After five seasons of snappy banter, fabulous outfits, sensational production design, and terrific performances, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” comes to a close this week. The series, from creator Amy Sherman-Palladino and executive producer Daniel Palladino, stars Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam “Midge” Maisel, who goes from spoiled daughter and wife to aspiring comedian and divorcee after discovering her husband, Joel (Michael Zegen), has been unfaithful to her.
When it premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2017, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” boasted the smart, snappy dialogue fans of Sherman-Palladino (“Gilmore Girls” creator) have come to expect. The story begins in the late 1950s, and Season 5 takes place in the early 1960s and includes flash-forwards, in which we see how events from the past played into what happens to Midge, Joel, and the other characters.
While the main plot has centered on Midge and the obstacles a female comic encounters trying to make it in a male-dominated show business, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” has also featured a bevy of delightfully drawn and acted supporting characters. . .
Alex Borstein stars as Susie Meyerson, a rushed and unsentimental manager working to further the career of her client Midge. Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle play Abe and Rose Weissman, Midge’s parents, who have mixed feelings about Midge trying to get her the big break in comedy while she’s also divorced and the mother of two. Kevin Pollak and Caroline Aaron play Moishe and Shirley Maisel, Midge’s former in-laws and Joel’s parents.
A notable guest star is Luke Kirby, who gives an excellent performance in several episodes as Lenny Bruce, the comedian who, in real life, sparked controversy, suffered a drug addiction and met with a sad ending. In the world of “Maisel,” at least so far, Kirby has made Bruce something of an inspiration for Midge, and the chemistry between Brosnahan and Kirby has been a highlight of the series.
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” has had its ups and downs, but at its best, the show has provided viewers with a refreshingly complicated female lead who can be both charming and self-absorbed, fantastic use of music, and beautifully directed moments of comedy, romance and drama. Along the way, the show has garnered 20 Primetime Emmy Awards, along with a Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globes, and more.
How will it end? In this final season, Midge has once again been a trailblazer, as the first female writer for “The Gordon Ford Show,” a talk show with a Johnny Carson-esque host (played by Reid Scott). Will she break another glass ceiling and will she be the first writer on the show to perform a stand-up on camera?
Viewers will have to wait to find out when the series finale, Episode 9, will air on Amazon Prime Video. And when will be that? Amazon Prime Video announced that the finale will air on Friday, May 26. But as Decider points out, “Prime Video releases new content at midnight, but episodes are usually available to stream at 12:00 am GMT, which means ‘Maisel’ fans could catch the finale as early as 8. :00 pm EST or 5:00 pm PST on Thursday, May 25.”
I know I’ve been able to watch Season 5 episodes on Thursday nights, so assuming that’s true for the finale, those of us in the Pacific time zone will be able to see how it all ends early.
One other thing: According to Prime Video, Sherman-Palladino and Palladino “know ‘exactly’ what the ‘last footage’ and ‘last moment’ of the series will be,” which they’ve known since the season 4 finale last year.
—Kristi Turnquist
503-221-8227; [email protected]; @Kristiturnquist
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