REVIEW: ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’ Season 4 Episodes 3-4 Re-establishes its Roots

Two years without Midge, and within one week we’ve already gotten four episodes into Season 4. It’s time for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Episodes 3-4. The dichotomy of modern-day viewing content in a nutshell folks. You want to binge a show and consume it as fast as you can, but then once it’s over you realize you should have savored it. Well, thankfully Prime’s method of two episodes a week strikes a nice balance between the weekly watchers and bingers.

Previously, Susie (Alex Borstein) and Miriam (Rachel Brosnahan) gathered themselves up and returned from the airport after the crushing news of being dropped from the Shy Baldwin’s European tour. It was a calamity, but if there’s anyone that thrives under pressure, it’s Midge Maisel.

Episode 3 “Everything is Bellmore” takes on a more melancholic and sincere tone, as the show attempts to address the death of a veteran character, Jackie (Brian Tarantina). Sadly though, this was not just a story decision, as the actor himself passed in November of 2019, just before season 4 was set to start filming again. Episode 4 “Interesting People on Christopher Street” lands Susie back with some old pals, as they help her find a brand new office and apartment.

Of the two, Episode 3 really hit the high points for me, and it’s absolutely the story fans will be talking about over the weekend. That’s not to say the story, or the dialogue wasn’t well-received, however, it’s hard to compete against such an emotionally heavy subject and it’s written, and delivered in such a beautiful way.

Dealing with the death of a character in a show is tough, but when that actor themselves has passed away, and the way in which The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel pays homage to Tarantina’s character will bring a tear to the eyes of every fan. Borstein in particular really shines here, as performance runs the absolute gamut of emotions as you see Susie run through the stages of grief. There’s actually a fantastic scene between Rose (Marin Hinkle), and Susie which left me chuckling away in my seat wondering why these two actors aren’t brought together more often because their contrasted deliveries work so harmoniously.

Where Borstein delivers her most weighted act is during the memorial service after learning all about the man Jackie grew to be. The dialogue was embraced in love and passionately delivered, but it’s absolutely added to the character of Susie. Life comes at us all very quick, and damn, the last two years it’s been incessant, but adapting to a curveball like this and working it into the show in a way that honors a fallen friend and a great character while also adding to the overall plot? That’s some ambidextrous writing at its best for Daniel Palladino and Amy Sherman Palladino.

Season 4 is finding its footing now, as we see Miriam regaining her confidence, and her drive after plummeting back down to earth in so many humbling ways. Even while working as the MC in burlesque performance, the comedian makes some incremental changes here, and a little there, and what once was dusty now seems to shimmer slightly. These episodes in particular are a lot more sure of themselves as the main through-line of the show becomes more apparent, and the characters are more aligned with the roots of what made this series such a hit in the first place.

It’s difficult to judge a season based on an episode or two, but now that The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Episodes 3-4 has given us much more to work with, it’s clear the comedian without a filter just won’t settle for anything less than the best. While Episode 3 features a lovely homage to a cast member tragically lost, the show finds a beautiful way to say goodbye as Borstein leads by example. I challenge you to watch these episodes and not a crack a smile once, it’s an absolute blessing of a comfort watch.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 Episode 3-4 is available now exclusively on Amazon Prime, with two more episodes coming next week.