The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

To call a programme marvellous might sound a bit pompous but with this it was totally apt. There have been a few TV shows that are more than just things to watch. Programmes like THE SOPRANOS, MORSE/ENDEAVOUR, GAME OF THRONES become part of your life . The characters become real people you care about and the writers, gods!

THE MARVELLOUS MRS MAISEL Shouldn't this marvellous but it is. It's only about a young woman who wants to be a stand up comedian. So what - nothing special there. What makes this marvellous is both the characters and the luscious authentic 1950s/1960s feel. The feel is just so real that you'll start to believe you were actually born fifty years earlier than you were.

The entire cast are all perfect - how many times can you say that about everyone but they are. Rachel Brosnahan however is indeed marvellous. This show has something for everyone: style and substance, comedy and tragedy, silliness and absolute believability.

This is a comedy about stand-up comedy, so it has to be pretty darn witty. And it is. But it's so much more.

The characters are incredibly likeable, particularly the lead who suffers sexism and setbacks with a plucky determination and a dream all her own. Those surrounding her are fascinating and unique, from her father (wonderfully played by Tony Shalhoub) to her manager and others, including a recurring version of Lenny Bruce, which is quite a gas.

The setting offers more flavour as we see, hear and smell late 50s Manhattan, particularly through the lens of an upper middle class Jewish-American family.

It's a show that is rich in personality and consistently so over 3 seasons. You'll be hooked by episode 2. Enjoy and, ahem, "tits up".

A lot of people would say we are in a "Golden Age" of television, providing feature quality series with acclaimed actors and indepth writing. And whilst it is of course somewhat debatable as there has always been great shows, it is indeed true that TV has gone through a great revolution.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a great period-piece that offers great drama, in a somewhat lighthearted fashion, and showcasing incredible actors who sells the melancholiness and satire that one coveys beautifully.

It is a very near show overall, in terms of both cinematography, cutting and editing and writing and acting. Definitely a unique and great piece that I can not recommend enough!

We've recently retired and are enjoying a lot of television time. The good news is there is a lot of TV available. The bad news is that it can't possibly all be good. At some point as you flick through the options, you can't help but laugh at the absurdity of some of these shows. I get the challenge to producers and artists to fill hundreds of channels, 24/7, I really do. I've learned to seriously adjust my expectations. But frankly, the ones that look promising and don't deliver are more disappointing than the ones that didn't look appetizing in the first place. You get what I'm saying, right?

All that said - don't be afraid to have high expectations of this show. Just make sure you listen closely to the dialog so you don't miss one delicious bit of hilarity which often occurs in simultaneous dialogue at a dramatic moment.

The acting is crisp, the caricatures of a rich New York Jewish family in the 50s are spot on. Rachel Brosnahan is intelligent, independent, strong and funny. Her energy paired with Alex Borstein's drollness leaves me clamoring to find out how this all plays out.

(PS - if you like it, I encourage you to take the time to fill out Amazon's survey which will help them decide whether to continue this series. I'd hate to see it go the way of their terrific series, Good Girls Revolt, which was discontinued after one season because it premiered in the thick of the 2016 election when its primary audience was otherwise occupied.)

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is such a good show with plenty of talent but Tony Shalhoub is the best thing about this show. Everyone had already talked about how good the show is so I just want to talk about how great Tony Shalhoub is. In a series full of laughs he still manages to steal every scene he's in. I can't say enough about him. I've seen him in lots of movies and tv shows but the first time he really impressed me was when I saw him on the incredibly underrated show Monk. He won 3 Emmy's (every one of them deserved) for that role and was nominated all 8 seasons. For this he won an Emmy and was nominated for all 4 seasons so far and should get a 5th for this last season. That's 4 Emmy's and 12 nominations and he's still an underrated active.