The Golden Age Season 3 Finale: A Troubling Conclusion

So, did the Season 3 finale of The Golden Age just crash, or what? I mean, seeing George Russell (played by Morgan Spector) wrap up this season with his estranged wife Berta (Carrie Coon) set against Rhett Butler’s classic line, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn,” left me a bit uneasy. Are George and Berta’s marriage woes signaling a divorce? Is everything that was good truly over?

**Spoilers for The Golden Age Season 3 Episode 8 “My Mind Is Made Up” streamed on HBO Max **

As it turns out, Season 3 ends with a pretty shocking moment: Berta hears that George is heading to New York without her. What’s worse is that he seems unsure if she even wants to be in his life anymore. He tells her that he only came to the big Newport ball for business reasons. If he doesn’t show up, well, it might give competitors an opening, which puts him in a vulnerable position.

It doesn’t help that George is still seething about Berta’s part in their daughter Gladys’s (Taisafamiga) marriage to the Duke of Buckingham (Benram).

“I think Gladys and the Duke could be happy together, but George feels like a part of his family has been violated,” Spector shared. “He believes he’s let his daughter down. He made a promise to her but somehow didn’t keep it.”

Spector also emphasized that despite his character’s flaws, George sees himself as a protector. “He failed here, and I think he’s not able to forgive himself, let alone Berta,” he added.

“To put it simply, he’s disappointed in himself, and he’s deflecting that blame onto me,” Coon remarked.

“Yeah, I think he’s frustrated with both you and himself,” Spector replied.

“We each have our perspectives,” Coon said.

So, what does this mean for George and Berta? Is their story heading in the direction of historical figures like the Vanderbilts in Season 4 of The Golden Age?

“Marriage is fluid; it changes, and couples go through tough patches,” co-showrunner Sonja Warfield mentioned. “They could potentially find their way back to each other, or maybe they can’t. We aim to portray authentic, flawed, multidimensional characters.”

Fellow co-showrunner Julian Fellows added, “When a couple’s happiness fades—assuming it existed initially—there are various paths they can take. Divorce is generally the most drastic option.”

He referred to his famous series, Downton Abbey, recalling Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith) discussing a similar point about couples who choose not to divorce but instead live separate lives. “This was also a common decision among Americans,” Fellows noted. “People had homes in Newport, others in New York, and often kept track of their social interactions in subtle ways.”

“In the end, it’s important not to create a spectacle. We’re showing what they have to decide together,” he concluded.

Spector also hinted at a significant turning point. “I’m not sure how George can stay in this relationship right now. Maybe it’s time for a change,” he mused.

At a press conference, Spector mentioned an additional layer to George’s anger about Gladys’s marriage. “He struggles with the unspoken judgment of his status in the society Berta has cultivated,” he explained. “If Gladys is marrying British nobility, it feels like an arrival for her, while for George, it’s not quite the same achievement.”

In response, Coon dismissed that notion, stating, “I don’t think that’s her mindset at all.”

“She sees it as a parallel track,” Coon explained. “She thinks that wealthy families not fully accepted by the old money crowd are marrying into these British families, which could elevate their status in New York society.”

“This isn’t about her or George personally. She’s simply fulfilling her role,” she continued. “She doesn’t see it as a criticism from George, but he never gives her the chance to discuss it.”

At this point, Spector chimed in, “It seems she has this image of Mrs. Astor in her head, even though she may never feel satisfied.”

Coon countered, “I don’t think it’s Mrs. Astor; it’s more about Berta striving to move forward.”

It feels like there might still be some hope for George and Berta if they can navigate these challenging conversations like Spector and Coon do in real life.