appointment TV

Why HBO’s melodrama ‘The Gilded Age’ is “for the gays,” according to Gay Twitter™

By · 13 comments · Updated on November 2, 2023
Image Credit: ‘The Gilded Age,’ HBO

This past weekend was a huge one for the gays. As if all the Halloween (a.k.a “Gay Christmas”) festivities weren’t enough, we also had some brand new television to catch up on: The fiery romance/historical drama, Fellow Travelers.

But that wasn’t our only appointment television this weekend: Sunday night also brought us the season two premiere of The Gilded Age, HBO’s drama all about the shady social politics between the haves and the have-mores in New York City in the late 1800s.

While The Gilded Age isn’t specifically about LGBTQ+ themes and characters like Fellow Travelers, it’s amassed quite a loyal queer following. After all, it’s got a huge cast of our favorite character actresses and Broadway stars, ornate costumes and set design, and is chock-full of quippy retorts and shady side eye. What’s not to love?

Seriously, this show’s ensemble is so sprawling, it would take ages to catch you up on everything and everyone from season one, but much of the drama centers around Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), who, thanks to the status and wealth of her “new money” robber baron husband George (Morgan Spector), is attempting to break into polite society.

Of course, that doesn’t sit well with the “old money” types—specifically socialite sisters Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon) and Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski). And, really, that only scratches the surface.

The cast also includes *deep breath* Luisa Jacobson (one of Meryl Streep’s daughters), Denée Benton (Hamilton), Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story), Kelli O’Hara (The King And I), Blake Ritson (The Crown), Donna Murphy (also The King And I), Jeanne Tripplehorn (Big Love), Audra McDonald (Carousel), and Queerty favorite Nathan Lane (The Birdcage).

Related:

Beyond ‘The Birdcage’: Looking back at Nathan Lane’s greatest, gayest moments

Don’t call it a “Lane-aissance”—Nathan Lane, simply, has always been here, dazzling us on stage and screen for over 40 years.

For the theater heads out there: There’s a whopping 56 individual Tony Award nominations among the ensemble and 22 wins. And, yes, Broadway queen Macdonald alone counts for 10 of those nominations and 6 of those wins—the most for any performer in Broadway history.

*Minor spoilers ahead for The Gilded Age Season 2, Episode 1, “You Don’t Even Like Opera”*

Anyway, the drama from season one spills over into season two, naturally, which opens on Easter Sunday, meaning we’re treated to images of pretty much every character donning extravagant hats. So, again… this show is for the gays!

Oh, and there’s already been some pretty major gay goings-on, too: Agnes’ closeted son, Oscar (Blake Ritson)—imagine being Christine Baranski’s son and not being gay—has been struggling with his sexuality, and unfortunately gets roughed up and robbed after flirting with the wrong man.

Distraught, he winds up proposing to to Bertha’s daughter, Gladys (Taissa Farmiga), theoretically locking in a lifetime beard. Though we have our doubts it’ll just be that easy.

Anyway, there’s just something about The Gilded Age‘s blend of era-appropriate gaudiness, mild melodrama, and thinly veiled b*tchiness that makes it total catnip for gay viewers, many of whom spent their Sunday nights recovering from Halloween weekend parties and live-tweeting the season premiere.

In fact, as the app formerly known as Twitter continues to self-immolate under Elon Musk’s leadership—with invaluable Close Friends feature coming to an end today—The Gilded Age might be singlehandedly keeping Gay Twitter™ alive.

Scroll down below to some of our favorite and funniest reactions to the season two premiere of The Gilded Age:

Related:

‘Fellow Travelers’ puts its foot in its mouth (literally) with sex-filled premiere that already has the gays hooked

Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey’s chemistry is on full display in the Showtime drama’s first episode, “You’re Welcome.”

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