I loved the scene where Midge's father is realizing that the women in his life are the exceptional ones. His granddaughter turns out to be a physicist and it finally dawns on him how amazing his daughter is ... what an exceptional series this has been. From the dialogue, clothes, sets, incredible cast ... this was the best show ever. So sad it ended.
The last minutes do suggest that she is not completely happy even though she’s achieved what she always wanted. I think the forward flashes with her adult children show that too - ultimately, her career came first.
I felt the same way, like it echoed the sacrifice of her marriage, children upbringing, and her own relationships with everyone in her life. It wasn't a simple happy ending, but very bitter sweet after rooting for her after each episode.@@chrishaley5857
Lenny Bruce is a real life ground breaking comedian -he was her mentor and his guidance is what contributed to her success when she finally made it on the show. Women don’t need husbands to be successful. Her career was her husband -the most important relationship in her life was with Susie. Romantic love was never the driver in this series. When she gave up marriage to go on the road is evidence of my statement.
What don't you get about Lenny? He was there for her from the beginning, and, except for Susie, the first one to encourage her talent. She recognized in him the way she wanted to be, mixing comedy with truth, despite the legal and social barricades at the time. At the end, she saw how drugs had corrupted his talent, and tried, but couldn't help him. It was bittersweet, because it showed Midge's good heart but also her intelligence when she realizes that he's beyond her help. BTW, I cried buckets at the end😢
We see Miriam ‘alone’ at the end which makes perfect sense; she had two great loves, her career and Susie. Midge lived and created the exact life she wanted. Joel was also a great love in her life, her protector and perhaps all her failed marriages fell short of what she and Joel shared….the finale is a perfect ending As for Lenny Bruce, we’ll his character was enormously influential in her success and we see his demise handled with dignity in the show..a very sad true life story and we needed that final scene to understand where this pivotal relationship ended up.
If you don't get the "Lenny thing" you don't GET it.Period. It's also not about being without a husband.When you have time....please rewatch the series.
I was searching for this comment. Being invested in the whole series is what makes you "GET" those last scenes with Lenny and being alone in the penthouse.
I would love to hear more. The last thing we hear him say is something along the lines of « next time you will be buying food for a junkie.. » they both acknowledged his addiction, she tried to get him out of it with Susie’s help but maybe the best she could do for him is be his friend and not lover? And vice versa? Idk I could be super off but I would love to hear more about your thoughts on Lenny
@@yazzy123 The real life Lenny committed suicided via Morphine over dose in Aug of '66. The last two scenes we see of him are in "61 and '65. I believe they were alluding events that lead up to it and the helplessness that his friends felt during his downward spiral.
Well, I saw The Marvelous Mrs Maisel that a revolutionary woman making lemonade out of lemons and creating a successful career for herself. I did not this series as a live story between Midge and Lenny. And the last 5 minutes of Midge walking around at a slow pace by herself in big wide shots is showing she’s insanely happy. Got it.
Also, the moment she agrees to tour with Shy Baldwin she tells Joel that in that 5 second conversation, she realized that she was also choosing to live her life alone. She would always be alone. So that final scene of her walking through her over-sized house showed that she got to exactly where she said she'd be, exactly where she knew she would be. Plus all those family photos showed she never let go of them, including (and especially) Joel.
That’s the perfect simplistic explanation of the entire series…..her choice, her drive, her ultimate goal - she loved her children, but the monologue she gave at the end wasn’t coincidental that the “bit” she did had her trying to recall their names…..I loved that irony
I didn't think that the end was 'anti-feminist', not that Midge was necessarily 'alone'. She lives alone, yes, and that's kind of normal? I mean, she's 72 in the finale scene, and Joel would have been 75. She has had multiple marriages, althought in my head canon she got back with Joel and he's missing from the last scene because he passed away. We've seen enough from the previous flashforwards to know that she still has her friends, kids, grand children etc so the last thing is more to show that she got back her relationship with Susan, since the last time we left them 'in the future' they were stranged.
I think it was brilliant closure for Midge and Susie. The real love story of the show was between them, not between Midge and a man. I think it’s heavily implied that she was always loyal to Joel in old age but that he had passed away and that’s why he wasn’t there
I think they said in one of the flash-forward sequences that Joel went to prison as a consequence of his deal with the mob, which freed Midge from them. Pretty sure they mentioned that he passed away, it wasn’t clear whether he passed away in prison or after.
@@Historian212 Yes, but the last time we saw him in prison was in the 90s or 80s and he only had a year or two of jail left and seemed in good health. So presumably he got out
also she had lots of portraits of her family at home so why give it that much thought, she clearly remembers those memories fondly, there's nothing antifeminist about that. also remember her wedding day was one of the first stand ups she ever gave, so it's more a reflection of her path.
It was an excellent performance from the cast and team behind the show. I loved it. It made cry from joy. What an excellent show from beginning to the end. Far better than any show I've seen in a while. Thank you to everyone who made it happen.
Yes! A big theme of the series, I think. Remember also what she realizes when she decides to go on tour with Shy Baldwin. She knows she's choosing her career over her family. She goes to spend that night with Joel
Remember her husband is in jail for tax fraud. The point of the final scene and finale is that the two women (Miriam and Suze) stayed friends till the end. They stayed connected. That warmed my heart. The reality is that the longest and most valuable relationship we have is with our best friends not our spouses. Miriam never chose a romantic relationship over her dream to be a bombastically successful comedian. In real life we all make sacrifices for the things we truly want and I thought the scene was authentic. To achieve that level of success at the time and era she did, she had to give everything and she did. It was a price worth paying in my opinion. Anything else would have been way out of character for her. She didn't seem sad but fulfilled and at peace. It was perfect. It wasn't about a man or her kids, it was about Miriam and Suze. It shows that Miriam and Suze reached their goals. They both made big sacrifices. That's real life buddy. Her goal was never about being in love. If you paid attention to her character arc it would become even more clear. She never chose any man over her career which was the point of the final scene. She never chose a man, her parents or her kids. She went full in to realise her highest potential. She chose herself and the person who always believed in her - Suze. Lenny was significant because he was the one who always believed in her as a fellow comedian and pushed her to be the best comedian she could be. She loved him as a dear friend nothing more. We all have that lover who we care about even when we are no longer in love with them. Lenny was that for her. He was consistent. That's highly valuable for anyone especially a woman in comedy during those times. That's my take. What do you think?
I believe in 2005 Joel was no longer in prison, but from the look she gave his photos, and their placement, I believe he has passed away. Other than that, excellent take!
I think Amy wanted to avoid being accused of queer-baiting, but (as a bi individual myself) I think Midge is bi and her biggest factor in a relationship is what Joel originally promised her- to make her laugh every day. When she is calling off one of her weddings, she tells Suzie that she likes him, but he doesn't make her laugh. In that final scene, we get Suzie and Midge making each other laugh hard as ever, I presume every chance they get. 🥰 I wish it was cannon because bi erasure is slightly painful, but with a "choose your own ending" concept, that's what I'm believing in lol
KC you make a lot of great point and you’re right, it wasn’t about Midge and her husband It was about Midge and Suze It was about both strong women achieving their dreams just like us men achieving their dreams so what you wrote right there, it’s perfect I watch the show I watch all seasons. And to me, and I don’t care what people say it’s one of the best television shows I’ve ever seen in my life, the shots were beautiful, the dialogue was energetics, the designs are beautiful I don’t consider it as a show I consider as a cinematic television show!
I could tell that "Midge Maisel'" laughing while sitting on the couch at the Glen Ford's show was not just Midge, but Rachel laughing with joy. And it made me laugh with Joy too.
Yeah! When I saw the couch scene with Gordon Ford, it was clear that Rachel was not "being Midge" in the silent moment. It was subtle, but she was not moving or gesturing like Midge, you know? It was Rachel sitting there.
I thought the ending was absolutely perfect. She wasn't alone. She watches TV with her best friend. They had achieved everything that they wanted. I think you looked at her going through her house and eating alone as a bad thing while I look at it as empowering. You don't need a romantic entanglement to be happy. You just need to be fulfilled and your friends. She was secure in her knowledge that Joel, Lenny Bruce and Gordon (?) loved her for who she was. But they weren't necessary for her self worth. This whole series was basically the relationship between two best friends who remained friends
@A A - I agree with you. However, Graeme take is his opinion and that is what he got out of the finally. But then again, He doesnt get the importance and significance of Lenny Bruce either. LENNY BRUCE!! The pinnicle of Stand up of that time! He was legendary and added that finally passing of the torch in that final scene.
11:38 When you are at the end of life is that how you want your life story to end? All she had in the end was her fame, riches, successful career and long distance friend to watch taped jeopardy with. Is that all you would want out of life? It didn't seem like she had a relationship with her kids and grandkids. That is a fail to me. I am surprised people are putting more value on fame and fortune and a frienship over Midge's children.
@@kdcreative9541 Well this isn't about us. This is about Midge Maisel. And that is the price she paid for getting everything she wanted. She loved her kids but ultimately didn't value them like she did success. She sacrificed it all to get exactly what she wanted. In that Gordon Ford Show's final comedy monologue, she told us exactly what she wanted and told us herself that her kids would end up hating her because she was in a sense very selfish for it. She called them sociopaths, which in a way is what kinda she was. She knew it would cost her love, marriage, kids, and family. But she was willing to pay that price, and ultimately did, just as she foresaw it. So in the end, she was lonely, that's why she buried herself further in work and NOT taking any days off. But she was ok with it. Because Suzy was right there with her too. And that's all that mattered to her in the end. Her success and her one true friend made her laugh. Maybe that's not for you. Ok. But for Midge Maisel, apparently, it was.
Thank you and good night would have been a lovely last note had the show only been about Midge making it big but it was her journey with Susie that was the real “love” story. Two women trying to make it in a male dominated business and world at a time when they still thought women should be barefoot and pregnant. So in the end, she had her big success, Susie had big success, they broke down some barriers, they were wealthy and had adventures and fun BUT everything in life has another side to the choices we make and she did sacrifice relationships along the way to have this big life and this is the fallout. No life is perfect so she got the two relationships she wanted most..the one on stage and the one with her soul sister. And as far as Lenny, they were kindred..foreshadowing the fact that she would live the life he would never have the opportunity to.. A bittersweet ending to a fabulous show. I love Amy Sherman Palladino for her commitment to Excellence! I have watched all of her shows and I will continue to follow her to every colorful world she creates!
I think in the 2005 scene the big table represents that she often reunites with a big family probably her kids and grandkids and that they visited them often because of the room. Also I love that they portray that her first husband was the love of her life, probably they got back together and he died.
