The first three episodes of the final season of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” debuted this week with a pair of unexpected exits: both Mei (Oscar nominee Stephanie Hsu) and Lenny Bruce (Emmy winner Luke Kirby) departed from the narrative after playing key roles in the lives of Joel and Midge Maisel (Michael Zegen and Emmy winner Rachel Brosnahan) throughout the five-season run.
In the case of Mei, her pregnancy and potential marriage to Joel were dispatched when she decided to move to Chicago to follow her goal of becoming a doctor. While it’s not explicitly stated, it’s clear Mei had an abortion to terminate the pregnancy.
“It was a complete shock after reading the first episode,” Zegen told TVLine of the twist. “I thought maybe she was going to come back, but [Stephanie] told me she wasn’t. It was shocking… I expected them to be together forever, to be honest.”
But according to show co-creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, Mei was a character brought in to push “Joel off of his axis” and separate him from his ex-wife.
“We wanted to show Joel with a woman who was even more independent than Midge was. Midge embraced the Betty Crocker myth; Mei did not. So [her] pregnancy [teed up] an inevitable conclusion [for the character],” co-creator Daniel Palladino added to TVLine.
While it’s tempting to assume Hsu was written off the show due to scheduling conflicts with the awards run for “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” Sherman-Palladino said the decision happened well before the star’s film breakout.
“You don’t ask Stephanie to show up and not give her anything to do,” she said to TVLine. “If she’s gonna show up, you gotta give her great stuff to do. She’s not going to sit there for two or three episodes and be window-dressing just because we’re greedy and we love Stephanie.”
As for Kirby and his character, fans might have been surprised to see Lenny fly off to California in the Season 5 premiere – particularly after the events of the Season 4 finale, when he and Midge finally consummated their relationship and Lenny also urged Midge to take her career to the next level. But Lenny’s arc is set by actual history: the comedian faced mounting legal issues in his final years before his death in 1966. For that reason, the decision was made to give Lenny one last moment with Midge – a brief and loaded goodbye at the airport before his flight west.
“We were in 1961. He was about to hit his downward spiral,” Sherman-Palladino told Entertainment Weekly. “We talked a lot about what more did we need from the character? That moment on the stage of Carnegie Hall, everything between her and Lenny has been leading to that moment, not the moment where they sleep together.”
If the moment in the Season 5 premiere feels final, that’s because Kirby played it as such. “I didn’t know where the season was going to go,” he said to Entertainment Weekly. “But I definitely played it differently than any other time that we’ve said goodbye to each other. Something about that red hall [in the TWA terminal at the airport] gave me an instinct that this was a little different from our prior encounters.”
Season 5 of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” streams weekly on Amazon through the end of May.
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FAQs
In an interview on WTF with Marc Maron on Thursday (May 25), the show's creator-writer-producer-director shared her thoughts on why Maisel had to end, blaming the financial priorities of the streaming platform. “It wasn't me. But things come to an end,” said Sherman-Palladino.
Who is Shy Baldwin supposed to represent on Mrs Maisel? ›
It's hard to name a single influence for Shy Baldwin (Leroy McClain). Co-writer Daniel Sherman said (via Parade) “We were inspired by a lot of African American crooners at the time, like Johnny Mathis.” However, Harry Bellafonte is another real person with whom Shy shares similarities.
What's wrong with Lenny in Mrs Maisel? ›
On The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Lenny Bruce, as portrayed by Luke Kirby, is like something out of a fantasy — the fairy godfather to Rachel Brosnahan's Midge Maisel. But in the real world, the final years of the Bruce's life were marked by lawsuits, turmoil, and a downward spiral fueled by drug addiction.
Why didn't Midge end up with Lenny? ›
Palladino says the reason Midge didn't want to see her long-time friend — and often biggest supporter — was because it would have been too “hurtful” for her to see him in the condition that he's in at that point. “The real Lenny Bruce had been on this path for quite a while,” he explains.
