After a long hiatus, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 brings a brand-new chapter for its funny lady
By Tom Soares
Hell has no fury like a comedian scorned. Amazon Studios’ funniest lady is back for a brand-new season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and she did not miss a beat.
Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) and starring Rachel Brosnahan as Mirian “Midge” Maisel, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is set in the late 1950’s and tells the story of a Jewish, Manhattan house-wife who becomes a stand-up comedian when her husband, Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen), leaves her for his secretary.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 1 debuted to great acclaim in March 2017, and received some of the most important accolades in the industry, including a Primetime Emmy award for Outstanding Comedy Series, Golden Globes award for Best Television Series Musical or Comedy, and Best Comedy Series at the Critics’ Choice Television awards.
Now, back from a two year hiatus due to the coronavirus worldwide pandemic, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 is ready to show us what happened to our beloved character and her manager, Susie (Alex Borstein), minutes after Midge gets unjustly fired from a life-changing career opportunity.
Furious, humiliated, unemployed and forced to start over, Midge is determined to turn things around and take control of her own life by vowing to never work as an opening act again.
With two episodes being released weekly on Amazon Prime Video, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 does a good job elevating the stakes for its main characters and setting up the stage for its fifth and final season, although forcing Midge to start from zero feels a bit unnecessary.
However, Amy Sherman-Palladino and her husband, Daniel Palladino, continue to deliver strong, comedic writing and their trademark, quick-witted dialogue is better than ever. Meanwhile, production design, art direction, set decoration, and hair and makeup once again bring their A game for season 4.
Additionally, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel would not be the success it is today without its phenomenal cast. Rachel Brosnahan did not miss a beat during the series long hiatus, coming back for this new season in great form. Same with Alex Borstein, who has her own journey this time around as her character deals with gambling addiction and the death of her roommate and friend, Jackie, played by Brian Tarantina, who sadly passed away in real life between seasons.
Emmy award winner, Tony Shalhoub (Abe Weissman), Marin Hinkle (Rose Weissman), and Screen Actors Guild award winners, Kevin Pollak (Moishe Maisel) and Caroline Aaron (Shirley Maisel), also return with great performances as Midge’s very peculiar parents and in-laws, respectively.
With so many talented cast members, it’s unfortunate that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 perpetuates Amy Sherman-Palladino’s well-known tradition of sidelining or completely ignoring actors of color, something she has been criticized for even by big names such as Grey’s Anatomy creator and former executive-producer, Shonda Rhimes. From Gilmore Girls to Bunheads to The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Sherman-Palladino has yet to cast a person of color in a main role, an issue that overtime has become even more visible and hard to ignore.
It is very early to know where The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 is leading and the developments that are coming down the road, but we’re sure in for a fun ride. Diversity problems aside, the series remains one of the best comedies on television today, and a true comedic gem for those who subscribe for Amazon Prime Video.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4, and all its previous seasons, is now available on Amazon Prime Video at no additional cost.