At the end of the 2nd season she tells Joel she is making a decision that will lead to her being alone but she wanted to be with someone who loved her that night and they slept together . The scene in her home at the end demonstrated that she was correct. Also she spent the last minutes of the show with someone who loves her…Susie.
I loved the 3-tiered ending, and the last final one was a realistic one. No matter whether you're professionally ambitious or not, women statistically outlive most men. So, statistically, that scene is where most women are headed IF THEY'RE LUCKY. If you have someone like lifelong friend to laugh with at that age knowing you did with your life what you wanted, that's a victory. When I hear people not like that ending I'm like ... I don't think you've gotten that real about what the end of life will probably look like. My grandma died a few months ago with one daughter taking care of her. One kid didn't even visit knowing she was terminal. My dad and I visited while she was sick once. So even if you live this check-box normal life where you get married and have kids, it doesn't mean you're gonna be constantly physically surrounded by people who care about you. What I love about this show from the start is it reveals just how insane it is that anyone expects women to make their lives revolve around a man and/or marriage. Chances are not high those will last until the end. Staying true to yourself and your best friends is way more doable and promising.
I can see the ending being realistic to Midge's fate coming from a perspective of someone who also lives alone sometimes you feel lonely and isolated. It was good that she was able to phone and share laughs with her lifelong friend Susie but its not the same as connecting in person. Relationships and memories you create are invaluable. She chased this career and acheived success and fame but it was sad to see that she didn't seem to have a relationship with her kids and grandkids at the end- it was like she pushed them to the side. She even seemed neglectful and like they weren't a priority to her back in the 60's. It would have been nice to see how her kids faired in 2005 or to see that she tried to salvage her relationship with them in 2005. So the fact that people are praising the ending and only concerned about her relationship with Susie and her getting a success career is interesting to me. But then again its just fiction!
@@kdcreative9541 The true love story of the show is between Midge and Susie, because not all love is romantic love. I think the ending was perfect in portraying that. Yes, one can question what her relationship with her kids, grandkids, etc., were like at the end. But that wasn't the point. The point was that Susie, the only person who made her laugh that hard (as she said in the Testi-roastial episode) was there, making her laugh so hard she couldn't breathe. That final scene was beautiful
Lenny was important to the show because he was important to Midge. He was the seasoned pro who mentored her, and pushed her into moves she needed to make at crucial times. Also, being a real historical figure he brought an element of realism and historical context to the show. I found it sad that he had no happy ending in the show, but he had no happy ending in life. Another dose of reality. I enjoyed seeing how Midge and Susie's lived played out, with great success after such a big gamble on the Gordon Ford Show. And at the very end I was laughing out loud at Susie's skunk jokes along with them.
you don't get the significance of Lenny Bruce? He was the progenitor of all the great comics -- Pryor, Sahl, Carlin who came afterwards. Without him, there could be no Mrs. Maisel.
I smile-cried through the entire last episode, especially the final scene of Midge and Suzie on the phone. It was perfect. They both lived incredibly full lives. Now they were slowing down and the highlight of their days in their golden years is to talk and laugh and sync up ( their show) to continue to have experiences together - im crying just writing this. it was one of the best endings to any show ever, imo
In last episode, when Midge had that moment adjusting the wedding photo with her and Joel - and their relationship in the last season - intimates that they got back together, but that he (may have) died. They were together in temple, she came to prison - she proclaimed her love for him - the writers left it open but consensus is that possibility was strongly hinted at.
OK, first of all, the table in her huge apartment is set for a large number of people, which indicates that perhaps there's a [Jewish?] holiday coming up with many guests. It's a callback to the early series episode about getting the rabbi for the holiday. Second of all, it's ONE moment in Midge's life that we see. Even Joan Rivers wasn't surrounded by people 24 x 7. Maybe Midge has been traveling and she's just happy to be home, in blissful solitude, and just wants to watch Jeopardy and chill with her best friend. I don't know why people read it as "sad and lonely." It says more about the people who think that than it does about Midge. Most of the flash-forwards indicate a less-than-happy life, but then, we know that often fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be. Most of us remember things from when we were young as the best time of our lives; before LIFE got on the way. My father-in-law fought at the Battle of the Bulge and STILL remembered WWII as the happiest time of his life. It's about youth, not so much what was happening in it, which we DO wear rose-colored glasses about as time passes. We forget the bad things and remember the good about what we experienced. In the "60 Minutes" segment early in the season, they TELL you who Midge's later husbands were. As for Lenny, he was like Midge's fairy godmother -- showing up randomly at various times, encouraging her when no one else but Susie was. From what I understand, Lenny was NOT supposed to be a big part of the series, but he nailed the man so completely, and yes, Luke Kirby is EXTREMELY nice to look at, that he was written to be a bigger character. His downfall was deftly handled in the finale. I loved this series. I was late to it, but I'm so glad I watched. Like so many others, I wish it could have gone on, though less for Midge (who was pretty self-centered, let's face it) than for Susie. Maybe Midge's story is complete, but Susie's isn't. Spinoff, anyone?
You think they had Mudge walking through a big empty house, looking at an old photo at Joel, eating dinner in the kitchen by herself while the servants cleaned to show she’s surrounded by lots of people and loved ones? Lol
@@GraemeONeil Did you even read my comment? It's a moment in time. The apartment could represent the success she achieved. I have a photo of my late husband in my living room. I look at it every time I pass it by. He is a sweet memory. Just like Joel is for Midge...any problems are long forgotten. It's a kindness that time does to us. I'm glad you live a simple life where nothing is complicated or even complex. Most people don't. Life is messy and complicated and weird, even for the rich and famous. Oh, and by the way, before I retired, when I got home from traveling for work, there is nothing I enjoyed more than the quiet of home, having a meal by myself, not having to make conversation all the time.
The BIG significance of Lenny Bruce in the story line was NOT to be a romantic interest in Midge's life but to be that cattle prod, that mentor to push her forward! He believed in her when she did not. He had to shove her out there while giving her the brutal truths about the business, how though even a man has it tough saying it like it is, times are READY for change and she stands right at the crossroads of being that change! No more goofy slapstick, vaudeville cutsie comedy! The world was ready for gutsy stream of consciousness monologs about gender roles and women's rights and places in society! They were ready for foul- mouth sexual jokes and the realism that women were people with goals and opinions and weren't going to be that perfect vision of the well-heeled put together socialite. She was going to be a single mother with a job to do. Lenny believed in her. That was what his powerful under story was about. Yeah, they had that one night together, but that was two people that really respected each other's boundaries but also succumbing to the attraction and the loneliness. But without losing sight of the ball, that it really wasn't ever going to be about them.
succumbing is such a good word to use! people often argue the reason midge left benjamin and didnt go back to joel is because she was so deeply in love with lenny, and while i do think they loved each other it was never the driving force of their relationship. he was a mentor, her 2nd fan (after suzie) and what made their relationship significant is the amount of respect he hands to her every single time he talks to her ; thats not just him being attracted.
I disagree that it was anti-feminist. It was always between Midge and Susie like in Gilmore Girls (Rory and Lorelei). It made sense. She put career ahead of all.
At the end of season 1, I believe, she turned down Benjamin’s proposal because she knew she would have to be alone to achieve the level of success she wanted.
I think that interpretation of that sequence in Midge's future home is a bit of a stretch. I think it's more a commentary of, you can make it big, and have all the money in the world, but what does it all mean if you don't have a _friend._ After everything was said and done, for everything Midge had earned for herself, all she wanted to was curl up on a couch in a small room and watch Jeopardy! and share her time with Suzie over the phone; and I think that's beautiful.
I'm not sure why you feel qualified to do a review on a show you don't understand or are invested in. Lenny was a grounding force that guided Midge into being a great comic. He saw something in her that even she couldn't see in herself. It was a friendship and a mutual respect relationship. The ending was not divisive....it was brilliant.
I’ve seen every episode of this series and what did I not “understand”? We can have differing interpretations without you insulting or dismissing my opinion
@@GraemeONeil You're certainly entitled to your opinion. The point being made is that an opinion not grounded in knowledge of the background of the show is one we all have to take with a grain of salt. The scene at the Hungry I with Bruce is reminiscent of "A Star is Born". Do you know why?
@@GraemeONeil So you have seen every episode but you kept saying how you weren't "vested" in the show? I'm not trying to insult you...your content is generally quite good. You just't dont "get" what you are talking about here...in this case it was Midge's very special relationship with Lenny by your own admission. I won't bother you further...I was just trying to make a point.
@@GraemeONeilbe honest. Did you know who lenny bruce was when you watched the show? Don't BS us. You totally thought he was a fictional character. Don't front.
I don't think she did put her career ahead of love - she had so much love in her life - Joel, Suzie, Lenny, her family, her kids, her friends, and her career - she said not that she wanted a big career, but that she wanted a big life, and I think she got that. And Lenny was a big part of that - it was in the previous season, but he told her that if she wasn't really successful it would break his heart, so having him in those final moments where she clearly made it big was important for her character arc, from the beginning where he was there the very first day she went on stage, all the way to the end, when his own career and life was falling apart, but he still wanted everything for her. The future marriages and divorces didn't mean so much as they were a path to her remembering how much she loved Joel, and how much he loved and cared about her, and how they fit. I think she eventually got back together with him after he got out of jail - remember, we only see the very very later in life time, when Joel is clearly not in the picture anymore, but his picture takes center stage among the rest. I guess I just don't get why anyone would think this show was just about her being successful in her career, I mean, that minimizes it so much.
The final shot shows that female friendship is the longest lasting bond. That men are not so much important. That she could have had 4 husbands but she had one best friend for life
Dude, stop trying to make everything about boy/girl love. Having genuine, supportive friends who you have experienced real joys, sorrows, and squabbles with and still are in each other's lives 40 years later is way better than romance. The ending was absolute perfection as only Amy Sherman Palladino can deliver.
Absolutely, it's not about needing a man. But he's not wrong to observe she looks pretty alone in that big mansion, like being the only guest in a hotel. She delights in connecting with Susie (their bond is sacred) but she's clearly paid a price for her success ~ the one she was prepared to pay ever since watching Lenny sing the "alone" song. This includes less than intimate relationships with her children, too ~ made obvious in episode 1 of this last season. But I love the ending, too.
