The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an American period comedy-drama television series that was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, and premiered on Amazon Prime Video on March 17, 2017. It takes place mainly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, with flashforwards to later decades in the final season, and stars Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam "Midge" Maisel: a New York housewife who discovers she has a talent for stand-up comedy and pursues a career in this field. It also stars Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Pollak, Caroline Aaron, Jane Lynch and Luke Kirby. The pilot episode received critical acclaim and the series was picked up by Amazon Studios. The fifth and final season premiered on April 14, 2023, and concluded on May 26, 2023.
The series has also received critical acclaim. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2017 and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2018, with Sherman-Palladino receiving the awards for Outstanding Directing and Outstanding Writing at the latter ceremony. Brosnahan won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2018 and two consecutive Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2018 and 2019. Borstein won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series twice consecutively, in 2018 and 2019; and Shalhoub and Kirby won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series in 2019, respectively.
Premise
Season 1: In 1958 New York City, Miriam "Midge" Maisel, a young, affluent Jewish-American housewife, embarks on a stand-up comedy career after husband Joel, an untalented amateur comic, abruptly leaves her following his dismal set at The Gaslight Café. Drunk and dejected, Midge returns to the Gaslight in her nightgown, and in a bawdy impromptu set, vents her predicament before being arrested for indecency. Midge meets famed comic Lenny Bruce when he is arrested the same night for using profanity in his act. Gaslight manager Susie Myerson, recognizing Midge's raw talent, coaches her on improv comedy.
Season 2: As Midge secretly hones her comic skills at the Gaslight Café, she and Susie also hit the road. Touring is hard and female comics are generally disparaged and discriminated against. Midge rejects comedian Sophie Lennon's notion that female comics need a gimmicky persona to compete in a male-dominated field and instead performs as herself, adopting the stage name, "Mrs. Maisel". After Midge disparages Sophie's corny act, Sophie's vindictive manager gets Midge blacklisted from New York clubs. Midge perseveres and gets a huge break as the opening act for famous singer Shy Baldwin's upcoming tour.
Season 3: Midge balances career and family life while touring with Shy Baldwin; she retools her act for non-New York audiences. After divorcing, Midge and Joel remain in each other's lives while navigating new relationships. Joel branches out by opening a small nightclub in New York's Chinatown, soon discovering the landlords operate an illegal gambling den downstairs. Tensions arise when Midge initially objects to Susie managing other clients, including Sophie Lennon; is unaware that Susie relies on mob connections for professional assistance. After carelessly alluding to Shy's homosexuality during a set, Midge is fired.
Season 4: Following the Shy Baldwin debacle, Midge vows to only do headliner gigs, though with little success. Sophie Lennon gives Midge a professional break before jealously thwarting her career again. Meanwhile, Joel's busy nightclub draws unwanted attention to his landlords' illegal activities. Midge becomes the comic emcee at the Wolford burlesque club, contentedly languishing there until a police raid closes it. Lenny Bruce helps Midge regain her confidence and reboot her career.
Season 5: The story covers the 1960s – 2000s. In the early 60s, Midge, still struggling professionally, is hired as a writer for The Gordon Ford Show and competes against male co-workers. Glimpses into the future reveal: Midge fires Susie after learning her mob ties entangled Joel in illegal activities to protect Midge. As Midge's career climbs, Lenny Bruce descends into drug addiction. After seizing an opportunity, Midge becomes a major comedy star but has a messy personal life with multiple marriages, lost loved ones, strained relationships, including her two adult children, and eventual reconciliations. Throughout, Midge and Joel stay close.
Cast and characters
Main
Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam "Midge" Maisel (née Weissman), an upper-middle class Jewish American housewife and mother who discovers her flair for stand-up comedy after husband Joel abruptly leaves her. Fashion-obsessed and hyper-competent, Midge is hired as a make-up counter girl at B. Altman and starts performing stand-up comedy in clubs across New York, eventually becoming a world-famous comedian.
Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson, who runs the Gaslight Cafe and later becomes Midge's manager after recognizing Midge's natural talent.
