Since it first blessed our television screens in 2017, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has been winning hearts and Emmys left and right. Watching the tumultuous rise of comedienne Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan) has been a joy to behold, but it had to come to an end eventually. How much longer can Midge be sabotaged by her rivals, the patriarchy, and most frequently, herself, before she finally gets her moment in the spotlight that’s been built up to since the very first episode? Smartly, the show realizes that a traditional final season narrative would be terribly dull to watch, as we all know the eventual outcome. Midge will become a star, so there’s no point in hiding it. Instead, the suspense in this final season lies in how the relationships Midge has will unfold. We get flashforwards that assure Midge’s success but leave her relationships with many characters up in the air. While this is a somewhat controversial choice for many fans of the show, it absolutely paid off for me. Like its stubborn protagonist, final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel takes risks, remains at the top of its game, and is an absolute delight the entire way through. 

Season 5 picks up right where the magical “How Do You Get To Carnegie Hall?” leaves off, as we find Midge with a reinvigorated drive to be the star she knows she can be. No more messing around; she will do whatever it takes to land gigs that will lead to her landing the gig. Her dutiful manager Susie (Alex Borstein) gets a stepping stone gig for her as a writer on the talk show of narcissist Gordon Ford (Reid Scott). The plan is simple: write jokes that impress Gordon Ford, get a spot on his popular show, and finally get her big break. Alas, as per usual, life doesn’t quite go Midge’s way. Meanwhile, Susie’s profile and talent book gets bigger, and her many loyalties become harder to maintain as a result. Midge’s parents Abe (Tony Shalhoub) and Rose (Marin Hinkle) are mostly relegated to enjoyable apartment shenanigans, though their relationships with one another, with their kids, and with their grandkids are explored in equal parts humorous and heartbreaking fashion this season. Joel (Michael Zegen) remains a loving fixture in Midge’s life, for better or for worse. Since there isn’t quite enough story in this “1960s plotline” to sustain 9 hour-long episodes of a season, the flashforwards felt fairly necessary to me to keep the narrative fresh. Though the narrative does get a bit janky and oddly paced as a result, it never really affected my viewing experience. I did still enjoy the plot of this season greatly, as it felt tighter than other seasons before it, but I’ve never watched this show because of the storytelling. Its narratives are always solid, but it’s in other areas that the show truly transcends in.

One of the many charms of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is its exceptional production value. Even in its underwhelming 4th season, no one could deny how gorgeous this show always looks. Its most noteworthy aspect has to be the show’s magical costumes, as each character (but most of all the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel herself) is given a meticulously crafted and curated wardrobe that anyone with eyes would die to have. However, from its lavish production design to its uniquely inspired cinematography to its lived-in makeup and hairstyling, this show always goes above and beyond to keep its period-specific setting lively and stunning to look at. Adding to this infectious energy visually is the show’s frenetic editing, which pairs wonderfully with the show’s characteristically quick dialogue. A mere conversation in an office can feel like a playful verbal sparring, and it’s an absolute joy to watch. No show can quite match The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s perfect blend of vibrant crafts, quick pacing, and exhausting dialogue, so it’s only fitting that these elements are all at the top of their game during this series’s swan song season.

That being said, the secret to this show’s success is its lovably flawed and quirky cast of characters brought to life brilliantly by a top-notch ensemble. The show can even make you fall head over heels for characters only in one season! New additions like Gordon Ford, his team of writers, and the producers that fill his offices have their share of irritating traits, but it was nonetheless always a blast to see them appear and interact with one another and especially with Midge. Reid Scott is the obvious standout of the bunch, as he utilizes this mix of charisma and condescension that left me as conflicted about Gordon Ford as Midge did. Meanwhile, the returning cast members are all in peak form. Michael Zegen is given his best material in the entire series as he heartfeltly illustrates just why Joel’s complicated relationship with Midge has led to his unending devotion to her even though they may be divorced. Marin Hinkle shines the most when she’s paired with Tony Shalhoub or Rachel Brosnahan, as Rose’s growth throughout the series is never more evident than when she’s with her on-screen husband or daughter. Rose is still the somewhat dismissive and oblivious woman she was in season 1, but her desires to be more independent and maintain loving relationships with her family nonetheless hit hard. Tony Shalhoub has always been the show’s most reliable joke deliverer, regardless of his material, but he absolutely destroyed me in the last 2 episodes of this season. Abe’s coming to terms with the career his daughter has chosen and with the ways his sexist ideals have held her back brought me to tears, as Tony Shalhoub’s authentic execution of this arc was nothing short of phenomenal. 

Every cast member of this show is remarkable, no matter how big or small the part. However, the 2 standouts are obvious. This show has always been about 2 characters: Susie Myerson and Midge Maisel. Both struggle with a lot this season — their pasts, their futures, their messy relationship with each other. Alex Borstein is in peak form, as she continues to balance the comedic and dramatic beats of Susie’s arc with ease. She’ll make you sob uncontrollably one moment and laugh uncontrollably the next. She gets an entire episode dedicated to demonstrating why Susie is as iconic and beloved as she is (ironically, not the one titled “Susan”) and chews up every line. Her best material is of course with Rachel Brosnahan, as the caring but strained dynamic between Susie and Midge leads to her best lines, but Borstein is a modern day Rumpelstiltskin: she can turn even the driest of lines into comedy gold. And then there’s the magnificent, the magical, the marvelous Rachel Brosnahan. This show simply could not work without her, as she plays the titular character with all the heart, stubbornness, and wit necessary to keep a show like this feeling fresh and pleasant for 5 seasons. In the hands of a less proficient actress, Midge could come across as either extremely grating or helplessly perfect. However, with Brosnahan, Midge becomes a flawed, relatable, and endlessly captivating character. In the final season of her show, Brosnahan somehow manages to soar to her highest heights yet. Whether she’s doing stand-up with her impeccable comedic timing, portraying an older, wildly more successful version of Midge, or having a heartfelt conversation with her family, Brosnahan nails every beat with bona fide aplomb. She astonished me every episode, but was particularly phenomenal in the show’s final episode. She has to juggle so many different aspects of her character, yet does it all spectacularly without breaking a sweat. This show’s casting, particularly of its main duo, is perhaps the biggest reason why the fifth season (and the show as a whole) still manages to work as well as it does.

Though the season occasionally bit off more than it can chew and felt a bit scattershot at points with its usage of flashforwards, the emotional impact it left on me when the final credits sequence rolled is immeasurable. To me, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of those truly special shows that needed to go out with a bang, and I’m so happy it did. Watching this snarky, devoted housewife blossom into a snarky, unapologetic comedienne who always speaks her mind has been a pleasure I won’t ever forget. It’s odd how a show set in the 60s managed to influence the ways I think about myself, my femininity, and the way society views women. It may sound silly, but as someone who struggled with wanting to be feminine but also wanting to be taken seriously by others, I’m really glad I had a show like this that fully embraces femininity and doesn’t see it as a veritable detractor even though society at large (both in the 60s and sometimes even today) may. It’s also just such a warm and enjoyable show that even though its final season may have the occasional misstep, its comedy, charm, and characters fully won me over anyways. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel isn’t a perfect show, nor does its final season have 9 perfect episodes, but it was the perfect show and the perfect final season for me. 

10/10