This was great, thanks for posting. I really enjoyed seeing it, and I will come back to see it again! I don't think the comments reflect how much work went into this recap of my favorite show! ❤🎁
I'm glad they added those last minutes even though I found it a bit haunting. I didn't imagine her alone because she chose a career over a man. Relationships are important. Famous women are human beings too and life is complex. I think that's the message. She was a pioneer and it is STILL hard out there for women who want to be their best in a career and still have fulfilling relationships with men who don't feel at all threatened and are also not freeloading gamers (haha). Also, she was in her 70s at the end. Her parents were dead, her children had their own lives, and I imagined that she and Joel were together when he got out of prison and that he was probably dead at the end too. She and Susie were never really friends, but probably realized at some point how intense experiences, especially when we are young, binds us to people in ways it's hard to imagine until there is so much water under the bridge.
Someone who “wasn’t really invested in the show” shouldn’t be commenting. Midge had more than two husbands. Lenny was pivotal to the entire show, he was both Midge’s mentor and her muse. They make it clear that Lenny isn’t husband material, so they used the character to make “magical” appearances when needed. Heck, he appeared in the first episode, and was part of Midge and Joel’s early romance. Nothing antifeminist about the ending. “Happy” doesn’t necessarily mean fulfilled. Midge was happiest the day before Joel left her, because she was deluded and out of touch with the truth about her own level of ambition. Once she realized what her real dream was, she went after it. As is said repeatedly in the series, that doesn’t often lead to happiness. “Happy” isn’t the point.
I thought it was perfect. My best friend for 40 years and I picture our old age exactly the same. The men who have come and gone are a part of it but in the end, it will always be just us. We've raised our kids, had careers and many men who've meant different things but it always comes back to just she and I. I thought the love story between midge and Susie was the center of this series and it ended exactly as we hoped! I don't expect a man to understand that relationship and that's okay 😂
I don't think the show looks down at Midge at the end. That is a very simplistic way of viewing how she is at an older stage of her life. Just because her last scene is of her alone in the house talking to her bff, it doesn't mean that she is unhappy. The way you might look at it is a woman who has had many adventures in life and that has accomplished a lot. Also, let's not forget that the scene previous to this one is of her scheduling her next few appearances. She is clearly an active person. My takeaway from the finale is that Midge does feel accomplished in life. She is happy. She doesn't need to show it all the time. No one does.
I stumbled on to this show and just couldn’t stop watching it. And I’m so sad it’s over but the also happy I stumbled into this show and got to watch it. Loved every actor in this show
In the flash forward at the very end, I saw a parallel to the real life relationship between Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. They were great friends who spent a lot of time together in their older years. Saw a few interviews before Carl died where they talked about getting together most evenings to have dinner and watch movies. It was a special time they shared together that honored their long friendship and collaborations. Midge and Susie are not in the same room or even on the same coast, but they continue to make time to continue their bond and maintain a significant relationship.
If Graeme doesn't "get" the significance of Lenny Bruce, Graeme doesn't "get" standup comedy, period. Does it really need to be explained that Midge befriending a real life groundbreaking standup icon, who blazed the trail for virtually everything in the art form that followed, is an important subtext? Come ON.
Oh the ending was wonderful with the non-stop laughter between Midge & Susie!! And most women by the time they are in their golden years are living alone whether they are rich & famous or living on a budget and ordinary. Nothing surprising about that. Just the way life is as women live longer than men.
Re: your concerns about Feminism.. Please read Betty Friedan. Her end-game was never about powerful woman full stop. She understood that corporations would harness the women’s movement to their own interests (welcome to 70 cents on the dollar, ladies) ASP is slyly telling us (okay in my analysis) that our allies are the men and women who support us. Joel realized he was an old school ass of a husband. He realized he screwed up. He acted as an ally in the end. He was the love of her life.
It wasn’t about her being without a husband. It’s about being alone with only Susie as the only person she could relate to. It’s not a man woman thing, it’s a person to person thing
If they do a spin-off it could be with the fast talking genius Esther Maisel, the daughter, I liked that short flash forward intro to one of the final season episodes, where she's introduced as some kind of genius, they could make her into some kind of NASA/SpaceX engineer/White House advisor of some type.. include whatever you can think of for the ultimate genius young woman even if kind of neurotic..
She is single and financially secure and has a friendship that outlasted her marriages. That was not easily possible in the year of the pilot episode...not for a woman. Her kids are not around and apparently are not very close to their mom. I think that is the significance of the final scene. She chose comedy over love when she left Benjamin. That was a choice she made with her eyes wide open. She always loved Joel. I would love to know who the other 3 husbands were.....Gordon? It is clever that they left a lot out so if they decide to make a movie, they can. Perfect ending.
The last moment is just about showing female friendship. I find ASP's shows are always about female relationships. The story wasn't just about Midge making it but it was also about Susie and Mitch: how they grew together, how they are always going to be in each others lives despite the distance
The end is a call back to Lenny Bruce's actual standup, and the one we see when Midge goes to "stand outside his playdate." He talks about how once becoming successful he will live alone in a penthouse. Just search for All Alone. The restaurant call back is also to help with the All Alone call back. Lenny Bruce is one of the biggest comedians of all time and, in this world, he was a part of Midge's success. And in the end she got what he talked about.
What do u mean you don't get the lenny thing? If you haven't then you haven't get the show itself. He was more than important to midge and every time he appeared was to teach midge something or in general temrs, to make her feel like she could do it. Lenny wasn't supposed to be the major romantic interest btw and his character was supposed to appear just in the pilot but luke Kirby was so good, the palladinos had to brought him back. Although i love their chemistry, i always knew they couldn't end up together and it wasn't about that, it was about how he always was her fairy godmother, as rachel brosnahan said
I live in Tampa Bay, Florida. We had 2 hurricanes in 2 weeks. Thankfully we had a generator with just enough power to keep our cell phones & tablets charged I watched the series from start to finish over the last week. It was such a great diversion. I almost feel like I would not have made it through this week without having the show to look forward to I just finished the series and I miss them already. Might have to re-watch it
I'm not aware of another TV show in which the last season was so unlike the previous seasons, with the time jumping back and forth. It was a unique method of showing what "had happened" to the characters in the future. It was well done, but I would have like to have seen Joel get out of prison and reunite with his family and friends. It was such a tremendous sacrifice that he made for Midge, it would have been nice to see him free. They showed close to the end of the downward spiral of Lenny Bruce and I understand why they left it at that last scene. However, just short wordless scene with Midge reading about his death in the paper, closing her eyes, and fade to black would have been very powerful.
And still... I feel I'm the only one talking about this but WHERE IS MOISHE??? why was he excluded from the end? I certainly hope Kevin Pollack couldn't be there and not that they just didn't want him there. What a lost opportunity to show him at least chuckle to prove Midge is funny.
When I saw the scene of Midge alone at the end, I was about to get angry. Why are we always shown that those who fight for their dreams and achieve them live alone and lonely, eating alone in her kitchen despite her elaborately decorated dining room table set for 30 people? Why are we fed this ridiculous idea that if we pursue our dreams, we'll lose our friends and family? It's nonsense. But the Sherman-Palladinos did not let us down. When Midge came to her TV room and sat down to watch Jeopardy with Suzie, I LOVED it. It was perfect. Sure, Midge lived alone in a huge Manhattan penthouse with a staff serving her like Sophie Lennon - the fruits of her immense and lasting success. But unlike Sophie, she had people in her life who loved her. Suzie in the main. Maybe she still has Joel and her brother and sister-in-law, Imogene, and others. But the end scene teased us that she gave up human connection to be famous, but she didn't. She had human connection. She had a best friend for life, no matter how far apart they lived. It was perfect.
Imogene is still close by - she filmed Midge’s video message to Susie at the roast. I can imagine lots of friends enjoying Midge’s spacious home- formal dinners, cocktail hour in the lounge, Midge would love hosting!
Suzy said in season one "I am going to be alone in life. I don't mind bring alone. I just do not wa t to be insignificant". When Midge leaves Benjamin she goes to Joel and says alsoshe will be alone. Those knew the life they wanted and to have it meant sacrifice, people would never really understand them but they were fine with it because what they loved there careera more. Also they ultimately always had each other.
I like the idea of it being a sort of "choose your own adventure," where we can fill in some of the blanks. I think after Joel got out of jail, he became an important part of Midge's life again. I don't think they got remarried or anything afterwards, but she made sure he was taken care of. She made him her manager for a while, as an excuse to give him a steady income, until he decided to formally retire; and she bought him a small house her's - far enough away that he could feel she wasn't smothering him, but close enough that she expected him to come to dinner most nights when she was in town. She didn't cook anymore, but she taught her cook how to make her brisket. Joel was probably gone though, by the time of the flashforward, but she was there with him at the end, along with their kids and grandkids. She declined to give his eulogy, insisting instead it should be Ethan. The very next day she was back onstage; and her entire set was about her ex-husbands, working backwards and ending with Joel. She brought back all the old jokes, the ones everyone knew by heart, along with some new ones that came to her in the moment, but she ended with a heartfelt reflection of what he truly meant to her, the eulogy she had actually written but lost the nerve to say at the funeral; and concluded with how much she'll miss him.
When youre a powerful and strong willed person, you are usually alone. Even if you have people that love you, you make them uncomfortable. And you are usually alone. But we all have that ONE person that gets us. The one that doesnt have to be romantic. Its pure platonic love. Its very powerful because theres no s e x involved.
I was SOOO invested in this series. Loved it so much! Lenny is very much significant because 1) he was in the very first episode when Midge first got arrested for her very first stand-up, 2) remember that Midge is very much inspired by Joan Rivers who did the observational, stream-of-consciousness style comedy, 3) Lenny was one of the ground-breakers for observational, stream-of-consciousness style comedy, and 4) Joan had a close friendship with Lenny (that may or may not have been sexual at some point - alluded to by Joan but not confirmed) Edited to add: the love story in the show is between Midge and Susie, not Midge and some man. Because love does not need to be romantic. There are many kinds of love. I think the showing of Midge's empty house is not to show that she is romantically alone (though she is), but to contrast with the final moments of the most important love she has experienced: her friendship with Susie. It was hard-fought, at times one-sided, and had its ups and downs. But they ended up *together*
I loved the series and all the pieces of the finale. I think if you watched every episode you understand and appreciate the ending . Will miss these characters.
I just watched a documentary of female comedians (Joan Rivers produced it) and they all said you live for the laughs but you have to give up a personal life for it. Midge states in the last season that she needs the laughs and applause, and that's what she still has in her 70's--she still has her career and Susie, her friend. Do you have to give up something in your life--of course, but missing something you don't have doesn't make you an anti-feminist. It makes you human, a human who has made choices. And Lenny was a colleague who respected her work which was huge--I can't think of another comic in the series who gave her respect. And the fact that he ended the way he did (and that we all knew about it from the get go) added a great dramatic pathos to the show.