Michael Zegen as Joel Maisel, Midge's estranged, later ex-husband, who leaves Midge for his secretary, Penny Pann. He is an aspiring, though untalented, stand-up comic who copies Bob Newhart's routines. Joel quits his uncle's plastics company, later works at his father's garment factory, then opens his own nightclub. Lenny Palmieri portrays a thirteen-year-old Joel in a guest appearance in the episode "Put That On Your Plate!".
Marin Hinkle as Rose Weissman (née Lehman), Midge's fashionable and society-conscious mother who later becomes a matchmaker
Tony Shalhoub as Abraham "Abe" Weissman, Midge's fastidious erudite father, who is a tenured mathematics professor at Columbia University and a researcher at Bell Labs. He leaves academia to return to his social activist roots and later becomes the theater critic for The Village Voice.
Kevin Pollak as Moishe Maisel (seasons 2–5, recurring season 1), Joel's supportive father and the owner of Maisel & Roth Garment Company
Caroline Aaron as Shirley Maisel (seasons 3–5, recurring seasons 1–2), Joel's somewhat overbearing but loving mother
Jane Lynch as Sophie Lennon (season 3, recurring seasons 2 and 4, guest seasons 1 and 5), a successful stand-up comic who uses a fat suit and shtick gimmicks to portray a frumpy, uncouth housewife from Queens in her act. In reality, she is a rich, egotistical, snobbish Manhattan socialite with refined tastes. She professionally clashes with Midge.
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce (season 4, recurring seasons 1–3 and 5), a well-known New York City comedian and Midge's close friend and ally
Reid Scott as Gordon Ford (season 5, recurring season 4), a popular late-night TV talk show host who later hires Midge as a staff writer for The Gordon Ford Show
Alfie Fuller as Dinah Rutledge (season 5, recurring season 4), Susie's secretary; she later is the main manager of Susie's talent agency
Jason Ralph as Mike Carr (season 5, recurring season 4), a talent booker and later a producer on The Gordon Ford Show
Recurring
Introduced in season 1
Joel Johnstone as Archie Cleary, Imogene's husband and Joel's close friend and coworker
Bailey De Young as Imogene Cleary, Midge's best friend
Matilda Szydagis as Zelda, the Weissmans' maid
Nunzio and Matteo Pascal (seasons 1–4), Colin Keane (season 5) as Ethan Maisel, Midge and Joel's elder child.
Ben Rosenfield as an older Ethan Maisel (season 5)
Candace and Kiera Magyar (season 1), Kasey and Morgan Scheuermann (seasons 2–3), Avigayl and Emunah Rosenblatt (season 4), Ireland Jade and Sedona Rose Carvajal (season 5) as Esther Maisel, Midge and Joel's younger child.
Alexandra Socha as older Esther Maisel (season 5)
Brian Tarantina as Jackie, the emcee at the Gaslight. After Tarantina's death, his character dies offscreen of a stroke in season 4.
Cynthia Darlow as Mrs. Moskowitz, Joel's secretary, former childhood nanny, and Penny Pann's replacement
Holly Curran as Penny Pann, Joel's former secretary and girlfriend
Will Brill as Noah Weissman, Midge's brother. He is secretly an analyst for the CIA.
Joanna Glushak as Mrs. O'Toole, the floor supervisor at B. Altman
Justine Lupe as Astrid, Midge's sister-in-law, who converted to Judaism to marry Noah Weissman. Insecure about not being born Jewish, she obsessively observes all religious practices and traditions.
