The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

A lot of people would say we are in a "Golden Age" of television, providing feature quality series with acclaimed actors and indepth writing. And whilst it is of course somewhat debatable as there has always been great shows, it is indeed true that TV has gone through a great revolution.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a great period-piece that offers great drama, in a somewhat lighthearted fashion, and showcasing incredible actors who sells the melancholiness and satire that one coveys beautifully.

It is a very near show overall, in terms of both cinematography, cutting and editing and writing and acting. Definitely a unique and great piece that I can not recommend enough!

This.

This is what it a real comedy series should be. They've also found a real charmer in Rachel Brosnahan, who's not just lovely and energetic, but genuinely funny. A cast of bright characters with great writing rounds out this great show. The other guys could learn a thing or three from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.

This fresh-feeling comedy, the brainchild of Daniel Palladino & Amy Sherman-Palladino leaves almost nothing to be desired. This is a full-bodied comedy series that really grabs your attention and never lets it go. Everything from the camera work, to the sets, to costuming is very well done and does a more than adequate job in immersing you in a lush, colorful, mid-century snapshot of 1960's New York.

Miriam "Midge" Maisel, the matriarch-in-training of her young nuclear family, exceeds by every measure to be the wife she believes her husband deserves. She dotes on him, cares for his emotional well- being, and is perfectly happy. Until changes happen that sets her on a path she's not sure she's able to handle.

I can name, both with TV shows and movies, many where the focus was to witness the genesis of a stand-up comedian, or where we look into the life of a seasoned comedian, or view the last bits of a comedian's career. Usually the actor portraying the comedian (or even sometimes an actual comedian portraying one) just isn't funny. We see the story taking pains to make us believe they're hilarious by cracking up the on screen audiences, winning awards or accolades, and receiving praise. It never really works, because unless you can make ME, the real audience, believe he or she is funny, it hasn't done its job.

Rachel Brosnahan is funny. Her timing is perfect. And obviously the jokes have to be good, so the writers are no slouches either, but the material goes nowhere unless you have the right person delivering that dialogue. They've found her. Effortlessly, Brosnahan delivers line after line of well written material with a confidence, brashness, and stereo-typically New York swagger that has you saying "yeah, I can see her doing stand-up". That's rare, and that's very special. De Niro couldn't do it in "The Comedian". Sally Field couldn't do it in "Punchline". Heck, Adam Sandler couldn't really pull it off well in "Funny People". And it has FUNNY in the name for Christ's sake!

The rest of the cast is a manic pleasure, and the show has done a great job with who they've cast to be her family. Tony Shalhoub wasn't in the pilot much, but now that the rest of the episodes have become available for streaming, I see that he stands out with great dialogue he was given and an intensity I hadn't before seen in him. It works. As well, Marin Hinkle who plays Midge's mom, does a wonderful job in the role. We see her character expand exponentially from the pilot with the new episodes.

Every fall that rolls around, I get excited to see the shows and which ones I think will swim or sink, and I believe we have a winner here.

What may seem to be a standard, formulaic "dramedy" really has a feel of its own. There are comparable shows in level of quality, but as far as I'm concerned, none just outright better. I hope it maintains its quality and has a nice, long run.

We've recently retired and are enjoying a lot of television time. The good news is there is a lot of TV available. The bad news is that it can't possibly all be good. At some point as you flick through the options, you can't help but laugh at the absurdity of some of these shows. I get the challenge to producers and artists to fill hundreds of channels, 24/7, I really do. I've learned to seriously adjust my expectations. But frankly, the ones that look promising and don't deliver are more disappointing than the ones that didn't look appetizing in the first place. You get what I'm saying, right?

All that said - don't be afraid to have high expectations of this show. Just make sure you listen closely to the dialog so you don't miss one delicious bit of hilarity which often occurs in simultaneous dialogue at a dramatic moment.

The acting is crisp, the caricatures of a rich New York Jewish family in the 50s are spot on. Rachel Brosnahan is intelligent, independent, strong and funny. Her energy paired with Alex Borstein's drollness leaves me clamoring to find out how this all plays out.

(PS - if you like it, I encourage you to take the time to fill out Amazon's survey which will help them decide whether to continue this series. I'd hate to see it go the way of their terrific series, Good Girls Revolt, which was discontinued after one season because it premiered in the thick of the 2016 election when its primary audience was otherwise occupied.)

This is a comedy about stand-up comedy, so it has to be pretty darn witty. And it is. But it's so much more.

The characters are incredibly likeable, particularly the lead who suffers sexism and setbacks with a plucky determination and a dream all her own. Those surrounding her are fascinating and unique, from her father (wonderfully played by Tony Shalhoub) to her manager and others, including a recurring version of Lenny Bruce, which is quite a gas.

The setting offers more flavour as we see, hear and smell late 50s Manhattan, particularly through the lens of an upper middle class Jewish-American family.

It's a show that is rich in personality and consistently so over 3 seasons. You'll be hooked by episode 2. Enjoy and, ahem, "tits up".

I've been on top of this series right from the moment it premiered. I looked forward to every single season and even set notifications to make sure I wouldn't forget to start watching again once a new season came out. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel did something that not many other series have ever done before, which is getting better and better with every new season! I don't even think I've seen a single episode that bored me. Not even a little! The character building, the actors, the settings, the outfits, the jokes, the storyline, all of it was absolute perfection.

I've told so many people about this series and it amazes me - but equally annoys me - that this series got so little media attention (at least where I'm from). It should've gotten at least as much attention as Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead. (Both of which actually DID have several to many episodes that bored the hell out of me, just saying. I didn't even finish The Walking Dead - I mean, who did?! - because at some point the series literally died and kept walking.)

I'm sure some people might not agree with me, but let's be honest; the rating doesn't lie. This series is an absolute and unique piece of art!

About the actors. Rachel Brosnahan did an amazing job as Midge Maisel... but the series wouldn't have been the same without Alex Borstein (Susy Myerson) and Tony Shalhoub (Abe Weissman)! These two take comedy to a whole new level and I love them for it!