As far back as in the 1950's house wives have always thrived to be hosted in the popular stand-up comic, and the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is no different.
The characters don't gel because it's largely unclear who's sticking around, other than the star, and the pilot doesn't pick up until the metaphorical gun goes off. But when it does, wow, what a bang.
If Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here shows the seamy, dark side to 1970s-era comedy, Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a more upbeat, feminist counterpoint set a decade earlier.
With a much-needed message for our times, a talented ensemble cast, and the period appeal of a Mad Men-with-a-feminine-flair production design, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is well on its way to becoming the next obsession for Gilmore Girls devotees.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel tells its story with verve and wit and warmth, and it digs deep enough into Midge's psyche so that we can understand just how well she understands the dilemma that she and Lenny Bruce share.
Rachel Brosnahan grabs the screen from her opening monolog in a wedding dress ... and doesn't let up in a performance that whipsaws between fast-talking comedy and overshared upper-middle-class angst.
If you enjoy that trademark Sherman-Palladino style - that fast-talking, uber-heightened, female-focused sheen over anything and everything onscreen - than you will love the heck outta "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."
Mrs. Maisel can -- yup -- be chatty to the point of exhaustion, and a little can go a long way. But what's here is worth savoring and, if you can get past the verbal gymnastics, worth the trip.
