Midge and Susie discover that life on tour with Shy is glamorous but humbling, and they learn a lesson about show business they'll never forget. Joel struggles to support Midge while pursuing his own dreams. Abe embraces a new mission and Rose learns she has talents of her own.
They did such a huge overhaul on his character between the first and second seasons, like Palladino realized he needed to be way more likable if she was going to keep him around.
But having him drop Midge in the pilot for basically no reason is such a terrible starting point that I don't think the character can really recover.
I love how being on tour has given ASP more reasons to insert musical numbers on the show.
Also those yellow teddy bears as a weird ask reminded me of the 1000 dandelions Lorelai asked from Max in Gilmore Girls. And Liza Weil looking like Carole King playing a musician named Carole Keen isn't lost on me lol.
I was dreading Midge slipping that Shy is gay during her set and was relieved when it didn't happen but that ending where it was enough to hurt Shy that deeply was a punch in the gut. I wonder what they're going to do now without a steady income.
The whole season was kind of setting up Susie's gambling problem but that ended up being kind of nothing besides Joel being in charge of the money so I guess it was a red herring.
Midge is going to have even more a complex about hurting the people she cares about with her comedy at this rate.
The whole season was kind of setting up Susie's gambling problem but that ended up being kind of nothing besides Joel being in charge of the money so I guess it was a red herring.
Wait, from what I gathered, didn't she gamble all her + Midge's earnings away? Midge had Susie keep their earnings in the meantime because she acknowledges how bad she is with money, and now that money's gone just when Midge needs it the most.
What I don't like about that plot point is that it's such a contrived way to keep Midge and Joel together. Joel literally had a chance to redeem himself for Midge, but blew it all over again in Episode 1 when he refused to call her lmao. She literally just threw off an engagement and first guy she thought of was you, and you reciprocated. They were clearly in love with each other and an episode later he's up all over Mei (who I liked as a character though).
Yeah, I really didn't like anything with the parents to do this season. Abe and the young communist felt pretty off, and Rose was annoying with how she blamed Midge for making her feel independent enough to cut ties with her rich family.
Heartbroken about Midge and Shy falling apart, but it's all on Midge to be honest. I love how the season was also about how having a voice meant being careful on what to say with that voice. I think it's going to be a powerful lesson for Midge going into Season 4 but I hated how Season 3 ended in such a bleak way.
Wait, from what I gathered, didn't she gamble all her + Midge's earnings away? Midge had Susie keep their earnings in the meantime because she acknowledges how bad she is with money, and now that money's gone just when Midge needs it the most.
What I don't like about that plot point is that it's such a contrived way to keep Midge and Joel together. Joel literally had a chance to redeem himself for Midge, but blew it all over again in Episode 1 when he refused to call her lmao. She literally just threw off an engagement and first guy she thought of was you, and you reciprocated. They were clearly in love with each other and an episode later he's up all over Mei (who I liked as a character though).
Yeah, I really didn't like anything with the parents to do this season. Abe and the young communist felt pretty off, and Rose was annoying with how she blamed Midge for making her feel independent enough to cut ties with her rich family.
Heartbroken about Midge and Shy falling apart, but it's all on Midge to be honest. I love how the season was also about how having a voice meant being careful on what to say with that voice. I think it's going to be a powerful lesson for Midge going into Season 4 but I hated how Season 3 ended in such a bleak way.
I don't think this means the two getting back together. Its just Joel now has to handle her money in the interim and I'm guessing he's going to make the lady who does his finance take care of it.
They don't really make it clear if Susie blew all the money Midge saved up and even mentioned that the insurance on the shitty little pier house would conveniently cover that side of the losses. The down payment check on the apartment would have bounced if it was everything I would think. I do wonder if Susie learned her lesson with the gambling though.
This show is so exquisitely crafted. It feels like every individual in the production is the best of the best at what they do. This show is a fucking treasure.
Skimming through some of the reviews, it seems that the reviewers were only given the first 5 episodes and many of them complained that the plot went nowhere during those five episodes.
They couldn't have been more wrong since it was all slowly building up towards that last scene on the tarmac.
Also, hot take, outside of Midge's and Susie's respective storylines, none of the other storylines were that interesting (maybe Joel opening the club, but only because I actually liked Stephanie Hsu's character).
As soon as Mei was introduced I wanted the show to be about her instead. Great performance and I would much rather learn about Chinatown than watch Joel, like, ever.
As far as the show itself goes, feels like it's getting a bit too cartoonish now. Susie Lennon has always been OTT and her subplot mostly filled her with other caricatures. Abe, generally my favorite character, first got saddled with the communists which was basically the definition of squandered potential. The newspaper talk just felt like a bad skit. Ditto all the life with Moishe. Also holy cow did they not need multiple musical performances every episode. Just felt like they were showing off their budget.
(Sterling K. Brown killed it like he always does and I am bummed out we will probably never see his character again in any real capacity)
As far as the show itself goes, feels like it's getting a bit too cartoonish now. Susie Lennon has always been OTT and her subplot mostly filled her with other caricatures. Abe, generally my favorite character, first got saddled with the communists which was basically the definition of squandered potential. The newspaper talk just felt like a bad skit. Ditto all the life with Moishe. Also holy cow did they not need multiple musical performances every episode. Just felt like they were showing off their budget.
