ComScore

'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 4: A Story of Revenge and Going Your Own Way

marvelous mrs maisel season 4 mobile
Prime Video

"You know how there are times in your life when things seem to be going great and then, out of nowhere, BAM! You round the corner, and someone steps in and fucks it the fuck up. You never saw it coming because you were so busy being happy," Midge Maisel proclaims within the first minute of season four of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. On stage at the Gaslight Cafe in Greenwich Village, Midge sets the tone for what will likely be the overarching theme this year.

When we last left her and manager Susie, they were standing on the tarmac at the airport watching in disbelief as an airplane carrying Shy Baldwin, who Midge had been opening for, took off into the night sky. After a great performance at the Apollo Theater, in which she had seemingly made some jokes that nearly outed Baldwin's status as a closeted gay man, Midge had been fired, and her life and career were held in limbo.

180 0385 MRSM S4 UT 401 210310 SAUCHR 00049R
Prime Video

While seasons one and two were fantastic and some of the best TV in 2017 and 2018, the show sputtered a bit in 2019. It started to become painfully evident that Midge, determined as ever to succeed, was never really running into any serious obstacles or issues along the way. For every step backward she took, she moved two steps forward.

In life, we would say "that's great!" as no one roots for conflict in the real world but in television or the movies, it does not make for an interesting watch.

As season four begins, it seems as if the writers heard some of these critiques and aim to address them. Midge and Susie are at the lowest points of their professional lives, and, like a breath of fresh air, the show becomes interesting again. This all isn't to say that we should be rooting against our heroines, but seeing them overcome obstacles with relative ease caused the show to stumble.

The show is able to deftly address those problems and, finally, make it seem as if they won't be solved by the Mrs. Maisel version of a Deus ex machina.

Whatever that might be. A brisket, perhaps?

217 0460 Midge Abe 51A 3 B 1R
Prime Video

We see a return to form in season four and become reminiscent of what made the first two such a fun watch. The stand-up scenes still provide some of the series' best moments, and character interactions feel natural as ever, if not a bit over the top at points, which is, almost certainly, the point.

Both sets of parents, Midge and ex-husband Joel's, provide some of the best comic relief in the show, and the interactions with their kids are painfully relatable for everyone in their 20s and early 30s.

They're at their absolute best when they are embarrassing their kids, Midge and her ex-husband Joel, with one of the best scenes this season occurring on the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island.

003 0040 Midge 1 5 C 1R4
Prime Video

In the first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midge found her start in The Gaslight Cafe, and that's where her new journey in season four begins.

The locations and look of the show have always been vital to Maisel's success and, even when it faltered, you can be sure that it looked great. Whether it's the dark stage of The Gaslight or the bright hallways of her Upper West Side apartment building, the aesthetic has always been on point.

The bright, vibrant colors of Midge's outfits are on full display and contrast with Susie's dark tones, forming an interesting color palette that serves as a reflection of both characters perfectly.

018 0154 MRSM S4 UT 404 040721 SAUCHR 00121RC
Prime Video

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has always been a show about finding your own way and not letting others dictate how to live your life. You may be a housewife one day and a successful stand-up comedian the next, life always has a way to keep things interesting or as Midge says "fuck it the fuck up."

While this new season of the show finds our main characters at their lowest, they seem as determined as ever to bounce back.

If the first few episodes are season four are any indication, that is the plan, and let's hope they are successful in doing so.

Did you like this article?
Thumbs Up
Liked
Thumbs Down
Disliked