The final episode redeemed the last season for me. I truly had wanted to see her rise to fame and the last season began by jumping us to an older Midge that was very famous. I felt cheated out of the journey. But the final episode was redeeming and very well done. And the importance of Lenny is that he was her mentor from her first night getting in a stage.
As someone who is/was "very invested in the series", I think Lenny's purpose was very evident. He was a successful comedian whom Midge looked up to, whose fame she aspired to in the beginning (as time went on, she wanted even more), and she respected his opinion. His belief in her pushed her to continue even when she was down. The sexual tension between them was merely happenstance; the night they finally got together needed to happen, and when Midge saw those drugs in his room, you knew Midge wasn't going to ever go further into a romantic relationship with him because in the end he would only hold her back. They would remain forever friends but nothing more. Joel would remain her true love no matter how many husbands she went through but they could never make it work as spouses. She and Joel would forever love each other and would remain loyal and supportive to each other but just couldn't be married anymore.
In the end, in real life, Lenny Bruce died of a Morphine overdose in 1966, one year after the fictional Susie sees one of his final terrible shows. Sadly, he was 40.
Instead of raining so hard and so why are you don’t understand it maybe you should look at the small details a little more than you get why it’s completely understandable.
I don't see the ending scenes as anti feminist in any way. To me it looks at a woman in her 70's looking at her life...she's had a very successful career, and while the men in her life have come and gone... the love of a deep friendship between women will always remain. It was special to me because my dearest friend and I sit and watch our favorite shows just like Miriam & Suzy did...even counting out when we are hitting the play button! ❤
I was initially disappointed by the flagrant display of wealth. I came to the same conclusion you did: that it all meant nothing because now her life's empty and meaningless. But while the shots of her walking through her home felt melancholy, Midge's face read as content. It's viewer error that we mistake a woman alone as discontent. (She can't possibly be fulfilled unless her grandchildren are underfoot and everyone's fighting over the brisket.) She always loved having nice things and it showed that didn't change over the years. I agree with some of the other commenters who said her career was her true husband. Ultimately, it's a show about the creative process and friendship. The ending with Suzie was brilliant. (And those moments where Lenny parted the curtain enough to show her how he truly felt were my favorite moments in the whole show. I don't care if they have a tragic story, or if it wasn't even a true romance, the complexity of their relationship make them my favorite couple in TV.)
Graeme you didn't got the point of the happiest day of her life, is about how much easier it is for a women to just follow the rules and have her life writen for her. She choosed the hard way, the struggle, the making of the path, she remembers that time as the happier but in a naive way of being happy. It was easier when she belived that was all, the husband and the two children, but whe she saw the complexity of life, life is no just happy (sorry for the broken english)
I loved, loved, loved this series. Interesting that you don't "get" the Lenny Bruce and Midge connection...I SO get it and was VERY glad he had a scene in the finale. His pep talk to Midge in the Carnegie Hall episode was epic! The last episode was almost perfect....I guess Joel was still in jail.
I don't really see her as "sad", she is alone but many people in their old age are alone. It's a great thing to see that she still has Susie. I think it's the ultimate feminist thing to do: she still has a fulfilling career, she still has a very close friend to talk to and laugh with, she has her children and probably grandchildren (somewhere). But she does not need a man to be happy. I love it that the last scene is just her and Susie, without a man. Imagine the same scene and a man sitting next to her on the sofa: it just wouldn't work (third wheel energy!). By the way: it also wouldn't work if Susie had a female partner sitting next to her.
About Lenny and Midge - This important scene establishes Midge's future status as one of the greats . It's Lenny Bruce - THE stand up comic legend of his generation passing the torch to the next. Aside being in a convoluted and star-crossed romantic relationship, it's acknowledging Maisel as one who is his equal and peer.
It was always about Susie and Midge so it had to end with them sharing their future moment together, letting us know how far they had come in life and that they were happy with each others company despite the fame and fortune. I liked the ending.
I'm with Flame Throw. I'll add that in my own "head canon" Midge does wind up partner-less. This is totally befitting - there were signs as far back as the very second episode of Midge's forced but spontaneous self-discovery leading her down the often solitary path of one who "chooses" fierce devotion to career over love. Subtext: We realize in the show's final moments that over the years Midge has evolved into a de facto workaholic (the cause of this is best left to licensed mental health professionals - I am only the son of one). Are Midge's ultimately partner-less path and workaholism conscious "choices?" In this life such questions are only answerable by our own imaginations, and those of The Marvelous Amy and Dan Palladino. Thank Heaven for all of the above, and to the best cast of any TV series this fan has ever charged willfully into full-fledged addiction to. Bless you ALL. -Barry Waller, former bassist for Happy Together tour
Midge is based loosely on Joan Rivers, for whom Lenny Bruce was a mentor. LB is one of my favorite characters on the show, well written and well acted by the charismatic Luke Kirby. He is a cautionary tale for Midge. And the point of the final scene is that these two memorable female characters are not alone. They obviously have each other, and they share not just history but laughter. Great ending!
Joel was the love of Midge's life. He hurt her in a way that truly broke her heart because she gave all of herself to him, bevame all things for him in their marriage. She happily did so. Stll, she couldn't stop loving him ever. As dysfunctional as he was, Joel didn't stop loving her either. It's not "anti feminist" to look back on happiness with someone you truly loved or reminisce on the times you had together gpod or bad, married or not. It's human emotion, feeling. They had a bond like it or not. It is what it is. Sometimes, you can't stop the heart. " The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart." Thich Nhat Hanh
Lenny believed in her, respected her, & pushed her to stay true to herself. He also was one of the only people who knew firsthand the sacrifices she would have to make.
I loved the ending. I loved this whole season. I thought that it was Lear that she always loved her husband. She had the career she loved. She was always driven. And she was able in the end to maintain the most important friendship of her life
1.) Lenny is one of the most influential for Midge, he inspired her, believed in her, and supported her from the beginning. He was a mentor figure for her and her moral support. Susie, Lenny, and Joel were always there for her. He's such a role for her that in the future, Midge didn't want to see him again in such a bad shape because they had a perfect goodbye, and she didn't wanna ruin the great lenny image for her. Sorta selfish in a way, since lenny probably really needed midge, but there's an angle that makes me kinda understand her side even though i don't agree, same goes for the shy fiasco where she almost outted him, but the series tried to make us sympathetic for her so much. 2.) Midge being alone is not weird, it's a perfect callback to when she saw shy baldwin smoking at the end (the last time midge saw shy), where in a way she realized that many times, when you're trying to reach to the top, you can reach it, and be alone at the top. That's why we got scenes of midge being and seemingly alone. But that's where the series shows us that Susie is still there for Midge, they're still there for each other, and so that scene is a way for callbacks and proving their friendship and how you can not be alone in the top. Since this show is indirectly (Or directly actually) about their friendship during stardom, I think the series did convey this perfectlyy!
You should have seen the series. When she decides to go on tour with Shy Baldwin and not even consider her fiancé, she talks to Joel and says she's made her decision but that decision implied she will be alone forever. In a time where women were supposed to mothers and wifes and women comedians were a rarity, Midge had to be tough - very tough. The last season shows she married two more times, and it shows quite a distant relationship with her kids. Watch the series one more time, invest in it this time, and you'll see the ending is perfect.
THANK YOU! I hated the Season 5 flash forwards and I'm glad to see I'm not alone. The series should have ended on Gordon's couch, period. There's no point in having us root for Midge to finally get her break against all odds, then have her succeed to a level we couldn't have even imagined, and then close with, "But it turns out, none of it made her happy".
It's not saying Midge's life is empty b/c she doesn't have a man. It's saying women--esp. in that era--couldn't have it all. She has fraught relationships with her adult children--unsurprising given her inconsistent presence during their childhoods. We know that she's had plenty of relationships with men and I have no doubt that she still "dates" even if she's not married. But an earlier scene showed her to be a workaholic, complaining that she had one day without a booking in an other wise full week.But the fact that it ended on her and Susie--still so connected that they appear to have a nightly call--was perfect. Each woman's career and success grew out of their work together--they wouldn't have become who they are if they had not come up together, pushing each other to do more and do better. And that they were able to repair their relationship after that long period of alienation and return to being each other's "person" was tremendously moving and satisfying.
I understand your confusion about Lenny Bruce, however, I thought bringing him into the series was a brilliant move. He is a historical figure that is important in the evolution of stand-up comedy in the 1960's. I think Midge looked up to him as a role model. He was giving authority the middle finger in his routines by not being constrained by the norms of the day. That is what Midge was doing as a female stand-up.
I loved the scene where Midge's father is realizing that the women in his life are the exceptional ones. His granddaughter turns out to be a physicist and it finally dawns on him how amazing his daughter is ... what an exceptional series this has been. From the dialogue, clothes, sets, incredible cast ... this was the best show ever. So sad it ended.
didn't saw it that way, but you're so right
The last minutes do suggest that she is not completely happy even though she’s achieved what she always wanted. I think the forward flashes with her adult children show that too - ultimately, her career came first.
I almost cried, I wish someday I'll hear words like those from my father.
I felt the same way, like it echoed the sacrifice of her marriage, children upbringing, and her own relationships with everyone in her life. It wasn't a simple happy ending, but very bitter sweet after rooting for her after each episode.@@chrishaley5857
you shouldn't be sad that it ended, you should rejoice that it didn't turned into a 15 seasons garbage like most shows.
Lenny Bruce is a real life ground breaking comedian -he was her mentor and his guidance is what contributed to her success when she finally made it on the show.
Women don’t need husbands to be successful. Her career was her husband -the most important relationship in her life was with Susie. Romantic love was never the driver in this series. When she gave up marriage to go on the road is evidence of my statement.
What don't you get about Lenny? He was there for her from the beginning, and, except for Susie, the first one to encourage her talent. She recognized in him the way she wanted to be, mixing comedy with truth, despite the legal and social barricades at the time. At the end, she saw how drugs had corrupted his talent, and tried, but couldn't help him. It was bittersweet, because it showed Midge's good heart but also her intelligence when she realizes that he's beyond her help. BTW, I cried buckets at the end😢
This is exactly what I think too, I'm actually surprised he couldn't see the obvious. Thanks for putting it into words for me.
1000% agree. He SAW her the way Susie did.
i see him more as liminal character, he guided her to her own potential
Thanks for putting my feelings into words! I agree with EVERYTHING you so beautifully said.
Plus, he was a significant, famous, and ground-breaking comedian!
We see Miriam ‘alone’ at the end which makes perfect sense; she had two great loves, her career and Susie. Midge lived and created the exact life she wanted. Joel was also a great love in her life, her protector and perhaps all her failed marriages fell short of what she and Joel shared….the finale is a perfect ending
As for Lenny Bruce, we’ll his character was enormously influential in her success and we see his demise handled with dignity in the show..a very sad true life story and we needed that final scene to understand where this pivotal relationship ended up.
