finale and follows solid ratings for Season 2 of the period drama. Total premiere-night viewing for the season grew for six consecutive weeks, culminating in a series high for the Dec. 17 Season 2 finale, according to HBO.

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“We’re so proud of what Julian Fellowes and The Gilded Age family have achieved, said Francesca Orsi, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films. “From the costumes to the production design and performances, the show has captivated so many week after week. Along with our partners at Universal Television, we are thrilled to continue this grand tale for a third season.”

With its strong performance and a Production Design Emmy win for its first season, The Gilded Age passed a stiff test to earn a renewal.

In May Orsi told Deadline that the network was “having conversations regarding viewership relative to budget” while “assessing” several series, including sophomores Perry Mason, Winning Time, and The Gilded Age. “Each show has a job to do, given the price tag that we give to it, and there’s a viewership. component, and there’s a critical response element to it and, of course, the buzz nature of a show,” she said at the time. “It’s those elements that we are always keeping in mind and discussing relative to whether or not a show will continue.”

Perry Mason and Winning Time were subsequently canceled after two seasons each. The Gilded Age outdrew significantly both of them in viewership and ranks among the most watched HBO series.

Season two of The Gilded Age begins on Easter morning 1883, with the news that Bertha Russell’s bid for a box at the Academy of Music has been rejected. Through the eight episodes of the season, we watch as Bertha challenges Mrs. Astor and the old system and works to not only gain a foothold in Society, but to potentially take a leading role in it. George Russell takes on his own battle with a growing union at his steel plant in Pittsburgh. In the Brook House, Marian continues her journey to find her way in the world secretly teaching at a girls school while much to everyone’s surprise Ada begins a new courtship. Of course, Agnes approves of none of it. In Brooklyn, the Scott family begins to heal from a shocking discovery, and Peggy taps into her activist spirit through her work with T. Thomas Fortune at the NY Globe.

Season 2 cast includes Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Morgan Spector, Louisa Jacobson, Denée Benton, Ben Ahlers, Michael Cerveris, Kelley Curran, Taissa Farmiga, Jack Gilpin, Simon Jones, Sullivan Jones, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Debra Monk, Donna Murphy, Kristine Nielsen, Kelli O’Hara, Patrick Page, Harry Richardson, Taylor Richardson, Blake Ritson, Douglas Sills, Erin Wilhelmi, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald, John Douglas Thompson, Ashlie Atkinson, Laura Benanti, Nicole Brydon Bloom, Christopher Denham, David Furr, Ward Horton, Matilda Lawler and Robert Sean Leonard.

Fellowes serves as creator, writer and executive producer. Gareth Neame executive produces with David Crockett, who directs. Michael Engler, Bob Greenblatt and Salli Richardson-Whitfield executive produce. Sonja Warfield serves as writer/executive producer. The Gilded Age is a co-production between HBO and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

“There is much more story to tell with The Gilded Age. We’re delighted that HBO is giving fans another season of Julian Fellowes’ incredible storytelling,” said Erin Underhill, President, Universal Television. “The cast and crew put so much of their heart and soul into the last two seasons, and we’re so proud that all this hard work is paying off with another season…you won’t want to miss what’s next!”

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