Nearly 4 Million Viewers: The Gilded Age’s Premiere Officially Sets HBO’s Series Record for Its 9/10 Period Drama
A record-setting return
The fourth season of The Gilded Age began a new month of streaming on HBO Max. New reports say its premiere drew the biggest audience for any episode in the show’s history.
Across platforms, the episode averaged nearly 4 million viewers. That is up 25% from the Season 3 premiere, which averaged 3.2 million.
The story moves forward
Season 4 takes place six months after the events of Season 3, shifting the story to 1885 and 1886. Bertha Russell, played by Carrie Coon, and George Russell, played by Morgan Spector, remain separated after the previous season’s explosive events. The premiere centers on several developments: Bertha faces Gladys’s difficult childbirth, Peggy reaches a milestone, and Agnes plans a prestigious dinner.
Returning cast and rivalries
Coon and Spector return alongside Christine Baranski as Agnes van Rhijn, Cynthia Nixon as Ada Brook, and Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook. Denée Benton, Harry Richardson, and Blake Ritson also return as Peggy Scott, Larry Russell, and Oscar van Rhijn.
Oscar makes a strategic bid for social dominance in the new installment. Julian Fellowes created the series after the success of Downton Abbey.
Key points
- The Season 4 premiere is the most-watched in The Gilded Age’s history.
- The episode averaged nearly 4 million viewers across platforms.
- Its audience was 25% higher than the Season 3 premiere’s 3.2 million.
- Season 4 begins six months later, with the story shifting to 1885 and 1886.