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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: The year is 1960ish and we are going to follow the story of Miriam "Midge" Maisel as she transforms from housewife to standup comedian. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOmwkTrW4OQ Seasons 1-4 are on Amazon now. Characters Rachel Brosnahan - Miriam 'Midge' Maisel Our 'Hero'. Has her life turned upside down when her husband, angry that he's bad at standup, reveals he's been cheating and wants a Divorce. Talks like Jerry Seinfeld. Alex Borstein - Susie Myerson Suzie Meyerson of Meryson and Associates and also works at the Gaslight, a club with a regular open mic night and after witnessing Midge's "debeut" becomes her manager. Talks like an angry Jerry Seinfeld Michael Zegen - Joel Maisel Midge's Ex-husband and not really funny guy. Quick talking Jerry Seinfeld if he was divorced with two kids. Marin Hinkle - Rose Weissman Midge's Mother, her arc is about finding her place in a world where she has already done 'her job' of raising a family. By season 3 she finds it in being a matchmaker Refined, drunk Jerry Seinfeld Tony Shalhoub - Abe Weissman Midge's Father, professor at columbia, and searching for his dream job at Bell Labs. Talks like Jerry Seinfeld if he was slow and tired Matteo Pascale, Nunzio Pascale - Ethan Maisel Midge's son. His characterization is just yelling while running in the scenes he's in. Matilda Szydagis - Zelda The Weissman's live-in Polish Maid. Talks like Jerry Seinfeld using an offensive accent Kevin Pollak - Moishe Maisel Midge's Father-in-Law. Owns a dress shop. Saved THIRTEEN Jews! Invented breatheable fabric for your nuts! He's well off And will provide some financial stability in the lives of all the characters. When Abe loses his job and apartment they have to live with him and Shirley. He also finaces Midge's reacquisition of her apartment. Had a heart attack, got better! Talks like a smug Jerry Seinfeld. Caroline Aaron - Shirley Maisel Moishe's Wife. Smarter than she looks. Basically Mrs Castanza, but Jewish. Joel Johnstone - Archie Cleary Joel's best bud and Imogine's husband eventual business partner. Jerry Seinfeld in a bit role. Bailey De Young - Imogene Cleary Midge's best bud and Archie's wife. Ruthless about Tupperware. Mother. Small Lady-Jerry Luke Kirby - Lenny Bruce Foul-mouthed comedian who pushes the limits of New York's blue laws and constantly getting arrested. Will they? Won't they? It's four seasons. Of course they did Jane Lynch - Sophie Lennon Thee Sophie Lennon! A living legend! She got a lot of people through the depression. A bit of a has-been who's mutinously curated her image as Sophie from Queens. Hates Midge. Jelous more like. She's at the end of her career and Suzie managing to revive it twice shows us that Suzie, at least, is actually good at her job! Stephanie Hsu - Mei Chinese Jerry Seinfeld And Joel's Baby-mama. Realizing that this might mean marriage and having to give up her med-school dreams was an unresolved issue of season 4 Cynthia Darlow - Mrs. Moskowitz Joel's Secretary after he fucks the other one.Good at her job, and an old woman Jerry Seinfeld. LeRoy McClain - Shy Baldwin Musician who represents Midge's First big break. She accidentally 'outs' him as gay to a home crowd, and gets canned as the ending of season 3. It shows how Midge, ultimately, will only care about herself. You know, like Jerry Seinfield. I watch it because it's unapologetically Jewish, and for whatever reason my wife likes it. But you'll notice that nearly all the charcters have a report and timing like they're all Jerry Seinfeld. I thought Midge was the commedian and here's everyone and their mothers crackin' wise with perfect timing. It's a love letter to stand-up comedy that keeps getting it's toes right up to the line of saying something but then ultimately backing off. Come! Bookmark this thread for next season! Feel free to ask what all the yiddish words are, and don't be a shvantz! And don't forget your wife's brisket! HootTheOwl fucked around with this message at 01:19 on Mar 15, 2022 |
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Mar 15, 2022 01:17
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I’m still going through season 4 and it’s very funny and charming still but oh MAN is Midge an entitled jerk this season
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Mar 27, 2022 13:56
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I basically hate-watch this show. Midge Maisel is genuinely one of the most hateful characters in all fiction. As a general product the show is essentially Mad Men if it thought it was way funnier than it actually was and was completely missing the subtext that both the main character and the 1960s were terrible.
