Season Three: Marvelous Full-Season Discussion

[iMonrey]

Quote

 It also annoyed me when Mei turned out to be a jealous jerk meeting Midge because I was liking her. 

Huh? I didn't see any indication that Mei was jealous. When Joel first introduced them Mei pretended not to know he had a wife but when he walked away she fessed up she was just messing with him. She and Midge seems OK with each other.

[Old Man Neil]

I was thinking about some of the differences between John Mathis and Shy Baldwin.

According to his website, Mathis attended San Francisco State where he set the record for the high jump and was often referred to as “the best all-around athlete to come out of the SF Bay Area.”

The writers missed a chance to pit Shy versus Midge in a brisket bake-off.  “Johnny’s other favorite avocation is cooking. He is a gourmet cook who cooks for himself and often others when he’s home or traveling. His mother taught him at an early age how to cook up a storm."

His first manager was San Francisco night club owner Helen Noga. From her obit in the LA Times, “Noga refused to sign a contract for Mathis with the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas unless they allowed him to come and go through the front door--a privilege denied earlier African American performers, including Nat “King” Cole.”

https://johnnymathis.com/wp2/index.php/bio/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-apr-10-me-noga10-story.html

https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/music/info-10-2010/johnny_mathis_goes_country.html

[DianeDobbler]

All I know is today I read an interview from last year given by Amy Sherman Palladino and her husband. Talking of S3, they said Midge was definitely going on tour and would fuck a lot of hot men. She fucked no hot men. Who did she fuck? Fucking JOEL. Again. That's how it's going to be until we love him, declare he has charisma and that they have chemistry. If we don't,  they will force him and force him forever. I know some like him but I also know a lot are where I'm sitting. Three seasons, three times they fucked even after they were split up.  We're in for a 4th time in S4 because he's now her money manager.

I absolutely can't stand it when show runners fall in love with something and can't let it go. In the case of MMM it's many things, but the goddamn apartment is one. LET THE CHARACTERS MOVE ON. On the one hand we have Lenny Bruce a few steps from destitution for realistic and historical reasons, and on the other we have Midge opening for Shy at 4k for the whole tour (so, was she paid for the part she was kicked off?) able to buy back the fucking apartment.

I'm also confused. If that's the Columbia apartment, then Columbia's going to have another professor live there, not sell it. Is it her marital apartment that her father in-law actually owned or whatever the complication in S1? I'm too irked to go back and sort it out.

I also like Shirley but I don't know why she's on this show. It's one thing to have Midge's parents on the show although I think they are on far too much. It's another to have the parents of her freaking ex-husband. Shirley would be great on another show. I don't need about six shows in one show.

Edited December 20, 2019 by DianeDobbler

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, DianeDobbler said:

I'm also confused. If that's the Columbia apartment, then Columbia's going to have another professor live there, not sell it. Is it her marital apartment that her father in-law actually owned or whatever the complication in S1? I'm too irked to go back and sort it out.

It's not the Columbia apartment, it's the one she lived in with Joel, in the same building. Moishe owns it and Midge was angling for a good sale price from family.

[Raja]

On 12/17/2019 at 9:23 PM, Old Man Neil said:

I was thinking about some of the differences between John Mathis and Shy Baldwin.

According to his website, Mathis attended San Francisco State where he set the record for the high jump and was often referred to as “the best all-around athlete to come out of the SF Bay Area.”

The writers missed a chance to pit Shy versus Midge in a brisket bake-off.  “Johnny’s other favorite avocation is cooking. He is a gourmet cook who cooks for himself and often others when he’s home or traveling. His mother taught him at an early age how to cook up a storm."

His first manager was San Francisco night club owner Helen Noga. From her obit in the LA Times, “Noga refused to sign a contract for Mathis with the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas unless they allowed him to come and go through the front door--a privilege denied earlier African American performers, including Nat “King” Cole.”

https://johnnymathis.com/wp2/index.php/bio/

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-apr-10-me-noga10-story.html

https://www.aarp.org/entertainment/music/info-10-2010/johnny_mathis_goes_country.html

My mom came to visit while the show was on and as soon as Shy Baldwin started to sing she asked if that "was supposed to be Nat King Cole?" But I do see the similarity to Johnny Mathis, even if Shy name dropped Mr. Cole as an inspiration.

