Episode Guide
Pilot Ya Shivu v Bolshom Dome Na Kholme Because You Left The Disappointment of the Dionne Quintuplets Doink Mrs X. At The Gaslight Put That on Your Plate! Thank You and Good Night The story follows Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a picturesque housewife to husband Joel (Michael Zegen). After an incident occurs that sees Joel break things off with Midge, her perfect life is turned upside down. After drinking through her sorrow, she takes to the town and happens upon a dive bar. One heartbroken, drunk woman and an empty mic later, club worker Susie (Alex Borstein) realizes Midge may just be the next hot comedy talent and sets out to see that dream come to life. In many ways, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is a show of two halves. The first tackles societal and political issues in the 1950s during Miriam’s turbulent family life. The second half spins this sharp-witted, drama filled family life into the comedy scenes in various clubs where Midge hones her craft and attempts to become a stand up comedian. There are times where the show is uncomfortable to watch; Midge struggling to get laughs and bombing on stage in front of tough crowds is perfectly written to evoke such strong unpleasantness during these scenes and it absolutely works. The balance between comedy and drama is impeccable too; the episodes tick along with a brilliant ebb and flow, doused with enough drama to raise the stakes without ever feeling forced. Unlike other TV shows that tend to drag on unnecessarily, The Marvelous Mrs Maisel avoids this pitfall with an 8 episode structure that punch hard and hit a knockout during its excellent season finale. Although a few of the subplots are a little rough around the edges, an uneven pacing and a tad too many questions left unanswered do sour the overall experience, there’s enough here to entertain immensely throughout this well written series. Its worth noting too that the show features a great cast of characters that all manage to effortlessly nail the script. Rachel Brosnahan is divine as spunky, heartbroken Midge and is undeniably the star of the show. Opposite Susie’s comedic timing and prickly attitude, the chemistry between the two shines and works wonders, managing to provide some genuinely laugh out loud moments that alleviate some of the more tense, dramatic scenes throughout. That’s not to say the other characters are poor though, quite the opposite, and a lot of this is all down to the way the script effortlessly flows from start to finish. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is simply a great show. The clever use of comedy and drama is harmoniously sprinkled throughout the 8 episodes, fused with some excellent music appropriate to the time period. The pacing is a little uneven at times and the ending leaves a few too many questions unanswered but on the whole, Mrs Maisel is competently made and technically impressive. Whether you’re a fan of period pieces or stand up comedy, the clever blend of the two styles helps Mrs Maisel stand out from the mass of other shows out there. With its believable dramatic moments and genuinely funny comedy, the well written script and excellent cast really help to make the show a success. The Marvelous Mrs Maisel may not be perfect but you’ll be hard pressed to find another show quite like it.
