“‘Я живу в большом доме на холме,’ That’s Russian, motherfucker!”
This a line from the new Amazon Prime show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, finally a non-talk show that a smart ass feminist can enjoy.
The eight-episode series, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, has everything a millennial wants in a show: a hilarious and independent woman, the words “fuck” and “shit” sprinkled generously, a curmudgeonly-butch lesbian who detests feelings and the random breast flash.
Yeah, sure, millennials may not be all that into mammary glands nowadays — but tits are present just in case.
No, the show isn’t targeted strictly to millennials but it sure isn’t going to go gangbusters with the teenage crowd or not even the older crowd at that, the humor incorporated is work that only a smart ass young person can appreciate.
Set in 50s New York, it is a testament to the 50s beatnik dive bar scene where god forbid our mother will clutch her pearls if a sex act, a profane word or obscene gesture is described or mentioned during a poetry reading or a stand-up set.
And in this era and setting, we are immediately thrown into the life of 26 year-old Miriam ‘Midge’ Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan, who had all that a housewife then could have ever wanted — a beautiful home, two children and a hard-working husband.
Mr. Maisel tries desperately, with the help of Midge, to become a successful comedian; starting from the bottom up at a crummy dive bar in what is presumed to be downtown New York, The Gaslight.
Armed with her husband’s black sweater and a brisket, she gives it the old Jewish mother’s try and always manages to get him a time slot at The Gaslight.
Well, there’s only so much a woman can do before the man decides to still be an asshole.
It’s an age old story of betrayal, where the husband was schtupping the secretary.
Midge in a fit of rage, did the unthinkable: rant about her personal life in front of an audience- now us kiddos, who are undoubtedly reading this via the Talon Marks website from a cracked screen or from our tired and true paper with the electric cancer box resting on our laps, are used to the good old fashioned rant which we send out daily into the world via our cancer boxes- but Midge turns the table and serves up something that is actually funny and worth listening to.
Midge finds out about Joel’s indiscretion after he bombs his time slot at The Gaslight, and because men aren’t exactly the best at handling defeat, gets frustrated and packs up to leave Midge.
And at this moment- besides the moment where Midge has made sure that Joel has never seen her without makeup or her hair set in curls- does Sherman-Palladino really recreate an actual depiction of life in the 50s.
Midge’s parents blame her for Joel leaving her and demand that she puts on her best dress and gets him back.
Well, Midge puts on her coat and travels to The Gaslight with a liver full of alcohol in search of the ball-less wonder.
Hell sure hath no fury like a woman scorned because Midge jumps on stage in a nightgown, completely hammered and lets the audience in.
This is where the crumudgeony butch lesbian, Suzie, played by Alex Borstein, comes into play.
Maybe it is the tit flash that really sold her, or maybe it was Midge’s tired-of-taking-shit attitude, which was definitely unheard of, especially from a woman that really grabbed Suzie’s attention and recognized Midge’s total badassery for what it is.
Thus the power duo was formed and Suzie took the role as Midge’s unofficial manager.
This is where the review ends, because clearly you should go see it and forget about the stress of finals, Donald Trump and nuclear missiles for a while.