On 12/15/2019 at 10:35 AM, Razzberry said:

Everyone in the comic universe should empathize with Midge.  You can't be a comic without saying things that someone doesn't like or hurting some feelings along the way.  What Midge said about Shy was humorous, well received and not mean-spirited.  It was actually pretty mild, and certainly didn't out him to the Apollo audience.

I was thinking the same thing. Lines like "Judy Garland shoes", being the one that got Susie understanding was for a modern 2019 audience. Ruby slippers being an  iconic term, even if Dorothy wore. pumps.  Maybe it was because I was a kid and didn't make the connections but I don't recall open references to gay characters until the mid 70s and it did seem like a lot of Shy's fan base were willing to be a beard for him if it was known just not spoken about.

[DianeDobbler]

On 12/7/2019 at 5:36 AM, Aulty said:

The story with Joel's club and its downstairs secret got old really fast, although I like Mae as his new GF. The Vegas wedding annoyed me and I can't figure out if they want Joel and Midge to end up together at the end of the series or not. Susi's sidegig was set up to teach her a few lessons about managing, but the Jane Lynch character is really grating. As are Joel's parents: I don't find them funny anymore.

I feel like they should have picked one in-law. The strongest IMO are Joel's mother, Shirley, and Midge's father Abe as characters - all the actors are fine, but we don't need full on stories for all the secondary characters. Roll the dice, pick one, and have that one in-law show up intermittently, not every episode, and not with their own separate storylines or needing to be served by the writers constantly.  For God's sake we've got FOUR in-laws dragging this thing down. It's not an ensemble show or shouldn't be.  If the show runners want this hilarity, do a different show about those four. Don't tack it onto Mrs. Maisel. The show runners are already ripping off videos and movie musicals because they also want to do musicals.

The Joel writing just annoys me. You can't write in chemistry and charisma and IMO that's the problem. The two actors don't really go and IMO the scenes together are a drag because of it.

I was watching Jane Lynch's performance again and all it is is the voice. She's adapted a voice for Sophie to contrast with the onstage persona and she's STUCK in that one note voice thing. There's nothing else.

16 hours ago, ShadowFacts said:

t's not the Columbia apartment, it's the one she lived in with Joel, in the same building. Moishe owns it and Midge was angling for a good sale price from family.

 Great. Well that sets up perfectly for end game of them being back in the apartment remarried only now he's a club owner and she's famous and everybody's happy. Kill me now.

 

[ShadowFacts]

1 hour ago, DianeDobbler said:

I feel like they should have picked one in-law. The strongest IMO are Joel's mother, Shirley, and Midge's father Abe as characters - all the actors are fine, but we don't need full on stories for all the secondary characters. Roll the dice, pick one, and have that one in-law show up intermittently, not every episode, and not with their own separate storylines or needing to be served by the writers constantly.  For God's sake we've got FOUR in-laws dragging this thing down. It's not an ensemble show or shouldn't be.  If the show runners want this hilarity, do a different show about those four. Don't tack it onto Mrs. Maisel. The show runners are already ripping off videos and movie musicals because they also want to do musicals.

The Joel writing just annoys me. You can't write in chemistry and charisma and IMO that's the problem. The two actors don't really go and IMO the scenes together are a drag because of it.

I was watching Jane Lynch's performance again and all it is is the voice. She's adapted a voice for Sophie to contrast with the onstage persona and she's STUCK in that one note voice thing. There's nothing else.

 Great. Well that sets up perfectly for end game of them being back in the apartment remarried only now he's a club owner and she's famous and everybody's happy. Kill me now.

 

I agree with your points, especially about the in-laws. Abe's "revolutionary" story went nowhere as did Rose's opportunity to experience some feminist enlightenment after being disrespected by her entire Oklahoma family. Just nowhere. I wouldn't mind them having a B story line if there was actual story. And I don't care for the mini-musicals at all, just snippets of song and dance would be more than enough.

[Old Man Neil]

8 hours ago, Raja said:

My mom came to visit while the show was on and as soon as Shy Baldwin started to sing she asked if that "was supposed to be Nat King Cole?" But I do see the similarity to Johnny Mathis, even if Shy name dropped Mr. Cole as an inspiration.

But I wasn't talking about the similarities between them; I was talking about the differences. There was plenty of Season Two discussion about Johnny Mathis as the model for Shy, based on the similarity in looks and in sexual orientation. 

