Need a little lighthearted laughter? Watch “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!”

where to watch Seasons 1-2 available on Amazon Prime.

when to watch You want something joyous, lighthearted, and beautiful

tl;dr Miriam “Midge” Maisel, a 1950s Jewish housewife, finds her life turned upside down after her husband leaves her and she discovers she has an incredible talent for stand-up comedy.

you should note Easy to binge. 1 hour episodes. Created by team behind Gilmore Girls. Season 3 is in production right now!

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Aug. 15, 2019 is “Maisel Day” in Los Angeles. No, really. Amazon is pulling a giant Emmy stunt. It’s a return to 1959—burgers will be half a dollar! Movies will be 59 cents! Blowouts will be $2!

 Wow, I really wish I was in LA right now. 

Anyway…. in honor of Maisel Day, here’s why you should be watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel!

Now, chances are you’ve heard of it. It’s Amazon Studios’ pride and joy, bringing in 20 Emmy nominations this year—only Game of Thrones got more. 

GoT may not deserve all of them this year, but Mrs. Maisel definitely does.

the premise

Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), an affluent, gorgeous, witty Jewish housewife living on the upper west side is completely blindsided when her husband Joel leaves her one night.

Surprised, angry, hurt, and blind drunk, she wanders downtown to a comedy club she and her husband used to frequent. She stumbles onto the stage and quickly has the audience cracking up. Thus begins one crazy adventure.

This show is special, and you can tell from the very first scene of the pilot. Rachel Brosnahan’s infectious smile greets you as she gives a speech at her wedding, and you can’t help but fall in love.

Brosnahan has won two Golden Globes and an Emmy for her role as Midge, and for good reason. The masterful way she delivers Midge’s comedy bits will leave you incredulous. 

I find Midge’s character arc super engaging to watch because characters like her are rare in television.

There are stories about unsatisfied, depressed housewives. There are stories about women who can’t or won’t fit into the constraints their era prescribes for them.

But stories about women that are actually good at this whole housewife thing, and even find pleasure in it?

That is exceptionally rare.

But, that’s who Midge is. She is incredibly vain. She’s excited to host Yom Kippur. She likes her and Joel’s routines. Midge isn’t yearning for something more—she has exactly what she has always wanted.

And then, she doesn’t. Instead, she realizes that she is talented and that there is more to life than making briskets and taking care of her husband. She learns to want more. 

To me, that narrative is the most compelling. 

it’s a comedy

Of course, in addition to Midge’s fascinating development, this show is just so fun. It’s an absolute joy to watch.

You’ll find yourself laughing over and over—a show about stand-up better be funny. Every character is also mildly absurd. Midge’s parents are both very high-strung and stress over all the details, while Joel’s parents are something of a mess. Naturally, this contrast makes for some hilarious moments. 

Besides being funny, the show is complete eye-candy. The colors, the stunning costumes, the set—all of these elements make The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel one of the most visually appealing shows I’ve ever watched. 

If you like shows set in the 50s, comedy, or literally just pretty things, watch this show!

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