The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an American period comedy-drama streaming television series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, that premiered on March 17, 2017, on Prime Video. Taking place in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the series stars Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam "Midge" Maisel, a New York housewife who discovers she has a knack for stand-up comedy and pursues a career in it. The rest of the main cast consists of Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Pollak, Caroline Aaron, and Jane Lynch. Following the premiere of the pilot episode to critical acclaim, the series was picked up by Amazon Studios. The second season was released on December 5, 2018, and the third was released on December 6, 2019. The series was renewed for a fourth season on December 12, 2019.
The series has received critical acclaim and 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. In addition, Brosnahan won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2018 and two consecutive Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 2018 and 2019; Borstein has won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series twice consecutively for her work on the series in 2018 and 2019 and Tony Shalhoub won Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series in 2019.
Plot.
Season 1.
In 1958, Miriam "Midge" Maisel is a young, upper class Jewish American housewife living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Her husband of four years, Joel, a businessman working at a plastics company, moonlights as a comedian at The Gaslight Cafe, copying more acclaimed comics' material. After one particularly mediocre performance, Joel leaves Midge for his secretary.
A dejected and drunken Midge goes back to the Gaslight where she delivers an impromptu set, confessing her predicament to the audience. While her bawdy delivery enthralls the audience, she gets arrested after flashing her breasts.
Midge meets comic Lenny Bruce, who has also been arrested for obscenity in his act. Midge is bailed out of jail, and she, in turn, bails out Bruce. Inspired to be a comedian herself, she teams up with Gaslight employee Susie Myerson, who becomes her manager.
After Midge and her two children move in with her parents, Rose and Abe, she lands a job at B. Altman, a high-end department store, working at the cosmetics counter. In addition to an income, the job provides material for Midge's act.
Midge visits New York clubs to study other comedians. She meets top comedian Sophie Lennon, who is completely unlike her frumpy on-stage character. Sophie advises Midge to develop her own stage persona, but Midge prefers performing as herself.
After Midge disparagingly reveals in her act that Sophie is actually a wealthy, snobbish socialite, she is blacklisted from every club in the city. However, with Susie and Lenny's help, Midge performs again and proves she can be a professional comic.
Joel secretly watches her act, and, dejected, realizes she is truly talented. After trying out various stage names, Midge settles on "Mrs. Maisel".
Season 2.
Midge's mother, Rose, moves to Paris after her New York social life falls apart. Initially oblivious to her departure, Midge and Abe attempt to persuade her to return home.
Back in New York, two thugs working for Sophie Lennon's manager abduct Susie. They end up befriending and then releasing her with a warning that others may come looking for her.
After enjoying life in Paris with and without Abe, Rose agrees to return home. He arranges for her to audit art classes at Columbia University, where he is a tenured mathematics professor. The family goes on their annual vacation at a Catskill Mountains resort.
Susie, upset that Midge will be away for two months, goes to the resort, and, impersonating a staff person, works on booking gigs in the area. She books Midge at a large hotel where she gives a sexually-charged performance, at first unaware that a stunned Abe is in the audience. Midge meets Benjamin Ettenberg, a successful New York doctor whom she starts dating.
With Abe the only family member knowing about her side-career, Midge continues performing. When she wants to skip an important gig because it is on Yom Kippur, Susie insists that Midge perform; Abe tells Midge it is time to tell the family.
Midge and Susie embark on a short comedy tour outside New York City. Susie books Midge for a spot on a telethon, where Midge meets Shy Baldwin, a famous singer. Susie learns that Sophie Lennon controls the show.
Still angry over Midge having exposed her real identity, Sophie gets her bumped to the telethon's late-night end slot. Emboldened by knowing fewer viewers are watching, Midge's all-out performance is a hit, lighting up the phones with last-minute donations. Her performance prompts Shy Baldwin to offer her a job as the opening act on his six-month tour throughout the United States and Europe, which Midge immediately accepts. Meanwhile, after Susie threatened Sophie for her scheme against Midge and tired of her own act, Sophie asks Susie to be her manager, saying she wants a manager who will fight for her like Susie does for Midge.
Abe considers leaving Bell Labs and Columbia, fed up with their interference in his personal life. Benjamin proposes to Midge, despite her still being married to Joel. After watching Lenny Bruce's act about being alone, Midge ponders the personal cost of a full-time comedy career.
Joel's father Moishe gives Joel a large sum of money, wanting him to pursue whatever he wants to do in life. Joel decides he wants to open a night club.
Season 3.
After ending her engagement with Benjamin and a one night-stand with Joel, Midge kicks off a USO tour with Shy Baldwin, and meets his no-nonsense manager, Reggie. Susie and Midge briefly fall out over Susie managing Sophie Lennon, though Midge later relents, wanting Susie to be independently successful. Joel finds a suitable night club venue in Chinatown, but soon discovers the cheap rent is because an illegal casino operates in the basement. He begins seeing Mei, a woman who helped him procure the space. Mei assists Joel with other tasks, specifically obtaining the pending liquor license.
Abe's leaving Columbia University and Bell Labs has financial repercussions and forces the family to vacate their apartment, owned by Columbia. Rose requests her wealthy Oklahoma oil family increase her trust fund allowance, but then cuts ties with them over their sexist attitudes. Having no other options, Abe and Rose stay at Moishe and Shirley Maisel's new house in Forest Hills, Queens.
