Well, the time has arrived- one of my to-watch period dramas has premiered! The first two episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s fourth season are now available on Amazon Prime (in most countries?) and on the next three Fridays*, two more episodes will be available. I’m going to be doing a running review of this season. This post will stay pinned for the next month and I will add my thoughts each weekend as more episodes air. Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD. Now, with that out of the way, here is my The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4 review!
* They appear to be uploaded at 12am GMT, meaning that they were available on Thursday evening here in North America.
ONCE AGAIN, THERE WILL BE SPOILERS AHEAD; PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK.
General Thoughts on Maisel S4
I’ve rewatched the entire show several times through, but given that it has been over two years since the third season aired in December 2019, I would recommend rewatching the previous seasons of MMM or at least reading a quick recap. There are a lot of storylines happening and it jumps in right away.
I don’t know that I am a fan of the two episodes per week schedule. While I am not against shows that do this from the start, I’m not loving the switch after three seasons. I am sure that Prime has done the research on the best impact, but it changes the way I take in the show- normally I would have taken the Friday off to binge watch. (And then would watch again…)
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E1- “Rumble on the Wonder Wheel”
We are immediately back into Midge’s dramatics, after she and Susie were left on the tarmac after being dumped from Shy Baldwin’s European tour. Given that the fashion is probably one of my favourite parts of the show, I was crushed to see her tearing off her gorgeous clothing and throwing it around. However, what was truly disappointing was the fact that Midge didn’t seem to see an issue with nearly outing Shy publicly (and as of the end of E2, still does not…)
She also doesn’t seem to realise her privilege in essentially all areas of her; being able to buy back her Upper West Side apartment from her father-in-law, having the support and flexibility to pursue a demanding career while others care for her children, etc. I’m hoping that she comes to realise it at some point.
Susie also wasn’t as entertaining as she normally is. The insurance money plot-including discussing insurance fraud while in the insurance company’s building- was always going to be dark, but it feels out of place.
I know that some viewers loved him, but I am not a fan of Alfie the magician (played by Broadway actor Gideon Glick). He presumably hypnotises Susie in a bar while using the standard Amy Sherman-Palladino fast talk, and quite frankly, was an annoying character at best who appeared to be dressed like a character from a Dickens novel. (Glick is a talented actor, so I’m chalking this up to the actual role, not his delivery.)
Joel is definitely turning into one of my favourite characters; I can firmly say he is the only character who actually feels like he has grown. His willingness to help Midge (via fronting Susie) the money shows that he still cares for her, but I’m happy to see Mei is still here!
A lot of viewers didn’t like the ferris wheel scene while they were at Coney Island, but I found it to be one of the only scenes that captured the fun of past Maisel seasons, largely thanks to the four grandparents delivering, as always. Not a terrible episode, but not the strongest by a long shot.
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E2- “Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps”
I’ve got to say, Abe is very enjoyable this season. I’m loving that he has found a job that he loves, and is committing himself 110%. While A Year in the Life ruined Gilmore Girls to the point where I can no longer watch any of it, I was also happy to see Digger Stiles on Maisel. (As long as they stay in smaller roles, I’m happy to see actors from GG and Bunheads, but it can sometimes feel like a bizarre, forced Amy Sherman-Palladino universe.)
I do hope that we get to see more of Rose’s matchmaking business- Rose has always been one of my favourite characters, and she has been in the background thus far this season. In any case, I think that the Weismann family all living together again will lead to a lot more screentime for both Abe and Rose.
While Midge seems to think that she had no role in her being kicked off the tour, it was fun to watch her try to recreate her old life. Talking up her tabs really took me back to the first episode of the series, and I would love more of that. (Which reminds me, I need to find a recipe for those black and white cookies…)
My guess for this season is that Midge will be in a wide variety of venues, and I’m guessing that includes the strip club. Midge ending up back in jail for an evening is another callback to the start of the series, although it says something that that feels normal for her now…
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E3- “Everything is Bellmore”
In some ways, I thought that this was one of the best Maisel episodes in all four seasons. With Brian Tarantina’s passing in November 2019, fans were left wondering how the show would handle it. Although Jackie was a smaller character on the show, people loved him. And I think they marked his death beautifully on the show.
Susie was distraught by Jackie’s death, and handled it by largely freezing- the way that many of us would. I loved seeing her with the Weissman family, and how they all took care of her in their own way. Not only were we able to see Rose in action as a matchmaker (I am hoping we see more of that), we got to see her handling Susie and her grief in a surprisingly thoughtful way.
Abe and his career, Abe and his cape- there is nothing like seeing Abe in his stride. I loved the callback to the Steiner resort family (they are still my favourite episodes), and Buzz. I would have loved to see more of this musical we kept hearing about, but alas, you can only fit so much in.
