As the protagonist, Midge is at the forefront of all things radical in Marvelous Mrs. Maisel—right from being one of the very first female comics to questioning (and sometimes, breaking) gender norms, she’s feisty, unafraid, and demanding. But let’s admit it, this doesn’t always paint her as a good person.
Midge is also self-centered, at times naive and an absentee mom, no matter how many times she stresses she can’t go on tour because of her kids. But perhaps there is something feminist even about being selfish.
For all the seasons gone by, her flawed personality is what drives home entertainment, even if it is frustrating. Which is why, in S4, it was refreshing to see her clash with other independent women, who were also radical in their own way.
Our very first punch to the face was Midge’s biggest press critic L. Roy Dunham, who Midge presumed to be a man but turned out to be a woman. Midge is shocked that another woman would disparage her so, but it is quite provoking when Dunham reminds her that journalism, like comedy, is a male-centric field and she must do whatever she can to succeed.
Besides Dunham, S4 highlights the tales of Susie, Mei, Imogene, and Dinah.
One of my favorite moments was when the burlesque performers offhandedly implied that Imogene’s secretarial job (considered to be a respectable one) is subjected to more sexual harassment than stripping.
My only complaint would be that the show did not capitalize on these stories as much as it could. But at least we have one that stands out the most, which is Rose’s own professional endeavors.
Rose Weissman, The Matchmaker
It’s easy to believe that Rose is the polar opposite of Midge. She likes to remain poised and decent. She doesn’t approve of her daughter’s appalling career, and my god, did you really wear that hat with that dress?
But Rose has been on a journey of her own, especially after discovering solitude in Paris last season. She now dives in, being a career woman of sorts, very much mirroring Midge whether she likes it or not. Rose’s matchmaking soon becomes what stand-up is to Midge.
The mother-daughter first clash when Midge’s disreputable stand-up venue becomes a thorn in Rose’s path of gaining more elite clientele. It’s clear that if Midge doesn’t stop, it will jeopardize Rose’s career, which is so, so heartbreaking.
This is a woman who at the age of 50 something has only just begun accepting that she too can be a breadwinner, that she too has agency to be her own success story, enough to threaten others who are well-established in the business.
All these seasons, we’ve been willing Rose to be more like Midge and when we finally get it, we’re made to choose who we’d side with: the rebelling daughter or the mother who’s slowly unlearning her upbringing.
Sadly, the show deals with this conflict with no climax, as Midge is probably going to stop performing at the burlesque club for reasons other than her mother.
Still, in the last few moments of their conversation in Ep 7, I’m happy that Midge redeems herself when she tells her mother she shouldn’t stop matchmaking—especially not because her competitors are telling her to, or because her daughter is proving it to be a challenge to continue.
Midge: No, you go on. You love what you’re doing. You’re happier now than you’ve been in years.
Rose: I did like what I was doing but I’m not like you. I’m not a fighter.
Midge: My journey’s not so different from the one you’re on, Mama […] It’s easy to quit, but don’t. Don’t quit, don’t stop.
This is perhaps the feminist reading we want of Midge Maisel, the protagonist who breaks her mother’s heart by not being a subservient, conventional daughter/wife/woman and teaches her mother the importance of refusing to be one as well.
While I know the show is just as centered on Midge as she is on herself, here’s to hoping that we see some of these storylines explored in more depth in S5. Hey Sherman-Palladino, I’m talking about Mei Lin.
About The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is an American comedy period-drama created by Amy Sherman-Palladino. The show premiered on March 17, 2017, on Amazon Prime Video. The show stars Rachel Brosnahan in the leading role.
The show follows Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a housewife in New York City who discovers that she has a knack for stand-up comedy after she blows up in the comedy spotlight and pursues a career in it.
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