The Gilded Age Secretly Solves A Big Mystery That Saved 1 Character
Despite betraying Aunt Agnes, Bannister remains employed as her butler. The Gilded Age finally explained why Bannister hasn't and won't be sacked .
Warning: SPOILERS for The Gilded Age Episode 8 - "Tucked Up in Newport"
The mystery of why Bannister (Simon Jones) wasn't fired by Agnes van Rhijn (Christine Baranski) has been answered by The Gilded Age episode 8. Aunt Agnes' butler has been in the doghouse ever since Bannister decided to moonlight for Bertha Russell (Carrie Coon). Yet despite this betrayal of Agnes' rule about never mingling with New Money, Bannister remains gainfully employed, even if he's being shunned by his employer.
Everyone in the van Rhijn house except Aunt Agnes has been curious about what's inside the Russells' palatial estate across the road on 61st Street and the corner of 5th Avenue. When Ada Brook's (Cynthia Nixon) dog Pumpkin ran away and was found by the Russells' servants, Bannister took the opportunity to tour Bertha's grand home. To the chagrin of Church (Jack Gilpin), Bertha's butler, Bannister also expressed disapproval about how the Russells' house was run in the American style instead of the English style favored by Aunt Agnes. When Bertha needed to impress Ward McAlister (Nathan Lane) at a luncheon, she hired Bannister for $100 to replace Church and oversee the occasion in the English style. But someone sent a note to Aunt Agnes that Bannister was betraying her and she stormed into the Russells' home to find her butler moonlighting with her enemies. Yet, remarkably, Agnes didn't fire Bannister in spite of expectations.
The altercation between Armstrong (Debra Monk), Agnes' lady's maid, and her secretary, Peggy Scott (Denée Benton) in The Gilded Age explains why Bannister hasn't been fired yet, nor will he be. Armstrong disliked the African-American Miss Scott from the moment Peggy arrived in the van Rhijn house and looked for ways to get rid of her. When Armstrong read Peggy's mail, she took the opportunity to try to get Peggy fired because Miss Scott has a secret child. Instead, Peggy opted to leave Agnes' employ, which is not the outcome Mrs. van Rhijn wanted. Yet Agnes didn't fire Armstrong for her dishonest actions because, at her age, Mrs. van Rhijn explained, she didn't want to have to find and train another lady's maid to replace her. This is also the reason why Bannister didn't get sacked and remains the van Rhijns' butler.
Aunt Agnes' treatment of Bannister since his betrayal has been morbidly amusing. Mrs. van Rhijn childishly ignores Bannister even when he's addressing her, and Agnes instead asks Ada to speak to the butler on her behalf. Agnes also praises Jack (Ben Ahlers), the footman, in Bannister's presence and hints that he could usurp the Englishman's position as the butler. However, Bannister is grateful to still be employed and is patiently enduring Mrs. van Rhijn shunning him for however long it lasts because at least he has job security.
In the meantime, Bannister knows who wrote Agnes the note that he was at the Russells, thanks to a letter he received from Turner (Kelley Curran) after Bertha Russell fired her. Agnes' hesitation at firing her servants, even when they betray her, is markedly different from what happened across the street. Bertha quickly released Turner after she caught her lady's maid flirting with her son, Larry (Harry Richardson), which confirmed her suspicions that Turner had an inappropriate tryst with Oscar van Rhijn (Blake Ritson), although Turner and Oscar only had a business arrangement. Bannister and Armstrong are fortunate and should be grateful that it's harder to be fired from Agnes van Rhijn's employ in The Gilded Age than it is from Bertha Russell's household.
The Gilded Age airs Mondays @ 9pm on HBO and streams on HBO Max.