'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 4: A Story of Revenge and Going Your Own Way

While seasons one and two were fantastic and some of the best TV in 2017 and 2018, the show sputtered a bit in 2019. It started to become painfully evident that Midge, determined as ever to succeed, was never really running into any serious obstacles or issues along the way. For every step backward she took, she moved two steps forward.

In life, we would say "that's great!" as no one roots for conflict in the real world but in television or the movies, it does not make for an interesting watch.

As season four begins, it seems as if the writers heard some of these critiques and aim to address them. Midge and Susie are at the lowest points of their professional lives, and, like a breath of fresh air, the show becomes interesting again. This all isn't to say that we should be rooting against our heroines, but seeing them overcome obstacles with relative ease caused the show to stumble.

The show is able to deftly address those problems and, finally, make it seem as if they won't be solved by the Mrs. Maisel version of a Deus ex machina.

Whatever that might be. A brisket, perhaps?

We see a return to form in season four and become reminiscent of what made the first two such a fun watch. The stand-up scenes still provide some of the series' best moments, and character interactions feel natural as ever, if not a bit over the top at points, which is, almost certainly, the point.

Both sets of parents, Midge and ex-husband Joel's, provide some of the best comic relief in the show, and the interactions with their kids are painfully relatable for everyone in their 20s and early 30s.

They're at their absolute best when they are embarrassing their kids, Midge and her ex-husband Joel, with one of the best scenes this season occurring on the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island.

In the first season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Midge found her start in The Gaslight Cafe, and that's where her new journey in season four begins.

The locations and look of the show have always been vital to Maisel's success and, even when it faltered, you can be sure that it looked great. Whether it's the dark stage of The Gaslight or the bright hallways of her Upper West Side apartment building, the aesthetic has always been on point.

The bright, vibrant colors of Midge's outfits are on full display and contrast with Susie's dark tones, forming an interesting color palette that serves as a reflection of both characters perfectly.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has always been a show about finding your own way and not letting others dictate how to live your life. You may be a housewife one day and a successful stand-up comedian the next, life always has a way to keep things interesting or as Midge says "fuck it the fuck up."

While this new season of the show finds our main characters at their lowest, they seem as determined as ever to bounce back.

If the first few episodes are season four are any indication, that is the plan, and let's hope they are successful in doing so.