5x02 It's a Man, Man, Man, Man World

[8.2/10] Let’s start with the big news here. Midge is a success! Susie is a success! So much of this show has been about the two of them fighting and scraping and working their way to the middle, let alone the top. So having the show do one 60 Minutes flash forward that confirms yes, all their hard work and struggle paid off, that they were able to make it, is a little disorienting to just come out of nowhere like this, but also heartening to see. The little sops like Midge having been involved with Paul Simon and Susie managing George Carlin and Midge having a Lenny Bruce-likeshade of controversy at Carnegie Hall are all cute and rousing futures for them.

But there’s also a touch of sadness to it all, because despite all their success, despite the status of things in the present (er, the past, bear with me here!) where Midge instinctively trusts Susie, something happens in the future to break them apart. And at the same time, there’s clearly some tension between Mide and her daughter, Esther, with Midge’s declaration that she did it all “for the children” ringing a false note that seems poised to be explored in more depth given how the season opened. Midge had the career she always dreamed of, but it seemed to come at cost, which is the kind of storytelling I always appreciate.

And hey, while it’s played for laughs, it’s not crazy to imagine Esther having issues when she’s basically being raised by Zelda and her new boyfriend, who none of the Maisels know despite the fact that he carries Midge’s kids to school. The kids have never been a big part of the show, so again, giving them a voice through grown up Esther, and highlighting, however comically, the way they’re treated like afterthoughts is an interesting tack for the series to take.

But returning to the 1960s, it’s a blast seeing Midge’s first day of work as a writer for the Gordon Ford show. The creative team does a nice job of quickly establishing the Gordon Ford show as its own little ecosystem, where people are skeptical of the new girl, the boss quitting smoking causing ripples for everyone, the bigtime producer is loathed by his staffers, and the all-male writing room has codes and procedures and superstitions and beliefs about what’s funny that they’re not inclined to share and which border on the absurd.

Watching poor Midge do her best to navigate that, and her own absurdities over picking a proper “sitting dress”, makes her as sympathetic as ever. It’s easy to relate to her as the new kid in town, worrying that you might be in over your head, knowing what works for you but struggling to get it accepted by the people used to their way of doing things, and not wanting to be seen as the fly in the ointment. The show does a nice job of highlighting the sort of sexism Midge faces, both subtle and overt, while also framing many of her struggles as a universal experience of starting a new job. The dialogue is crisp, the characters are vivid, and this new corner of the Mrs. Maisel world comes immediately with a sense of place and a new challenge for our hero.

That said, as much as this one feels like a bit of a launch for the new overarching plot and setting for the season, much of this one is more devoted to comedy. Case-in-point, I don’t know that we really needed a return engagement from Sylvio, the seemingly adulterous suitor Midge ditched who’s played by Gilmore Girls alum Milo Ventimiglia. I imagine Jess fans were pleased to learn that his 1960s doppelganger is not, in fact, a cheater, but rather invited Midge over when his wife and he were separated, and now all he wants to do is apologize. That said, the pursuit between the two of them through the New York subway system, replete with offended straphangers and justifiably suspicious cops is a hoot. The chase and banter between them is worth the odd detour.

Likewise, the subplot about Abe going to lunch with a bigwig theater producer who ends up coming onto him starts out pretty strange, but turns into a laugh riot. It’s rare that Abe gets to play so sweet and oblivious, but his flustered affect with a hand on his leg from the heiress apparent is a hoot, him replicating the move on Gabe to see if he misread it is a bigger laugh still, and him pulling it on Rose while they discuss it clinically and check that it’s an appropriate hour for sexual congress absolutely split my sides. As worldly as Abe and Rose are, they’re also a touch provincial, and so the pair experiencing this whole silly interlude and being completely flustered by it is both hilarious and kind of adorable.

The same goes for Rose’s continuing stand-off with the Match-Making Mafia. Here, they’ve seemingly gone too far -- burning down her beloved Tea Room from which she conducts business. (Candidly, I wouldn’t be shocked if at least some of this turns out to be plain old bad luck, but it’s fun to see Rose’s wheels spinning.) Her call to her son, where she asks if he can sic the CIA on her for enemies in the same tone as though she’s asking if he can watch the house while they’re on vacation, makes for a very funny juxtaposition. I’ve occasionally slated writer/director Daniel Palladino for his broader comedy (and Abe’s boss’ sneeze fest is pretty corny), but there’s a ton of big laughs here, and it helps you remember why this show is so enjoyable from moment to moment.

Speaking of which, my favorite part of this one (other than the glimpse into Midge and Susie’s future) is watching Midge walk the line between trying to fit in and trying to stand up for her material. You can see her wanting to be friendly and not rock the boat. When Gordon Ford herself asks how the rest of the writers are treating her (with a seductive eye no less) she lies and says it’s going terrific. She disclaims immediately that she’s a jinx or an x-factor, and wants to be “one of the boys” to some extent.

But at the same time, she sticks up for her jokes, elbowing her way in when she has to, and pushing back on one of the other writers (who’s coded as being a bit outside of the 1960s norm himself) when he questions her humor. And as always, Midge deals with her issues on stage, talking about the experience at her club in characteristically funny terms, while also using the line her colleagues rejected and getting a big laugh. I’m not big on fourth-wall breaks, but something about her “I knew that was funny” aside just works.

The only thing I continue to struggle with here is Joel. I’ve beat this drum since season 1, so I won’t belabor the point, but the guy’s just not interesting on his own. Him being shitty and blaming Midge for Mei leaving him doesn’t help make him likable, even if you can understand him going through a tough time. And as much as it speaks well of Midge, her filling his fridge with casseroles points things in a direction I’m not fond of.

Still, all that said, this episode gives us an exciting look into what lies ahead for future “living legend” Midge Maisel, launches her into a new job with aplomb, and brings plenty of laughs on the side to keep things moving. Joel’s unenjoyable exploits are more than worth suffering through briefly in exchange for that.