The Gilded Age Season 4 Premiere Recap: Marian and Larry Cross a Major Line

The gowns are fabulous, the money is flowing, and New York's wealthiest families are still finding new ways to make their lives unnecessarily complicated. Yes, The Gilded Age is back, and these people wasted absolutely no time getting themselves into trouble.

The Season 4 premiere, “Ring the Bells,” brings us a wedding, a terrifying childbirth, a marriage on the rocks, and a romantic reunion that takes a rather scandalous turn. Marian and Larry are making decisions that would send half of Manhattan reaching for their smelling salts, while Bertha is discovering that winning society's approval doesn't mean much when your own family is falling apart.

And Agnes? She's still Agnes, which means there's a very good chance somebody is about to offend her before breakfast. Some things in this world really never change.

Oscar Gets Married, and Agnes Has Every Reason to Celebrate

We begin with wedding bells, but they're not ringing for Marian and Larry. Instead, Oscar van Rhijn is marrying Enid Winterton, and if you're wondering whether this is a grand romance for the ages, let's not get carried away. Their marriage is an arrangement that works for both of them. Oscar gets the respectable marriage society expects, while Enid gains security and a place within New York's elite. Romance might not be the driving force here, but considering how many marriages on this show are built around money and status, they're hardly alone.

Agnes is thrilled, particularly because Enid comes with a considerable fortune. Nothing puts a smile on Agnes van Rhijn's face quite like a socially acceptable marriage with excellent financial benefits. Things get interesting when Agnes learns about Enid's past as a servant. That's the kind of information that could send Agnes straight into a fainting spell, but Enid manages to smooth things over by offering to help pay for the family's upcoming presidential dinner. Well, look at that. Money can certainly make Agnes reconsider her objections.

Oscar and Enid also return from their wedding celebrations with plans to establish their own social circle through gatherings at their home. Enid makes an attempt at marital intimacy, but Oscar isn't interested. Their arrangement may be practical, but navigating the reality of living as husband and wife could prove more complicated than either expected.

Gladys Survives Childbirth, but There's a Devastating Price

Across the Atlantic, things are considerably less festive. Gladys is in England preparing to give birth to her first child with Hector, the Duke of Buckingham, and what should be a joyful occasion quickly becomes a frightening ordeal. Bertha is by her daughter's side as the delivery turns dangerous, with doctors discovering that the baby is in a breech position. The situation becomes so serious that Hector is asked to consider whether his wife or their child should be saved if a choice must be made.

And then there's Hector's sister, Lady Sarah, who believes the baby should come first. Excuse me? Gladys is lying there fighting for her life, and we're already discussing her like she's expendable? Thankfully, Hector makes it clear that Gladys must be saved. She delivers a healthy baby boy, giving the Buckingham family the heir they've been waiting for. But the relief doesn't last long. Gladys suffers severe bleeding, and doctors are forced to remove her uterus to save her life.

It's a devastating outcome for a young woman who dreamed of having a large family. Gladys survives, but she will never be able to have another child. Hector is left facing the difficult task of telling his wife what happened, though he doesn't immediately reveal the full extent of the surgery.

There's something especially heartbreaking about watching Gladys go through this after everything Bertha put her through to secure this marriage. Bertha spent so much time ensuring her daughter would become a duchess, but all the titles and social connections in the world can't protect her from what she's just experienced. For once, Bertha Russell has absolutely no control over the situation.

Marian and Larry, What Have You Done?!

Now, on to the scandal, because Marian and Larry have officially decided to give New York society something to gossip about. And considering how quickly gossip travels among these people, good luck keeping this one quiet. The former couple reunites during Oscar and Enid's wedding celebrations after spending time apart. Larry has been in Chicago, and Marian insists they've both moved on. That's a lovely sentiment, except neither one looks particularly convinced.

Things take a turn when Marian joins the newlyweds for a downtown celebration. Larry is there, the music is playing, and suddenly these two are dancing together as though their complicated history has completely disappeared. The chemistry is still there, and despite Marian's attempts to maintain some distance, it's pretty clear that whatever feelings existed between them haven't gone anywhere. Then a storm hits, their carriage breaks down, and they're forced to seek shelter at a hotel.

