7 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2

The Gilded Age Season 1 came to an end on March 21, 2022. From Marian Brook’s (Louisa Jacobson) heartbreak and Peggy Scott’s (Denée Benton) shocking twist to the Russell’s triumphant ball, the high-society drama’s finale was filled with campy goodness. Now that HBO has finally announced The Gilded Age Season 2 release date (Sunday, October 29, at 9/8c), it’s time for a refresher of Season 1’s twists and turns.

After weeks of secret planning, Marian and Tom Raikes (Thomas Cocquerel) finalized their plan to elope in the Season 1 finale. Marian spent the episode coordinating her secret wedding with the help of Mrs. Chamberlain (Jeanne Tripplehorn) and Peggy, but it was all in vain. Aurora Fane (Kelli O’Hara) informed Marian of Tom’s date at the opera. And after waiting for him for hours at Mrs. Chamberlain’s mansion, Tom never showed.

Marian found him at his office, where he revealed he couldn’t go through with the elopement (which was his idea in the first place!), saying he didn’t want to ostracize himself from New York society. Basically, he left Marian hanging so he could marry richer.

The heartbroken (but better off) Marian pulled herself together to attend Gladys Russell’s (Taissa Farmiga) coming out ball that night, which Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) was able to force Mrs. Lina Astor (Donna Murphy) into attending.

Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon) finally went to the Russell’s neighboring mention, per Mrs. Astor’s strict instructions. In fact, most of the ball’s attendees attended because Mrs. Astor told them too. For Mrs. Russell, the ends justified the means.

The episode’s biggest twist came when Peggy learned that not only was her son alive, but it was her own father who had the child adopted and came up with the narrative Peggy was sold. Peggy and her mother, Dorothy (Audra McDonald), confronted Arthur (John Douglas Thompson) about the child before setting off to Philadelphia to find him.

The HBO series, created by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, has a lot of questions to answer in Season 2. Here, we break them all down.

The Gilded Age, Season 2 Premiere, Sunday, October 29, 9/8c, HBO and Max