Joel and Midge's divorce is finalized before Midge leaves for Las Vegas. After a lackluster opening night, Midge adapts to performing on the road. Sophie's desire to play the lead in Strindberg's play, "Miss Julie", leads Susie to secure producers, a Broadway theater, and a notable male co-star. Joel visits Midge in Las Vegas while Susie is in New York. After a drunken night together, Midge and Joel wake up in bed together to discover that they got re-married. They mutually agree to divorce again.
During rehearsals, Sophie proves she is a talented dramatic actress, but becomes unnerved on opening night and reverts to her comic persona, ad libbing the dialogue. Critics savage the play, forcing its closure. Susie angrily lambastes Sophie for ruining her chance to be a serious actor.
Abe visits his old friend, Asher Friedman, a playwright blacklisted for Communist Party connections. Abe writes an article about Asher's unfair treatment that is published in "The New York Times" which leads to his being offered a job as a theater critic for "The Village Voice".
Lenny Bruce, currently living in Miami, sees Midge while she is performing there. Lenny takes her along to a local live TV show he is appearing on. Lenny ends the night by telling Midge her act is "sensational". Midge discovers that Shy is secretly gay. He occasionally becomes depressed and sometimes disappears for days, missing performances. After one violent encounter, Midge gets Shy on stage, helping to hide his injuries. When the tour goes on hiatus while Shy recuperates, Midge does radio ads, though the pay is sometimes non-monetary. One opportunity for a nationally-aired ad endorsing a woman for public office backfires when Abe tells Midge that the candidate is an anti-Semitic, right-wing reactionary. 
Midge wants her old Upper West Side apartment back, partially so her children can attend Manhattan schools. Moishe agrees to sell her the apartment, with Midge's tour contract as collateral. Meanwhile, Rose discovers she has a matchmaking talent for her friends' unmarried adult children.
Midge arrives for Joel's grand opening and does a short impromptu set when the band has some technical difficulties. After Susie loses most of Midge's earning on sports gambling, she turns over Midge's finances to Joel, knowing he is trustworthy. To repay Midge, Susie, along with her sister, commits insurance fraud by burning down their deceased mother's home.
At her Apollo Theater debut, Midge is reunited with Shy. Backstage, Midge is star-struck meeting Moms Mabley, but is dismayed that she has been billed above Mabley on the program as Shy's opening act. Believing she is not ready for the prestigious Apollo, Midge is stressed that the crowd will resent a white comic. Reggie suggests she discuss Shy and life on the tour in her act, unaware Midge knows that Shy is gay. Midge's gay-inferred jokes almost "out" him. When Susie and Midge later arrive at the airport, Reggie informs them that Shy has dropped Midge from the tour. Distraught, they plead to make amends but are left on the tarmac as the plane takes off.
Production.
Development.
In developing the series, Amy Sherman-Palladino was inspired by childhood memories of her father, a standup comedian based in NYC, and an admiration for early female comics such as Joan Rivers and Totie Fields.
On June 6, 2016, it was confirmed that Amazon had given the production a pilot order. The pilot episode was written by Sherman-Palladino, who also served as executive producer. On March 2, 2017, it was reported that the pilot would premiere as a part of Amazon's Spring 2017 pilot season on March 17, 2017. On April 10, 2017, Amazon gave the production a series order consisting of two seasons. The series was confirmed to be executive produced by Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino with Dhana Gilbert serving as a producer. On October 10, 2017, it was reported that the series would premiere on November 29, 2017.
On May 20, 2018, Amazon renewed the series for a third season which will consist of eight episodes. On October 24, 2018, it was announced that the second season would premiere on December 5, 2018. On August 19, 2019, the release of the third season was announced for December 6, 2019. One week after season three was released, Amazon renewed the show for a fourth 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.
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.
Locations.
Exterior shots for the Gaslight Club were filmed in October 2016 outside 96 St. Mark's Place in the Lower East Side, the building that featured on the cover of Led Zeppelin's 1975 album "Physical Graffiti". Residents of the building were reportedly unhappy about the disruption that the production would cause.
Other New York locations included The Village Vanguard jazz club on Seventh Avenue South, a vintage record store on West 4th Street, and butcher's shop on Elizabeth Street in Little Italy that was also used as a filming location for the 1990 film "The Godfather Part III". 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.
Scenes in season 2 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 made frequent use of "oners", extended single-shot scenes. "Going to the Catskills" offers a 2-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 looking typeface used for the main title is called Sparkly and was designed 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 offer an exhibit called "Making Maisel Marvelous" in 2019.
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.
On November 13, 2017, the series held its official premiere at the Village East Cinema in New York City.
Reception.
In December 2019, two costumes from the series were accessioned by the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution.
Critics.
The series received critical acclaim. On Rotten Tomatoes, it received an overall score of 88% and an overall score of 80 on Metacritic.
Season 1.
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds a 94% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.43 out of 10 based on 81 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 91% approval rating, with an average rating of 8.25 out of 10 based on 70 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 an 80% approval rating, with an average rating of 7.69 out of 10 based on 51 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "As visually spectacular as ever, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel"s 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".