HBO’s 33-Part Period Drama Returns This Weekend For More Old-Money Warfare

Karolina Wojtasik/HBO Published Oct 30, 2026, 10:15 AM EDT Greg is a Lead TV Writer & Critic at Screen Rant with expertise in new streaming releases. He's published over 3000 articles at SR, including weekly recommendation guides and dozens of reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. He previously worked in Development at ABC Television & Lawrence Bender Productions. Greg majored in Film Production at Chapman University's Dodge College. Greg also has years of broadcast TV production experience at major networks such as NBC, TNT, and ESPN. He currently lives in Greater Boston. Sign in to your ScreenRant account HBO's acclaimed period drama officially returns this weekend as New York's elite face fresh battles over power, family, reputation, and social standing. Since it was initially released in 2022, this HBO Max original series has cemented itself as one of the best historical drama series on any streaming platform, thanks in part to an ensemble cast led by Carrie Coon and remarkably detailed production and costume design. Fans of series like Downton Abbey and Bridgerton won't want to miss the season 4 premiere of this fantastic series this weekend. The Gilded Age season 4 premieres on HBO Max this Sunday, November 1, bringing another round of the series' signature old-money clashes to viewers around the world. As one of HBO's most acclaimed drama series of the 2020s, The Gilded Age will look to continue its season 3 momentum after earning a franchise-high 8 Emmy nominations and a near-perfect 96% Rotten Tomatoes score last year. Early reviews indicate that the series is on the right track already, earning a perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes score for its latest season. The Gilded Age Season 4 Brings New Battles To New York's High Society Image via MovieStillsDB The Gilded Age season 4 will pick up where season 3 left off after Bertha Russell, played by Coon, has achieved her ambitious goals of reaching new heights in New York City's high society. Season 4, however, is expected to dive into the costs of Bertha's ambitions, creating new clashes and battles that Bertha will be forced to combat head-on. Bertha's boldness inadvertently places pressure on the rest of the Russell family as well, who grew accustomed to climbing up the social ladder gradually, but now have new targets on their backs. Judging from The Gilded Age season 4 trailer alone, one of Bertha's fiercest rivals is bound to be Agnes van Rhijn, who will be more determined than ever to reclaim some of the position and influence that she had lost due to Bertha's ambition in season 3. Meanwhile, other characters such as Marian and Peggy face new uphill battles themselves in The Gilded Age season 4, especially given Peggy's struggles to earn approval from her future in-laws. These new conflicts will surely provide much of the initial tension in The Gilded Age season 4 premiere on HBO Max this weekend. How Season 4 Will Change The Gilded Age's Old-Money Power Struggle Credit: Karolina Wojtasik / ©HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection The Gilded Age should maintain its traditional social and cultural dynamics throughout its latest season, but Bertha and the Russell family's new status amongst the "old money" families will surely disrupt the status quo. Bertha and her family have come a long way since being introduced as total outsiders in the first season, and now The Gilded Age season 4 will allow Bertha and the "new money" Russell family to operate on the same social level as the well-established families. However, Agnes is set to be a major adversary for Bertha and the Russells, who will likely try to thwart Bertha's increased social recognition by any means possible. Because of Bertha's achievements in The Gilded Age season ​​​​3, The Gilded Age season 4 can now explore how the Russells can maintain their newfound social status that they have been working three seasons to achieve. It places Bertha on a new pedestal that will test what she is willing to sacrifice to maintain her new position of power. In turn, this will allow The Gilded Age season 4 to expand on its original core themes of social warfare while also raising the stakes and keeping the storylines fresh. If the early reviews prove to be a strong indication, The Gilded Age season 4 may just be the greatest season of the acclaimed HBO Max period drama series of all time, and it is undoubtedly one of the best new HBO Max shows to watch this weekend. The Gilded Age - Season 4 9/10 Release Date November 1, 2026 Network HBO Series The Gilded Age Episodes 8