not really, though again fascinating! I'm writing an essay on China / US comparisons and want to include my colleague Yuen Yuen Ang's China's Gilded Age. Right now I just say that the fact that there's a show on about this period speaks to its relevance today, but maybe I could expand that?
I wish it's airing was a reflection of The Times but I think it's a reflection of Julian Fellowes ran out of storyline in Downton Abbey so he brought the story to America. See also: the bustles are wrong. See also: they made the robber baron a sympathetic character so what are we even doing here.
Ok, I’ll not lean into this. Would like your PE essay though….
I only watched the first season of Downton Abbey because I didn’t like it (so inferior to Gosford Park, for me at least), but didn’t that show also make the rich sort of sympathetic while some of the “downstairs” help/working class folks were jerks? I remember disliking it mainly for that reason.
If you’re going to make a show about the ruling class at any time in history, at least 85% of the characters must be huge assholes. There should be a law about this.
Absolutely. The true art of Succession was they did this to 100% of the characters.
I enjoyed that show for exactly that reason! “Want to be an insanely wealthy capitalist? Okay. Here’s what those people are like. Enjoy!”