The streaming wars have been going for a number of years, and every service has their own blockbuster franchises that help to get audiences on the hooks. For Prime Video, one of these big winners is definitely Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. We’re currently deep into the fifth and final season, which is telling an emotional story across multiple timelines. Maisel’s final season has been delivering, but I’m upset about one character that’s been noticeably missing.
Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been an ambitious one, with the flash forwards revealing the wild success of both Midge and Susie, and why they ultimately lost touch. While the cast of Maisel has been given time to shine, one actor has been noticeably missing: Bailey De Young as Imogene Clear aka Midge’s best friend. And it’s been bugging me all season!
While De Young was a guest star on Maisel and not a series regular, she’s been a constant presence throughout the show’s first four seasons. Imogene might not have driven the A story of the show, but she was a scene stealer that showed the world Midge was from before her career in comedy began. And while she’s been referenced a few times throughout Season 5, her absence feels super noticeable.
The lack of Imogene screen time is made all the more painful because her husband Archie is still very much in the show as the business partner of Joel– who got his own wild twist ending in the future timeline. Archie is a far less funny presence in the show, and really hammers the point home that Midge’s bestie is not present for the final season. Smart money says it was just a scheduling conflict, but it’s still a disappointing aspect of an otherwise stellar final season.
Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been airing weekly for those with an Amazon Prime subscription, and Imogene has gotten a few references here and there. Perhaps the most notable was during Episode 6 “The Testi-Roastial”, where 1985 Midge recorded a video for Susie’s roast, extending the olive branch in the process. It’s revealed that Imogene is the woman behind the camera, with Midge trying (in vain) to coach her through using it.
Unfortunately, it looks like actress Bailey De Young won’t be popping up in the final episodes. But she’s far from the only iconic actress who is noticeably missing. Amy Sherman-Palladino has also been open about her disappointment that Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham never got to do a cameo throughout the show’s run. As they say, that’s show business.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel airs new episodes Fridays on Prime Video. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
