I keep trying to like the show but I'm not succeeding. There really aren't many (any?) likable characters. All of the 'powerful' women are nasty people. The 'nice' women are so weak and vanilla there isn't anything to root for. Most of the men are 'meh' and outside Mr. Russell - they typically have these fake smiles that are cringe-worthy. I was a fan of Downton Abbey - but the characters were all interesting and it was easy to root for some and hate others (a good thing). However - The Gilded Age is just a very shallow version and I personally don't find it entertaining. I'll go back to the cringe factor... I find this show pretty high on the cringe scale. (the background music works very hard to create mood/drama but it is too loud and obnoxious. Very often it doesn't fit the scene - just trying to overcompensate for bad writing - and worse acting. Carrie Coon is typically a favorite of mine but her character - Bertha Russell is so unlikable... perhaps that's good acting but I find it unwatchable. Morgan Spector (George Russell) - is more watchable but being 'stern' and grouchy all the time doesn't make him anyone I'd root for. Louisa Jacobs - as Marian brings nothing to a nothing role