I was pointing out that while the depiction of Shy Baldwin focused on his feminine traits, the real John Mathis was a champion athlete, and that, ironically, his love of cooking, learned from his mother, wasn't addressed at all. 

[xaxat]

My problem with Jane Lynch's performance is that both Sophie the comedic character and the "real" Sophie come off as over the top caricatures. That makes sense for stage Sophie, but, with the exception of the vulnerability she showed when Susie ripped her a new one after the play, I see no reason to really care about her as a person.

[Quilt Fairy]

34 minutes ago, xaxat said:

My problem with Jane Lynch's performance is that both Sophie the comedic character and the "real" Sophie come off as over the top caricatures. That makes sense for stage Sophie, but, with the exception of the vulnerability she showed when Susie ripped her a new one after the play, I see no reason to really care about her as a person.

The whole "Sophie Lennon on Broadway" storyline reminds me of a real story about Jerry Lewis.  In 1995 he replaced Victor Garber as The Devil in a revival of the musical Damn Yankees.  In the beginning he played it totally straight.  Reviews of his debut even commented that "...surprisingly, Jerry Lewis plays it straight."  But it didn't take very long before he realized that at every performance there were a lot of his fans who were totally expecting the typical Jerry Lewis schtick.  Eventually he gave it to them. 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Quilt Fairy

[mmecorday]

I should watch this show in moderation, but I can't seem to do that with any show I watch on a streaming service.

I am by no means a girly girl, but I love the fashions, the hats, the makeup, everything. And the cars. Oh, I love the cars. I want a garage full of all of them.

I want Midge's Pyrex pink roasting pan she uses to cook her brisket. The food on this show looks amazing. I've never had matzo ball soup, but I want a big bowl of it every time I see a character chowing down on it. It seems like it would be very comforting.

Mei turned out to be my favorite new character. Very sharp and very mysterious. I hope she is back for season 4.

I can't imagine what the budget is like for this show because the sets are grandiose and the attention to detail is mind-blowing.

Best acting honors go to Alex Borstein as Susie. She is equally adept at broad comedy as she is with the more dramatic aspects of her character. When she broke down after she realized her gambling problem was spiraling out of control -- and completely depleting the money Midge had entrusted her with -- my jaw nearly hit the floor. But everyone is so good on this show. These characters are so vivid and real to me I miss them between seasons. No matter how annoying they can be at times.

[Pallas]

I think it was always a given that Lenny's screentime would be limited. The problem is more with his real-life material than his real-life story. He's the far better comedian, and no one can be better than Midge at anything. Let alone the thing that matters to her most. Lenny can't be part of the big picture, because he's bigger than she is. 

Susie says that Midge will become a legend. Lenny says that Midge's set was sensational. Would she? Was it? I think they're both there to give Midge creds from the hip cats, the cool kids of their day. They're the outsiders who lend Midge an edge, like the featured friends inspired to dress the heroine in clothes from their own closet, for her big event.

In Gilmore Girl terms, Midge the fledgling (comedian) is Rory, not Lorelei. Lenny is Jess, the soulful bad-boy who'll leave town before they ever have an after. Susie is sardonic sidekick Paris -- funnier, a little smarter and a lot more worldly -- soon won over from antipathy, because she's only human, and Rory is adorable. The adorable will be adored.  

[ShadowFacts]

6 hours ago, Pallas said:

I think it was always a given that Lenny's screentime would be limited. The problem is more with his real-life material than his real-life story. He's the far better comedian, and no one can be better than Midge at anything. Let alone the thing that matters to her most. 

Susie says that Midge will become a legend. Lenny says that Midge's set was sensational. Would she? Was it? I think they're both there to give Midge creds from the hip cats, the cool kids of their day. They're the outsiders who lend Midge an edge, like the featured friends inspired to dress the heroine in clothes from their own closet, for her big event,

In Gilmore Girl terms, Midge the fledgling (comedian) is Rory, not Lorelei. Lenny is Jess, the soulful bad-boy who'll leave town before they ever have an after. Susie is sardonic sidekick Paris -- funnier, a little smarter and a lot more worldly -- soon won over from antipathy, because she's only human, and Rory is adorable. The adorable will be adored.  

I have not been bowled over with any of Midge's standup routines. In fact, I hardly even laugh. Maybe I'm just judging by today's tastes/standards and the 1960 audiences would have loved her, I can't parse that.

