Period series have a reputation for being stuffy, but Prime Video’s sparkly, forward-thinking The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is anything but. From the whip-smart mind of Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast is led by Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein, giving the performances of their careers.
In Maisel, Sherman-Palladino combines a visually stunning period setting and glamorous 1950s fashion with the crackling, fast-talking banter that made Gilmore Girls so beloved. While The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel isn’t as iconic as the story of Lorelai and Rory, it’s every bit as engrossing and rewatchable.
What Is The Marvelous Miss Maisel About?
Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) has it all. An affluent Jewish housewife living in a palatial Upper West Side apartment in 1950s New York, Midge leads a charmed life as the wife of Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen) and mother to their two children. However, that all goes “tits up” when Joel informs Midge that he’s leaving her for his secretary in the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel premiere episode.
Crestfallen and shocked, Midge drowns her sorrows with a bottle of wine, and when that’s not enough, she stumbles into the Gaslight Cafe, where Joel sometimes performs comedy for a lark, and takes the stage to drunkenly share her woes with a perplexed audience. However, the crowd soon goes from furrowing their brows to doubling over in laughter, as Midge proves to be a raw and hugely talented comedian.
Midge attracts the attention of Susie Myerson (Alex Bornstein), the Gaslight’s surly manager and talent booker. Susie thinks Midge has what it takes to be a big success in the world of stand-up comedy, and Midge is so lost in her personal life that she agrees to try it out.
From there, the hilarious duo navigates the highs and lows of showbiz. Though Midge has a natural gift for comedy, she has an uphill battle ahead of her as she tries to get a foothold in a male-dominated industry that is keen to remain a boys’ club. Midge may lead a privileged existence offstage, but on it, she must claw her way to the top with her meticulously manicured red nails. And boy, is she ready.
The Marvelous Miss Maisel Is Aging Well
To say that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is eye-popping is an understatement, and the series’s bright pastel color palette is an absolute feast for the eyes, setting it apart from other period shows that look like sepia-toned pictures in a forgotten photo album by comparison. Production value is queen in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, ensuring the show never goes out of style despite its 1950s and ’60s time stamp.
Beyond aesthetics, Midge’s journey is a timeless one. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel takes a lot of inspiration from the story of Joan Rivers, particularly her early career. Yet at the same time, Midge’s underdog pursuit of her artistic dreams, and her pioneering disruption of gender norms, is a story that could be told today — though with very different hats.
Why The Marvelous Miss Maisel Got Canceled
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was both a reliable hit for Prime Video and an awards darling, winning a whopping 20 Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Comedy Series. It seemed like the show could go on forever, as each stage of Midge’s career came with its own trials and tribulations. So, it was a huge surprise when it was announced that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was ending with season 5.
However, while the streaming world sees way too many series prematurely canceled, much to the consternation of creatives and audiences alike, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s conclusion was a mutually agreed-upon decision between Prime Video and Maisel showrunners Amy Sherman-Palladino and Dan Palladino.
The Palladinos had stated that they always knew how they wanted the show to end, and that the fifth season made the most sense for everyone involved. Season 5 was a radical departure in structure, with its frequent use of flash-forwards especially polarizing for audiences.
Ultimately, though, it’s hard to argue that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘s ending wasn’t perfect for its titular protagonist. Even those who were saddest to say goodbye to Midge and Susie have to admit that the show was a joyful, uproarious ride, and proof of the television magic that can happen when streaming platforms trust their creatives.
- Release Date
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2017 – 2023-00-00
- Network
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Amazon Prime Video
- Showrunner
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Rachel Brosnahan