If you don't get the "Lenny thing" you don't GET it.Period. It's also not about being without a husband.When you have time....please rewatch the series.
I was searching for this comment. Being invested in the whole series is what makes you "GET" those last scenes with Lenny and being alone in the penthouse.
I would love to hear more. The last thing we hear him say is something along the lines of « next time you will be buying food for a junkie.. » they both acknowledged his addiction, she tried to get him out of it with Susie’s help but maybe the best she could do for him is be his friend and not lover? And vice versa? Idk I could be super off but I would love to hear more about your thoughts on Lenny
@@yazzy123 The real life Lenny committed suicided via Morphine over dose in Aug of '66. The last two scenes we see of him are in "61 and '65. I believe they were alluding events that lead up to it and the helplessness that his friends felt during his downward spiral.
Well, I saw The Marvelous Mrs Maisel that a revolutionary woman making lemonade out of lemons and creating a successful career for herself. I did not this series as a live story between Midge and Lenny. And the last 5 minutes of Midge walking around at a slow pace by herself in big wide shots is showing she’s insanely happy. Got it.
@@GraemeONeil still do not
Also, the moment she agrees to tour with Shy Baldwin she tells Joel that in that 5 second conversation, she realized that she was also choosing to live her life alone. She would always be alone. So that final scene of her walking through her over-sized house showed that she got to exactly where she said she'd be, exactly where she knew she would be. Plus all those family photos showed she never let go of them, including (and especially) Joel.
That’s the perfect simplistic explanation of the entire series…..her choice, her drive, her ultimate goal - she loved her children, but the monologue she gave at the end wasn’t coincidental that the “bit” she did had her trying to recall their names…..I loved that irony
Joel was and likely remained the love of her life. I always wished they'd both back together
I didn't think that the end was 'anti-feminist', not that Midge was necessarily 'alone'. She lives alone, yes, and that's kind of normal? I mean, she's 72 in the finale scene, and Joel would have been 75. She has had multiple marriages, althought in my head canon she got back with Joel and he's missing from the last scene because he passed away. We've seen enough from the previous flashforwards to know that she still has her friends, kids, grand children etc so the last thing is more to show that she got back her relationship with Susan, since the last time we left them 'in the future' they were stranged.
I think it was brilliant closure for Midge and Susie. The real love story of the show was between them, not between Midge and a man. I think it’s heavily implied that she was always loyal to Joel in old age but that he had passed away and that’s why he wasn’t there
I think they said in one of the flash-forward sequences that Joel went to prison as a consequence of his deal with the mob, which freed Midge from them. Pretty sure they mentioned that he passed away, it wasn’t clear whether he passed away in prison or after.
Joel & her definitely never got together again, they loved each other too much
@@Historian212 Yes, but the last time we saw him in prison was in the 90s or 80s and he only had a year or two of jail left and seemed in good health. So presumably he got out
also she had lots of portraits of her family at home so why give it that much thought, she clearly remembers those memories fondly, there's nothing antifeminist about that. also remember her wedding day was one of the first stand ups she ever gave, so it's more a reflection of her path.
It was an excellent performance from the cast and team behind the show. I loved it. It made cry from joy. What an excellent show from beginning to the end. Far better than any show I've seen in a while. Thank you to everyone who made it happen.
Totally agree with you. This show is excellent inside and out, from beginning to end. A real treasure.
The “All Alone” scene with Lenny on the Steve Allen show foreshadowed her big empty penthouse. “I’ll be living in my Nardville mansion, all alone”
Yes! A big theme of the series, I think. Remember also what she realizes when she decides to go on tour with Shy Baldwin. She knows she's choosing her career over her family. She goes to spend that night with Joel
Yes, exactly.
But you have also had the warning of Sophie Lennon early on. She has rather sold her soul while Midge stays true to herself.
Remember her husband is in jail for tax fraud. The point of the final scene and finale is that the two women (Miriam and Suze) stayed friends till the end. They stayed connected. That warmed my heart. The reality is that the longest and most valuable relationship we have is with our best friends not our spouses. Miriam never chose a romantic relationship over her dream to be a bombastically successful comedian. In real life we all make sacrifices for the things we truly want and I thought the scene was authentic. To achieve that level of success at the time and era she did, she had to give everything and she did. It was a price worth paying in my opinion. Anything else would have been way out of character for her. She didn't seem sad but fulfilled and at peace. It was perfect. It wasn't about a man or her kids, it was about Miriam and Suze. It shows that Miriam and Suze reached their goals. They both made big sacrifices. That's real life buddy. Her goal was never about being in love. If you paid attention to her character arc it would become even more clear. She never chose any man over her career which was the point of the final scene. She never chose a man, her parents or her kids. She went full in to realise her highest potential. She chose herself and the person who always believed in her - Suze. Lenny was significant because he was the one who always believed in her as a fellow comedian and pushed her to be the best comedian she could be. She loved him as a dear friend nothing more. We all have that lover who we care about even when we are no longer in love with them. Lenny was that for her. He was consistent. That's highly valuable for anyone especially a woman in comedy during those times. That's my take. What do you think?
Thoughtful analysis. 👍
I believe in 2005 Joel was no longer in prison, but from the look she gave his photos, and their placement, I believe he has passed away. Other than that, excellent take!
I think Amy wanted to avoid being accused of queer-baiting, but (as a bi individual myself) I think Midge is bi and her biggest factor in a relationship is what Joel originally promised her- to make her laugh every day. When she is calling off one of her weddings, she tells Suzie that she likes him, but he doesn't make her laugh. In that final scene, we get Suzie and Midge making each other laugh hard as ever, I presume every chance they get. 🥰 I wish it was cannon because bi erasure is slightly painful, but with a "choose your own ending" concept, that's what I'm believing in lol
KC you make a lot of great point and you’re right, it wasn’t about Midge and her husband It was about Midge and Suze It was about both strong women achieving their dreams just like us men achieving their dreams so what you wrote right there, it’s perfect I watch the show I watch all seasons.
And to me, and I don’t care what people say it’s one of the best television shows I’ve ever seen in my life, the shots were beautiful, the dialogue was energetics, the designs are beautiful I don’t consider it as a show I consider as a cinematic television show!
@@stevenmoralesjr5785 Pilot: "I don't mind being alone ... I just do not want to be insignificant."
I could tell that "Midge Maisel'" laughing while sitting on the couch at the Glen Ford's show was not just Midge, but Rachel laughing with joy. And it made me laugh with Joy too.
Yeah! When I saw the couch scene with Gordon Ford, it was clear that Rachel was not "being Midge" in the silent moment. It was subtle, but she was not moving or gesturing like Midge, you know? It was Rachel sitting there.
Yes! She was in/out of character…..so incredibly bittersweet
I thought the ending was absolutely perfect. She wasn't alone. She watches TV with her best friend. They had achieved everything that they wanted. I think you looked at her going through her house and eating alone as a bad thing while I look at it as empowering. You don't need a romantic entanglement to be happy. You just need to be fulfilled and your friends. She was secure in her knowledge that Joel, Lenny Bruce and Gordon (?) loved her for who she was. But they weren't necessary for her self worth. This whole series was basically the relationship between two best friends who remained friends
I agree that you don’t need a romantic love to be happy but the show absolutely depicted a sense that you do in the end
@A A - I agree with you. However, Graeme take is his opinion and that is what he got out of the finally. But then again, He doesnt get the importance and significance of Lenny Bruce either. LENNY BRUCE!! The pinnicle of Stand up of that time! He was legendary and added that finally passing of the torch in that final scene.
@@TheAngelmuse I'm actually shocked that he didn't understand the significance of Lenny!
11:38 When you are at the end of life is that how you want your life story to end? All she had in the end was her fame, riches, successful career and long distance friend to watch taped jeopardy with. Is that all you would want out of life? It didn't seem like she had a relationship with her kids and grandkids. That is a fail to me. I am surprised people are putting more value on fame and fortune and a frienship over Midge's children.
@@kdcreative9541 Well this isn't about us. This is about Midge Maisel. And that is the price she paid for getting everything she wanted. She loved her kids but ultimately didn't value them like she did success. She sacrificed it all to get exactly what she wanted. In that Gordon Ford Show's final comedy monologue, she told us exactly what she wanted and told us herself that her kids would end up hating her because she was in a sense very selfish for it. She called them sociopaths, which in a way is what kinda she was. She knew it would cost her love, marriage, kids, and family. But she was willing to pay that price, and ultimately did, just as she foresaw it. So in the end, she was lonely, that's why she buried herself further in work and NOT taking any days off. But she was ok with it. Because Suzy was right there with her too. And that's all that mattered to her in the end. Her success and her one true friend made her laugh. Maybe that's not for you. Ok. But for Midge Maisel, apparently, it was.
Thank you and good night would have been a lovely last note had the show only been about Midge making it big but it was her journey with Susie that was the real “love” story. Two women trying to make it in a male dominated business and world at a time when they still thought women should be barefoot and pregnant. So in the end, she had her big success, Susie had big success, they broke down some barriers, they were wealthy and had adventures and fun BUT everything in life has another side to the choices we make and she did sacrifice relationships along the way to have this big life and this is the fallout. No life is perfect so she got the two relationships she wanted most..the one on stage and the one with her soul sister. And as far as Lenny, they were kindred..foreshadowing the fact that she would live the life he would never have the opportunity to.. A bittersweet ending to a fabulous show. I love Amy Sherman Palladino for her commitment to Excellence! I have watched all of her shows and I will continue to follow her to every colorful world she creates!
Excellent insight and understanding.
@@pamelafulks582 Thank you:)
I think in the 2005 scene the big table represents that she often reunites with a big family probably her kids and grandkids and that they visited them often because of the room. Also I love that they portray that her first husband was the love of her life, probably they got back together and he died.
We need a Rose spinoff- prequel or sequel I will take it!!!!!
Rose and Abe with pop in guest appearances from the others.
Yes, I would LOVE to see rose abe and Zelda in their own show along with the maisels!
@@marywarren5183i want to see everyone’s backstory !!
@@marywarren5183 YES! I need more Zelda!
At the end of the 2nd season she tells Joel she is making a decision that will lead to her being alone but she wanted to be with someone who loved her that night and they slept together . The scene in her home at the end demonstrated that she was correct. Also she spent the last minutes of the show with someone who loves her…Susie.