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Mar 28, 2022 00:56
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Comrade Fakename posted:I basically hate-watch this show. Midge Maisel is genuinely one of the most hateful characters in all fiction. As a general product the show is essentially Mad Men if it thought it was way funnier than it actually was and was completely missing the subtext that both the main character and the 1960s were terrible. They're just jokes!
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Mar 28, 2022 01:26
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As a lifelong Catholic, Abe introduced me to a scenario I've never needed to consider. I've asked around and no one knows what to do with his unique problem.
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Mar 28, 2022 02:44
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Sash! posted:As a lifelong Catholic, Abe introduced me to a scenario I've never needed to consider. I've asked around and no one knows what to do with his unique problem. As per transubstantiation I would imagine that the wafer hasn't turned into Jesus' flesh until it's down the gullet, so Abe would be free to throw it away.
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Mar 28, 2022 12:57
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I do love Mrs. Maisel, but I'm not sure how I feel about Lenny Bruce being a returning character. Using him right at the beginning kinda made sense as a reference point, but now we're having him become interwoven plot points and it feels a bit off to use a real person in fiction. I know Carol Kaye wasn't particularly enthused by the Carole Keen character that was based on her, and ASP really probably should've at least approached her first. Doing it to someone dead and not even changing the name, it feels a little bit disrespectful. The season ending has pushed me into yet another rewatch of Gilmore Girls though, so there's that. Anyone who likes Maisel and never bothered with GG really should give that show a shot. At it's best it's just so so great, and if you vibe with ASPs writing from Maisel then it's just that in abundance. Side characters are far, far better too imo.
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Mar 28, 2022 17:15
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Having never watched Seinfeld but loving this show, would I vibe with Seinfeld? Or should I just leave it alone and stick with this?
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Mar 29, 2022 00:04
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Aces High posted:Having never watched Seinfeld but loving this show, would I vibe with Seinfeld? Or should I just leave it alone and stick with this? There two major differences: We are supposed to understand that Jerry and co are poo poo. There is a laughtrack. Oh and its a 90's sit com so while there's continuity, there isn't an over-arching plot.
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Mar 29, 2022 01:57
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are you saying that everyone in Mrs. Maisel isn't a lovely person? I mean, based off of what Susie said when she hijacked another funeral service so she could give Jackie a proper send-off I think the only truly good person on the show is Jackie, and all he does is manage a dive bar.
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Mar 29, 2022 03:06
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Aces High posted:are you saying that everyone in Mrs. Maisel isn't a lovely person? I mean, based off of what Susie said when she hijacked another funeral service so she could give Jackie a proper send-off I think the only truly good person on the show is Jackie, and all he does is manage a dive bar. I'm saying one show wants us to believe they are and the other wants us to believe they aren't.
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Mar 29, 2022 03:14
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Abe and Dody are good people and I will have nothing of the opposite said about either of them. And that magician guy who I'm pretty sure is an actual loving sorcerer.