I have to say, I find Midge’s career simply baffling at this point; the strip club feels like an odd fit. And while I love the broader, “show” scenes, I find that there are a lot of performance scenes at the strip club that start to feel like fillers. In any case, I know that fans everywhere were happy to have Lenny Bruce back in the mix! If they stick with history, we will only have him around for so long, so it was lovely to see him. The rest of the characters seem to have trajectories, but Midge very much feels… stuck. (However, shout out for the Tupperware party!)
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E4- “Interesting People on Christopher Street”
This was another chaotic episode with a LOT happening. I thought the callback to Abe and Rose’s past was fantastic, although Abe did get a little weird with the chalk… I should have been able to do the math but it somehow amazed me that they were young adults in the 1920s. (Abe being an out-of-touch dork at a younger age did not surprise me though….) These two could have their own show covering their entire lives and I would happily watch it all.
I haven’t talked about it much, but I have been rooting for Joel and Mei- they are a great couple. Both are funny, both are driven, and they work well together. Understandably, Mei was weird when Midge showed up at the club, but she had also heard Joel call Midge his wife. I really appreciated that she tried to literally spell out the racism and discrimination that she faced, and that they would face- while I think everyone wants to say “love transcends all”, if you aren’t the one living through it, you can’t make that decision. I really hope they tell the Maisels about their relationship, but even if they don’t, Mei needs to stick around!
While the two mob guys are great fun to watch and seem to genuinely care for Susie, I still can’t help but think that her taking an apartment from the literal mafia isn’t going to end well. However, having someone (not Joel) watch over the money side of her business might at least help with the gambling problem. I had a feeling that Alfie was going to become one of Susie’s clients, and I don’t know if I am happy or angry about being right. I do think that he might become less “magician/con-man” if we see more of him and he isn’t pulling one on someone.
Again, Midge’s job at the strip club is starting to feel like the first season where she was “working the party circuit”. Arguing for the dancers’ rights and putting Boise in his place is fantastic, but it absolutely feels like her career is getting away from her. Quite literally, at the end of the episode, there…
And finally, Midge trying to help Susie find a relationship. While I guess that her not being prejudiced against LGBTQ people in the 1950s/60s is “daring” (for the time), it was incredibly frustrating that she wouldn’t listen to Susie when she said she wasn’t interested in a relationship. Many viewers have said that Susie is asexual/aromantic, and that is very possible, but I do think the point is that Susie is choosing to focus on her career (like Midge herself has done). However, if Susie is ace, it is one of the first ace characters I remember seeing, so that is a great step either way.
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E5- “How to Chew Quietly and Influence People”
I was a tad confused by Midge’s sling until I remembered that she fell off the stage at the end of episode 4… I had thought it will play a bigger role but alas alack. And I did love seeing Midge and her father “working” together, that’s a wonderful element this season.
Originally I loved Joel and Mei together, but their relationship feels ill-fitting now and like it’s being forced. Mei doesn’t want to meet the Maisels or really push their relationship any further, and Joel doesn’t appear to get that message. I didn’t expect her to bail after saying she would meet them, but I’m also not shocked.
Shy Baldwin finally reappears! I loved Midge and Susie at the wedding, and I loved all of the performances. I am happy to finally see Midge acknowledge that she did massively screw up and recognise that there is no going back for their friendship. One of the most thoughtful and touching scenes this season.
This will be a running theme that I will only comment on sparingly after this- Alfie annoys me and he feels like a distraction.
Rose’s matchmaking business is taking off, and she is working for a Gilmore Girls alum to boot. This has been one of my favourite story lines this season and I’m hoping we get more of it. (She is one of the stars of Maisel if you ask me.)
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E6- “Maisel vs Lennon: The Cut Contest”
I will start with the end of the episode- I’ve got no clue why we are once again rehashing Midge and Sophie’s rivalry. It felt fairly “finished” last season, this feels pointless. Was it mildly entertaining to see the two sling insults at each other? I guess, but it didn’t add anything to the show.
Back to the beginning. At the end of episode 5, Midge had spotted someone on the street and stopped her cab. Well, it turned out to be Lenny Bruce, and he wakes up in her apartment the next morning after sleeping it off. Meeting the whole Weismann clan, as well as Zelda, was overwhelming, and I can understand why he booked it out of there in any situation. However, factor in his drug-use and it takes on an even more serious tone. Lenny has always been an entertaining character, but I am glad that they are starting to reference his addictions. When you use a historical figure in a period drama, it’s difficult to avoid their actual fate.
We finally meet L. Roy Dunham. LRD is a female journalist, not male as Midge and Susie had assumed, and a very successful journalist. (She’s snagged a desk by the window.) She explains to Midge that it is just business, and she is trying to make her mark in spite of being a woman (much like Midge). I’ll admit, I did not realise that the actor was a transgender woman until reading discussions after, so I think that scene has more impact knowing that, as well.