I loved the 3-tiered ending, and the last final one was a realistic one. No matter whether you're professionally ambitious or not, women statistically outlive most men. So, statistically, that scene is where most women are headed IF THEY'RE LUCKY. If you have someone like lifelong friend to laugh with at that age knowing you did with your life what you wanted, that's a victory. When I hear people not like that ending I'm like ... I don't think you've gotten that real about what the end of life will probably look like. My grandma died a few months ago with one daughter taking care of her. One kid didn't even visit knowing she was terminal. My dad and I visited while she was sick once. So even if you live this check-box normal life where you get married and have kids, it doesn't mean you're gonna be constantly physically surrounded by people who care about you. What I love about this show from the start is it reveals just how insane it is that anyone expects women to make their lives revolve around a man and/or marriage. Chances are not high those will last until the end. Staying true to yourself and your best friends is way more doable and promising.
I can see the ending being realistic to Midge's fate coming from a perspective of someone who also lives alone sometimes you feel lonely and isolated. It was good that she was able to phone and share laughs with her lifelong friend Susie but its not the same as connecting in person.
Relationships and memories you create are invaluable. She chased this career and acheived success and fame but it was sad to see that she didn't seem to have a relationship with her kids and grandkids at the end- it was like she pushed them to the side. She even seemed neglectful and like they weren't a priority to her back in the 60's. It would have been nice to see how her kids faired in 2005 or to see that she tried to salvage her relationship with them in 2005. So the fact that people are praising the ending and only concerned about her relationship with Susie and her getting a success career is interesting to me. But then again its just fiction!
THIS! 👏🏼👏🏼❤
@@kdcreative9541 The true love story of the show is between Midge and Susie, because not all love is romantic love. I think the ending was perfect in portraying that. Yes, one can question what her relationship with her kids, grandkids, etc., were like at the end. But that wasn't the point. The point was that Susie, the only person who made her laugh that hard (as she said in the Testi-roastial episode) was there, making her laugh so hard she couldn't breathe. That final scene was beautiful
Lenny was important to the show because he was important to Midge. He was the seasoned pro who mentored her, and pushed her into moves she needed to make at crucial times. Also, being a real historical figure he brought an element of realism and historical context to the show. I found it sad that he had no happy ending in the show, but he had no happy ending in life. Another dose of reality.
I enjoyed seeing how Midge and Susie's lived played out, with great success after such a big gamble on the Gordon Ford Show. And at the very end I was laughing out loud at Susie's skunk jokes along with them.
you don't get the significance of Lenny Bruce? He was the progenitor of all the great comics -- Pryor, Sahl, Carlin who came afterwards. Without him, there could be no Mrs. Maisel.
Truly sad story. If he didn't overdose... Lenny would have ruled the 1970s and beyond!
What do you meeeeean you don’t get the “whole Lenny thing” he is everythinnnnng!
EXACTLY!! Clearly needs to go back and watch the whole series, the scene of the last episode of season 4 especially. Imho
I really LOVED that ultimately Midge turns out to be a modern "Faust". So amazing. In the end, Joel sacrificed himself for her, didn't he?
I smile-cried through the entire last episode, especially the final scene of Midge and Suzie on the phone. It was perfect. They both lived incredibly full lives. Now they were slowing down and the highlight of their days in their golden years is to talk and laugh and sync up ( their show) to continue to have experiences together - im crying just writing this. it was one of the best endings to any show ever,
imo
same , it was brilliant!
In last episode, when Midge had that moment adjusting the wedding photo with her and Joel - and their relationship in the last season - intimates that they got back together, but that he (may have) died. They were together in temple, she came to prison - she proclaimed her love for him - the writers left it open but consensus is that possibility was strongly hinted at.
OK, first of all, the table in her huge apartment is set for a large number of people, which indicates that perhaps there's a [Jewish?] holiday coming up with many guests. It's a callback to the early series episode about getting the rabbi for the holiday. Second of all, it's ONE moment in Midge's life that we see. Even Joan Rivers wasn't surrounded by people 24 x 7. Maybe Midge has been traveling and she's just happy to be home, in blissful solitude, and just wants to watch Jeopardy and chill with her best friend. I don't know why people read it as "sad and lonely." It says more about the people who think that than it does about Midge.
Most of the flash-forwards indicate a less-than-happy life, but then, we know that often fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be. Most of us remember things from when we were young as the best time of our lives; before LIFE got on the way. My father-in-law fought at the Battle of the Bulge and STILL remembered WWII as the happiest time of his life. It's about youth, not so much what was happening in it, which we DO wear rose-colored glasses about as time passes. We forget the bad things and remember the good about what we experienced.
In the "60 Minutes" segment early in the season, they TELL you who Midge's later husbands were.
As for Lenny, he was like Midge's fairy godmother -- showing up randomly at various times, encouraging her when no one else but Susie was. From what I understand, Lenny was NOT supposed to be a big part of the series, but he nailed the man so completely, and yes, Luke Kirby is EXTREMELY nice to look at, that he was written to be a bigger character. His downfall was deftly handled in the finale.
I loved this series. I was late to it, but I'm so glad I watched. Like so many others, I wish it could have gone on, though less for Midge (who was pretty self-centered, let's face it) than for Susie. Maybe Midge's story is complete, but Susie's isn't. Spinoff, anyone?
You think they had Mudge walking through a big empty house, looking at an old photo at Joel, eating dinner in the kitchen by herself while the servants cleaned to show she’s surrounded by lots of people and loved ones? Lol
Yes! A spin-off for Suzie!
You've made the best comment here.
@@GraemeONeil Did you even read my comment? It's a moment in time. The apartment could represent the success she achieved. I have a photo of my late husband in my living room. I look at it every time I pass it by. He is a sweet memory. Just like Joel is for Midge...any problems are long forgotten. It's a kindness that time does to us. I'm glad you live a simple life where nothing is complicated or even complex. Most people don't. Life is messy and complicated and weird, even for the rich and famous. Oh, and by the way, before I retired, when I got home from traveling for work, there is nothing I enjoyed more than the quiet of home, having a meal by myself, not having to make conversation all the time.
The BIG significance of Lenny Bruce in the story line was NOT to be a romantic interest in Midge's life but to be that cattle prod, that mentor to push her forward! He believed in her when she did not. He had to shove her out there while giving her the brutal truths about the business, how though even a man has it tough saying it like it is, times are READY for change and she stands right at the crossroads of being that change! No more goofy slapstick, vaudeville cutsie comedy! The world was ready for gutsy stream of consciousness monologs about gender roles and women's rights and places in society! They were ready for foul- mouth sexual jokes and the realism that women were people with goals and opinions and weren't going to be that perfect vision of the well-heeled put together socialite. She was going to be a single mother with a job to do. Lenny believed in her. That was what his powerful under story was about. Yeah, they had that one night together, but that was two people that really respected each other's boundaries but also succumbing to the attraction and the loneliness. But without losing sight of the ball, that it really wasn't ever going to be about them.
Cattle prod is the *perfect* analogy for Lenny!
succumbing is such a good word to use! people often argue the reason midge left benjamin and didnt go back to joel is because she was so deeply in love with lenny, and while i do think they loved each other it was never the driving force of their relationship. he was a mentor, her 2nd fan (after suzie) and what made their relationship significant is the amount of respect he hands to her every single time he talks to her ; thats not just him being attracted.
I'm not 100% on the meaning of Midge being alone, but I don't think it was just about being without a man or not having romantic love.
I disagree that it was anti-feminist. It was always between Midge and Susie like in Gilmore Girls (Rory and Lorelei). It made sense. She put career ahead of all.
At the end of season 1, I believe, she turned down Benjamin’s proposal because she knew she would have to be alone to achieve the level of success she wanted.
I think that interpretation of that sequence in Midge's future home is a bit of a stretch. I think it's more a commentary of, you can make it big, and have all the money in the world, but what does it all mean if you don't have a _friend._ After everything was said and done, for everything Midge had earned for herself, all she wanted to was curl up on a couch in a small room and watch Jeopardy! and share her time with Suzie over the phone; and I think that's beautiful.
I'm not sure why you feel qualified to do a review on a show you don't understand or are invested in. Lenny was a grounding force that guided Midge into being a great comic. He saw something in her that even she couldn't see in herself. It was a friendship and a mutual respect relationship. The ending was not divisive....it was brilliant.
I’ve seen every episode of this series and what did I not “understand”? We can have differing interpretations without you insulting or dismissing my opinion
@@GraemeONeil You're certainly entitled to your opinion. The point being made is that an opinion not grounded in knowledge of the background of the show is one we all have to take with a grain of salt. The scene at the Hungry I with Bruce is reminiscent of "A Star is Born". Do you know why?
@@GraemeONeil So you have seen every episode but you kept saying how you weren't "vested" in the show? I'm not trying to insult you...your content is generally quite good. You just't dont "get" what you are talking about here...in this case it was Midge's very special relationship with Lenny by your own admission. I won't bother you further...I was just trying to make a point.
@@GraemeONeilbe honest. Did you know who lenny bruce was when you watched the show?
Don't BS us. You totally thought he was a fictional character. Don't front.
Joel was the love of her life....
I LOVED this show. So good and I’m sad it’s over. Kind of feel like season 5 was a tad rushed..I wanted it to keep going! lol
I don't think she did put her career ahead of love - she had so much love in her life - Joel, Suzie, Lenny, her family, her kids, her friends, and her career - she said not that she wanted a big career, but that she wanted a big life, and I think she got that. And Lenny was a big part of that - it was in the previous season, but he told her that if she wasn't really successful it would break his heart, so having him in those final moments where she clearly made it big was important for her character arc, from the beginning where he was there the very first day she went on stage, all the way to the end, when his own career and life was falling apart, but he still wanted everything for her. The future marriages and divorces didn't mean so much as they were a path to her remembering how much she loved Joel, and how much he loved and cared about her, and how they fit. I think she eventually got back together with him after he got out of jail - remember, we only see the very very later in life time, when Joel is clearly not in the picture anymore, but his picture takes center stage among the rest. I guess I just don't get why anyone would think this show was just about her being successful in her career, I mean, that minimizes it so much.
The final shot shows that female friendship is the longest lasting bond. That men are not so much important. That she could have had 4 husbands but she had one best friend for life
Dude, stop trying to make everything about boy/girl love. Having genuine, supportive friends who you have experienced real joys, sorrows, and squabbles with and still are in each other's lives 40 years later is way better than romance. The ending was absolute perfection as only Amy Sherman Palladino can deliver.
Absolutely, it's not about needing a man. But he's not wrong to observe she looks pretty alone in that big mansion, like being the only guest in a hotel. She delights in connecting with Susie (their bond is sacred) but she's clearly paid a price for her success ~ the one she was prepared to pay ever since watching Lenny sing the "alone" song. This includes less than intimate relationships with her children, too ~ made obvious in episode 1 of this last season. But I love the ending, too.
