The name alone is a tongue twister. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an Amazon Prime exclusive that is the perfect show to get into when you are needing a break from the serious, grim, and violent. Simply put, this show is a treat. Fun. An absolute joy to watch. With two seasons under its belt, a third has been ordered, and personally, I cannot get enough of Midge Maisel.
The beginning of the series begins with Midge. She’s a suburban housewife in a Jewish family in New York City in the 1950s who seemingly has it all. A loving, funny husband, beautiful children, a gorgeous place to live, and supportive family. All of this goes away once Midge’s husband Joel decides that Midge is not enough and that he needs to leave; he also is supposedly in love with his secretary. Midge and both hers and Joel’s family are devastated and from this devastation, Midge seemingly stumbles into the profession she never thought she was good at, which she is; stand-up comedy.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a delight. Midge is hilarious. There are a few moments that come from the time it takes place in that could, at times; get a little frustrating. In the beginning, her family wonders what Midge has done to lose her husband and it is truly an awful thing that her parents’ daughter is now alone, for the only thing a woman to be is simply a wife. They even become horrified when finding out she’s gotten herself a daytime job at a makeup counter, because their daughter needs to be at home, cared for by her husband. These little aspects can be bothersome for a modern-day viewer, but Midge regardless and almost effortlessly pursues her dreams, all with the help of her now manager Susie.
Midge is hilarious. Her and Susie’s friendship is hilarious. They are contrasting in every aspect. From their appearance, to their families, to their dress, and every day lives. And as reluctant as Susie is to call Midge a friend, Midge happily wiggles herself into Susie’s heart as Susie continues to help her land gigs. Midge continues to exceed anyone’s expectations, especially the naysayers who believe that women cannot be funny. She proves them wrong each and every time.
While most characters are fictional, the show is not shy on name-dropping real-life celebrities such as Sammy Davis Jr., Jackson Pollock, and many others. Luke Kirby plays Lenny Bruce, who was a real-life comedian; and he is spot on. Kirby once played, recently; a perp in Law & Order: SVU, where I first saw him; and his performance in Mrs. Maisel completely does a 180. He’s charming and a few times you find yourself wanting him and Midge to get together, as Lenny is one of the ones who supports Midge’s stand-up career.
Rachel Brosnahan is the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, who delivers every line on cue and hilariously. Incredibly charming, she can deliver both joy and sadness. Alex Borstein deserves every award for Susie; Michael Zegen is Joel Maisel who plays Midge’s sleazy ex-husband who you might recognize as Randall from The Walking Dead; Tony Shalhoub is superb as Midge’s father Abe, and Marin Hinkle is hilarious as Midge’s overdramatic mother. In season two, Zachary Levi plays a charming and funny doctor who Midge begins to date and oh, did I love their romance.
Everything about this series is utterly enjoyable and if you’re like me, don’t think it’s too peppy and too funny of a name to watch. Turn it on and be addicted. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a joy to watch.
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
