There are few, if any, shows that center around comedians. And there is only one that follows a Jewish ex- housewife as she builds a career in a field that long rejected women. Whether or not there was ever a Midge Maisel, she is an empowering character in a show that promotes feminism in a way that is still rare in the entertainment industry.
In many other shows, with or without a female lead, the main sources of conflict and dialogue for women are related to relationships. In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" (directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino and Scott Ellis), her pursuit in a career is the focus of the show, with her romantic relationships and her life as a mother and daughter being secondary. They provide challenges as she continues down her path to fame as she steps outside of the role of a typical housewife, but they are not her entire identity.
Mrs. Maisel (played by Rachel Brosnahan), though living in the 1950s and 60s, tackles issues that are relevant today. In one episode, she is kicked offstage for using the word "pregnant" while a male comedian made much dirtier jokes. This was because women's issues are "disgusting" and nobody wants to hear about them, according to the manager who pulled her off. This double standard for what is appropriate to talk about publicly is still a debate, with there still being a taboo surrounding women's health.
Susie Myerson (played by Alex Borstein) is Mrs. Maisel's manager, and she is a short, suspender-wearing woman who has the language of "The Wolf of Wall Street." She is repeatedly mistaken for a small man, though her sexuality and gender are not directly discussed. This suggests she shouldn't have to define herself or explain herself to others. Her main goal in the show is to advance her client's comedy career and get money, whereas in other series even the most powerful women will at some point sacrifice some of their goals or career for a husband or family. Susie Myerson stands out as an example of an unapologetic, driven woman who is hard to find in other shows.
Besides having fearless characters and a unique storyline, "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" is entertaining and funny, which is why I binge-watched the show and wrote an article on it in under one week. It is a leader of a new movement in television that includes more women directing, which means more stories of multi-dimensional female characters and aspirations. As Midge Maisel has said, "If women don't realize what is going on the world, they won't step in and fix it," and this show saw what was missing and went ahead and fixed it.
You've been a wonderful audience, thank you and goodnight!