Loved every moment of every episode of this awesome story.
This was great, thanks for posting. I really enjoyed seeing it, and I will come back to see it again! I don't think the comments reflect how much work went into this recap of my favorite show! ❤🎁
I'm glad they added those last minutes even though I found it a bit haunting. I didn't imagine her alone because she chose a career over a man. Relationships are important. Famous women are human beings too and life is complex. I think that's the message. She was a pioneer and it is STILL hard out there for women who want to be their best in a career and still have fulfilling relationships with men who don't feel at all threatened and are also not freeloading gamers (haha). Also, she was in her 70s at the end. Her parents were dead, her children had their own lives, and I imagined that she and Joel were together when he got out of prison and that he was probably dead at the end too. She and Susie were never really friends, but probably realized at some point how intense experiences, especially when we are young, binds us to people in ways it's hard to imagine until there is so much water under the bridge.
Someone who “wasn’t really invested in the show” shouldn’t be commenting. Midge had more than two husbands. Lenny was pivotal to the entire show, he was both Midge’s mentor and her muse. They make it clear that Lenny isn’t husband material, so they used the character to make “magical” appearances when needed. Heck, he appeared in the first episode, and was part of Midge and Joel’s early romance.
Nothing antifeminist about the ending. “Happy” doesn’t necessarily mean fulfilled. Midge was happiest the day before Joel left her, because she was deluded and out of touch with the truth about her own level of ambition. Once she realized what her real dream was, she went after it. As is said repeatedly in the series, that doesn’t often lead to happiness. “Happy” isn’t the point.
I thought it was perfect. My best friend for 40 years and I picture our old age exactly the same. The men who have come and gone are a part of it but in the end, it will always be just us. We've raised our kids, had careers and many men who've meant different things but it always comes back to just she and I. I thought the love story between midge and Susie was the center of this series and it ended exactly as we hoped! I don't expect a man to understand that relationship and that's okay 😂
I don't think the show looks down at Midge at the end. That is a very simplistic way of viewing how she is at an older stage of her life. Just because her last scene is of her alone in the house talking to her bff, it doesn't mean that she is unhappy. The way you might look at it is a woman who has had many adventures in life and that has accomplished a lot. Also, let's not forget that the scene previous to this one is of her scheduling her next few appearances. She is clearly an active person. My takeaway from the finale is that Midge does feel accomplished in life. She is happy. She doesn't need to show it all the time. No one does.
I stumbled on to this show and just couldn’t stop watching it. And I’m so sad it’s over but the also happy I stumbled into this show and got to watch it. Loved every actor in this show
In the flash forward at the very end, I saw a parallel to the real life relationship between Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner. They were great friends who spent a lot of time together in their older years. Saw a few interviews before Carl died where they talked about getting together most evenings to have dinner and watch movies. It was a special time they shared together that honored their long friendship and collaborations. Midge and Susie are not in the same room or even on the same coast, but they continue to make time to continue their bond and maintain a significant relationship.
I think you missed a lot of meaning because you were admittedly not invested. Most of what you questioned or didn't understand has answers.
If Graeme doesn't "get" the significance of Lenny Bruce, Graeme doesn't "get" standup comedy, period. Does it really need to be explained that Midge befriending a real life groundbreaking standup icon, who blazed the trail for virtually everything in the art form that followed, is an important subtext? Come ON.
It is NOT a divisive finale by any means, it has 9.6 out of 10 on IMDB.
Oh the ending was wonderful with the non-stop laughter between Midge & Susie!!
And most women by the time they are in their golden years are living alone whether they are rich & famous or living on a budget and ordinary. Nothing surprising about that. Just the way life is as women live longer than men.
Next year, I will absolutely watch the entire series again!
Re: your concerns about Feminism.. Please read Betty Friedan. Her end-game was never about powerful woman full stop. She understood that corporations would harness the women’s movement to their own interests (welcome to 70 cents on the dollar, ladies) ASP is slyly telling us (okay in my analysis) that our allies are the men and women who support us. Joel realized he was an old school ass of a husband. He realized he screwed up. He acted as an ally in the end. He was the love of her life.
It wasn’t about her being without a husband. It’s about being alone with only Susie as the only person she could relate to. It’s not a man woman thing, it’s a person to person thing
If they do a spin-off it could be with the fast talking genius Esther Maisel, the daughter, I liked that short flash forward intro to one of the final season episodes, where she's introduced as some kind of genius, they could make her into some kind of NASA/SpaceX engineer/White House advisor of some type.. include whatever you can think of for the ultimate genius young woman even if kind of neurotic..
She is single and financially secure and has a friendship that outlasted her marriages. That was not easily possible in the year of the pilot episode...not for a woman. Her kids are not around and apparently are not very close to their mom. I think that is the significance of the final scene. She chose comedy over love when she left Benjamin. That was a choice she made with her eyes wide open. She always loved Joel. I would love to know who the other 3 husbands were.....Gordon? It is clever that they left a lot out so if they decide to make a movie, they can. Perfect ending.
The last moment is just about showing female friendship. I find ASP's shows are always about female relationships. The story wasn't just about Midge making it but it was also about Susie and Mitch: how they grew together, how they are always going to be in each others lives despite the distance
I was happy with this ending… at peace with it. I am sad that it’s over though.
So sad the show is ending. Sure wish we could have more seasons! 🥰🥰
midge is the biggest extrovert , there's no way that house is empty for that long, after all she's a magnificent host.
Right? That dining table was fully set. She's having a dinner party that week.
The end is a call back to Lenny Bruce's actual standup, and the one we see when Midge goes to "stand outside his playdate." He talks about how once becoming successful he will live alone in a penthouse. Just search for All Alone.
The restaurant call back is also to help with the All Alone call back. Lenny Bruce is one of the biggest comedians of all time and, in this world, he was a part of Midge's success. And in the end she got what he talked about.
What do u mean you don't get the lenny thing? If you haven't then you haven't get the show itself. He was more than important to midge and every time he appeared was to teach midge something or in general temrs, to make her feel like she could do it. Lenny wasn't supposed to be the major romantic interest btw and his character was supposed to appear just in the pilot but luke Kirby was so good, the palladinos had to brought him back. Although i love their chemistry, i always knew they couldn't end up together and it wasn't about that, it was about how he always was her fairy godmother, as rachel brosnahan said
What a fantastic way to wrap it up. I loved this show ( all but season 4….. not wild about that) just fantastic. Gonna miss it.
I live in Tampa Bay, Florida. We had 2 hurricanes in 2 weeks. Thankfully we had a generator with just enough power to keep our cell phones & tablets charged
I watched the series from start to finish over the last week. It was such a great diversion. I almost feel like I would not have made it through this week without having the show to look forward to
I just finished the series and I miss them already. Might have to re-watch it
I'm not aware of another TV show in which the last season was so unlike the previous seasons, with the time jumping back and forth. It was a unique method of showing what "had happened" to the characters in the future. It was well done, but I would have like to have seen Joel get out of prison and reunite with his family and friends. It was such a tremendous sacrifice that he made for Midge, it would have been nice to see him free.
They showed close to the end of the downward spiral of Lenny Bruce and I understand why they left it at that last scene. However, just short wordless scene with Midge reading about his death in the paper, closing her eyes, and fade to black would have been very powerful.
And still... I feel I'm the only one talking about this but WHERE IS MOISHE??? why was he excluded from the end? I certainly hope Kevin Pollack couldn't be there and not that they just didn't want him there. What a lost opportunity to show him at least chuckle to prove Midge is funny.
Someone else mentioned that in another video about this show. I think he had a scheduling conflict and couldn't be there.
When I saw the scene of Midge alone at the end, I was about to get angry. Why are we always shown that those who fight for their dreams and achieve them live alone and lonely, eating alone in her kitchen despite her elaborately decorated dining room table set for 30 people? Why are we fed this ridiculous idea that if we pursue our dreams, we'll lose our friends and family? It's nonsense. But the Sherman-Palladinos did not let us down. When Midge came to her TV room and sat down to watch Jeopardy with Suzie, I LOVED it. It was perfect. Sure, Midge lived alone in a huge Manhattan penthouse with a staff serving her like Sophie Lennon - the fruits of her immense and lasting success. But unlike Sophie, she had people in her life who loved her. Suzie in the main. Maybe she still has Joel and her brother and sister-in-law, Imogene, and others. But the end scene teased us that she gave up human connection to be famous, but she didn't. She had human connection. She had a best friend for life, no matter how far apart they lived. It was perfect.
Imogene is still close by - she filmed Midge’s video message to Susie at the roast. I can imagine lots of friends enjoying Midge’s spacious home- formal dinners, cocktail hour in the lounge, Midge would love hosting!
Suzy said in season one "I am going to be alone in life. I don't mind bring alone. I just do not wa t to be insignificant". When Midge leaves Benjamin she goes to Joel and says alsoshe will be alone. Those knew the life they wanted and to have it meant sacrifice, people would never really understand them but they were fine with it because what they loved there careera more. Also they ultimately always had each other.
I loved the ending! Midge ended up with the best relationship of her life Susie. Susie is Midge's husband in a platonic life partner sense.
didn’t they refer to themselves has husband and wife in one scene?
I like the idea of it being a sort of "choose your own adventure," where we can fill in some of the blanks. I think after Joel got out of jail, he became an important part of Midge's life again. I don't think they got remarried or anything afterwards, but she made sure he was taken care of. She made him her manager for a while, as an excuse to give him a steady income, until he decided to formally retire; and she bought him a small house her's - far enough away that he could feel she wasn't smothering him, but close enough that she expected him to come to dinner most nights when she was in town. She didn't cook anymore, but she taught her cook how to make her brisket.
Joel was probably gone though, by the time of the flashforward, but she was there with him at the end, along with their kids and grandkids. She declined to give his eulogy, insisting instead it should be Ethan. The very next day she was back onstage; and her entire set was about her ex-husbands, working backwards and ending with Joel. She brought back all the old jokes, the ones everyone knew by heart, along with some new ones that came to her in the moment, but she ended with a heartfelt reflection of what he truly meant to her, the eulogy she had actually written but lost the nerve to say at the funeral; and concluded with how much she'll miss him.
When youre a powerful and strong willed person, you are usually alone. Even if you have people that love you, you make them uncomfortable. And you are usually alone. But we all have that ONE person that gets us. The one that doesnt have to be romantic. Its pure platonic love. Its very powerful because theres no s e x involved.