You nailed it with the Lenny to Jess comparison, and Susie as Paris, with a dollop of Gypsy in my mind. I do see more of Lorelei than Rory in Midge. Rory was seldom less than kind and considerate, whereas Lorelei, like Midge, is damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead (while being sparkly and loved by one and all). 

[TV Diva Queen]

1 hour ago, ShadowFacts said:

I have not been bowled over with any of Midge's standup routines. In fact, I hardly even laugh. Maybe I'm just judging by today's tastes/standards and the 1960 audiences would have loved her, I can't parse that.

You nailed it with the Lenny to Jess comparison, and Susie as Paris, with a dollop of Gypsy in my mind. I do see more of Lorelei than Rory in Midge. Rory was seldom less than kind and considerate, whereas Lorelei, like Midge, is damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead (while being sparkly and loved by one and all). 

I think Midge is loosely based on Joan Rivers - Occasionally on the satellite comedy channels I run into an old old Joan Rivers routine and boy was it corny, but the audience was eating it up.  Howling with laughter.  

[Quilt Fairy]

I think most of her routines are hilarious.  

[lavenderblue]

On 12/11/2019 at 6:41 PM, debraran said:

Maybe so, but I think these lines said a lot:

Midge says she met Shy in a ladies' bathroom and he was the prettier one. She jokes that Arthur Miller is going to try to date Shy. One line, “He pretty much has a guy for everything else,” could be taken especially scandalously.  Midge calling him a "pretty, dainty, elegant thing" who is gorgeous enough to "play Romeo and Juliet.

 

And the line about him having a huge closet!

I think I did enjoy these season overall more than S2, and that is because this season didn't spend 17 episodes in the Catskills mostly treading narrative water. But I also agree with the criticisms -- too many unnecessary characters and plots, especially.

So like everyone else, I love Tony Shalhoub, and he basically made Abe's weird non-story work by just playing it out. But I have also been a big fan of Marin Hinkle's since an early '00s drama I watched as a teenager, Once and Again, where she brought a lot to a potentially tricky character. She and Rose aren't here for comic relief like Abe, but I always generally enjoy watching her, as an actress. But her material is another story, and while Rose basically cohered the first two seasons within broad strokes, here the wheels fell off for me somewhat with the "Providence" backstory reveal and trust fund plot. I still don't buy that particular story -- but the idea of her being deliberately molded into Northeastern/Francophile propriety, and wanting the same for Midge, makes sense. What failed was her stand at the board meeting followed by.......noooooooothing. It was a McGuffin to force the homelessness. I anticipated it motivating her to DO something, take some kind of action, be inspired by her grandmother. Not muddle around Queens and Florida and then fall into professional matchmaking. It was ultimately just Palladino quirkiness for the sake of it, just like the synchronized swimmers and extended musical numbers and obnoxious repeated lines.

Anyway, Alex Borstein remains MV starring P, but I wonder if next year we finally get a story of Midge realizing she's outgrown her management.

 

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, lavenderblue said:

while Rose basically cohered the first two seasons within broad strokes, here the wheels fell off for me somewhat with the "Providence" backstory reveal and trust fund plot.

I like your description, @lavenderblue, of the Rose plot: “here the wheels fell off for me somewhat with the "Providence" backstory reveal and trust fund plot.” I always wonder what an ASP script would be like with an editor willing to leave a few witticisms on the cutting room floor, and Rose’s backstory reveal really needs at least a few snips so we didn’t have “where am I?!?” whiplash after returning to NYC. 

[Old Man Neil]

On 12/19/2019 at 6:06 PM, DianeDobbler said:

All I know is today I read an interview from last year given by Amy Sherman Palladino and her husband. Talking of S3, they said Midge was definitely going on tour and would fuck a lot of hot men. She fucked no hot men. Who did she fuck? Fucking JOEL. Again.

Comedy gold, in my opinion. 

