Fact vs. fiction: Historians are speaking out against The Gilded Age, accusing the hit HBO drama of distorting an important detail about New York’s high society in the late 1800s.
The controversy began after season 3 featured a storyline in which a newly wealthy family was admitted into one of the city’s most exclusive social clubs after only a single year — a plot point historians say would have been “nearly impossible” during the actual Gilded Age.
“Old money circles guarded their status fiercely,” explained Dr. Elaine Porter, a historian specializing in the period. “In reality, it could take decades — if it happened at all — for a new family to be welcomed into such institutions.”
Fans are divided over the criticism. Some argue that the show’s creators have the right to take creative liberties for dramatic effect, while others say bending the truth risks misinforming viewers about an era already shrouded in myth.
HBO has not issued a formal response, but costume designer Kasia Walicka-Maimone previously defended the show’s artistic choices, saying: “We’re here to tell a compelling story, not write a history textbook.”
Whether it’s a harmless tweak or a serious misstep, the debate has only heightened the buzz around season 4 — proving that even 140 years later, the Gilded Age can still stir scandal.