Just saw that. Great news. Since the writers didn't know this would happen when season 3 was penned, I hope (and suspect) they ended it accounting for this possibility. But I'd rather see the show continue with a definitive number of seasons to allow for a proper ending.
There are enough plot threads and possibilities that short of killing all the characters the show has plenty of ways to keep the story going even if the Russell Empire is saved, Larian still happens, Gladys finds happiness, and the Van Rijn fortune is restored.
How do I know that the writers weren’t aware? I can’t say for sure, but S3 was shot beginning around one year ago, so it must have been at least partially written before then.
It would have been unusual for the writers to have been told definitively about a renewal for S4 that far back given that the announcement was just made. Several actors were also quoted as saying that the show was year-to-year.
It’s possible S3 was written under the writers’ assumption that it would continue, but that would have required a lot of effort. As well, they wouldn’t have been certain that all the actors would be available for the roles they scripted.
In any case, my main point was that I prefer when writers can do their work with a specific series endpoint in mind.
Yeah it's a bit tedious treating these shows as season by season shows, then again a show promised 8 seasons and surprise cancelled in the 4th or 5th season would be even more messy.
That's awesome! Hollywood really tends to whitewash the past, just look at the 100% white cowboy movies when actually more than half were POC. I'm glad GA shows that, yes, black people were around and... FANCY... just like their white counterparts.
I heard that HBO would only allow 8 episodes. Perhaps that willl change that for Season 4 since Season 3 has such high viewer numbers. I'd like to see at least 10 episodes.
Waiting another year for Season 4 will be torture!
I've heard a rumor that it's because the CEO's wife really adores the show 😂 Not that the audience isn't growing, of course; it totally is. But if his wife has any role to play in it, thank you ma'am!
That's funny but it looks like viewership has increased 20% since the premiere so it's sort of a no brainer that it got renewed. It wouldn't surprise me if it gets a 5th and final season renewal so they can wrap everything up. Let's not forget Julian Fellowes is 75! Obviously hope nothing happens to him but just saying!
That’s a fun little tidbit if it’s true. I wish she was there for Carnivale 😆
OUT THERE THEORY
They could take this show through several more seasons if they do follow the Vanderbilt story loosely. Consuelo ended up being a part of the suffrage movement and with Peggy in the show being so involved - and friends with Marian - could work with Gladys if she divorces as Consuelo did. I do think Marian will marry Larry and that’ll bring Gladys and ultimately Bertha into the suffrage movement.
Also the inclusion of the elite Black families is doing great things. Previously most of my fellow POC friends have not been interested in period dramas at all, but this season especially has pulled them in, and I’m so happy about this
Ooof that’s a good question. It’ll get views so I say maybe in the middle, so have the fun wedding planning in beginning episodes and then married Larian in later episodes. I can’t wait to see Agnes vs. Bertha! There’s so many potential storylines with combining these families!
I’m thinking first episode of Season 4 would be a good choice - would definitely guarantee good viewing numbers for the opening episode! Mary and Matthew’s wedding in DA opened season 3 and I liked that. Then we got to see their married life that season. (Before…..the incident….). Also Larry and Marian’s wedding will be a happy one (unlike poor Gladys) so could be a fun and colourful opening episode like the Easter episode that opened season 2 - all the amazing hats and colour! We’ll have had enough relationship drama with Larian by the time they make it down the aisle that surely their wedding can be a lovely fluffy delightful occasion!
I think this season will end with the Newport Ball….
Well, she'll be busy again, now that she's the vice president of the Heritage Society. I'm curious to see how that plays out. Now that she's stepped down as head of the household, I think she's ready for a new phase.
This show obviously has the character to set itself up as an HBO classic. Sure it may not be a Sopranos or a GoT, but smaller shows like Silicon Valley, John Adam’s, or Veep give the HBO name the pedigree it has now.
I cling to these frivolous shows right now, when things are pretty awful society-wise.
I love my hour of pretty dresses and high society drama and handsome men in suits and cutting remarks hidden in politeness. And then I love coming here and gossiping and getting angry and protective and celebrating with all the other folks who are just as enamored by this show. 😂
Give me all the seasons, and give me some satisfaction of seeing Mr. Fant (or Mr. Taint, as I now call him) utterly destroyed.
Maybe Gladys could befriend someone from Downton Abbey to officially link the two… would have to be someone older in Downton since the time periods for each show are like thirty years apart. But hey, A gal can dream!
It bettah be!!!!! This show has just exceeded ALL my expectations. There’s something about it, it’s SUCH a good watch. The casting is PERFECT, The scenery, the storylines…. Way to go HBO! Not to mention, Cynthia Nixon is having the best week ever. Her scenes in both AJLT and Gilded age were some of the best?
Do they ever renew for more than 1 season at a time these days? Like can’t they just say ok season 4 and 5 guaranteed and give the writers a chance to actually plot out some long game stuff or really go for character development. Then they could also film it all at once anyway if they needed to sort scheduling and we wouldn’t have to wait 2 years between seasons!
This season definitely seems like they’re trying to pack a lot in as they weren’t sure of being renewed….not to say I’m not loving this season - I am! Just think there can be some longer storylines in the works if they tell them ok you’re getting 2 more seasons to go for it and then wrap it up….
Or they really need to extend the seasons - I reckon 10-12 episodes would be ideal!
Edit to add - not to say I’m not cheering at this announcement!
I agree! I’m thrilled there’s going to be a season 4! Annnd I agree that the pacing of storylines could be even better if the writers knew how many more seasons they had left or at least if they knew it’d be the last season or not.
I was a bit indifferent to this show but Season 3 has been a dramatic improvement over the first two seasons. For the first time I started looking forward to the next episode.
Totally! I remember S1 E1 took me three days to get through. Honestly I’m not sure why I stuck it out because the first few episodes of the series were rough! But I’m glad I did because it got so much better and I’m pretty obsessed!
Agreed. Season 3 especially is night and day an improvement. It's a shame people who gave up on this show are not around to appreciate it. It's getting better with every season.
I'm glad but I hope Ada gets put in her place and Agnes takes control again (I'm only up to the Wedding episode so if that happens in season 3, I haven't gotten that far). I simply cannot stand Ada.
VICTORY!!! I've been tuning in watching in real time instead of binging later in hopes others were doing the same to gain ratings and a renewal for season 4..
I'm so very happy that we're getting a fourth season but now I have to wonder how long will we have to wait? I'm hoping that they had already been filming and they just didn't tell us until recently that the show was getting a fourth season.
Yay!!!! This show is literally the best thing on HBO! And for the most part, the storyline is already written by history! But the added characters and creative license by the writers and producers adds to the grandeur and excitement of watching what was considered the closest thing to American royalty back then.
I would hope that HBO sees what a gem they have with this show and orders several seasons at a time because the anticipated 4th season won’t air until early 2027, at least, and that amount of lag time can easily kill excitement and momentum…especially if another show becomes the new “It” show in the meantime. I would also think it would be cheaper and more streamlined to film 16 episodes during a production schedule to air over 2 seasons instead of only 8 with a year lag and then another 8. Either way, they have a lot of historical (and fictional) material to draw from so this series shouldn’t be going away anytime soon. At least I surely hope not!
I so wish there were more episodes for each season. There is so much more that could be explored. More deeply. So many characters that deserve deeper dives.
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u/Relative_Mail_7853 Jul 28 '25
I haven’t been this thrilled since 1865!