We miss The Gilded Age. (Yes, already!) With its incredible acting and production values, the series makes the drama and romance of Old New York something special. We are so excited that it has been renewed for season 4! The new season presents an opportunity for the HBO and HBO Max period drama to crossover with creator Julian Fellowes’ other beloved creation: Downton Abbey. That beloved world lasted for 6 seasons and 2 films so far. Let’s talk about how that could play out!
The idea of a crossover between The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey is on everyone’s mind right now. Not only did The Gilded Age recently wrap up its third season, but Downton Abbey is about to release its third and final film. Yes, I know The Gilded Age takes place decades before Downton Abbey begins. Season 3 of The Gilded Age took place in early 1884, but the first season of Downton Abbey starts in 1912. That may lead you to think a crossover would be too complicated.
But wait! Crossing over these two properties would actually be simpler than it might first appear.
MORE: Check out our review of the Season 3 finale of The Gilded Age!
Now that Gladys (Taissa Farmiga) has married the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Lamb) on The Gilded Age, she is part of the same aristocracy as Robert Crawley, Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville) from Downton Abbey. The way the crossover could work is to treat it like a prequel to Downton Abbey. Younger versions of Grantham and other members of the Crawley family could appear on The Gilded Age. Could you imagine a younger version of Maggie Smith’s Dowager Countess Violet? The thought alone is enough to blow your mind. And that’s not all. Picture Violet sharing a scene with Carrie Coon’s Bertha Russell. The world is not ready for their power! (I would include Agnes (Christine Baranski) in this, but I can’t see her leaving New York. Plus, one grande dame spouting one-liners is probably enough!)
The only problem is the timing. Fellowes wasn’t precise with dates of past events on Downton Abbey. Two different references on the series place the wedding of Grantham and his wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern) in either 1888 or 1890. That’s 4 or 6 years after season 3 of The Gilded Age. Such a large time jump for season 4 is very unlikely, as the story just won’t allow for it. The writers just can’t let the central relationships go for that long. Important things would naturally happen between the characters before that much time passed. Because of that, fans may have to put any hopes for seeing the Robert and Cora romance in The Gilded Age season 4 on the back burner.
MORE: If you’re excited for the third and final Downton Abbey film like we are, take a look at everything we know about the big farewell.
However, don’t lose heart entirely, Downton fans! Just like Gladys, Cora was a “Dollar Princess,” an American heiress who married into the English nobility. While Gladys could meet Robert in England, any of the upper-class characters in America could potentially meet Cora. They’d have to travel to Cincinnati, though. That’s where she is originally from.
Of course, Fellowes could easily decide to fudge the timeline again and just show us Cora in England meeting Gladys and then Robert. None of us would complain about that! And what if Gladys acted as a bit of a matchmaker for the couple? How much fun would that be? Gladys is happy in her marriage, and she is a kind person, so this development wouldn’t surprise me.
Viewers of Downton know that Cora and Robert’s marriage became a love match. Gladys and Hector’s union seems to be headed in that direction, so it would make sense that the Duchess would want to help another girl in a similar situation. We know that Violet didn’t like Cora at first, and Gladys certainly knows how that feels, after dealing with Hector’s sister Sarah (Hattie Morahan). Bertha Russell’s daughter may be just the one to assist Cora in facing Violet to be with Robert and to guide her to take her place as Countess Grantham!
Julian Fellowes has already hinted at the possibility of Downton Abbey crossing over onto The Gilded Age. I think Gladys is the catalyst for how that could happen. No matter the details, though, we will definitely be waiting on pins and needles to see if the fourth season of The Gilded Age makes that happen.
The Gilded Age is streaming on HBO Max. Downton Abbey is streaming on PBS Passport.
