Ex‑Communicated, the seventh episode of The Gilded Age Season 3, delivers a dramatic ending as George Russell’s fate hangs in the balance.
After helping his son Larry secure copper mines in Arizona, restoring the family’s fortune, George attends a performance at his gentlemen’s club.
There, a masked intruder shoots into his study. The soundtrack cuts to black before viewers see if George is hit, leaving the moment unresolved.
Earlier in the episode, Ward McAllister publishes Society As I Have Found It, exposing high society secrets.
The Astor circle and Bertha Russell swiftly ostracize him. John Adams, a key character, dies in a tragic horse-and-carriage accident, intensifying Oscar van Rhijn’s grief.
Osmosis of power and emotional toll ripple through the core characters.
Oscar struggles profoundly after John’s death, choosing emotional isolation at the funeral. Marian reassures him, and their bond deepens as he grapples with identity and loss.
Meanwhile, Bertha inherits responsibility by agreeing to host the Newport ball after Mrs. Astor bows out.
The episode’s personal conflicts underscore marital friction between George and Bertha and widening rifts in the Russell household.
The rising tension culminates in the dramatic finale: a gunshot echoes as George faces his attacker. Actor Morgan Spector described the ending as unexpectedly topical, highlighting its real-world resonance amid rising violence.
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