I was SOOO invested in this series. Loved it so much! Lenny is very much significant because 1) he was in the very first episode when Midge first got arrested for her very first stand-up, 2) remember that Midge is very much inspired by Joan Rivers who did the observational, stream-of-consciousness style comedy, 3) Lenny was one of the ground-breakers for observational, stream-of-consciousness style comedy, and 4) Joan had a close friendship with Lenny (that may or may not have been sexual at some point - alluded to by Joan but not confirmed)
Edited to add: the love story in the show is between Midge and Susie, not Midge and some man. Because love does not need to be romantic. There are many kinds of love. I think the showing of Midge's empty house is not to show that she is romantically alone (though she is), but to contrast with the final moments of the most important love she has experienced: her friendship with Susie. It was hard-fought, at times one-sided, and had its ups and downs. But they ended up *together*
There's nothing wrong with being alone and content.
Maybe dont review a show you didnt really watch?
I loved the series and all the pieces of the finale. I think if you watched every episode you understand and appreciate the ending . Will miss these characters.
I just watched a documentary of female comedians (Joan Rivers produced it) and they all said you live for the laughs but you have to give up a personal life for it. Midge states in the last season that she needs the laughs and applause, and that's what she still has in her 70's--she still has her career and Susie, her friend. Do you have to give up something in your life--of course, but missing something you don't have doesn't make you an anti-feminist. It makes you human, a human who has made choices. And Lenny was a colleague who respected her work which was huge--I can't think of another comic in the series who gave her respect. And the fact that he ended the way he did (and that we all knew about it from the get go) added a great dramatic pathos to the show.
The final episode redeemed the last season for me. I truly had wanted to see her rise to fame and the last season began by jumping us to an older Midge that was very famous. I felt cheated out of the journey. But the final episode was redeeming and very well done. And the importance of Lenny is that he was her mentor from her first night getting in a stage.
As someone who is/was "very invested in the series", I think Lenny's purpose was very evident. He was a successful comedian whom Midge looked up to, whose fame she aspired to in the beginning (as time went on, she wanted even more), and she respected his opinion. His belief in her pushed her to continue even when she was down. The sexual tension between them was merely happenstance; the night they finally got together needed to happen, and when Midge saw those drugs in his room, you knew Midge wasn't going to ever go further into a romantic relationship with him because in the end he would only hold her back. They would remain forever friends but nothing more. Joel would remain her true love no matter how many husbands she went through but they could never make it work as spouses. She and Joel would forever love each other and would remain loyal and supportive to each other but just couldn't be married anymore.
In the end, in real life, Lenny Bruce died of a Morphine overdose in 1966, one year after the fictional Susie sees one of his final terrible shows. Sadly, he was 40.
That was a really good idea to have that as the last scene shot. All the cast was there.
Instead of raining so hard and so why are you don’t understand it maybe you should look at the small details a little more than you get why it’s completely understandable.
I don't see the ending scenes as anti feminist in any way. To me it looks at a woman in her 70's looking at her life...she's had a very successful career, and while the men in her life have come and gone... the love of a deep friendship between women will always remain.
It was special to me because my dearest friend and I sit and watch our favorite shows just like Miriam & Suzy did...even counting out when we are hitting the play button! ❤
I was initially disappointed by the flagrant display of wealth. I came to the same conclusion you did: that it all meant nothing because now her life's empty and meaningless. But while the shots of her walking through her home felt melancholy, Midge's face read as content. It's viewer error that we mistake a woman alone as discontent. (She can't possibly be fulfilled unless her grandchildren are underfoot and everyone's fighting over the brisket.) She always loved having nice things and it showed that didn't change over the years. I agree with some of the other commenters who said her career was her true husband. Ultimately, it's a show about the creative process and friendship. The ending with Suzie was brilliant. (And those moments where Lenny parted the curtain enough to show her how he truly felt were my favorite moments in the whole show. I don't care if they have a tragic story, or if it wasn't even a true romance, the complexity of their relationship make them my favorite couple in TV.)
Graeme you didn't got the point of the happiest day of her life, is about how much easier it is for a women to just follow the rules and have her life writen for her. She choosed the hard way, the struggle, the making of the path, she remembers that time as the happier but in a naive way of being happy. It was easier when she belived that was all, the husband and the two children, but whe she saw the complexity of life, life is no just happy (sorry for the broken english)
I loved, loved, loved this series. Interesting that you don't "get" the Lenny Bruce and Midge connection...I SO get it and was VERY glad he had a scene in the finale. His pep talk to Midge in the Carnegie Hall episode was epic! The last episode was almost perfect....I guess Joel was still in jail.
I don't really see her as "sad", she is alone but many people in their old age are alone. It's a great thing to see that she still has Susie. I think it's the ultimate feminist thing to do: she still has a fulfilling career, she still has a very close friend to talk to and laugh with, she has her children and probably grandchildren (somewhere). But she does not need a man to be happy. I love it that the last scene is just her and Susie, without a man. Imagine the same scene and a man sitting next to her on the sofa: it just wouldn't work (third wheel energy!). By the way: it also wouldn't work if Susie had a female partner sitting next to her.
Lenny Bruce was Maisel's compass-- her mentor. He had a significant role in Maisel's character arc.
I absolutely loved this show!!❤
That phone scene was incredible!
About Lenny and Midge - This important scene establishes Midge's future status as one of the greats . It's Lenny Bruce - THE stand up comic legend of his generation passing the torch to the next. Aside being in a convoluted and star-crossed romantic relationship, it's acknowledging Maisel as one who is his equal and peer.
It was always about Susie and Midge so it had to end with them sharing their future moment together, letting us know how far they had come in life and that they were happy with each others company despite the fame and fortune. I liked the ending.
I'm with Flame Throw. I'll add that in my own "head canon" Midge does wind up partner-less. This is totally befitting - there were signs as far back as the very second episode of Midge's forced but spontaneous self-discovery leading her down the often solitary path of one who "chooses" fierce devotion to career over love. Subtext: We realize in the show's final moments that over the years Midge has evolved into a de facto workaholic (the cause of this is best left to licensed mental health professionals - I am only the son of one). Are Midge's ultimately partner-less path and workaholism conscious "choices?" In this life such questions are only answerable by our own imaginations, and those of The Marvelous Amy and Dan Palladino. Thank Heaven for all of the above, and to the best cast of any TV series this fan has ever charged willfully into full-fledged addiction to. Bless you ALL. -Barry Waller, former bassist for Happy Together tour
If you don't get the whole Lenny thing, you don't get this series! Sorry.
Perfect. Loved it all.
Midge is based loosely on Joan Rivers, for whom Lenny Bruce was a mentor. LB is one of my favorite characters on the show, well written and well acted by the charismatic Luke Kirby. He is a cautionary tale for Midge. And the point of the final scene is that these two memorable female characters are not alone. They obviously have each other, and they share not just history but laughter. Great ending!
Joel was the love of Midge's life. He hurt her in a way that truly broke her heart because she gave all of herself to him, bevame all things for him in their marriage. She happily did so. Stll, she couldn't stop loving him ever. As dysfunctional as he was, Joel didn't stop loving her either.
It's not "anti feminist" to look back on happiness with someone you truly loved or reminisce on the times you had together gpod or bad, married or not. It's human emotion, feeling. They had a bond like it or not. It is what it is. Sometimes, you can't stop the heart.
" The longest journey you will ever take is the 18 inches from your head to your heart." Thich Nhat Hanh
Lenny was her mentor not just a love interest. He is the one who truly believed in her
Lenny believed in her, respected her, & pushed her to stay true to herself. He also was one of the only people who knew firsthand the sacrifices she would have to make.
I loved the ending. I loved this whole season. I thought that it was Lear that she always loved her husband. She had the career she loved. She was always driven. And she was able in the end to maintain the most important friendship of her life
1.) Lenny is one of the most influential for Midge, he inspired her, believed in her, and supported her from the beginning. He was a mentor figure for her and her moral support. Susie, Lenny, and Joel were always there for her. He's such a role for her that in the future, Midge didn't want to see him again in such a bad shape because they had a perfect goodbye, and she didn't wanna ruin the great lenny image for her. Sorta selfish in a way, since lenny probably really needed midge, but there's an angle that makes me kinda understand her side even though i don't agree, same goes for the shy fiasco where she almost outted him, but the series tried to make us sympathetic for her so much.
2.) Midge being alone is not weird, it's a perfect callback to when she saw shy baldwin smoking at the end (the last time midge saw shy), where in a way she realized that many times, when you're trying to reach to the top, you can reach it, and be alone at the top. That's why we got scenes of midge being and seemingly alone. But that's where the series shows us that Susie is still there for Midge, they're still there for each other, and so that scene is a way for callbacks and proving their friendship and how you can not be alone in the top. Since this show is indirectly (Or directly actually) about their friendship during stardom, I think the series did convey this perfectlyy!
I mean, what's more real than two old biddies watching Jeopardy and laughing together? That's as good of an ending I'd wish for anyone, I suppose.
No. No. No. The ending is not about her lack of a man but the depth of her long time relationship with her friend….
You should have seen the series. When she decides to go on tour with Shy Baldwin and not even consider her fiancé, she talks to Joel and says she's made her decision but that decision implied she will be alone forever. In a time where women were supposed to mothers and wifes and women comedians were a rarity, Midge had to be tough - very tough. The last season shows she married two more times, and it shows quite a distant relationship with her kids. Watch the series one more time, invest in it this time, and you'll see the ending is perfect.
THANK YOU! I hated the Season 5 flash forwards and I'm glad to see I'm not alone. The series should have ended on Gordon's couch, period. There's no point in having us root for Midge to finally get her break against all odds, then have her succeed to a level we couldn't have even imagined, and then close with, "But it turns out, none of it made her happy".
It's not saying Midge's life is empty b/c she doesn't have a man. It's saying women--esp. in that era--couldn't have it all. She has fraught relationships with her adult children--unsurprising given her inconsistent presence during their childhoods. We know that she's had plenty of relationships with men and I have no doubt that she still "dates" even if she's not married. But an earlier scene showed her to be a workaholic, complaining that she had one day without a booking in an other wise full week.But the fact that it ended on her and Susie--still so connected that they appear to have a nightly call--was perfect. Each woman's career and success grew out of their work together--they wouldn't have become who they are if they had not come up together, pushing each other to do more and do better. And that they were able to repair their relationship after that long period of alienation and return to being each other's "person" was tremendously moving and satisfying.
I understand your confusion about Lenny Bruce, however, I thought bringing him into the series was a brilliant move. He is a historical figure that is important in the evolution of stand-up comedy in the 1960's. I think Midge looked up to him as a role model. He was giving authority the middle finger in his routines by not being constrained by the norms of the day. That is what Midge was doing as a female stand-up.