Is there a period drama that even comes close to the brilliance of Downton Abbey? We think so and it goes by the name of The Gilded Age. The series, which also just happens to have Downton Abbey genius, Julian Fellowes, at the helm of it, is officially on its way back for an explosive fourth series – and it’s bringing some rather exciting new cast members with it that are set to shake things up.

If The Gilded Age means nothing to you, the beloved drama follows Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), a young woman entering 1882 New York City's social scene who finds herself in a war of sort between her old money van Rhijn-Brook aunts and their new money Russell family neighbours. In series 4, we’re getting a new President of the United States in the form of Jim Gaffigan, a new young gentleman of Society in the form of Andrew Burnap, plus some more fresh faces that you can read about below.

With the series set to arrive on our screens soon, here’s everything you need to know about The Gilded Age series 4, including what the new cast means for the next instalment.

What is The Gilded Age about?

as bertha is reminded of her place on her visit to newport, george gets his day in court and peggy reveals the truth about her past.
ALISON COHEN ROSA

If you’ve never seen The Gilded Age before, the series first aired in 2021 and focuses on the era of the American Gilded Age – the late 1870s to the late 1890s – which was a period of huge social and economic upheaval. The story begins in 1882 and introduces us to young Marian Brook (Louisa Jacobson), who moves from rural Pennsylvania to New York after the death of her father to live with her old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) and Ada Brook (Cynthia Nixon).

There, she finds herself in a social war between her aunts, the Van Rhijn-Brooks, of the old money set, and her tremendously rich neighbours, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife, George (Morgan Spector) and Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon). Exposed to a world on the brink of the modern age, Marian is faced with a choice between following society’s rules or making up her own.

Over the course of three series (the third arrived last June), the drama has covered topics such as class wars, homosexuality, domestic workers and women’s rights, divorce and death. And with Downton Abbey’s Julian Fellowes behind it, you can expect plenty of heart and even more drama.

What will happen in The Gilded Age series 4?

with the wedding between gladys and the duke imminent, bertha must deal with unwanted rumours in the press, the sudden arrival of her sister monica, and an unwilling bride. after giving a talk in newport, peggy and her mother encounter the aloof mrs. kirkland. meanwhile, a grieving ada attempts a new way to communicate with luke, and borden learns more about mrs. bruce’s past.
HBO

Excitingly, the official series 4 logline has just been revealed and it suggests we’ve got quite the explosive series to look forward to. It reads: "Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon) changed Society at a cost. Now, her family must reckon with the consequences as Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) seizes an opportunity to regain her position.

“Meanwhile, Marian (Louisa Jacobson) forges a new path for herself and Peggy (Denée Benton) works to be accepted by her future in-laws. In this new era, you must be careful what you wish for.”

Who’s in the cast of The Gilded Age series 4?

a wide eyed young scion of a conservative family embarks on a mission to infiltrate the wealthy neighbouring clan dominated by ruthless railroad tycoon george russell, his rakish son, larry, and his ambitious wife, bertha.
Heyday Productions

The returning cast of The Gilded age series 4 includes:

  • Carrie Coon (The White Lotus) as Bertha Russell
  • Morgan Spector (Homeland) as George Russell
  • Louisa Jacobson as Marian Brook
  • Denée Benton (Our Friend) as Peggy Scott
  • Cynthia Nixon (Sex And The City, Ratched) as Ada Forte (née Brook)
  • Christine Baranski (Mamma Mia!) as Agnes van Rhijn (née Brook)
  • Harry Richardson (Poldark) as Larry Russell
  • Taissa Farmiga (American Horror Story) as Gladys Russell
  • Blake Ritson (The Crown, The Sandman) as Oscar van Rhijn
  • Audra McDonald (The Good Fight) as Dorothy Scott

The new guest stars for The Gilded Age series 4 are:

santa monica, california february 25: jim gaffigan poses in the imdb portrait studio at the 2024 independent spirit awards on february 25, 2024 in santa monica, california. (photo by emma mcintyre/getty images for imdb)
Emma McIntyre
  • Jim Gaffigan (Super Troopers) as Grover Cleveland
  • Elizabeth Marvel (Homeland) as Nurse Virginia Saville
  • Andrew Burnap (Snow White) as Porter
  • Dallas Roberts (The Grey) as Daniel Manning

What do the new cast members mean for The Gilded Age series 4?

los angeles, california april 26: elizabeth marvel attends the los angeles premiere of max original limited series love death at directors guild of america on april 26, 2023 in los angeles, california. (photo by axelle/bauer griffin/filmmagic)
Axelle/Bauer-Griffin

The arrival of fresh characters means change is afoot. Jim Gaffigan’s Grover Cleveland is the 22nd President of the United States, who comes to New York to ingratiate himself with the elite class, which will be very interesting to see indeed. Dallas Roberts’ Daniel Manning will also be working closely with him as Secretary of the Treasury.

Elizabeth Marvel’s Nurse Virginia is a compassionate nurse who works at the Neighborhood Settlement House in the Lower East Side and, finally, Andrew Burnap’s Porter is a young gentleman of Society with an Ivy League education and money to invest in exciting new ventures. Let the drama begin!

Is there a trailer for The Gilded Age series 4?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for The Gilded Age series 4 below:

Is The Gilded Age any good?

as negotiations start to disintegrate, george confronts bertha about her vision for gladys – and its inadvertent impact on his business. meanwhile, the scotts meet the kirklands in newport, ada encourages the staff to sign a temperance pledge, agnes laments her slow exclusion from society, and larry invites jack to a meeting with a potential investor.
HBO

Yes, it’s the best series since Downton Abbey, which is perhaps unsurprising given Julian Fellowes is behind it. Fans have praised the series for being “beautifully produced and written”, “a hilarious period dramedy” and “nearly perfect”.

How can I watch The Gilded Age series 4?

Sky hasn’t yet shared a release date for The Gilded Age series 4, but we do know that it will arrive on Sky Atlantic and NOW at some point in 2026. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we’ll share it here. While you wait, you can catch up on series 1-3 on Sky and NOW.

What other period dramas can I watch now?

the paradise series 1 picture shows: miss audrey (sarah lancashire) and denise (joanna vanderham)
Jonathan Ford

If you haven’t yet seen Sarah Lancashire outstanding performance in The Paradise, we’d highly recommend it. The popular period drama is a love story set against the backdrop of 19th-century department store The Paradise where Miss Audrey (Sarah) is Head of Ladieswear. You can watch The Paradise on U now. We’d also recommend Life in Squares, which tells the story of the Bloomsbury group - a collection of friends and lovers who were pioneers of artistic and sexual freedom - over 40 years. James Norton stars and he’s fantastic in it. You can watch Life in Squares on Prime Video. For more great period dramas that might have passed you by, check out our pick of the best underrated series here.