Mei meets Joel at the club, and tells him that she is pregnant. She’s got a life plan that doesn’t include kids right now, he’s got the club, and this feels like a lazy copy of the Gilmore Girls plot. However, maybe this will finally silence the Midge-Joel vibes.
And finally, Rose is invited to the Women’s Small Business Luncheon! She arrives, only to find out that a mafia of matchmakers have carved out New York into territories and tell her to stop matchmaking immediately. The amazing Kelly Bishop from Gilmore Girls steals this scene…
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E7- “Ethan… Esther… Chaim”
Milo Ventimiglia finally makes his long-awaited appearance… and I thought it was hilarious that it was short and disastrous. I read many fan theories suggesting that Midge would end up with him at the end of next season, buuuuuut that’s not happening now.
ARGH, YET MORE ALFIE. I know he’s a permanent fixture until the show ends, but I’m still not here for him. It feels like he has an issue with Midge, and attempts to take it out on Rose. Or at least is clumsy and/or arrogant enough as a performer to not care who is trampled on.
Rose’s performance of Midge’s set from The Wolford was incredible, though. She steals the show like always, and that is even factoring in the Weismann family’s reactions to her hypnotised performance. I do wonder if Midge will ever learn to not throw everyone she holds dear until the bus of her comedy, though… Perhaps seeing it as an audience member will flip a tiny switch?
Joel attempts to tell his father that his girlfriend- that his parents have yet to meet- is Chinese. And that she is pregnant. Moishe unfortunately has a heart attack at that very moment. Throughout the episode and the next, we see him unconscious in the hospital, and it is truly difficult to watch. It was lovely to see both families pull together when it mattered, though.
Midge’s career gets a big boost as she is invited to play at a women’s event for JFK’s presidential campaign. She plays to the crowd, that includes Jackie Kennedy, well until she starts talking about being the other woman after her earlier tryst and getting caught by his wife. I don’t know if this is another case of Midge just being an idiot who doesn’t pay attention to who she is performing for, or if she actually didn’t know about JFK’s wandering eye. In any case, it doesn’t seem great for her career.
I had thought that there would be some serious ramifications from Susie taking help from the literal mafia, and we are finally starting to see that playing out. I suspect we will get more next season.
Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4E8- “How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall?”
While I loved the previous episode, this may be one of my favourite episodes in the entire show.
To start with, Moishe woke up from his heart attack!! And Abe read the obituary he wrote for Moishe which might be the sweetest moment that has ever happened on the show. While I don’t love the diversions away from the main plot, I would take more time with Moishe and Abe together. I also loved when Moishe came home, and took Joel aside to reassure that the heart attack was a coincidence, that he doesn’t care what race his girlfriend is, and that another grandchild is something to celebrate.
Lenny gets Midge a gig opening for Tony Bennett, and she tells Susie to not even take the call because it’s not headlining. I have to say, I don’t think Susie is a good manager for Midge, because she has literally no influence over her. (Perhaps in the final season, we will see her with new clients who listen to her…?)
Midge’s attempt to talk with Mei about their interconnected future was a mature approach, and I think shows that she is in fact a mother. (I know a lot of fans say that she basically has no kids but they aren’t typically relevant to the plot…) Mei’s response, however? It shows a woman who has not accepted that she is pregnant and not okay with the current trajectory of her life. No idea where that storyline will head but definitely still in motion.
Midge’s comedy performance at The Wolford on the importance and strength of women was incredible. Not necessarily funny, but true- and well-timed to air on the week of International Women’s Day. I thought the raid was interesting and fun to watch. (Okay, fun isn’t the right word, but entertaining, perhaps?) Running out into the snowstorm made me feel at home in this dead winter…
Lenny and Midge finally get together! While a lot of the Maisel fandom more than wanted to see the two together, I didn’t care either way. However, I think that this was done beautifully and thoughtfully. Her discovery of his heroin (I think it’s heroin) right after made it clear that it was not a permanent situation- he is not her happily-ever-after. (The real Lenny Bruce died in 1966 of a morphine overdose.)
And when Lenny pulled Midge on stage after his set at Carnegie Hall had ended to tell her to get her shit together and not put him on a pedestal was brilliant. Midge’s “I only headline” manifesto is insane and not how entertainment works. It was a nice reminder that even before the age of social media, the idea of only seeing the good parts of someone’s life was a real thing. Now to wait for the next season….
Final Thoughts on Season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel?
This season was a tad more meandering with only eight episodes. However, the last two episodes more than made up for the rest of the season. This season feels slightly heavier and darker, but I think that only shows that being a comic is not all fun and laughter.
What did you think of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel S4?
Cheers,
The Historian
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
