The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a new Amazon Prime series focusing on Midge Maisel, a devoted housewife turned standup comedian. Aside from the show's quick-witted writing style and memorable characters, it was its outright and unapologetic portrayal of the female experience that caught my attention.
The setting of 1950's New York City provides an in-depth historical study of cultural and gender expectations. Coming out of World War II, the world was trying to find its place in a post-Holocaust era. This is especially true for the Jewish people, who had just undergone an indescribably massive and unspeakably devastating loss within their cultural and religious communities. The reconstruction of Jewish lives coincided with the reconfiguration of America, as a whole. While the sexual and artistic exploration of the beatnik movement was flourishing in the underground social scene, mainstream society was reinforcing gender roles more than ever before. The economy was at a high, allowing men returning from war plenty of job opportunities. As a result, women were encouraged to drop out of the workforce and focus on raising families. Wives were expected to go to any lengths necessary to keep their husbands satisfied, as the threat of losing a spouse put in jeopardy their social ranking and financial security. In the same vein, a divorced woman was chastised and marked as one incapable of fulfilling their wifely duties. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel hits on these topics hard. Within the first quarter of episode one, we are given all the information we need. In 1958, Midge, a hilarious, intelligent, and recently married Jewish woman with two small children, actively supports her husband's dream of becoming a standup comedian. Her life is quickly changed, however, when that same husband leaves her for his secretary. This paired with her loving but extremely concerned upper-class family, as well as her interest in performing raunchy standup comedy, set us up for one of the best series of the year.
This show brings into public consciousness the past experience of a comedian, a people, and a gender. The incredible writing and acting, combined with its historical accuracy, are perhaps a few of the reasons it is now a Golden Globe winner for Best Show and Actress in a Musical or Comedy. Its brilliance is something that should not be missed.