What was whispered at the end of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? ›
Gordon is genuine with his praises, saying it's her "first, but definitely won't be her last" appearance on his show, followed by a whispered, "You're fired."
What happens to Joel at the end of Mrs. Maisel? ›
Maisel Season 5 End. During The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 5, Joel becomes a major figure of support in Midge's life and a potential love interest once again. Most significantly, Joel proves his dedication to Midge by selling himself to the mob to free Midge, which ultimately sends him to prison for several years.
Who is Susie Meyerson based on? ›
Susie Myerson
Midge's sharp-witted manager Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) seems to have a zingy one-liner that could cut a man in half in any situation in life. As Distractify has reported previously, Amy herself confirmed that Susie was based on the real-life talent agent Sue Mengers.
Who was Gordon Ford based on? ›
Is Gordon Ford a real person? No. Though, like many people in the show, his character may come from a number of historically relevant people. Many people believe he is likely based on Johnny Carson.
Is Mrs. Maisel based on Joan Rivers? ›
The Real-Life Inspiration for Midge Maisel, Explained - IMDb. Midge Maisel from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was inspired by real-life comedian Joan Rivers, sharing similarities in their upbringing, education, and performing at the Gaslight Cafe in New York.
Was Susie in love with Midge? ›
Speaking to TODAY.com, Borstein says Midge was the "greatest love" of Susie's life. As the curtain falls on "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel," Alex Borstein is opening up about her character Susie's true feelings toward Midge.
Over the course of the series, it's been made clear that Lenny and Midge's relationship is more than just one of physical attraction. They also support and admire each other, which was evident in the finale when Lenny was able to talk some sense into Midge about her “no opening gigs” mentality.
Does Mrs. Maisel end up with Joel? ›
Because Midge and Joel never got back together on-screen, it would make sense that he wouldn't live with her and so wouldn't appear in those final scenes. Additionally, Midge's picture may just be a nod to how much they still care about each other, even decades later.
Who does Midge end up with? ›
The series seemed to pivot from seasons about all of Midge's relationships to focusing on her and Susie in the end. While this is not a bad choice, the finale didn't have enough time to do everything it wanted, giving many characters quick endings. Yet it finally shows Midge and Susie reunited and happy.
Does Midge end up with Benjamin? ›
Midge's divorce was finalized during season 3. She was engaged to Benjamin but ended things when singer Shy Baldwin called to say that he wanted Midge to be his opening act on a USO tour. Oh, and when Joel visited Midge on tour, the two got drunk together and got remarried.
Do Miriam and Lenny end up together? ›
But while there is no happily ever after for Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and Lenny (Luke Kirby), after the two comics finally banged in the Season 4 finale, that pivotal night in the New York snow is revisited in the last-ever episode of the Prime Video comedy.
Was Mrs. Maisel based on Joan Rivers? ›
The Real-Life Inspiration for Midge Maisel, Explained - IMDb. Midge Maisel from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was inspired by real-life comedian Joan Rivers, sharing similarities in their upbringing, education, and performing at the Gaslight Cafe in New York.
Did Joel and Midge end up together? ›
Because Midge and Joel never got back together on-screen, it would make sense that he wouldn't live with her and so wouldn't appear in those final scenes. Additionally, Midge's picture may just be a nod to how much they still care about each other, even decades later.
Who is Shy Baldwin based on? ›
Shy Baldwin
Although there was no real Shy, Rachel Brosnahan told Refinery29 that the character was a mix of several real-life legendary singers. "He's kind of an amalgamation of a lot of different figures who were that successful, but Johnny Mathis comes to mind," Rachel explained.
What happened at the end of Mrs. Maisel season 5? ›
Summary. The series finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel resolves the relationship between Midge and Susie, showing that their friendship is stronger than ever. Midge's career takes a positive turn when she grabs the microphone from Gordon on the Gordon Ford Show, impressing him and winning a spot on the couch.