[DianeDobbler]

I think in the context of the Amy Sherman Palladino universe, Susie is a fantastic manager.  On a different show, the gambling losses and the unsigned contract would tell us something about Susie's management chops. Here I think it was just an excuse to set up Joel even more in Season 4 (the former) and plain bad writing (the latter). I don't interpret some of the WTFs about talent management as saying anything about Susie, but reflecting the careless, results-oriented ASP. Same as I don't think Midge's extravagant wardrobe, high end lifestyle and mysterious ability to purchase back her old apartment are meant to reflect anything about her cluelessness about money. It's all ASP. IMO we're meant to see Susie as a gem.  She's human and makes the occasional humanizing mistake, but Sophie wanting her to be her manager, and Susie's ability to get that damn thing onto Broadway is meant to show us that on top of all of her extreme hustling for Midge. We're meant to absorb the energy, not the details. I'm fine with it because Borstein is the draw for me. I'll watch Susy's stuff without Midge involved but not so much Midge's stuff without Susie (unless it's with Lenny).

Speaking of Lenny - the fact that MMM adheres extremely closely to the real Bruce's actual performances and appearances is sometimes discordant with the anachronistic dialogue they deploy in the rest of the show. We've got onstage Lenny saying "Dig", "Cat" and a lot of other archaic sixties jargon while Midge and the rest of the comics are pure post-2010s. Thankfully Kirby is skilled enough to pull it off.

[Cara]

On 12/10/2019 at 5:47 PM, GussieK said:

Also, misplaced snobbery.  That's Kew Gardens, a really nice neighborhood.  And that's a nice mansion they live in.  I grew up nearby in a working-class housing project.  I used to drool over some of those houses.

I think most people in this country would choose that fabulous house and its beautiful tree lined street over almost any apartment even one as nice as Rose and Abe’s or the Midge and Joel’s! But Midge lives in a bubble in many ways.

[Scarlett45]

On 12/9/2019 at 12:24 PM, Riplet68 said:

Though why they’d have it at the Maisel when it’s midge’s brother is beyond me.  Extended family being so connected is just not in my background.

Because the baby’s paternal grandfather was living there and they have the space. 

[qtpye]

On 12/21/2019 at 10:17 PM, Quilt Fairy said:

The whole "Sophie Lennon on Broadway" storyline reminds me of a real story about Jerry Lewis.  In 1995 he replaced Victor Garber as The Devil in a revival of the musical Damn Yankees.  In the beginning he played it totally straight.  Reviews of his debut even commented that "...surprisingly, Jerry Lewis plays it straight."  But it didn't take very long before he realized that at every performance there were a lot of his fans who were totally expecting the typical Jerry Lewis schtick.  Eventually he gave it to them. 

Sometimes it is hard for an actor to break out of their mold without alienating core fans. I was blown away by Joe Pesci's quiet dignified performance in the Irishman but am sure some people missed his usual crazy psychopath character.

On 12/23/2019 at 8:14 AM, Pallas said:

I think it was always a given that Lenny's screentime would be limited. The problem is more with his real-life material than his real-life story. He's the far better comedian, and no one can be better than Midge at anything. Let alone the thing that matters to her most. Lenny can't be part of the big picture, because he's bigger than she is. 

Susie says that Midge will become a legend. Lenny says that Midge's set was sensational. Would she? Was it? I think they're both there to give Midge creds from the hip cats, the cool kids of their day. They're the outsiders who lend Midge an edge, like the featured friends inspired to dress the heroine in clothes from their own closet, for her big event.

In Gilmore Girl terms, Midge the fledgling (comedian) is Rory, not Lorelei. Lenny is Jess, the soulful bad-boy who'll leave town before they ever have an after. Susie is sardonic sidekick Paris -- funnier, a little smarter and a lot more worldly -- soon won over from antipathy, because she's only human, and Rory is adorable. The adorable will be adored.  

Nice GG analogy. I think sometimes the sidekick is actually meant to show how perfect the Rory and Lorelai types are in comparison. Lorelai has an adorable best friend who is overweight to showcase how Lorelai can eat any junk that she wants without gaining a pound.

Paris's annoying overachieving showcases that Rory is just as smart with excellent grades but still remains very sweet and lovely.

Susie is very masculine to showcase that Midge embodies the feminine ideal of her time.

I also think part of Midge's appeal is that she is a very attractive woman who is saying crude and blunt things. This would shock an audience. Heck, that was Jenny Mcarthy's shtick for the longest time. Now we see attractive women acting trashy all the time on reality shows and the novelty has long worn off.

On 12/25/2019 at 2:37 AM, lavenderblue said:

And the line about him having a huge closet!

