Rumble on the Wonder Wheel

In the first episode of Season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs Maisel, Midge performs a stand-up routine that is full of anger and cynicism, reflecting her feelings about what happened with Shy Baldwin last season. ..

Susie is in the audience listening as Midge bemoans that a man has messed up her life again. After being kicked off Baldwin’s tour, she’s a mess and doesn’t want to go back to Queen’s. Susie is interested in hearing Midge’s story and wants to help her get back on track.

Midge wakes up early and heads out to the tourney. She is replaced by Jack Ballard, who has taken her spot for the rest of the tourney.

Midge believes that all of this has been planned and will cause her many problems. Why? Well, Midge has bought back her apartment after loaning the money from Moishe. However, without any money coming in and Susie unable to get the funds, she is in a very sticky situation. More sticky than the floor on the bar. ..

Joel’s club is doing well, but Mei’s parents are not happy because they think that eyeballs on the club means less money for them. Mei is actually helping Joel to fail so she can see him more. She warns him about increasing his rent, but she still sees him. ..

Meanwhile, Susie heads to pick up her cheque with Tessie by her side. Together, they wind up talking to Mr Bartosiewicz at the insurance company. Unfortunately, he seems to have suspicions about the arson incident and after grilling them both, Susie deduces that Tessie needs to “take one for the team” in order to get that cheque. Susie and Tessie head over to the insurance company together to pick up their cheques. After a long conversation with Mr Bartosiewicz, Susie realizes that Tessie needs to take one for the team in order to get her cheque. ..

Susie heads over to see Joel but he too refuses to loan her the money. Susie tries to get him to lend her the money, but he won’t.

Meanwhile, everything is escalating at Coney Island. Midge shows up during Ethan’s birthday celebrations (it’s not actually his birthday, her parents have switched the days) and reveals to them what’s happened. In separate Ferris wheel cages, Midge reveals she’s been fired and kicked off the tour in front of Joel, Abe and Moishe and the rest of the family. ..

Joel is not happy about Midge buying their apartment back, while Moishe wants his money – which Miriam is quick to remind him he’ll get. ..

Joel hands over the cheque and Susie tells him that she’s had a backfiring plan last season that went wrong. Joel is interested in learning more about it so he can fix it.

Susie meets back up with Miriam in the morning and decides to take a stand. She’s going to make herself a headliner, and work to try and change the business. No more bad room service jokes – she wants to say whatever she wants, whenever she wants. And she wants Susie to do her job as a manager and make that happen.

The Episode Review

In a return to form, the Marvelous Mrs Maisel returns with an angry, bitter Miriam determined to make a name for herself and get back at Shy Baldwin for kicking her off his tour. The whole episode essentially riffs off this idea of Miriam getting back at the men who have wronged her and doing that by empowering herself to get up on stage and become a headline act.

There’s a sense of irony to all that though, given it’s Joel’s cheque that’s helping to bail her out of this sticky financial situation she finds herself in.

Despite that, Mrs. Maisel delivers a decent opening chapter, with plenty of banter and quick-firing dialogue. Whether Miriam will make it in the big-time though is still unknown at this point so we’ll have to wait and see how that materializes. ..