Now, we've watched enough television to know where this is going. Two former lovers, a storm, and a conveniently available hotel? Come on, these two were practically walking into trouble.

They initially retire to separate rooms, but Larry eventually comes to check on Marian. She invites him inside, and the two spend the night together. Yes, Marian and Larry finally sleep together, and the following morning is nowhere near as romantic. Marian is overwhelmed with guilt and fears she's ruined her reputation. In the society she lives in, a woman having sex outside marriage could face devastating consequences, while a man might walk away with his future relatively untouched.

And that's what makes this more than a simple romantic reunion. Marian has spent so much time trying to make her own choices, but she's still living in a world where those choices come with an entirely different set of consequences for women.

Larry is emotional, too, but that doesn't automatically solve the problem. Their feelings may be real, yet neither seems to know what comes next.

Marian later confides in Peggy, admitting that she feels ashamed and questioning the kind of person she thought she was. Peggy offers the reassurance Marian desperately needs, reminding her that one decision doesn't define her entire character.

It's a lovely moment between the friends, and frankly, Marian needed someone who wasn't going to make her feel worse. But now we have questions. Are Marian and Larry getting back together, or have they just made an already complicated relationship considerably messier?

Because if Marian thinks Agnes is going to handle this revelation calmly, she clearly hasn't been paying attention for the last three seasons. That woman could turn an improperly arranged dinner table into a national emergency, so imagine what she'd do with this information.

George and Bertha Are Still Fighting, and Nobody Is Winning

The Russell marriage remains in serious trouble, and neither George nor Bertha appears particularly eager to make the first move toward fixing it. For two people who spent years building an empire together, they currently seem determined to stay as far away from each other as possible.

After the fallout from Bertha's interference in their children's lives and the attempt on George's life, the couple remains separated. George is furious, Bertha is still overseas with Gladys, and the distance between them is becoming harder to ignore. George isn't exactly making himself pleasant company, either. Between his business frustrations and his resentment toward Bertha, he's finding reasons to be angry in practically every direction.

Larry tries to get through to his father about the marriage, but George isn't interested in making things easy. Bertha is preparing to return to New York, and rather than welcome her home, George plans to move back to his club. Sir, that is your wife. At some point, the two of you are going to have to occupy the same room and actually talk. Moving to the club every time things get uncomfortable isn't exactly a long-term marriage strategy.

Meanwhile, the investigation into George's shooting continues, with Pinkerton detectives developing leads on possible suspects. George survived the attempt on his life, but the danger surrounding him hasn't completely disappeared.

What's fascinating about the Russells is how much their circumstances have changed. Bertha spent years fighting to establish the family among New York's elite, and now they've achieved the social standing she always wanted.

But their marriage is struggling, Gladys has endured a traumatic childbirth, and George is becoming increasingly isolated. Bertha may have conquered society, but keeping her family together is proving to be an entirely different challenge.

Peggy Has a Book, a Wedding, and an Overbearing Future Mother-in-Law

Can Peggy enjoy her success for five minutes without somebody trying to manage her life? Because between her writing career and her upcoming marriage, everybody seems to have an opinion about what she should be doing. Her writing career is moving forward, and she has an exciting milestone to celebrate as her book heads toward publication. It's wonderful seeing her hard work pay off, especially after everything she's faced trying to establish herself as a writer.

Ada is delighted by the news and even jokes about commemorating Peggy's connection to the household. It's a sweet exchange, and Peggy deserves every bit of that encouragement. But then there's her upcoming marriage to Dr. William Kirkland and the involvement of his mother, Mrs. Kirkland. While her future mother-in-law appears to be making more of an effort to welcome Peggy, she's also inserting herself into just about every detail of the wedding preparations.

From social invitations to arranging Peggy's hair appointment without asking, she's clearly decided that taking an interest means taking charge. Ma'am, Peggy is getting married. She hasn't surrendered control of her entire calendar. The tension is particularly frustrating because Peggy is trying to balance her professional ambitions with the expectations surrounding her future marriage. She has worked too hard to establish her independence to suddenly have everyone making decisions for her.