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Mar 29, 2022 04:33
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I really enjoyed seasons 1-3 and felt each one had a strong setting and arc, but season 4 was just a mess to me. They were introducing little random plots and characters left and right and just letting them wither, it felt so shallow. Almost every character has become somehow both selfish and self-destructive, so every major plot scene results in them taking a major L and pissing off the people around them. The characters constantly whine about having no money and then pass up every opportunity to get some easy cash. It made no sense when Midge refuses $12,000 (over $100,000 in today money) to just keep quiet about Shy Baldwin. Abe pretty much blows up all of his relationships this season (until the very end). Also, I know the show's halfway between a cartoon and reality, but there were a shitload of contrived events just to force characters to react to them. It was almost like watching a Final Destination movie where the universe itself had it out for these people. The worst offender was Archie getting the bag of money stolen out of nowhere in an early scene just so that Joel would be angry in his meeting with Midge at the diner. And what the gently caress was with both Alfie and Susie not realizing it was a bad idea to pick Midge's mom out of the crowd and have her ruin their family relationships like that at the magic show. And why was Noah randomly back without an introduction or goodbye??? And are there really crazy early November snowstorms like that? Why didn't they just go past election day for the finale and have it set in December? Just sloppy writing all around. EL BROMANCE posted:I do love Mrs. Maisel, but I'm not sure how I feel about Lenny Bruce being a returning character. Using him right at the beginning kinda made sense as a reference point, but now we're having him become interwoven plot points and it feels a bit off to use a real person in fiction. I know Carol Kaye wasn't particularly enthused by the Carole Keen character that was based on her, and ASP really probably should've at least approached her first. Doing it to someone dead and not even changing the name, it feels a little bit disrespectful. JazzFlight fucked around with this message at 16:15 on Mar 29, 2022 |
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Mar 29, 2022 16:11
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EL BROMANCE posted:I do love Mrs. Maisel, but I'm not sure how I feel about Lenny Bruce being a returning character. Using him right at the beginning kinda made sense as a reference point, but now we're having him become interwoven plot points and it feels a bit off to use a real person in fiction. I know Carol Kaye wasn't particularly enthused by the Carole Keen character that was based on her, and ASP really probably should've at least approached her first. Doing it to someone dead and not even changing the name, it feels a little bit disrespectful. Lenny is literally the only interesting part of the show imo. The rest of what is going on is just zero stakes and very hard to care about.
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Mar 29, 2022 16:24
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I'd definitely like an actual show about Lenny, he seemed a super interesting dude in real life and I don't know near enough about him. It'll probably not happen due to it being a bit redundant due to Maisel now, sadly.
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Mar 29, 2022 18:36
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JazzFlight posted:] And are there really crazy early November snowstorms like that? Why didn't they just go past election day for the finale and have it set in December? Just sloppy writing all around. Especially because there actually was a major snowstorm in early December 1960. New York got 17 inches. They had to activate the National Guard to clear drifts in Manhattan.
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Mar 29, 2022 19:07
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All I know about Lenny Bruce is what I have seen on the show, but I agree that he is one of the best parts of it.
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Mar 29, 2022 19:26
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Lenny Bruce's historical Carnegie Hall performance was during a blizzard, but it was on February 4, 1961.
