When Amazon first started their own original series we were all rolling our eyes. Another streaming service? How many do we really need? But over the years Amazon has shown that we needed it very much indeed. Especially their hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which is is one of the streamer’s best shows! And here are only a few of the things that make this Amazon comedy so damn good.
Characters, characters, characters
You see, first off this show is about a woman making it big in the ’50s. But not only that, she’s Jewish. This isn’t a realm of history we often delve deeply into on American television.
In fact, every character in the show has a bit of nuance. There are caricatures and mold-breakers, making it more believable than if they had just stuck to one type of character.
Joel and Midge’s families both fit stereotypes respectively, but they are on opposite ends of the spectrum. So, it’s entertaining to see how differently they are represented, yet how they fit into the bigger picture.
The way Abraham and Moishe interact makes you feel that you understand the culture, even if you don’t have Jewish roots. Especially since the show begins with a disaster on the all-important Yom Kippur, the biggest Jewish holiday of them all.
And although the fact that they are, indeed, Jewish is a massive part of each character’s identity, it doesn’t feel over-the-top. Because the point isn’t that they are Jewish but that they are people first and how being Jewish affects that. And that dynamic really resonates with viewers, especially because Jewish people are fairly underrepresented in the media.
Midge Maisel
Above all, Midge is really what makes the show. A now single mother of two, we don’t really get to see much of her mothering side, but that’s because she’s too busy discovering what she really wants out of life now that her culture’s rulebook has been tossed to the wayside.
Her husband left her because he felt life and manhood were threatened because he wasn’t funny enough to make it in comedy. Sadly it is not surprising that a man may convince himself it is the woman holding him back. Which is why it was so interesting to see how things developed between the couple. Neither of them fit the stereotype, as they are meant to be the modern man and woman, which is quite refreshing.
Midge turning Joel down when he wanted to get back together was the first real dive into Feminism that we see.
Midge’s parents 100 percent believe that they need to get back together because otherwise, Midge has failed in some capacity as a woman. But Midge is seeing beyond that. She deserves more and is growing beyond the initial dreams fed to her by her time and culture.
Feminism done the right way
When it comes to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, feminism takes the stage. Literally. Midge is just one of several unapologetic women in this show who fight constantly to be taken seriously or even be seen as equals.
The feminism of this show, however, isn’t in-your-face, as most of the other women characters are challenging toward the moments of feminism and treat them with confusion.
There is a broader appeal to audiences when a show doesn’t take itself too seriously. Above all else, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a comedy and we never forget that. It really takes the edge off in an era where being serious about many of these issues is considered a personality trait.
It is always important to remember that all the issues of this era are intense, and definitely need to be addressed, but that it doesn’t have to always be a lesson, but rather just the reality.
Susie steals the show on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The women of this Amazon comedy truly steal the show. And the relationship between the main duo of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is what carries it all.
Susie is brash and unapologetic and is a huge mystery as we never learn anything about her motives. But that’s okay because she’s a beautiful cinnamon roll to unravel.
Over time she has to learn a bit more about dealing with other’s emotions, and we get the sense she’s never really had a close relationship with anyone before, not in the same way that she does with Midge.
Susie does work hard for Midge’s success and is the only one who truly knows her for quite a long time. And Midge doesn’t take that lightly and has never treated Susie like anything less than wonderful.
Susie being so genuinely unlikeable toward other people is what makes the audience so attracted to her. She is a great example of what it means to be yourself even in the face of everyone’s criticism, especially since everyone is always calling her a man. Nothing seems to bother her when people try to make fun of her, and it’s great.
There’s so much more to Susie and hopefully, season 3, which premieres on Friday, December 6th, will take us on a journey with her for the better.
The comedy is golden
This seems kind of obvious but the humor in this show is comedy gold.
The stand-up flows in a way unlike anything before on television, and Midge delivers it like a professional from start to finish. She is a natural-born comedian and once an audience hears her jokes there is no contest that she is the best.
Raw and unformed she was fantastic, but once she starts honing her act and how she presents herself it forms into a whole new world of funny.
Even when Midge isn’t performing stand-up, she’s hysterical. Her family and her life are always wildly dramatic and iconic in their decisions without it ever feeling unbelievable. The writers of this show really understand the time and culture they are trying to represent, and the actors take their comedic timing quite seriously.
So, do yourself a favor and watch The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel! There will be countless belly laughs that are well deserved as the show unfurls. Amazon definitely did it right! And, given that the show was recently renewed for season 4, it looks like the audience is mesmerized as well.