Is ‘The Gilded Age’ Set Before ‘Downton Abbey’? Timeline, History, and Crossover Rumors
The Carrie Coon-led drama features lots of real-life historical events as its storyline progresses — here’s what era The Gilded Age’s three seasons unfold in.
Societal challenges and dramas are still the main focus for HBO’s The Gilded Age, though the series doesn’t let some of the most important events in American history go under radar in its storyline.
Starring The White Lotus’ actress Carrie Coon in the leading role, The Gilded Age closely follows the New York City society of the same era where Coon’s Bertha Russell plays high-stakes games to become a part of the high society that usually doesn’t welcome newcomers.
So far, the show has gone through several major historical events over the course of its three seasons, though not much time has passed anyway — here’s everything to know about the era The Gilded Age takes place in.
When Does ‘The Gilded Age’ Take Place?
The Gilded Age is set during, well, the United States’ Gilded Age, so it’s fair to say that the show’s name is the clear indication of the era that all events are unfolding in.
The first two seasons of HBO’s show are both set in 1882 while the third one takes place in 1883.
Usually considered a period of time from the 1870s to 1890s, the Gilded Age goes in between the Reconstruction era and the Progressive era, becoming the official name after Mark Twain’s 1873 novel titled “The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today”.
The first instalment featured Clara Barton and the foundation of the American Red Cross while the second season saw Thomas Edison illuminating the New York Times building, the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge, the opening of the Metropolitan Opera House and many more major events of the country’s history.
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Is ‘The Gilded Age’ a Prequel to ‘Downton Abbey’?
Ever since The Gilded Age’s first season premiered in 2022, fans have been speculating about the show’s connection to a similar British show Downton Abbey, drawing comparisons between the two. But officially, the two shows are not directly connected, so calling The Gilded Age a Downton Abbey prequel would not be correct.
Despite a 30-year gap between both series’ timelines, some of Downton Abbey’s leading characters will have already been born by the time The Gilded Age unfolds: Violet Crawley would be in her 40s while Cora Levinson and Robert Crawley would still be teenagers.
Apart from that, a rumour has been circulating about Elizabeth McGovern’s Cora Levinson being featured in The Gilded Age’s ongoing season 3, considering that she is the American heiress daughter of Martha and Isidore Levinson.
The show’s instalment is yet to continue with several episodes, so there’s a chance that a crossover might happen after all.
