I have read about how the new rich tried to infiltrate the ranks of the old rich in 19th New York. I am also reading a book by British author Anne de Coursey, "Husband Hunter's", about the young American heiresses who married into, mostly, British aristocracy and invigorated it with their money. Actually, it was mainly the mother's who made that happen. This series has a promising start. You cannot beat Christine Baranski in ANYTHING that she is in. The woman is a chameleon. I even like Cynthia Nixon in this and I don't normally care for her, especially, in her other HBOMax series, "And Just Like That" where she plays Miranda Hobbes. Her character of Ada, the spinster sister of Baranski's character is full of sympathy. I think that Carrie Coons as Bertha Russell is and will continue to be a force to reckon with. I'm sure that Julien Fellows based her on a real life or multiple life figures. The costumes are stunning and realistic as far as the old New York. The newly rich characters are more the the gauche over the top style. I'm sure that was also realistic. The sets are well done. I do admit that I would not care to live in the cold marble halls of the Russell's newly build bemouth. I plan to watch all 10 episodes. I am more interested in the social climbing plots than I am about the racial or homosexual plots.

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