The Marvelous Kick in the Gut…I Mean Mrs. Maisel

I finished up season three of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I’m sitting in bed writing instead of getting to bed early so I can hit the gym. Even if I put my phone down, I wouldn’t be able to sleep. My mind would be sawing away. Burning the eleven o’clock oil when no one asked it to. Well, the writers of the show probably are hoping someone is doing that.
This season was one hell of a vibrantly dressed rollercoaster one where the big drop was waiting at the end. It is a doozy.

We all grew up watching the football get yanked out from Charlie Brown, with him spiraling through the air as a result. I never liked that bit in Charlie Brown. I’d either leave the room or shout at the screen as if either would do any good. Think Charles Schultz was trying to prepare us for what the Universe had in store? Or was that just some kind of unintentional slip?

Now, I’m spending time watching the rug getting pulled out from under Midge’s feet. Still don’t like that bit. Only this time around, it’s because I’ve had the football and rug pulled out from under me. And some tumbles were the kind that left smarting bruises the size of skateboards or large cats. And yet, I don’t look away.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is fiction, but its facsimile is good enough to pass for the real thing. Midge was created with flaws. Big ones. Yes, she’s gorgeous, thin, and has a closet to die for. But zoom in a little closer, and you’ll see them. College-educated yet street stupid. Painfully well put together and always late. Sharp tongue and wit, but let’s not forget naive. All of this is why we tune in.

I could sit here and talk about Midge getting dropped on her ass and how much that sucked to watch. A quick, furious purge would ensue if I did. The hypothetical rant wouldn’t do the show justice either. I’d rather not spend my time hating on something I really enjoy. Even though I’m still smarting from the finale. Instead, I’m going to take a purposeful left at Albuquerque. Let’s take a look at Imogene Cleary.

She is the annoying best friend of Midge. At least she was. Up until the last few episodes, I could not stand her. And then, just like that, the writers opted to imbue the character with life. Most of the way through the third season but better late than never. Imogene was given a story that was the bright spot in the whole story arc of the season.

Real quick, anyone that hasn’t finished up, you might want to pause reading and get on finishing the show. I’m about to talk spoilers.

Ready…

In the wake of Archie’s mental infidelity and escapism through Joel’s club, Imogene doesn’t take anyone’s advice. Not even the Marvelous Midge. She opts instead to enroll in secretarial school. Imogene Cleary isn’t about to be left out in the cold. The moment was set in slow motion, a cool track playing in the background. She is determined, calm, and absolutely under control.

To some watching, this might not seem like an overt power move. Midge got her break riffing on secretaries after all. But, in the 60s, being a secretary was a stable, socially acceptable job for women to hold. A perfect choice for a woman with the possibility of her husband opting to walk out the door looming.

Imogene’s choice is in direct contrast to Midge and now Rose’s reactions and actions after having their comfort disrupted. Well, no, why stop there? Her decision is also a foil for Joel and Archie’s upsets. Where she is calm and calculating in her choices, they are impulsive, grasping, and, most of the time, not the most direct.

I mean, come on. You want to say you’re sorry, don’t send your best friend’s ex-wife no matter how friendly she and your wife are. Stand up, brush yourself off, and go present yourself for a three-course meal of crow. That would be horrible television, I suppose. It would cut out much of the melodramatic fru fru. I think it would open the door for a whole helping of laughs and honesty for that matter.

I’ll even add Sophie Lennon to the mix. She has everything. Her success gives her incredible power and, at times, terrifying agency. She brought Midge’s career to a near halt with a phone call. Her greatest wish was served up on a silver platter. What did she do? Hid behind the lovable and crass persona she had created for comedy.

Imogene could have done the same. Taken that slow-motion walk back to Archie. Returned to the mantle of loving wife and mother. Sunk back into her easy schedule. Unlike Lennon, she did not have a pre-existing safety net. Imogene chose to start making her own safety net. She didn’t see a need to wait for Archie’s return or Midge advice. Her choice to get the ball rolling sooner rather than later built her own security.

The conversation in the park between Midge and Imogene didn’t pass the Bechdel test. In fact, i don’t think any of their conversations do. The character’s actions in the last episode of the season made up for that. No disrespect to Midge when I say, we need more Imogene’s on screen. Showing female characters bucking eve female advice when they know it’s not the right choice for them.

As you might guess, I did eventually go to bed and put down the writing down. I even stepped away from the piece for a few days to make sure i was, for the most part, over the severe kick to the gut this season packed. Painful and brilliant. You know it’s a good show when it leaves you fired up over a week later.

That’s it for me. Thank you, and goodnight!

Shit, this posts early in the morning…well, you know what I mean.