I haven’t watched it yet but I was thinking that now is a horrible time to create a Julian Fellows series about the NYC aristocracy. These are the people that evicted and tore down the part of the city where the black population lived and created Central Park. All because they were embarrassed they lacked a park to stroll around in like their London counterparts.
I’ve watched them and it’s pretty good so far. I’ve never really watched anything dealing with this time period the way the show is so it’s interesting. It’s old vs new money.
Not sure when that took place historically or ever heard of that actually so not sure if it happens on the show or not.
Honestly if anything between this show and Inventing Anna, it goes to shoe that NYC has not really changed in centuries Like the servant quarters would go for $2000 a month minimum these days
I’m not familiar with NYC at all but it seems like the money stayed put so to speak. The old vs new money is what interests me. I like how the Rockafellars and JP Morgan are regarded as just middle class wannabes
Central Park was the Black area of town and Harlem once upon a time was where all the old money Dutch families lived. Once the park was built (with its very own police force I might add) was when the old money vs new money gaudy mansions wars began in the Fifth, Park and Madison Avenue areas. This country has always romanticized the super wealthy in popular media which sort of helped get us to where we are today so that’s why I was skeptical of the entire concept of the show.
Yeah I don’t see the show touching on any of that. It’s basically a new money family trying to get in with the old money society. It’s not deep at all with any of that type of dynamic so far at least. Just rich people being rich and weirdly proper and snoody
There was a BBC series called Filthy Cities that has an episode on NYC that gave me very strong "The Jungle" vibes. If you watch it, you may never be able to eat a sausage again. The saying "How the Sausage Gets Made" somehow downplays how disgusting making sausages actually is. Here is a link to that sausage clip (It isn't a link to gay porn despite all the sausage and BBC references) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00g935q
I enjoy this show way too much. This last episode had so much happen. I was fully expecting some major backstabbing at the ball by the Astor daughter. Not sure why but felt she was plotting way beyond getting her mom to cave. Mr. Russell better not have some bullshit demise, dude is absolutely savage.
The Russell family is representative of the real life Vanderbilt family. Their whole difficult entry into New York high society is well documented. While Cornelius Vanderbilt did not experience his demise, their later divorce was scandalous as he was involved in an extramarital affair. (Curious if that was what the head maid was foreshadowing).
I can’t stand Mr or Mrs Russell. Them getting totally owned and punked out by someone would be amazing
I was happy that Marian didnt go through with the bullshit wedding Also that didnt feel like a season finale to me. I WANT MORE.
Enjoyed the season. The companion podcast was really good too. Added a lot of historical basis for what each episode covered.
It's a fun show. I'm a big Downton fan and you can definitely see where Julian carried over similar plot devices. And you can also see where the writing got fairly messy. I thought having two downstairs casts was a little much at first, though I did enjoy most of the characters. Especially loved the dynamic between Bannister and Church. I agree with some of the criticism that some of the acting was bad, especially from Meryl Streep's daughter playing Marian. But she seemed to pick up as the show went along. I thought the finale was the best episode by far and while the plot meandered a few times, Julian definitely seemed to land the plane. Everything culminating with the ball was a nice touch. The biggest strength of the show is the set pieces and the wardrobes. Also Carrie Coon is fucking awesome. Spoiler: Finale spoiler Also, the twist with the "French" chef was laugh out loud funny. I honestly said to myself multiple times throughout the season that that guys accent sucks. But I just write it off as bad casting. The twist totally fooled me and I absolutely loved it when he had to go back to his Kansas accent. fucking awesome
I really can’t say why but this show is really enjoyable. Like the acting can be meh and the dialogue seems over the top, but idk, this period of time plus all the maneuvering just does it for me.
Why would you think that? It was one of HBO's more popular shows. Fellowes is a terrific writer and Downton Abbey was a top 5 all time series for me. His writing is crisp and the humor is rapier sharp. Big fan here ...
She is very hot and also 13 years older than Larry Russell. I have a buddy who is routinely on Broadway and said he has worked with most of the cast over the years and loves the woman who plays the cougar, said she is as nice as she is hot ...
The history nerd in me is why Iove the show so much. So much of it is based on real people and events. Last episode was kind of a let down and pretty ahistorical. The state forces absolutely would have fired on the workers
Really liking it as well. The Russell’s aren’t historical are they? Or just based on a different family?
I thought there were two Van Rijhn’s being conned, Oscar and Ada. Happy to see I was dead wrong on the latter. Didn’t see the twist that Beaton was in on it though. Man to be around when the Brooklyn Bridge opened had to be something (considering ofc you were wealth and white).
Tough choice of words there lol Also Oscar’s con artist based on this woman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassie_Chadwick
I cant tell if she's flat because of the acting or the character. It's like theyre trying to portray a meek young woman but also has a rebellious streak.
Good season, whoring your daughter out to beat Mrs. Astor to the punch is certainly a choice. Agree on a lot of the acting, I think it’s pretty much everyone but Marian does stick out like a sore thumb
Real history that will absolutely be a spoiler next season. Don’t click if you don’t want to be spoiled Spoiler The Russels are a stand in for that Vanderbilts. Alva Vanderbilt was the new money trying to elbow her way into old money society that was run by Mrs Astor. She started the Met to rival the Academy. There also was a competition to host English royalty. However it was to host him at Newport in the summer. It was somewhat common for these Neveau Richie families to pawn off their sons and daughters to euro royalty. Usually the royals needed the money. The new money families wanted status. It was a perfect match. The term was Dollar Princess. Alva Vanderbilt pawned her daughter off on such a Duke. Fun fact - Winston Churchill’s mother was an American Dollar Princess. She had an arrangement w her old ass British husband. She could step out on him. She banged her way all over the European royalty, including rumors of King George. Also.. Alva Vanderbilt divorced her husband. Which was a huge scandal that pushed her out of high society.