^ Yup. Too many times this season, particularly in the first half, this show has stooped too much for the easy laugh. Like that whole extended bit about Rose's oil-wealthy, Oklahoman family. WTF was that?? Way too broad, contrived, and unfunny.
Fortunately
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce, as he's already done several times in this series, steps in and saves things. Almost everything from that point on in the season ranges between effective and pure gold. Seriously, the man more than earns a second Emmy for his turn in this episode.
But yes, season finishes pretty strong and has me looking forward to the next one. (Although to be fair, unless they can come up with a crapton of brilliant inspirations for where Mrs Maisel is ultimately heading, Season 4 should probably be the last.)
^ Yup. Too many times this season, particularly in the first half, this show has stooped too much for the easy laugh. Like that whole extended bit about Rose's oil-wealthy, Oklahoman family. WTF was that?? Way too broad, contrived, and unfunny.
Fortunately
Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce, as he's already done several times in this series, steps in and saves things. Almost everything from that point on in the season ranges between effective and pure gold. Seriously, the man more than earns a second Emmy for his turn in this episode.
But yes, season finishes pretty strong and has me looking forward to the next one. (Although to be fair, unless they can come up with a crapton of brilliant inspirations for where Mrs Maisel is ultimately heading, Season 4 should probably be the last.)
What bums me out the most about the show is that with its ever-expanding focus what should feel like Midge's rise instead feels like the holding patterns that characterized Glow and Better Call Saul this past season. Like, when she learned to tailor her bits to the different audiences? Very effective, but there was barely any of that! The show really needed to devote less time to the secondary characters. Have the audience find out how Midge is growing apart from her support network at the same time she is. Lean in to how unreal the touring life is by peppering it with interesting new tertiary characters whose lives are completely alien to her. (For real, the scene with Shy where he reveals that she is staying in an entirely separate hotel was very powerful). I understand when you have an amazing cast you want to use them, and I admit that in past seasons I mainly want to know what Tony Shalhoub is doing at all times, but it just distracted focus from what should have been the thrust of this season.
Three episodes into S3 and I'm pretty disappointed, especially compared to the first two seasons. Too much Joel, the bickering with Suzy seems forced and contrived.
What bums me out the most about the show is that with its ever-expanding focus what should feel like Midge's rise instead feels like the holding patterns that characterized Glow and Better Call Saul this past season. Like, when she learned to tailor her bits to the different audiences? Very effective, but there was barely any of that! The show really needed to devote less time to the secondary characters. Have the audience find out how Midge is growing apart from her support network at the same time she is. Lean in to how unreal the touring life is by peppering it with interesting new tertiary characters whose lives are completely alien to her. (For real, the scene with Shy where he reveals that she is staying in an entirely separate hotel was very powerful). I understand when you have an amazing cast you want to use them, and I admit that in past seasons I mainly want to know what Tony Shalhoub is doing at all times, but it just distracted focus from what should have been the thrust of this season.
Agreed on all counts. Line-for-line, though, even when this show stumbles, it can bust a gut probably better than any series currently running. (Even that terrible Oklahoma family board meeting episode had that hilarious paste-eating line.) 🤣
The first episode of this season reminded me all over again why I fell in love with this show in the first place. So charming, fun, funny, excellently directed, visually arresting and overall splendiferous :)
We're 4 episodes in and are really enjoying it. My only complaints are that they've effectively turned Abe into a caricature, and they're leaning in too hard on "fast talking" characters. The show needs a little time to breath, and often they don't allow it to do that. Other than that I'm loving it.
What bums me out the most about the show is that with its ever-expanding focus what should feel like Midge's rise instead feels like the holding patterns that characterized Glow and Better Call Saul this past season. Like, when she learned to tailor her bits to the different audiences? Very effective, but there was barely any of that! The show really needed to devote less time to the secondary characters. Have the audience find out how Midge is growing apart from her support network at the same time she is. Lean in to how unreal the touring life is by peppering it with interesting new tertiary characters whose lives are completely alien to her. (For real, the scene with Shy where he reveals that she is staying in an entirely separate hotel was very powerful). I understand when you have an amazing cast you want to use them, and I admit that in past seasons I mainly want to know what Tony Shalhoub is doing at all times, but it just distracted focus from what should have been the thrust of this season.
I know, and I appreciated that! I just wish it was a more active part before then. To be fair, I have a similar problem with GLOW where I want more focus on the development on the craft instead of interpersonal stuff.
Good god this show is just so damn good. End credits for episode 5 are rolling by and this has to be one of the best things I have seen this year. Midge teaching Susie how to swim, the play rehearsal, Miami After Dark, one great scene after another. And how everything looks, the work they've put into it, simply amazing.
It's not just sets and costumes. It's writing, direction, acting, cinematography, lighting - this is Olympic level production on all fronts. While shows like Daredevil practically build entire seasons around one episode having a defining long one-shot, this show just executes expertly crafted long one-shots on a regular and constant basis. And the show usually doesn't even call attention to them - incredible shots and transitions are just woven into the production like anything less would just be unacceptable.