"George is a mess": Morgan Spector teases George Russell's downward spiral in The Gilded Age Season 4 amid laudanum use 

The Gilded Age Season 4 Episode 2 was no less than an emotional rollercoaster, packed with shocking revelations, including George Russell's laudanum use and the long-awaited reveal of who tried to kill the railroad tycoon.

In the episode, it was revealed that Will Morris, the son of Patrick Morris, tried to assassinate George in The Gilded Age Season 3. Patrick Morris killed himself after a failed deal with George left him in severe financial difficulties. Although George finally learned who tried to assassinate him, his personal and professional life remains in turmoil. His marriage with Bertha has reached rock bottom after he discovers Bertha's manipulative schemes involving their daughter, Gladys. His health also appears to be deteriorating, particularly after he was seen using laudanum. Elsewhere, he also has a heated meeting with John D. Rockefeller, who was not ready to budge on what he was offering George for transport fees for oil.

Speaking to TVLine, Morgan Spector described his character as 'disintegrating somewhat'. He added:

"George is a mess."

Even though George was close to killing off Will at the end of the episode, he decided to spare the boy's life. Previously in Season 2, George stopped himself from killing his workers after he interacted with one of the workers and his family, humanizing him. George has always been forgiving; thus, despite the rage and laudanum use, he cannot kill Will. Laudanum is a mix of alcohol and opium used to treat ailments; however, unchecked usage can harm one's health, and that is what is happening to George.

In the episode, George returns home and collapses in Bertha's arms, admitting he has no sense of direction. Could this emotional breakdown signal the beginning of George Russell's downward spiral? Tune in to The Gilded Age Season 4 to learn more.

Here's more about it.

The Gilded Age Season 4: EP reveals Morgan Spector idea to make Will Morris George Russell's shooter

Speaking to TVLine, EP Sonja Warfield revealed that it was Morgan Spector's idea to make Will Morris George Russell's shooter. She said:

"We created a narrative with a lot of open questions and suspects, because a lot of people were not happy with George. He was causing a lot of problems."

According to Warfield, Spector suggested making Will Morris George Russell's shooter while filming the assassination attempt on The Gilded Age Season 3. Warfield recalled:

"It was Morgan who said, 'What if it was the son of the man who killed himself?' And I loved that, so I talked to [series creator] Julian [Fellowes] about it, and that's why we decided to do that."

Why did George Russell not shoot Will Morris in The Gilded Age Season 4 Episode 2?

The Gilded Age Season 4 Episode 2 opened with George and his men barging into a dilapidated tenement and dragging Will Morris into custody. Mrs. Morris is shocked to see George, and she had no idea that Will was responsible for shooting him. She begged George to forgive Will.

Will admitted he shot George as revenge for his father's death. Will's father, Patrick Morris, a banker, killed himself after a failed deal with George Russell in Season 1. The viewers also learned that the root cause of George's extreme temperament was due to consuming laudanum, an opium-based painkiller that leads to erratic behavior and hallucinations.

George pointed a gun at Will. He shot the gun at the wall instead and told the Pinkertons to remove the Morrises from New York. Mrs. Morris promised that they would never set foot in the city again. Thus, George Russell chose mercy over revenge. Speaking about George's last-minute change of heart, Spector told The Wrap:

"George is not a killer. He's not somebody who has the capacity to just snuff out a human life without remorse."

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Also Read: The Gilded Age Season 4 premiere sees Gladys battle a dangerous childbirth amid Enid's wedding - recap ahead

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