Amy Sherman-Palladino specializes in unusual love stories. "Gilmore Girls," her breakthrough series, celebrated a mother-daughter bond, one strengthened by their mutual love for junk food and quipping like Rosalind Russell in "His Girl Friday."
In "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," her second masterpiece, the lead character has never had much time for her kids. She's been too obsessed with another passion: herself.
You may not have noticed that selfish streak when the show first premiered on Amazon Prime in 2017. We were too busy admiring the brilliant zingers and collection of hats.
Watching a 1950s-era housewife rise through the stand-up comedy ranks in New York City was the perfect premise for a fashion show. The costumes, Skittles-colored backdrops and nods to the past were straight out of an old MGM musical.
That trend continues in the final nine episodes, three of which premiered Friday (subsequent ones will drop every Friday).
Midge Maisel's (Rachel Brosnahan) new gig as a writer on a talk show requires a whole new wardrobe just for sitting. We get song-and-dance numbers (about waste management, of all things), flirting on the Rockefeller Plaza ice rink and pop-ins from a who's who of storied figures, from Princess Margaret to club owner Toots Sher. And wait until you find out which famous author Maisel jilts at the altar.
But Maisel is too focused on her future to relish the surroundings.
For a woman to succeed in a man's world, she has to look out for No. 1 — no matter the cost. She may look like Holly Golightly, but she has the drive of Gordon Gekko. She's so self-absorbed, she can't fully appreciate the wedding of the family's longtime housekeeper. In the middle of the ceremony, Maisel wonders aloud who will now babysit her children while she's telling jokes at burlesque clubs.
Of course, Sherman-Palladino and her most trusted writing partner, husband Daniel Palladino, make it clear that Maisel has to be this way to triumph over a sexist society.
"Being a coward is only cute in 'The Wizard of Oz,'" Maisel declares in one of her many defiant moments.
Maisel's mirror image can be found in bulldog agent Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein). Like her favorite client, Myerson wants respect. Any server at her beloved Stage Deli who dares bring her the wrong order might get a visit from mobster pals.
They've come a long way together, but their individual quests to reach the top threaten their friendship. A fight between the two in a synagogue ends with a word so nasty, you may have to press pause and go pour yourself a whiskey sour.
It's no spoiler to share that both see their dreams realized. Flash-forwards sprinkled throughout the season show them being profiled on "60 Minutes" and getting roasted by the Friars Club.
The real reason to savor this final season is to discover the price they paid for fame. In a scene set in 2004, we see Maisel plodding around her mansion alone, surrounded by photos of people who aren't about to pay a visit. She's Charles Foster Kane in Xanadu.
It's not all a downer. Sherman-Palladino and her staff still churn out more witty dialogue per minute than anyone other than Tina Fey. And the show continues to look wonderful.
But pay special attention to the lyrics in the show's final song. It's Tegan & Sara's cover of Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk." Indeed, they have. Were you really listening?
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'THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL'
Rating: TV-MA
How to watch: Prime Video
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