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Mar 29, 2022 23:05
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I wasn't paying close attention because I lowkey hate the show. Any chance the blizzard was JFK's inauguration rather than his election? There was a big nor'easter on January 19-20 for his inauguration. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_1961_nor%27easter
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Mar 29, 2022 23:39
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i like nice words
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EL BROMANCE posted:I do love Mrs. Maisel, but I'm not sure how I feel about Lenny Bruce being a returning character. Using him right at the beginning kinda made sense as a reference point, but now we're having him become interwoven plot points and it feels a bit off to use a real person in fiction. I know Carol Kaye wasn't particularly enthused by the Carole Keen character that was based on her, and ASP really probably should've at least approached her first. Doing it to someone dead and not even changing the name, it feels a little bit disrespectful. I've liked Mrs. Maisel by and large, so I'll try to give GG a shot even though it's not my typical type of show. The heightened reality of the show works for me, and I feel like it's been present in shows (especially sitcoms) more than people remember, though it's obviously more prominent than usual here. Shaloub and Pollack do plenty of heavy lifting for me as supporting characters since I like them both a lot in anything I see them in. The actress that plays Midge's mom also got the coolest scene I can recall her having this season too. I also like that they haven't tried to make Midge a paragon that's held down by sexism but is a pure hero fighting that good fight (my go-to example of that dynamic is the Sharon Carter ABC show). That sort of thing can definitely work, but it's more interesting when the women involved in that sort of narrative are more rounded and realistic. I like that Midge has blindspots due to her privileged upbringing, and that she goes too far in comedy in ways that screw her over, and that she's done things that make it easy to hate her or judge her. I also like that she keeps going out there and trying to succeed in comedy and that she's usually funny when she performs. Despite my praise for the show, I can agree that the writing can be hit or miss at times in terms the actual plot decisions/actions by the characters, but I can at least justify that by the fact that people don't always act the way you think they would or respond how you think they would to new situations. The dialogue and overall vibe of the show work for me, which helps me forgive other writing/plotting issues, though I can certainly see why some people wouldn't like it or would even hate it. For what it's worth, Lenny Bruce's daughter is by all accounts very happy to see her father on the show and thinks they're doing a great job of presenting him on it. I know Bruce's actor snagged at least one Emmy and I'd call him an early frontrunner for another Emmy based on his performance in the S4 finale, which features him imitating a famous stand-up appearance by Bruce and following it up with a big dramatic monologue, and I feel like imitations and monologues like that are catnip to the Emmy people. So I'm sure that actor's quite happy with the whole situation, and I expect this show to act as a nice breakout gig that'll lead to something really cool for him.
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Mar 30, 2022 01:01
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Well I’m glad to hear someone in his direct family is happy, that quashes how I feel a good chunk. I do like the actor, character etc just get a bit weirded out because the real guy had no say, but that’s as good as you could ask for really.
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Mar 30, 2022 01:25
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I’m also a big fan of the show. My wife started watching it years ago and I sat in on a few episodes, but never made the effort to elevate it on my backlist of shows to watch until season four. It reminds me of Parks and Rec in a way: lots of talented and witty actors and writers, with a semi-wholesome yet flawed ambitious protagonist. I think at this point the writers are struggling with too many excellently portrayed characters who’ve outlasted their narrative purposes in the larger arc of Midge’s journey. Technically, there’s no real reason for us to still have time given to Joel, Mei Lin, or Joel’s parents, but it’s fun to see them on the tv, even if whatever they’re doing makes no goddamn sense half of the time.
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Mar 30, 2022 23:15
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Oh my GOD that loving Kennedy fundraiser scene
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Apr 5, 2022 23:59
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Gumby posted:I’m also a big fan of the show. My wife started watching it years ago and I sat in on a few episodes, but never made the effort to elevate it on my backlist of shows to watch until season four. It reminds me of Parks and Rec in a way: lots of talented and witty actors and writers, with a semi-wholesome yet flawed ambitious protagonist. One of the things I have enjoyed about the show is that none of the characters are disposal or one note, only serving to accomplish a particular plot point. For the most part, if the show spends anytime at all on a character, you can bet we will be seeing them again and I think that takes real creativity in the writing to do.
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Apr 6, 2022 00:19
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Wow this illegal strip club is spending the new income on some very elaborate sets Even when this show isn’t great it’s always wildly entertaining
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Apr 6, 2022 00:27
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Yeah that was my favorite part about the new season to be honest, that club is just wonderful.
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Apr 6, 2022 02:00
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Not sure why no one revived this thread for the show’s final season. But it was a terrific season and a perfect series finale. I like how the Gordon Ford arc landed, I respect how restrained they were with the Lenny Bruce arc, and I appreciate how they kept the story anchored on Midge, unlike in that troubled Paris season. I will miss this show. It landed all its laughs, the set design was gorgeous and the acting was impeccable. Rachel Brosnahan is maybe the best casting decision for a comedy in the past decade.
