The series picks up after Midge’s epic walk in the snow following her soul-searching chat with Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) in the Season 4 finale. Maisel’s rise to fame was entertaining, but it was also startlingly fast, privileged, and unrelatable.Įnter Season 5. Plus her actual best friend, Susie, was unwaveringly devoted to her (despite some hiccups). Even Joel, the clear villain in Season 1, transformed into Midge’s best friend. But as a rich white girl with both of her parents, a live-in maid and babysitter, plus a roster of friends like Imogene (Bailey De Young) who buckle under Midge’s main character energy and expect nothing in return, Midge really didn’t have a bad life. And yes, sexism is baked into the show’s makeup, as a clear product of the time. Yes, this is a character who constantly gets in her own way. Susie, meanwhile, hitched her whole life to Midge’s ride, and it was Susie’s struggle that ultimately made you root for Midge’s success as her comedy chops developed.īy the time Midge was catapulting towards her goals in subsequent seasons, there were few real hurdles for her to overcome. She wanted something more from her life and she was ready to go get it. And with Susie by her side, Midge’s lack of real struggle wasn’t yet clear. Sure, Midge continuously pawned her children off on her parents and lied to those she loved, but she was doing it for the art, darn it. That launch point created sympathy for the character, setting her up as the underdog. Then, as her world crumbled and she discovered Joel’s affair, Midge turned her ensuing nervous breakdown into an accidental career thanks to the help of her new manager, Susie (Alex Borstein). When we first met Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), she was the stereotypical wife and mother figure of the time, one who measured the size of her daughter’s head and negotiated with the butcher for the best brisket to support Joel (Michael Zegen) and his derivative stolen stand-up act. It’s a noticeable tonal shift for a show with 20 Emmy wins already stuffed under its pillbox hat. But, as in-depth as that discussion gets, the overall message is wearisome and clear: In order to achieve true fame, you need to kick everything else in the keister. Fame, pursuing fame, achieving fame, and how to handle fame once you’ve finally got it are prevalent conversation points when the fifth and final season kicks off. Maisel sure has a dark message about the price of fame. For a show about comedy, The Marvelous Mrs.

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