David Paymer as Harry Drake, a powerful talent agent with clients including Sophie Lennon
David Aaron Baker as Charles Connelly, Abe's boss at Bell Labs
Max Casella as Michael Kessler, Midge's lawyer and a former activist acquaintance of Abe's
Steven Hauck as Dawes, Sophie Lennon's acerbic butler
Introduced in season 2
Zachary Levi as Dr. Benjamin Ettenberg, a doctor whom Midge meets in the Catskills and is briefly engaged to after divorcing Joel
Erik Palladino as Frank, a low-level mob enforcer partnered with Nicky who later develops a friendship with Susie
John Scurti as Nick, a low-level mob enforcer partnered with Frank who later develops a friendship with Susie
Leroy McClain as Shy Baldwin, a popular singer who gives Midge her big break as his opening act on tour
Emily Bergl as Tessie, Susie's sister
Colby Minifie as Ginger, Midge's B. Altman co-worker who works at the switchboard
Andrew Polk as Fred, an agent that Susie networks with for booking Midge's gigs
Connor Ratliff as Chester, who stalks Susie and later becomes her roommate
Teddy Coluca as Manny, a worker at Maisel & Roth
Introduced in season 3
Sterling K. Brown as Reggie, Shy Baldwin's manager
Stephanie Hsu as Mei Lin, a mysterious Chinese-American woman Joel dates and who has connections to an illegal gambling ring underneath Joel's new club
Liza Weil as Carole Keen, a bass player in Baldwin's orchestra who becomes a friendly mentor to Midge; she is very loosely modeled on bassist Carol Kaye, though Kaye found the character an insulting representation
Cary Elwes as Gavin Hawk, a renowned actor and Sophie Lennon's co-star in Miss Julie
Jason Alexander as Asher Friedman, Abe's old friend who is a playwright
Wanda Sykes as comedian Moms Mabley
Introduced in season 4
Kayli Carter as Gloria, a burlesque dancer at the Wolford
Gideon Glick as Alfie Zielenski, a quirky magician who Susie manages
Santino Fontana as Boise, the stage manager at Wolford's, a Manhattan burlesque club
Hari Nef as L. Roy Dunham, a newspaper critic reviewing Midge's career
Kelly Bishop as Benedetta, the leader of a matchmaking consortium based in NYC
Jackie Hoffman as Gitta, a NYC matchmaker
Patrice Johnson Chevannes as Miss Em, a NYC matchmaker
Marceline Hugot as Molly, a NYC matchmaker
Chris Eigeman as Gabe, editor of The Village Voice
Milo Ventimiglia as Sylvio, a man Midge meets at Riverside Park
Introduced in season 5
Nina Arianda as Hedy, Gordon Ford's wife
Peter Friedman as George Toledano, producer of The Gordon Ford Show
Gibson Frazier as Dr. Elie Klein
Alexander Gemignani as Janusz, Zelda's boyfriend
Austin Basis as Alvin, head writer at The Gordon Ford Show
Josh Grisetti as Ralph, a staff writer at The Gordon Ford Show
Lucas Kavner as Cecil, a staff writer at The Gordon Ford Show
Eddie Kaye Thomas as Adam, a staff writer at The Gordon Ford Show
Michael Cyril Creighton as Mel, a staff writer at The Gordon Ford Show
Episodes
Season 1 (2017)
Season 2 (2018)
Season 3 (2019)
Season 4 (2022)
Season 5 (2023)
Production
Development
In developing the series, Amy Sherman-Palladino was inspired by childhood memories of her father, a standup comedian based in New York City, and an admiration for early female comics such as Joan Rivers and Totie Fields.
In June 2016, Amazon gave the production a pilot order, with the pilot episode written and executive produced by Sherman-Palladino. In April 2017, Amazon gave the production a two-season order, to be executive produced by Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino with Dhana Gilbert as a producer. On May 20, 2018, Amazon renewed the series for a third season of eight episodes. One week after season three was released, Amazon renewed the show for a fourth season. On February 17, 2022, Amazon renewed the series for a fifth and final season.
Casting
On August 5, 2016, Rachel Brosnahan was cast in the pilot's lead role. In September 2016, it was reported that Tony Shalhoub and Michael Zegen had joined the pilot's main cast. On October 6, 2016, Marin Hinkle was cast in one of the pilot's main roles. In May 2017, it was reported that Joel Johnstone, Caroline Aaron, Kevin Pollak, and Bailey De Young were set to appear in recurring roles.