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Jun 1, 2023 07:42
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The only thing that I thought the finale lacked was any real tie back to her daughter in the present day, like the season started. Other than that, it was a pretty good conclusion.
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Jun 2, 2023 16:14
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Thankfully this show ended. I think by the end they did realise what a monster they had created in Midge and made her wildly successful but alone and abandoned by her family and friends (though they threw her a bone and let her reconcile with Suzie). It’s a weird show, where I wonder if they had any idea where the character would end up when they started. Midge mentions Joel cheating on her in her final monologue, presumably as a “full circle” moment, but it was a bit surreal as that precipitating event has barely been mentioned in seasons!
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Jun 3, 2023 03:13
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Comrade Fakename posted:Thankfully this show ended. I think by the end they did realise what a monster they had created in Midge and made her wildly successful but alone and abandoned by her family and friends (though they threw her a bone and let her reconcile with Suzie). It’s a weird show, where I wonder if they had any idea where the character would end up when they started. Midge mentions Joel cheating on her in her final monologue, presumably as a “full circle” moment, but it was a bit surreal as that precipitating event has barely been mentioned in seasons! I'm rewatching the first season, and even in the first three episodes there's a lot about Midge being a negligent and disinterested parent, and a deeply self-involved parent. She gets up to introduce a jazz band and erupts into a straight three minute monologue about how disinterested she is in raising her two children.
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Jun 3, 2023 04:23
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Season ranking: 15342 (but maybe swap the last two)
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Jun 3, 2023 05:25
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I also would’ve liked to see more Esther. I think this season did a great job of saying that while Miriam overcame adversity, she didn’t know what she wanted for a very long time. She talks about the importance of her children, but we don’t see her interact with them much as adults. And when she does it’s self-serving (visiting a kibbutz via helicopter). She lives in a huge empty apartment where she eats dinner alone but has two chefs. And she wants to watch Jeopardy on VHS with her best friend. I think you could’ve fit the finale into a 40-minute episode, but the joke writing was great all season. Golden Bee fucked around with this message at 00:29 on Jun 4, 2023 |
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Jun 4, 2023 00:26
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Didn't realize the last season had come out but I enjoyed it, probably my favorite season after the first. I thought the jumping around in time worked pretty well since it's clear from start of the show that Miriam is going to "make" it given the tone of the show. I actually liked that her kids were barely shown in the future and seem to have their own lives where they barely interact with her considering that was basically their relationship in the first 4 seasons. She's a terrible mother! And the show is pretty open about this
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Jun 4, 2023 07:16
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I wonder if she wouldn't be as bad if the stuff with Joel hadn't happened. Midge has always been a poo poo stirrer, but it seemed to be all in good faith until Joel reveals the affair to her. Considering how her parents are, I always thought Midge and Joel were doing quite well as new parents. I also had thought the final flashforward was going to be Midge alone, struggling for work, and Suzie pitying her. There was no doubt she was going to make it, but I had a feeling we were going to see a "Lenny Bruce in his final years" type final 20 minutes. But, this isn't that kind of show (was I the only one a little weirded out that her bit on Gordon Ford was a literal stdh.txt "and then they all clapped" thing?)
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Jun 4, 2023 18:08
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Yeah I was so sure that Ford segment would end in disaster. We know Midge becomes a success later, but they kept her fate on the show a complete secret. So I assumed it was gonna be humiliation. That it didn’t end that way was maybe a little stdh.txt but it also felt kinda… nice? I loved how it tied in to Lenny Bruce’s final words of advice for her.
