Welcome to the first installment of a brand new series on the blog! First Impressions is where we watch the pilot episode of a show or read the first chapter of a book and let you know our first impressions on whether we would continue so you don’t have to!
This first post is on the series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel which came to screens almost exactly a year ago in March 2017. The pilot episode introduces the show by showing what happens to a perfectionist, Type A, Jewish house wife with a pep in her step, from the Upper East Side New York when her husband decides to leave her. Miriam “Midge” Maisel is every bit the perfect wife, mother and woman, and utterly funny which becomes her saving grace when her life falls apart. So here are my first impressions
Acting
In terms of acting, I really only have two major comments. Rachel Brosnahan, who plays the shows leading lady, is an absolute delight to watch. Not only is her 50s New York accent utterly believable, her sense of comedic timing and facial expressions makes her character thoroughly enjoyable. Moreover, the show pulls out all the stops by pitting her with the zealous Alex Borstein, well known for voicing Lois in family guy and, my personal favourite, from The Lizzie McGuire Movie. I am definitely looking forward to seeing more interactions between these two.
Writing
You might recognise the name of creator Amy Sherman-Palladino from the long running Gilmore Girls series (read about what we thought of the revival here), and the similar stylistic choices are evident. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel seems to have the same quick wit and banter that characterized Gilmore Girls. But unlike Gilmore Girls which had a heavy blend of family drama with occasional quips of comedy, Mrs. Maisel thrives off of comedy first and foremost, using every inch of drama as a source of amusement.
From the terrible gender stereotypes to the eccentric Jewish family dynamics the show plays off, Sherman-Palladino have presented a show of immense comedy and moves on from the family genre of Gilmore Girls to include a more adult theme which is thoroughly welcomed by the now older viewers of Sherman-Palladino.
Editing
The show features a series of flashbacks which give and indication of what brought the main character to this point in her life and they are quite well put together, creating a flow to the show that both adds to the story and provides a respite from the current on-goings.
Soundtrack
Barbara Streisand! That’s really all I have to say.
So, would I continue watching? Absolutely! And do I recommend it to others? Also a definite yes! This might also be become there is only one season out so far and a breezy eight episodes, which means that I can fly through this in a matter of days (no point hiding how fast I can binge TV Shows). But mostly, it has everything to do with wanting to watch a brazen, smart woman from the 1950s decide to make the most of her life and show her good-for-nothing husband everything he gave up.
~ S ~
