Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Reid Scott, Michael Zegen, Tony Shalhoub, Marin Hinkle, Caroline Aaron, Kevin Pollak, Nina Arianda, Luke Kirby
The fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel builds up to Midge's (Brosnahan) breakthrough moment in becoming a world-famous comedian, but it also plays with the timeline by showing us scenes from the late 1960's through 2005 in which Midge has already hit the big time and deals with the aftermath of success. There is even a payoff, or at least a closure, in the series' blind spot of Midge rarely having to deal with her two children (who spend a bulk of the time offscreen). We learn how this has affected them when Mrs. Maisel flashes forward to the 1980's. Other characters' fates are similarly revealed and then Mrs. Maisel flashes back to the early 1960's to witness the genesis of these events.
The results are effective and yet the suspense isn't diminished as to when Midge's time to shine will arrive. Midge's manager Susie (Borstein-still a chain-smoking, hostile bundle of energy) pulls strings and lands Midge as a writer on the top-rated The Gordon Ford Show. It is difficult for Midge to break into a man's world of variety-show comedy writing. She is hardly heard and it takes months for a joke of hers to even make it to air. Her co-writers aren't outwardly sexist in their behavior, they simply aren't used to a female perspective. Midge thinks her writing gig will land her a guest spot on the show, but Gordon (Scott) who naturally has eyes for Midge, refuses to allow his writers to appear on his show as a rule. Gordon is also married to a lesbian named Hedy (Arianda), who has a past with Susie which Susie eventually, but reluctantly, uses to her client's advantage.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel continues to use its rat-a-tat, quick-paced dialogue and delivery, which occasionally can be, well, a lot. As usual, though, the show's look and feel of the early 1960's era is equal to Mad Men. What's different this time is the dimensions the characters are allowed to express; with varying degrees of subtlety. It is also fascinating to drop in on these people in the 70's, 80's and beyond and this gives the circling back to the early 1960's some poignancy. What's most emotionally satisfying is how we find out how much these people love each other despite their kvetching, arguing, and fighting. We see inside their hearts, and that's the best part of all.
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