“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” ultimately culminated its narrative by concentrating on the most significant relationship within the series.
Following a sequence of forward jumps throughout the last season and a significant fracture between Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager Susie (Alex Borstein), they were reunited in a distant future, sharing laughs, playful banter, and watching “Jeopardy!” together, much like a comfortably old married couple. Emerging victorious and unharmed from their professional battles, they stood as comedy world champions.
The conclusive sequence was set in 2005, four decades after Midge had her breakthrough on “The Tonight Show” (or “The Gordon Ford Show”), harkening back to the era when a comic’s career hinged on an endorsement from Johnny Carson during a late-night comedy show.
Midge’s crowning moment unfolded after taking a significant gamble, daringly performing her standup act when Ford (Reid Scott, embodying the commanding aura of talk-show stardom) only wanted her as a writer. Her hijacking of the show was a success, and after being invited to join the host, she was swiftly dismissed.
The culmination was fitting, if sentimental, close to a series with ups and downs since its Emmy-award-winning debut. Midge and Susie’s win was contrasted by the unfortunate downfall of Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby), a historical figure who crossed paths with Midge. The premiere showed a 1965 version of Lenny, embroiled in legal issues and losing his entertainment flair.
While Midge’s ascension to fame and the aftermath offered a somewhat joyful conclusion, the series’ heart was truly evident in the final scene, where Midge and Suzy shared a laugh to the sound of “Girls Talk” during the closing credits.
Midge battled various adversities and sexism on her journey, including being the only woman writer on the Ford show. Meanwhile, the show had to navigate challenges, such as over-dramatizing Midge’s family dynamics.
Despite these issues, “Mrs. Maisel’s” keen understanding of the entertainment industry during that period was one of its shining aspects. Midge’s strategic use of Jack Paar as a bargaining chip with Ford was a clever move in the series’ final stride.
Even though the series significantly boosted Amazon’s original programming portfolio, the final season reaffirmed the perception that it needed to meet the high expectations set by its initial offering consistently. And while show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino closed the series with a light-hearted touch that fit the overall theme, it’s difficult to argue that the curtain fell too soon.
