The Marvelous Mrs Maisel 5 review: Rachel Brosnahan’s Midge takes strides towards stardom in delightful final season

From the moment Miriam Maisel aka Midge took the stage in the first episode of Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, the audience knew that she was destined for something bigger. After a few missteps and setbacks, it seems housewife-turned-comedian Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and her manager Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) seem to have turned the corner to their eventual stardom. We finally know this as creator Amy Sherman-Palladino gives several key glimpses into Midge’s future where she becomes a huge star, with name and success she craved for since the beginning.

The first three episodes of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel also highlight the great friendship and bond between Midge and Susie so when the flash-forward tells us of a rift, it’s an uncomfortable feeling of what led to that break. The show also properly acknowledges Midge’s children Ethan and Esther, and their eventual rocky and dysfunctional relationship with their mother in the future in 1981. Back in 1961, however, Midge takes a career change as she joins the all male writer’s room for Gordon Ford’s talk show. It’s a learning experience for her as she encounters a few challenges along the way.

Meanwhile, Midge’s parents Rose Weissman (Marin Hinkle) and Abe Weissman (Tony Shalhoub) have their own hilarious but entertaining crises. Midge’s ex-husband Joel finds himself at a crossroads when his parents Moise and Shirley (Kevin Pollak and Caroline Aaron) announce suddenly they are divorcing, but continue to live together. The neurotic adventures of the Weissman and Maisel clans continue as Midge finally figures out what she’s meant to be doing. Susie too eases into the role of a successful manager, taking on more clients.

Sherman-Palladino also brings back some familiar faces as Luke Kirby’s Lenny Bruce, along with Gilmore Girls alums Kelly Bishop and Milo Ventimiglia pop up again. However, Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu as Joel’s girlfriend Mei needs to return to wrap up her storyline this season. But this fifth and final season is all about the original duo of Midge and Susie and how they go about accomplishing their dreams all those years ago.

Emmy winners Brosnahan and Borstein know their characters inside out, so it’s great to see the pair on the road to success. Brosnahan’s vulnerability and grit as she tries to fit in with the boys’ club in the comedy writers room is also quite prescient. Many decades have passed but not much has changed. Borstein’s Susie is the ultimate hustler, pushing her clients across at any cost, just because she believes in them. The two women are once again on their A-game.

The period-drama has always had immaculate costumes and its attention to detail with the production design has always impressed. This time, it shifts its attention to 30 Rock in New York City where much of late night television comedy flourished in the US. The writing is just as sharp, the one-liners are just as smart, and the nostalgia is perfectly captured.

While The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’s flash forward in episode two also lays out several hints of her future, it is intriguing to know what will happen with Midge next in these final few episodes. Will we get all the answers that we are hoping for? Sherman-Palladino is certainly laying the clues for certain arcs, including those for Lenny and Joel. As it’s time to say goodbye to Midge and Susie, it’s satisfying to see these flawed but compelling women get their due after all. New episodes of the series will be released every week on Prime Video until the finale on May 26, 2023.