Does Gladys die in ‘The Gilded Age’? Season 4 Episode 1 ending explained
The high-stakes social climbing in Julian Fellowes’ period drama peaked when Bertha Russell arranged an elite marriage for her daughter. Viewers closely followed the fortunes of the wealthy Russell family, eager to see how the young heiress would adapt to life among the British aristocracy. Now the newly minted Duchess of Buckingham faces her most difficult moment as she goes into labor in a foreign country. Gladys survives her challenging childbirth in the premiere of ‘The Gilded Age’ Season 4, though she comes close to losing her life.
As the episode ‘Ring the Bells’ starts, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) is heard screaming as she goes into labour. She is experiencing a serious breech birth, putting her baby at risk. The attending physician gives Hector (Ben Lamb), the Duke of Buckingham, the terrible choice of saving either his wife or his heir. While the Duke’s cold sister Sarah (Hattie Morahan) advocates for the family lineage, Hector chooses to save Gladys because of their growing love. Gladys successfully delivers a son, but the medical crisis worsens immediately after the delivery.
Gladys suffers another emergency when she develops a postpartum hemorrhage and begins bleeding uncontrollably. The doctor performs an emergency hysterectomy to stop her bleeding, and she will never be able to have children again. Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) watches in horror as the doctor treats Gladys. Once the operation is successful, Bertha tells Hector to let Gladys recover and not tell her what has happened. This allows Gladys to spend some time with her newborn before learning the truth. However, the secret creates tension between the couple.
The intense scene allowed the actors to delve into the emotional struggles of living a lavish lifestyle. Taissa Farmiga explained, as per Deadline, “She has a very privileged life, but honestly, all of Season 3 was clearly an emotional roller coaster with being forced into this arranged marriage that she thought was going to be a hellish nightmare.” Co-star Carrie Coon also added, “Bertha almost loses her daughter. She almost lost her grandson, and, within a year, she almost lost her husband, and I think what that means for Bertha is that her priorities have never been more clear.”
While the Russell family deals with the medical crisis in England, major developments unfold in New York. Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson) marries Enid Winterton (Kelley Curran). Larry Russell (Harry Richardson) and Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson) enjoy a passionate night together in a downtown hotel after getting stuck together due to a tropical storm. Interestingly, in the premiere, Matt Damon and David Letterman make uncredited appearances as pedestrians walking across a street in New York. New episodes of the historical drama series are available to stream weekly on Max.
