THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL: THE FINAL SEASON
Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Alex Borstein, Michael Zegen, Marin Hinkle, and Tony Shalhoub
Creator: Amy Sherman-Palladino
QUENTIN
I’ve never truly understood the acclaim for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It has always been a solid show…I mean, I've watched it for five seasons…but it has never been one I looked forward to, episode to episode or season to season. That said, its final season is easily the best since Season One. The time jumps provide great context and, more importantly, closure for the main character's arc, and by showing where her career ultimately lands and the make-or-break moments that got her there, the story has much more narrative momentum. Despite my lackadaisical view of the series over the years, it certainly stuck the landing.
AMARÚ
I always admire shows that take risks, even if they don’t pan out. The final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel took a huge narrative swing from its first frame, and while I wasn’t fond of it initially, the marvelous (*wink wink*) performances, breakneck pacing, and hilarious writing rewarded their risky dedication with a strong second half. It also delivered one of my favorite episodes of the entire show, highlighting just how great Alex Borstein is as Susie Myerson. Season Five may be a step down from previous seasons, but it grew into a proper send-off for Mrs. Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan).
JACOB
Although there were some not insignificant bumps in the road, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel rounds out its fifth and final season to cement a six-year legacy as one of the best shows in the entire Prime Video arsenal, and certainly one of the best-looking ever put to screen (at least from a design standpoint). Some episodes this season did drag a bit, but the highs are as high as they’ve ever been, the writing remains sincere and funny (the finale is near perfect), and the costumes are once more delightful to see. Despite their imperfect run, I’ll miss these unforgettable characters.
ADRIANO
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel takes its final bow with some mixed results, but in the end, not underwhelmingly so. Initially, I found the season to be repetitive of what came before it, save for the interesting time jumps. Eventually, though, the show’s memorable ensemble, breakneck pacing, incredible writing, and character work won me back over as it took swings for the fences. Then, it delivered a deservedly marvelous final episode. Season Five might just be the best season since Season Two, and ultimately, quite the sendoff for this show.
