Yo-ho-ho, there’s laughter on the high seas!
On The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 5 Episode 5 Midge accidentally commits an act of piracy, but instead of walking the plank, she gets taken away by the Coast Guard.
This episode felt like a return to form for the most part. Midge got to do what she does best — stand-up comedy, get into trouble, then get let off with no real damage done.
The Weissmans continue to be self-centered, and Joel uses more emotions than common sense. This is consistency.
Midge is pretty blasé about getting arrested these days. She’s even on friendly terms with Officer Paluzzo, one of the policemen who arrested her in the past.
It speaks to her privilege as a rich white woman that she can be arrested so many times (and will be again, as we learned from The Marvelous Maisel Season 5 Episode 2) but still go on to have a successful career.
She wears these arrests as a badge of honor, but then why shouldn’t she? They were either misunderstandings or the result of her using obscene language, hardly worth the fuss. Her attitude endears her to Gordon even more.
Gordon and Midge are in a good place right now and should stay that way. Midge laid out her feelings well, and he finally understood her. Though he remained flirty and charming, he respected her position.
Her spiel to him was so spot on. If there’s one thing that makes The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel so iconic, it’s that, in addition to being incredibly funny, it infuses these important feminist messages so gracefully.
What Midge describes her are choices that plague women even to this day.
Women are judged much more critically than men and must be extraordinary and work twice as hard. If there’s any hint that she didn’t get her position based on merit, that she “allowed herself” to be used for sex to rise in her field, then she is vilified.
Midge is acutely aware of this perception of a woman in her business, and she is insistent on doing it on her terms. She may have wanted to pursue a relationship with Gordon, but she simply cannot allow that for herself.
The Diddy-Doo reps on the boat were definitely an example of misogyny in action. They think women are there to appeal to men.
The idea of making motherhood sexy cuts deep. A mother is focused on keeping her baby alive and healthy, and she doesn’t need some perfect-looking model making her feel terrible about her post-birthing body.
Even though Midge is slim and gorgeous, she knew to walk away from that conversation. It was a perfect build-up to what Midge did next.
Midge is certainly imperfect, but she’ll always be a feminist icon — and to be honest, don’t we need more imperfect heroines?
She isn’t afraid of making a stink to rescue Nanette. She believes in saving a woman in peril, even at her own detriment. She used her powers for good, and Gordon rightfully backed her up.
However you like to make it is how I like to take it.
Joel Maisel
Have we come full circle? Is this the season where Joel and Midge get back together?
They still have that chemistry — that kiss was heated! — and now Mei and Lenny are out of the picture. Dramatically, it makes sense. In the flash-forwards, we learn that Midge never really settled with anyone, and perhaps this is why.
With Lenny’s fate and Joel in prison, Midge has to live and love on her own terms, whatever that looks like. If her heart is always there with the father of her kids, and he’s in prison, maybe she doesn’t feel right pursuing something serious with anyone else.
So, what do we think Joel did? Is it related to Frank and Nicky, or are they a red herring? It’s 1987 — how long could Joel have been in there? He doesn’t seem concerned about his situation, more resigned.
No doubt we’ll find out what he did (it may happen during the events of this season, or “off-screen”) and may explain that maybe Ethan and Esther have baggage not just due to their mother being an emotionally unavailable megastar but also because their father is in jail.
However, Joel was never mentioned in the 60 Minutes interview in Season 5 Episode 2, so perhaps his incarceration is more recent.
Joel Maisel: Why do you keep coming here?
Miriam “Midge” Maisel: For the patdowns.
It’s slightly confusing why Susie is successful all of a sudden. Did we miss something? It’s good to have James (Jay Will) back and getting all this attention. Is Midge’s success with Ford making Susie the in-demand manager? Is it James? It seems like now, Susie is just “it.”
Frank and Nicky seem mad at her presently, so it can’t be them. Maybe Susie is just that good, and her reputation is finally getting out. Her dogged pursuit of David Weston shows how determined she is to get her clients what they want.
You don’t take my calls. You won’t call me back. What are we, married?
Susie Myerson
Alex Borstein has always played the complexity of Susie so well and makes us root for her and revel in her success.
The little phone call to Alfie and his llama Catherine was so delightfully weird, and Alfie continues to be one of my favorite parts of the show. Also, Julie Klausner is killing it lately (she’s a writer for Schmigadoon!), and she’s got great comedic delivery, together with Alfie Fuller as Dinah.
No follow-up on last episode’s Hedy reveal. In fact, the only mention of her was that Gordon said he had to leave her at an animal benefit. Surprisingly, we didn’t even get a quick reaction shot on Susie at that moment.
Hopefully, these seeds that have been planted will sprout in a satisfying way.
Well, I certainly was not going to let you get married at city hall. That’s a place for third weddings when everyone’s given up on you.
Rose Weissman
Zelda deserved better.
Rose and Abe were truly disappointing here. How self-centered can you be? This woman has given you her life. She has raised your children and your grandchildren. Are all rich people like this? They are helpless without her. Let her have her wedding day!
Zelda is so sweet and good, and her vows were so on-brand for her. Matilda Szydagis delivered them so sincerely. She looked beautiful in her traditional gown, too. Janusz’s love for her is honest and heartfelt despite whatever else may or may not be going on.
I love everything about you. I love that you are on time. I love that you hang pictures straight and always, without measuring, perfectly centered. I love that you don’t lose money. I love that you never stain a wooden spoon. I love that you lift with your legs. And I love that I am your wife.
Zelda
It’s clear Janusz recognizes the Weissmans’ foibles better than Zelda does. He understands how toxic they are and that she deserves her freedom.
Caroline Aaron is such a perfect Shirley. Talk about consistency. Shirley is Shirley, but her heart’s in the right place. She just wants to help. I wouldn’t want her as my mother or mother-in-law, but it’s admirable how she leans into the cringe.
Everyone thinks it’s the ladies who are scared, but we have mothers, best friends, rabbis, school nurses, magazines scaring the shit out of us, the minute we get our first period. We’re ready. The men, however…
Shirley Maisel
Isaac Oliver did a bang-up job writing this episode. There were some great laughs, the story moved along, and there were some important, well-articulated observations about the female experience. It’s always nice when a man gets it.
Scott Ellis, the director, did well finding moments of humor and balancing them with tender moments.
This episode had, by far and away, the most unhinged and inspired choice for an end credits song.
Yes, that was “A Professional Pirate,” sung by Tim Curry from the underrated 1996 gem Muppet Treasure Island. Whoever made this decision, I doff my tricorne to you.
We still have a lot of questions left to be answered as we inch closer to the end.
This season so far feels like it’s occasionally glossing over some moments we’d really like to see, and we’re not always sure where the journey is taking us. Still, it’s fun and funny as it ever was.
How do you feel about this episode and the final season so far?
Share your thoughts in the comments.
Mary Littlejohn Mary Littlejohn is a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She loves television, cinema, and theatre (especially musicals!), particularly when it champions inclusivity, diversity, and social justice. Follow her on Twitter.