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Jun 4, 2023 18:28
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Well, I was expecting her to do something outlandish, but I wasn't expecting it to effectively be the dream scenario. I wasn't expecting a Joker-like "no one was laughing at all, and she was about to get fired as a writer" resolution, but I had thought maybe Gordon would've been like "yeah, you're a comedian alright" and then whisper in her ear during the applause "don't ever do anything like that again, or you're done". Maybe I'm being too harsh, considering Sophie's bit on the show happened in a similar way to what Midge does, but it's Sophie Lennox. The show has hammered us over the head with how similar both of their stage personas are, but Sophie is a household name, and Midge isn't. All that said, I still liked the show and am a little sad it's over
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Jun 4, 2023 19:44
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I definitely liked this season way more than Season 4. That one was all over the place and didn't seem to have a clear direction. Seasons 1-3 each had their own flavor and gimmick (starting out/France & Catskills/on-tour/etc...) and 4 didn't really have anything, maybe the strip club stuff? I also was not a fan of Midge hooking up with Lenny Bruce at the end of the season. In context of the overall series, I guess Season 4 was the one where Midge had to screw up a ton and get given the "focus on what you want because it's your last chance" speech. It was just frustrating watching the characters self-destruct over and over. Heck, there was some of that in early Season 5 where I was just getting mad at Midge (like when she sabotaged the garbage company's show) or how her father was being super neurotic about random poo poo. It was a bit weird how they got rid of Mei out of left field, but maybe it was because Stephanie Hsu's career was taking off and she couldn't fit it in her schedule? It allowed the show to tease us about a possible Joel/Midge romance but then they spoiled through flash-forwards that she got married multiple times, so that didn't immediately work out. I was hoping then at least they'd get them together in the epilogue, but then it also wouldn't fit their "successful but alone aside from Susie" message. Overall I think they stuck the landing, if a little shaky getting there.
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Jun 4, 2023 19:56
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Aces High posted:Well, I was expecting her to do something outlandish, but I wasn't expecting it to effectively be the dream scenario. I wasn't expecting a Joker-like "no one was laughing at all, and she was about to get fired as a writer" resolution, but I had thought maybe Gordon would've been like "yeah, you're a comedian alright" and then whisper in her ear during the applause "don't ever do anything like that again, or you're done". I mean he literally fires her right there but yeah the whole thing was too clean and happy for her overall. JazzFlight posted:It was a bit weird how they got rid of Mei out of left field, but maybe it was because Stephanie Hsu's career was taking off and she couldn't fit it in her schedule? It allowed the show to tease us about a possible Joel/Midge romance but then they spoiled through flash-forwards that she got married multiple times, so that didn't immediately work out. I was hoping then at least they'd get them together in the epilogue, but then it also wouldn't fit their "successful but alone aside from Susie" message. I always really hated the Joel/Mei scenes because they felt the most like watching a local stage play. I'm not gonna explain that further but let's say I'm very happy that Hsu is a much more talented actor than I had realized from MMM. They never spelled this out but it felt like they were really hinting that Midge and Joel got back together, probably before his arrest, and they stayed together once he was out of prison. We see their wedding photo on her desk in 2005(?). It's likely he might have passed at that point which is why she's alone. Anyway, I enjoyed this season much more than the last, which I thought was a huge downgrade. Nothing ever compared to season one, but overall it was a good show. I'm glad they stuck the landing well enough, though it's hard not to wish Miriam had received some kind of karmic justice for being dangerously self-centered throughout the show. She seems pretty content with her life despite her kids resenting her (which they absolutely should). Wish we had seen more of the daughter because I thought the actress nailed being a perfect mix of Miriam, Joel, but mostly Abe. Also this didn't really click for me until after the entire series, but it feels like Miriam was modeled heavily on Joan Rivers. Maybe that's been talked about to death already but I can't think of any other female comedians from that era who achieved that incredibly high level of success. Let alone ones from New York who were friends with Lenny Bruce.
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Jun 5, 2023 03:01
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Isn’t it enough karma for Midge that her kids resent her? That she’s fairly content regardless of that is a cultural moment of its own. Bad moms are okay.
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Jun 5, 2023 03:38
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Honestly I'd watch an Esther spinoff
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Jun 7, 2023 18:03
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