Each season of The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel is a warm embrace, a familiar and luxurious piece of television that welcomes us back. The fourth season was no exception — we stepped back into the lives of our favourite Upper West Side family as they took new strides straight into the 60s.
If you are a Mad Men fanatic and haven’t tried TMMM yet, this is your lucky day. The two shows share the same seductive formula, drawing you in using the winding storylines of every character as they develop their own depth, with sumptuously-written flaws and redemptive qualities of humanity. The character arcs surround our antihero, allowing the ensemble cast to enrich every moment with variety and continuous satisfaction.
Season Four brought many laughs, change, and triumphs. For some reason, whether it be the long wait since the last instalment or the timing of the storyline for each character, this season brought greater amounts of emotion, intelligent musings and excellent comic timing. Amy Sherman Palladino is the creator of TMMM and most famously Gilmore Girls. Palladino’s ability to infiltrate your home with substance, warmth and a very fast-paced dialogue attracts and keeps a viewer, making loyal fans fall even harder in love with her complex characters. Quick of wit and filled with life, her female gaze highlights the beauty in the femme and how strong women unapologetically blaze their own path.
We follow Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) as she recovers from the devastating blow to her comedy career, as she was left on the tarmac with agent Susie (Alex Borstein) by Shy Baldwin, a gig that would have taken her to the next level. Midge steers clear of her usual comedy haunts, controversially taking to MCing at a grimey burlesque club and in her usual style, flips the script of the gender dynamic by empowering the female dancers to take pride in their performances and their rights backstage. Midge’s parents move back into her newly re-purchased Upper West Side apartment, Abe (Tony Shalhoub) begins writing for a newspaper in the village and Rose (Marin Winkle) takes on the uptight, uptown mob to pursue her new love of matchmaking. Joel (Michael Zegen), Midge’s ex-husband, finds new love and success with his Chinatown club, as his parents continue to meddle in his every waking moment. As for the sarcastic, foul-mouthed agent, Susie Myersen, her business is on the rise as she takes on new clients but quickly learns that nothing comes for free.
Donna Zakowksa, the show’s costume designer, takes the fashion ever so gracefully from the styles of the 50s to the 60s. This element of the show is renowned for its bright colours and elegant coordinated outfits: a feast for the eyes, every part of the day dictates a new look, fit for the moment or event. Zakowska has taken inspiration from fashion icons such as Audrey Hepburn in past seasons but states that she has moved on to women like Brigitte Bardot for this ‘“transitional” period in the era.
It is unusual to find a series that improves with attention and age, but thankfully TMMM has shown its unwavering quality in the fourth season, allowing the expectant and nervous audience to breathe a sigh of relief as we enjoy and revel in the beauty and laughter it brings to the screen.
Words by Christabel Murray