Downton Abbey Creator’s 3-Season HBO Period Drama Is The Superior Series

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Julian Fellowes, best known as the creator of Downton Abbey, recently produced a three-season HBO period drama that surpassed even that popular show in quality. Throughout his career, Fellowes has created acclaimed historical series and films like Belgravia, Aristocrats, and The English Game. His work consistently showcases a refined style, complex relationships, and a keen interest in exploring themes of class, power, and tradition.

Although many still adore Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes’ series The Gilded Age is often considered his better work. This lavish HBO show is set in late 1800s America, a period of rapid economic growth and social change. It shifts the focus from the established, calm world of British nobility to the determined and competitive new wealth of New York City. The story revolves around Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon), the wife of a powerful railroad magnate, who is determined to break into the highest circles of New York society, but the city’s established families aren’t willing to easily accept her.

Few shows portray the drive for social status as well as The Gilded Age, and it’s been renewed for a fourth season. While the series focuses on the conflict between established wealth and newly acquired fortunes, it also explores the lives of working-class people and the often-cutthroat business practices that fueled America’s economic boom.

The Gilded Age Might Just Be Better Than Downton Abbey

First airing in 2010, Downton Abbey quickly became one of the most popular historical dramas on British television. Its success led to three movies – Downton Abbey: The Movie (2019), Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022), and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (2025) – which continued the story. Rather than asking which is better, The Gilded Age and Downton Abbey are both excellent shows that simply explore similar themes in different ways.

While Downton Abbey focuses on a world that’s disappearing, The Gilded Age starts during a period of rapid change in America, where new fortunes and ways of life were challenging the established order. This makes The Gilded Age feel more relevant to today, despite being set in the past. Though Downton Abbey was entertaining, it didn’t explore important issues like race, something The Gilded Age addresses through characters like Peggy Scott.

Because Downton Abbey is set in the Edwardian era, its characters often appear reserved and formal. In contrast, characters like Bertha in The Gilded Age are much more open about their desires—particularly her drive to become a powerful figure in New York society. She’s willing to manipulate and deceive to achieve her goals, which creates compelling drama and adds complexity to the show.

The cast of The Gilded Age is truly exceptional, featuring many well-known Broadway performers. Stars like Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Audra McDonald, and Nathan Lane deliver compelling performances as their dramatic characters, adding a remarkable sense of realism to the historical series.

Julian Fellowes’ Best Period Drama Isn’t A TV Show At All

While Julian Fellowes is known for his television work, many consider his best historical drama to be the film Gosford Park, directed by Robert Altman and co-written by both Altman and Fellowes. Gosford Park delves into issues of class, social standing, and wealth—themes that would later become prominent in Fellowes’ TV series. The story starts calmly, with wealthy British guests arriving for a weekend stay at Sir William McCordle’s large country house. However, the weekend soon turns sinister when Sir William is found murdered, and the hidden secrets of everyone—both the wealthy family and the household staff—begin to emerge.

What really sets this film apart in Julian Fellowes’ work is that it’s more than just a whodunit. It doesn’t simply focus on solving the murder, but explores the complex web of relationships, class differences, and how people rely on each other that exist around it.

The investigation following Sir McCordle’s death highlights the flaws within this social world, showing how the wealthy depend on their staff while ignoring their personal lives. Gosford Park is a prime example of Julian Fellowes’ skill; he uses a murder mystery to explore themes of power, privilege, and the unspoken rules that are key to his other works, like The Gilded Age.

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2026-05-26 16:41