TV Review: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel
Isabel Jackson commends and critiques the latest series of Amy Sherman-Palladino’s comedy-drama.
Series 3 of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel delivers again in its vivid depiction of the life of Jewish comedian Midge Maisel in 1960s New York. This time the show seems ready to challenge its narrow vision of an exclusive and privileged world as characters are thrust out of their comfort zones, becoming more vulnerable but gaining greater complexity as a result.
Mrs Maisel is masterful in its ability to immerse the viewer, providing the ultimate tv escapism. The show’s long takes are particularly impressive, creating an immersive experience rather than the usual artificiality present in television and film. The historical accuracy of the production hits home, absorbing the viewer in its 1960s setting. The show is genius in the way it uses long takes to place the viewer in the audience watching Midge’s stand-up, rather than as an outsider looking in.
Simultaneously, the show consciously indulges in its 60s setting with a luscious vibrancy and perfect composition, such that you could pause it at any moment, and it could be viewed as a masterful work of photography. Some viewers might be critical of this indulgence, but the sense of luxury is in-keeping with the atmosphere of the show; we are meant to feel safe in the hands of its creators, especially when the characters themselves are so vulnerable to failure in their own performances.
This is not to say the setting is completely romanticised; show creator Amy Sherman-Palladino examines the transition from the family-centred 50s to the new era of the 60s, in which the feminist movement expanded and turned this ideology on its head. She doesn’t present the 60s in a glorified light or force viewers to make a judgment on Midge’s abandonment in her prescribed role as a homemaker. Is she being selfish or is she a strong example of a defiance of illogical societal expectations? We are not allowed to become complacent viewers but instead examine our own perspectives and what we are complicit to in our own era.
With the new series the characters become exposed to different situations and environments, allowing us to gain a new level of insight. The time jumps between episodes add to this sense of increased change, and as the series goes on, the characters all seem to succumb to nostalgia. An anxiety over what has been lost begins to take over, despite them having chosen their new lives. As well as skilled development of existing characters, new characters are also introduced, such as Shy Baldwin and Mei Lin, who by the end of the series have already acquired considerable vividness and will hopefully continue to be developed in future series. Particular highlights are Tony Shalhoub and Marin Hinkle as Midge’s parents, showing at once brilliant humour and emotional complexity.
Palladino seems determined to tackle the theme of money and affluence in this series of Mrs Maisel, amid criticism of her narrow focus on the wealthier classes without exploring issues such as race or class. There is a sense of the transience and fickleness of money, with the series seeming to point a finger at the lack of true meaning it has. The series explores what it means to actually compile wealth, as money here is being quickly gained and lost, seeming to lose any logical connection to the actions of characters. In previous series, Palladino seemed to dance around the issue of privilege without really confronting it. However, she finally seems ready, in the third season of Mrs Maisel, to face her narrow vision of the privileged head on.
Despite this, in terms of addressing the issue of the lack of diversity, there are points when it seems somewhat forced and superficial. Palladino has gained greater skill at looking inward but struggles to be poignant and aware when looking outward to examine and empathise with other members of society. Could it be described as ticking boxes when a cast of black musicians become regular characters but, except from Shy, the only member of the band explored in greater depth is the white female? Although a step in the right direction, there are definitely improvements to be made to avoid a problematic erasure of black voices, especially when the show is set in a period when institutionalised racism in America was beginning to be challenged. Palladino is exceptionally skilled at writing about people like her: privileged white women. It seems like she has realised that she must reach beyond her own experiences, but it may take time for this to fully manifest itself in her writing.
The new series of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is a step in the right direction, and despite falling short on its representation of African Americans, it manages to provide a complex representation of women, the LGBT community, and the Jewish community in a historical setting that can inform how we view the world today.