On May 23, 2018, Zachary Levi was announced to appear in the second season in a recurring capacity. On August 15, 2018, it was reported that Jane Lynch would reprise her role of Sophie Lennon in recurring capacity in season two.
On April 15, 2019, it was announced that Sterling K. Brown would appear in the third season in an undisclosed role. The October 14, 2019, release of the season's teaser trailer revealed that Liza Weil would also play an undisclosed character.
On June 21, 2021, Kayli Carter was announced to appear in the fourth season in a recurring capacity. Other season 4 guest stars include Milo Ventimiglia and Kelly Bishop, who both appeared on Gilmore Girls, which was created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. Additional season 4 guest stars include Jason Ralph (who is Rachel Brosnahan's real-life husband) and filmmaker John Waters. For the fifth season, Reid Scott, Alfie Fuller, and Jason Ralph were promoted to series regulars after having recurring roles in the fourth season.
Filming
Principal photography for the pilot took place from September 27 to October 14, 2016, in Manhattan. Filming for the fourth season began on January 20, 2021 and wrapped in early July 2021. Filming for the fifth season began in late February 2022 in New York City.
Locations
Exterior shots for the Gaslight Club were filmed in October 2016 outside 96 St. Mark's Place in the East Village, the building featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin's 1975 album Physical Graffiti.
Other New York locations included The Village Vanguard jazz club on Seventh Avenue South, a vintage record store on West 4th Street, and Albanese Meats & Poultry, a butcher shop on Elizabeth Street in Little Italy. Exterior scenes set at the B. Altman department store were filmed at the B. Altman and Company Building at Fifth Avenue, while interiors were shot in a disused bank in Brooklyn.
Season 2's scenes set at the holiday resort in the Catskills were filmed on location at a holiday resort on the Oquaga Lake near Deposit. Paris scenes were filmed at various real-life locations in the 2nd arrondissement of Paris, and at the Musée Rodin at Hôtel Biron. One of the hotels in season 3 was the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
Oners
The show makes frequent use of "oners", extended single-shot scenes. "Going to the Catskills" offers a two-minute oner depicting Midge and her family getting rambunctiously resettled in their summer home in the Catskills. It included a half-dozen overlapping vignettes. In "Strike Up the Band", in a 12-page scene, Midge comes into their apartment to find her parents fighting, with her clothes scattered everywhere. In another, Midge and Susie ride in an open Jeep to an airplane hangar where Midge will later open for Shy. The camera follows them from the Jeep into the hangar, where soldiers manhandle her onto the stage, which she crosses while waving to the nearly 1,000 soldiers facing her before she is lifted back into the Jeep.
Design
The "apartment" where Midge and her husband Joel live was created on the same set as the apartment where Midge's parents live, but with more modern (late-1950s) design, inspired in part by Doris Day movies, according to production designer Bill Groom. The "retro" typeface used for the show's logo is Sparkly by Stuart Sandler of Font Diner. The show's distinctive designs and costumes—most notably the women's hats and dresses—led the Paley Center for Media to create an exhibit called "Making Maisel Marvelous" in 2019.
The design of a Cuban dance number in episode 5 of season 3 was inspired by the 1964 film I Am Cuba, which is a favorite film of series cinematographer M. David Mullen.
In December 2019, two costumes from the series were acquired by the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution.
Release
Marketing
On October 10, 2017, the official trailer for the first season was released. On August 9, 2018, a teaser trailer for the second season was released. On October 24, 2018, the official trailer for season two was released. From December 1–8, 2018, Amazon opened up a pop-up restaurant in Manhattan's Nolita neighborhood modeled after Carnegie Deli as it appeared during the 1950s. The restaurant served a menu much more limited than what was actually offered at the original deli with the only two sandwich options being "The Maisel" and "The Susie." Other items offered included mini knishes, black and white cookies, cheesecake, and pickles. As the restaurant was purely for promotional purposes, nothing on the menu cost more than 99 cents, and all the proceeds went to support the Lower Eastside Girls Club.
