The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Network: Amazon.
Episodes: 43 (hour).
Seasons: Five.

TV show dates: March 17, 2017 — May 26, 2023.
Series status: Ended.

Performers include: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Pollak, Caroline Aaron, Jane Lynch, Luke Kirby, Reid Scott, Alfie Fuller, and Jason Ralph.

TV show description:
A historical comedy-drama from creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV show centers on Miriam “Midge” Maisel. Her story kicks off in New York City in the late 1950s and early ’60s, with Mrs. Maisel as an Upper West Side housewife and mother of two children. Although Midge seems to be living in a picture-perfect world of domesticity, cracks soon emerge.

Despite an apparent lack of talent, Midge’s businessman husband, Joel (Zegen), aspires to be a standup comedian and is not above stealing the acts of pros, like Bob Newhart. As a devoted wife, she accepts Joel’s explanations and always goes above and beyond to support his dreams. After all, her life is unfolding exactly as she had always planned.

One evening, following a particularly dreadful performance, Joel leaves her for another woman and upends Midge’s entire existence. After a tipsy, spontaneous turn at the mic, during which she bares her chest and is arrested on a morals charge, Midge meets Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby) at the jail. Although he discourages her from a life in comedy, she views this as a challenge.

When she informs her parents about Joel’s defection, all her mother, Rose (Hinkle), can worry about is what their rabbi and friends will think. Meanwhile, although Midge’s father, Abe (Shalhoub), reveals he always thought Joel was weak, he insists she woo him back. Abe doesn’t believe his daughter can make it without a man.

Susie Myerson (Borstein), an employee at the Gaslight Cafe where Joel worked the stage, bails out Midge after her indecency charge. Wowed by Midge’s raw talent, she decides to help this young woman develop and fine-tune her act. After putting in some time in Greenwich Village nightclubs, Midge finally blazes a trail all the way to The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

All bets are off, as she forsakes her life of hosting elegant Yom Kippur dinners to pursue her new passion. With two little kids and a broken heart, can Midge really start all over? Stay tuned.

Series Finale:
Episode #43 — Four Minutes
The finale starts in 1965 and follows some of the characters through the years. The story ends in 2005 with Midge, now in her 70s, living alone in a very nice Manhattan apartment and maintaining a busy tour schedule. She calls Susie, who’s now retired, and they watch an episode of Jeopardy! while joking and reminiscing about the past.
First aired: May 26, 2023.

What do you think? Do you like The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel TV series? Should this TV show have ended or been renewed for a sixth season on Prime Video?