I think I did enjoy these season overall more than S2, and that is because this season didn't spend 17 episodes in the Catskills mostly treading narrative water. But I also agree with the criticisms -- too many unnecessary characters and plots, especially.

So like everyone else, I love Tony Shalhoub, and he basically made Abe's weird non-story work by just playing it out. But I have also been a big fan of Marin Hinkle's since an early '00s drama I watched as a teenager, Once and Again, where she brought a lot to a potentially tricky character. She and Rose aren't here for comic relief like Abe, but I always generally enjoy watching her, as an actress. But her material is another story, and while Rose basically cohered the first two seasons within broad strokes, here the wheels fell off for me somewhat with the "Providence" backstory reveal and trust fund plot. I still don't buy that particular story -- but the idea of her being deliberately molded into Northeastern/Francophile propriety, and wanting the same for Midge, makes sense. What failed was her stand at the board meeting followed by.......noooooooothing. It was a McGuffin to force the homelessness. I anticipated it motivating her to DO something, take some kind of action, be inspired by her grandmother. Not muddle around Queens and Florida and then fall into professional matchmaking. It was ultimately just Palladino quirkiness for the sake of it, just like the synchronized swimmers and extended musical numbers and obnoxious repeated lines.

Anyway, Alex Borstein remains MV starring P, but I wonder if next year we finally get a story of Midge realizing she's outgrown her management.

 

Rose fascinates me. I like how classy she is but the trust fund story line is stupid. Also, just because she has a tantrum does not cut off her trust money.

On 12/28/2019 at 10:17 PM, Cara said:

I think most people in this country would choose that fabulous house and its beautiful tree lined street over almost any apartment even one as nice as Rose and Abe’s or the Midge and Joel’s! But Midge lives in a bubble in many ways.

That house was gorgeous.

On 12/28/2019 at 11:13 PM, Scarlett45 said:

Because the baby’s paternal grandfather was living there and they have the space. 

I also think that they kind of loved cultured and sophisticated Abe and Rose having to live on their charity. They are the working class couple that did well, while the more elite grandparents have lost everything mostly due to their egos.

Edited December 30, 2019 by qtpye

[kwnyc]

I hope that Midge will continue to learn about how you behave like a pro: at least this season, she learned the meaning of showing up on time. And she learned how to expand her work for different audiences. She sits (in the bar) and works on her act. All good things.

BUT, she is a woman who constantly shoots herself in the foot: when she publicly shamed Sophie, when she hinted at Shy's gay life. These are stupid things that someone who wants a career doesn't do.

Comics say: punch up, not down. So it's okay to make fun of the President, or the Mayor, but not people who are, like Sophie, the only major woman comic; or Shy, whose queerness wouldn't just lose him his career, it could get him killed. 

If/when MIdge finally accepts that this is her CAREER, and there is no fallback, then she might start treating the people who make her work happen with some respect.

If she can do that...she might start getting on talk shows (The Tonight Show was still in NYC), and in revues, etc. She has a good look for "Camelot," which is about to begin...and end at the end of '63.

Lenny Bruce died in 1966, so there is more comedy/drama/pathos to be had with him. 

[debraran]

When does the show start the for US fans? I heard March but couldn't find it. I almost thought I could watch on BBC but I could only make an acct. Oh well.

 

Edited January 13, 2020 by debraran

[shapeshifter]

2 hours ago, debraran said:

When does the show start the for US fans? I heard March but couldn't find it. I almost thought I could watch on BBC but I could only make an acct. Oh well.

 

Season 3 was released in its entirety December 6, 2019 on Amazon Prime.

For now, family or roommates can include a limited number of individuals as part of their Amazon Prime “household.”
I heard a rumor that Amazon may start restricting “households” by immediate geographic location, but I doubt it, because I’d likely buy more stuff at my local brick-and-mortar store if I couldn’t use my daughter’s free Prime shipping, and I wouldn’t pay for the streaming. But maybe I’m not representative of their targeted customers. 

Edited January 13, 2020 by shapeshifter

[WandaS]

On 12/10/2019 at 2:21 PM, mytmo said:

I did love the first few episodes but after awhile the Rose and Abe and Moishe and Shirley show got on my nerves - too loud, too manic and not even close to being humerous.  C'mon Rose would really give up that money on principal considering her circumstances?

