Enormous critical acclaim is nice, I’m sure. It is, after all, what television writers and actors aspire to. But there’s also a joy in being a sleeper hit; a cult show that cruises under the radar but develops an obsessed following. Less glamorous, though, is programming that achieves middling commendations, medium admiration. Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is in this latter category: good reviews, a smattering of Emmys, and decent audiences on Amazon’s streaming service can’t hide the fact that Amy Sherman Palladino’s late-1950s comedy-drama has always been a touch unloved. As the curtain comes down with its fifth and final series, is it time to reappraise one of the warmest, wittiest shows of recent years?
Sailor-mouthed comedienne Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) is back, dealing with the fallout of her fling with fellow stand-up Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby). But more than anything, she’s single-minded in her pursuit of a final big break. “I’m not gonna blow it,” she tells Lenny, after she’s offered a job in the writing room of Gordon Ford (Reid Scott). “I’m gonna hold you to that,” he replies. Meanwhile, the management empire of Alex Borstein’s Susie is expanding, Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle – aka Abe (“big old sad floppy clown boy”) and Rose – are facing a string of Job-like misfortunes, and Michael Zegen’s Joel is, once again, having woman troubles. “Can Jews be monks?” he asks in despair. “Because my f***ing relationship track record!”