Hopefully, Mrs. Kirkland learns the difference between being supportive and being overbearing before the wedding arrives. Peggy has enough to handle without having to fight for control of her own wedding plans.

Jack Is Moving Up, but High Society Has Questions

Jack Trotter has come a long way from his days working downstairs, and now he's discovering that making money and being accepted by wealthy people are two very different things. Apparently, a successful invention doesn't automatically earn you a seat at the table without somebody questioning whether you belong there.

With his alarm-clock success already changing his circumstances, Jack is developing another invention: an electric mixer with adjustable speeds. The young entrepreneur clearly has plenty of ideas, but entering the business world means dealing with men who seem more interested in his background than his abilities.

Jack finds himself uncomfortable around businessmen who judge people by their education and social standing. Even something as simple as not knowing how to eat an artichoke becomes a reminder that he doesn't understand all the ridiculous rules governing their world.

Imagine having a promising invention and being made to feel inadequate over a vegetable. High society really does know how to make everything exhausting, and Jack is learning that success comes with a whole new set of expectations. Thankfully, Bannister offers to help Jack learn the manners and customs expected in these circles. It's a nice development for someone whose intelligence and determination have already opened doors that once seemed permanently closed.

Bridget, however, is worried that Jack's new status could eventually lead him toward a woman from society, leaving her behind. Jack may be gaining wealth and opportunity, but the higher he climbs, the more complicated his personal relationships could become.

Agnes Has a President to Entertain

As if everyone else's drama weren't enough, Agnes is preparing to host President Grover Cleveland, and naturally, she expects the occasion to be handled with the appropriate level of grandeur. We're talking about Agnes van Rhijn here, so nobody should be surprised that she's treating this dinner like the fate of the entire country depends on it.

Ada, who now controls the household finances, isn't quite as enthusiastic about continually increasing the budget. She's willing to entertain the president, but she's not about to let Agnes spend endlessly to impress him.

Watching Agnes adjust to Ada having financial authority remains one of the show's more entertaining dynamics. The woman who once ruled the household without question now has to ask her sister to approve the spending, and Agnes is not enjoying that arrangement one bit.

Peggy also has some thoughts about Cleveland, having written critically about him, which adds another wrinkle to the occasion. Agnes may consider hosting the president an enormous honor, but not everyone in the household is particularly impressed.

Between the dinner preparations and Enid's surprising offer to contribute financially, Agnes has plenty to occupy her time. Which is probably a good thing, because the last thing Marian needs right now is her aunt having nothing better to do than investigate her personal life.

Money Can't Buy These People Some Peace

The Gilded Age returns with a premiere that wastes no time reminding us why this wealthy, beautifully dressed collection of troublemakers is so entertaining. From the drawing rooms of New York to the grand estates of England, everyone is dealing with the consequences of decisions that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Marian and Larry finally give in to their feelings, only to discover that one passionate night could have serious consequences. Gladys survives a terrifying childbirth but faces a heartbreaking future she never imagined. And Bertha, who has spent years chasing status and influence, is watching her carefully constructed family life come apart.

Meanwhile, Peggy is finding success as a writer while trying to maintain her independence, Oscar and Enid are beginning an unconventional marriage, and Jack is learning that high society doesn't automatically welcome everyone with a fortune.

There's a lot happening, but the premiere gives these storylines room to breathe while setting up some fascinating conflicts for the season ahead. Nobody is getting an easy start, although Agnes would probably argue that the biggest crisis of all is having to consult Ada about the dinner budget.

The strongest material comes from Marian's emotional aftermath and Gladys's medical crisis, two very different experiences that reveal how little control women have over their own lives in this society. Money, connections, and prestigious family names might offer protection, but they certainly don't guarantee freedom.

And then there's Bertha. She finally got the world to recognize the Russell name, only to find herself facing problems she can't solve with an elaborate dinner or an invitation to the right ballroom. If “Ring the Bells” is any indication, Season 4 is about to make these characters work for their happy endings. And judging by the decisions some of them are already making, they've got quite a journey ahead.

The Gilded Age airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and streams on HBO Max.