And another reason Susie sucks at manager is having Midge even do the Apollo gig.  Reggie especially knows the audience as he referred to them as family and still had Midge do the opener ahead of a well known comic.  Not like they were working off a contract.  Susie should've told him see ya at the next gig - enjoy the welcome back reunion.  Just surprised that Reggie (I always have Shy's back) would gamble on a very white comic being accepted at that venue during that time period.

They'll probably have Midge and Sophie tour together next season which is a big nope for me.

For a clever and usually funny show, this show is totally tone deaf when it comes to race and race relations of the era. It started way back in Season 1when they had a black cosmetic saleswoman at B Altman in 1959. Never would have happened and if by some chance there was a black saleslady in any department of a NewYork store, she would have been shades lighter than the actress on this series. Black wasn't considered beautiful then unless it was Lena Horne or Dorothy Dandridge. 

[Sam Spayaid]

HATED THIS SEASON!!! There....I said it.

What did I hate? Her dumping Benjamin for her useless cheating idiot of a husband even though they really didn't officially "get back together." This season I found really boring. I didn't like the whole "on the road" thing and it had way more of Midge on stage, which is excruciating to watch. Way too much! How can someone who is supposed to be a stand up comic suck at it so badly? Any time there's a movie about stand ups, like that horrible thing Sally Field and Tom Hanks did, it is God-awful!!!! Maybe they should perhaps, oh...I don't know...maybe enlist a REAL comedian to do the writing because these scenes are pathetic.

IF there's a season four I really don't think I'll watch. Apple TV's "The Morning Show" was so vastly superior in every way - writing, acting, etc. that Meisel, in comparison, looks grossly amateur. 

[DisneyBoy]

On 12/7/2019 at 5:36 AM, Aulty said:

the dance club Lenny took Midge too was very GG revival

Completely!

On 12/7/2019 at 5:36 AM, Aulty said:

the Jane Lynch character is really grating

Disagree. She was genuinely funny and I felt like she struck the right balance and landed the delivery. She routinely got me to laugh.

Jane is a Pro.

On 12/7/2019 at 8:12 PM, qtpye said:

Also, with the generous trust fund, Abe’s salary as a professor, and the beautiful rent free apartment...this family still did not manage to accumulate anything in the way of savings?

Yeah that was strange.

On 12/14/2019 at 4:57 PM, xaxat said:

And while I agree that the general public won't even know that she is no longer touring with Shy, word within the industry about what she did will definitely get out.

She deserved to get axed and humiliated for that. Who makes their boss, who they are introducing, the punchline? For real?? And didnt she have Apollo-worthy material lined up in advance?

They make her seem like an improv comedian and yet that makes so little sense.

[chessiegal]

5 hours ago, DisneyBoy said:

On 12/7/2019 at 8:12 PM, qtpye said:

Also, with the generous trust fund, Abe’s salary as a professor, and the beautiful rent free apartment...this family still did not manage to accumulate anything in the way of savings?

Yeah that was strange.

Never, ever, overthink money with any show that involves the Palladinos. Money matters are handled to fit the plot du jour, and with total disregard to reality or even what has happened in the past. I've learned to go with the flow.

[qtpye]

On 2/26/2020 at 1:52 PM, Sam Spayaid said:

HATED THIS SEASON!!! There....I said it.

What did I hate? Her dumping Benjamin for her useless cheating idiot of a husband even though they really didn't officially "get back together." This season I found really boring. I didn't like the whole "on the road" thing and it had way more of Midge on stage, which is excruciating to watch. Way too much! How can someone who is supposed to be a stand up comic suck at it so badly? Any time there's a movie about stand ups, like that horrible thing Sally Field and Tom Hanks did, it is God-awful!!!! Maybe they should perhaps, oh...I don't know...maybe enlist a REAL comedian to do the writing because these scenes are pathetic.

IF there's a season four I really don't think I'll watch. Apple TV's "The Morning Show" was so vastly superior in every way - writing, acting, etc. that Meisel, in comparison, looks grossly amateur. 

Thank you...I felt exactly the same way.

I will put this under a spoiler.

Spoiler

.They will sacrifice the dignity of the Weismans (sp?) to make Joel and his family look good.  You will probably hate the Weismans and love the Maisels by the end of the series. The show suffered for it but the acting is superb and the set pieces are divine.

The show is worth finishing for just those 2 things alone.

Spoiler

Sorry, double posted.

 

Edited April 29 by qtpye