THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL: SEASON FOUR
Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, Tony Shalhoub, Kevin Pollak, Caroline Aaron, and Luke Kirby
Created by: Amy Sherman-Palladino
JACOB
Were it not for stellar production/costume design, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s fourth season would be a uniquely disappointing enterprise. The dialogue, while often funny, is overly repetitive, with each conversation being a series of quips between multiple characters that ultimately doesn’t come to anything, even if the performances still work. The only truly profound moment is Luke Kirby’s excellent Carnegie Hall speech. What really sinks this season, though, is a distinct lack of growth for its protagonist. Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) is a straight-up asshole all season long, and the show refuses to call her on it. Hopefully, next season will actually confront that.
QUENTIN
In its penultimate season, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel makes a weird choice by deciding to be about everyone EXCEPT Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan). She just kinda bounces from side character to side character with no real story arc, functioning merely as the connective tissue that holds the other characters’ disparate storylines together. For better or worse, all the hallmarks of the series are still there (the impeccable costume design, the pitter-patter dialogue, feminist messaging, etc.), but in getting away from the titular character, it feels like the show ran out of ideas for her. Maybe it’s good that next season is the final season.