Preparing for the grand gala that the 2025 TV schedule calls The Gilded Age Season 3 has been fairly a pleasure. But in the event you’re co-writer/creator Julian Fellowes, that enjoyable comes at a value; particularly with the last Downton Abbey film heading our means in the identical yr. And since questions persist surrounding the potential crossover of each excessive society epics, Fellowes really highlighted a larger impediment that I’m stunned we hadn’t referred to as out sooner.
While chatting with TV Insider, The Gilded Age mastermind addressed the constant thread that speculates Elizabeth McGovern’s Cora Crawley (nee Levinson) is the important thing to a pre-Downton crossover episode. As all the time, Julian Fellowes took nice pains to reply this query, particularly since he’s now thrown this potential stumbling block into the equation:
The being on totally different networks places an issue within the path of that, so we’ll simply have to attend and see.
Just when it looks like we have cracked the “who” on this case of TV crossover, the “how” has now proven up uninvited, threatening to drink all of the champagne. The dwelling base for The Gilded Age is certainly an issue, as HBO Max subscription holders are those who get to observe the adventures of the Van Rhijn household, in addition to their buddies, enemies, and relations. As for the journey of Downton Abbey, they initially aired on ITV and PBS, and at the moment are a part of the Peacock streaming household.
So, sadly, hope for a easy crossover has been dashed because of the initiatives being housed at totally different firms.
That being stated, there is one obscure reality that would probably bridge the hole between these Julian Fellowes creations. Seeing as The Gilded Age started life at NBC, Universal Television continues to be a credited occasion on the completed present that went to HBO. Seeing as Universal additionally owns Peacock, there’s an opportunity the corporate’s remaining stake might clear the hurdles of forms.
Much like younger Cora Levinson’s household being current in 1890’s New York, familial connections maintain the door open for an occasion many are hoping will happen. Between plot considerations and enterprise connections, there ought to at the very least be talks to really feel out if The Gilded Age’s hypothetical meet-up is a mutually useful prospect.
Considering Downton Abbey followers might be looking forward to information on potential expansions, it’d be a disgrace to move up a dialogue within the drawing room. For now, although, the worlds of Julian Fellowes are firmly divided, each able to return earlier than our very eyes.
This Sunday at 9 PM ET will mark The Gilded Age’s Season 3 premiere on HBO and HBO Max, whereas Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will hit theaters on September twelfth. So, whereas our hopes of a crossover is perhaps dwindling, at the very least we will see new tales from each properties very quickly.