CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Julian Fellowes's latest costume drama The Gilded ...

CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Julian Fellowes's latest costume drama The Gilded ...
CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews Julian Fellowes's latest costume drama The Gilded ...

THE GILDED AGE

Sky Atlantic, last night 

Rating: rating_showbiz_4.gif

Railroad tycoon George Russell has his feet up on the furniture. 'Careful,' warns his wife, 'that table belonged to King Ludwig of Bavaria.' 

George flashes a devil-may-care grin. 'He had it once. I've got it now!' he crows.

You can trust Julian Fellowes never to leave us in doubt about his intentions. 

The creator of Downton Abbey has returned with an even more lavish costume drama in The Gilded Age (Sky Atlantic) – and it's all about New Money.

The creator of Downton Abbey has returned with an even more lavish costume drama in The Gilded Age. Pictured: Sisters Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski in The Gilded Age

The creator of Downton Abbey has returned with an even more lavish costume drama in The Gilded Age. Pictured: Sisters Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski in The Gilded Age

Set in New York, 1882, the overblown wealth was on display from the opening shot. 

Horse-drawn carts loaded with statues, chandeliers, antiques and grand pianos rolled up Fifth Avenue to the mansion commissioned by George and his ambitious wife Bertha (Morgan Spector and Carrie Coon).

But across the road, Old Money is in residence. Spiteful widow Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and her fluffy-headed younger sister Ada (Cynthia Nixon) are surrounded by footmen and butlers – and the servants are even bigger snobs than the ladies.

The budget for The Gilded Age is a well-guarded secret, but to judge from the spectacular computer graphics that recreate New York 140 years ago, this production would make a hole in any family fortune.

Fans of Downton will be hoping for complicated romantic entanglements, and, of course, Cupid is hovering. 

The sisters have taken in their penniless niece Marian, Louisa Jacobson. Marian brings her new best friend to stay ¿ the young black writer Peggy, Denee Benton (both pictured)

The sisters have taken in their penniless niece Marian, Louisa Jacobson. Marian brings her new best friend to stay – the young black writer Peggy, Denee Benton (both pictured)

The sisters have taken in their penniless niece Marian (Louisa Jacobson), whose no-good papa (their brother) has wasted their inheritance.

Meanwhile, the Russells' raffish son Larry, played by Harry

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