Is Alfred Merrick Dangerous? Fans Worry About His Real Intentions in ‘The Gilded Age’
There’s a newcomer in The Gilded Age’s high society for season 3, and some think he’s yet to show his true colours. Here’s what we know about Paul Alexander Nolan’s Alfred Merrick so far.
New York City’s creme de la creme doesn’t accept new faces that willingly, but Carrie Coon’s Bertha Russell definitely started up a trend.
The Gilded Age’s ongoing season 3 has recently introduced Alfred Merrick, a new wealthy member of the high society who comes as yet another big opportunity for the Russells to gain even more influence after Gladys’ infamous wedding in the third season’s episode 4.
However, some fans suspect that a potential business deal between Bertha and Alfred might not end well, with the latter proving his real self in the upcoming episodes.
Who Is Alfred Merrick in ‘The Gilded Age’?
Portrayed by Canadian actor and singer Paul Alexander Nolan, Alfred Merrick is introduced as a wealthy New York businessman who Bertha Russell sees as a potential business partner, hoping to leverage his influence for climbing the ladder even higher.
With no time to lose, Bertha invites Merrick to dinner, but the consequences of her actions are yet to be explored in The Gilded Age’s next several episodes.
Despite being initially presented as a typical old-money New Yorker with nothing but good intentions, many viewers still hesitate about whether they (or rather Bertha) should trust Merrick after all.
‘The Gilded Age’ Fans Think Alfred Merrick Can Be a Danger for Bertha and George’s Marriage
Even though so far it’s pretty clear that Bertha sees her new friend more as a means to become all the way more influential herself, things might still take a sudden turn, considering that Alfred is introduced as Bertha’s admirer.
While The Gilded Age’s next episodes will unravel the mystery sometime in the future, some of the show’s fans suggest Alfred’s appearance will cause even more drama for Bertha and George after their fallout at Gladys’ wedding.
“I don't think it would be surprising he might end up causing some tension in George and Bertha's marriage by making George jealous and this sort of helps them eventually reconcile (once Bertha rejects him) after all the fighting over the Duke/Gladys matter. Or he turns out to be a conman and George and Bertha work together to fight against him”, Redditor yingluos28 commented in a show-related thread.
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“When I saw him in episode 2 I thought he would be making a move on Mrs. Russell at some point. Now I think she may have an affair with him”, VinRow agreed.
When Will ‘The Gilded Age’ Next Episode Be Released?
The show’s season 3 episode 6 will air on HBO Max on July 27.