In August 2019, to promote the show for the upcoming 71st Primetime Emmy Awards, Amazon partnered with various businesses in and around Santa Monica, California, to provide goods and services at 1959 prices. The offer to sell gasoline at $0.30 per gallon led to long queues and traffic jams in front of the gas station that offered the promotion, forcing police to intervene.
Premiere
The series held its official premiere on November 13, 2017, at the Village East Cinema in New York City. It premiered as a part of Amazon's Spring 2017 pilot season on March 17, 2017. The remainder of the first season was released on November 29, 2017. The second season premiered on December 5, 2018, and the third season premiered December 6, 2019.
Season 4's release format changed from the all-at-once binge of previous seasons to weekly releases of two episodes each; the season premiered on February 18, 2022. The fifth and final season, which consists of 9 episodes, premiered on April 14, 2023.
Reception
The series has received broad critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received an overall score of 90% and an overall score of 78 on Metacritic.
Season 1
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 94% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 82 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an upbeat addition to Amazon's original offerings, propelled by a playful yet poignant performance by Rachel Brosnahan." On Metacritic, the series has an average weighted score of 80 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
The pilot episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was one of Amazon Video's most successful ever, achieving an average viewer rating of 4.9 (out of 5). The review of the pilot in The Guardian praised the combination of Sherman-Palladino's "banging dialogue and the utterly winning charm of Brosnahan", while The A.V. Club praised the "outstanding" production design and said "this is a series that's as confident as its heroine—and what a heroine she is." A critic for Slate called the episode "a knockout", stating that the stand-up element "introduces a welcome streak of discipline, both verbal and thematic, into Sherman-Palladino's charming but manic work."
The Jerusalem Post highlighted the exceptionally well done "Jewishness" of the work, calling it a "comedic delight of a show, combining Sherman-Palladino's knack for witty dialogue with the colorful, rich world of 1950s New York and the intensity of family drama and changing times." NPR similarly highlighted the effectiveness of the comedy in the show, calling it "a heroic fantasy."
Season 2
On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season holds a 92% approval rating, with an average rating of 8.2 out of 10 based on 72 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Like Midge herself, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel charges full speed ahead in a second season brimming with warmth, empowerment, and a whole lot of laughs." Metacritic assigned the season a score of 85 out of 100 based on 24 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Karen Lehrman Bloch called it "a timeless, transcendent work of art".
Season 3
On Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds a 79% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.6 out of 10 based on 52 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "As visually spectacular as ever, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisels banter and pace still fly with comedic fury – but shallow social commentary and wandering storylines highlight the show's increasingly superficial tendencies." Metacritic assigned the season a score of 75 out of 100 based on 19 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Alan Sepinwall of Rolling Stone wrote that it offered "a lot of energy and fancy footwork that often makes no sense".
Season 4
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fourth season holds a 92% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.7 out of 10 based on 66 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has seemingly run out of fresh material, but it continues to reward fans with expert delivery and snappy presentation." Metacritic assigned the season a score of 65 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Season 5
On Rotten Tomatoes, the fifth season holds a 97% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.8 out of 10 based on 38 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "All good comedy sets must arrive at a final punchline, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel reliably nails its own with a fifth season that wisely puts Rachel Brosnahan and Alex Borstein's repartee front and center. Metacritic assigned the season a score of 80 out of 100 based on 15 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Official screenplay for "Everything is Bellmore"
2017 American television series debuts
2010s American comedy-drama television series
2020s American comedy-drama television series
2023 American television series endings
Adultery in television
Amazon Prime Video original programming
Catskills in fiction
English-language television shows
Jewish comedy and humor
Television series about Jews and Judaism
Television series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino
Television series by Amazon Studios
Television series about comedians
Television series set in the 1950s
Television series set in the 1960s
Television shows set in New York City
Television shows set in department stores
Cultural depictions of Lenny Bruce
Best Musical or Comedy Series Golden Globe winners
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series winners
Primetime Emmy Award-winning television series