‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Season 5 Review - Tits Up and Farewell

Many good shows have ended or will end this year. Servant recently took a bow after a four-season long run. Succession and Barry will conclude by the end of May. Both these shows, like Servant, will close with four seasons. Riverdale will reportedly cast its final spell in August this year, and Nancy Drew, too, will air its fourth and final season on May 31 (and is set to end in August). In an age where cancellation has become common, one can at least be happy for all these mentioned shows as they get the opportunity to complete their storylines. There will be no cliffhangers waiting to be resolved. Of course, sometimes the shows are abruptly canceled, forcing the creators to rush through important developments (Jessica Jones and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina come to mind). That hastiness comes with its own problems. The fans, who dedicate their precious time to the series, are left disappointed with a rushed finale. Some of them express their frustration through tweets, and others pledge to never watch a show set in the same universe again (the success of House of the Dragon proves that the latter is merely an empty claim).

So how did the fifth and final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fare? Is it good? Is it bad? Is it as marvelous as our dear lady, Mrs. Maisel? Is it able to stick the landing? Short answer: Well, it's okay. Rachel Brosnahan, as Miriam/Midge, is as charming as ever. Her million-dollar smile is brighter than a thousand light bulbs. Thanks to Brosnahan, we consider Midge as someone who not only deserves but owns the spotlight because she can attract everyone's attention through her gestures, eyes, and presence. The fact that some men do not immediately notice Midge's talents or ignore them tells us that they are nothing but sexist. The series makes us root for Midge, which is why we don't roll our eyes whenever she is saved by good luck. She might get arrested by the coast guard or make noise during a filming session, but these hiccups are resolved without stress. Brosnahan knows she is the center of attention and fires up the screen with vehemence. The other actors are in sync with her and generate an atmosphere of effervescence.

The series maintains this elation through technical perfection. The camera smoothly navigates through environments, and the characters enter and exit the frames with precision. The segues are immaculately timed, as every scene starts and ends at just the right moment. The rhythm is wonderful. You feel as if the show is pirouetting and creating a whirlpool of benevolence. The dialogues are clear and elegantly delivered, and hearing them is a joy in itself. A few days back, I saw a video on Vox's YouTube channel about the importance of subtitles. The narrator argued that movies nowadays have muffled sounds, which leads to incomprehensible conversations between characters (Bodies Bodies Bodies is used as an example). I agree with the notion that subtitles are essential, and I like screeners that come with closed captions. In the absence of subtitles, I wear my headphones, increase the volume, and torture my ears. Thankfully, the audio of this screener was incredibly comprehensible, even on low volumes. More screeners like this - or with subtitles - please.

The fifth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel quickly establishes that it will not turn out to be a major disappointment. Observe its gleeful handling of the chaos that ensues during a Thanksgiving dinner with two tables - one for kids and one for adults. Or take the madness generated in the scene where Midge's stand-up act is spoiled by Moishe (Kevin Pollak) and Shirley (Caroline Aaron), who, to a degree, remind you of Frank and Estelle from Seinfeld. Both scenes possess good timing in terms of editing and dialogue delivery. The expert choreography is further evident in the sequence where two characters move from one train to another. The fifth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is like a professional stand-up comedian: It thoroughly rehearses its material before presenting itself to the audience.

There are some nice jokes here, like the one where grandparents compete for hugs. Midge's family is overly dependent on their maid, and that gives way to some amusing moments. Talking of amusing moments, there is a wedding ceremony in which Shirley is obsessed with fixing the bride's dress. It leads to a risible visual. But The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel does not only use jokes for laughs. It also utilizes them for expositions. In one of the scenes in the series, a character's backstory is dispensed through a roast. And while there are occasional doses of emotional sentiments, the drama never drowns into a pool of sentimentalism. It goes for a sweet ending that seeks to leave us with a happy sigh.

Not everything works, though. Some threads are perhaps too easily resolved, and you can feel the writers are attempting to quickly wrap everything up because this is the final season. There are times when you sense that the show is straining itself to achieve that warm-hearted ending. But these flaws don't matter much in the scheme of things. Oh, you might be aware of Abe's (Tony Shalhoub) new profession at The Village Voice. Since he is a critic, you get the obligatory scene where he is shown to be pretentious. However, the quietness that follows is impressive in its depiction of an unspoken tiff and apology.

A character mentions that Midge is easy on the eyes. You can extend that compliment to this season as well. The jokes don't always work, but The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel sustains a jovial mood throughout its runtime. Like the marvelous lady, the show exudes kindliness, amusement, wit, and tender feelings. Tits up and farewell, Mrs. Maisel.

Final Score- [7.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times
Note: All 9 episodes are screened for this review.
Premiere Date: April 14, 2023, on Prime Video (First Three Episodes)