The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Review: Rumble on the Wonder Wheel / Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps (Season 4 Episodes 1 and 2)

After what felt like an extraordinarily long wait, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is back in all its glory. 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 Episode 1, “Rumble on the Wonder Wheel,” ultimately picks up where we left off (after a bit of one of Midge’s acts) with Midge being fired from Shy Baldwin’s tour. After being so close to really making it as a comedian, she now feels like she’s back to square one.

At least she isn’t in it alone. Midge’s relationship with Susie is at the heart of this series in so many ways, and Susie blames herself for Midge’s missteps and the loss of her spot on that tour. She was trying to branch out in her own way, and now she wishes she’d been by Midge’s side and paying closer attention. 

Their dynamic remains fun and endearing to watch too, even when Midge is having a full-on meltdown in a style that we’ve come to learn is so specifically her.

Of course she starts stripping off her clothes to rid herself of the horrors of that night. Of course she does. 

It’s a moment not unlike her taking the stage on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4 Episode 2, “Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps,” then asking people on the street if they want to have a good time and getting herself arrested. Midge is bold in a way that makes her stand out, not just on this series, but across other current television shows as well.

And Susie, while often flabbergasted by her client and friend’s behavior, is able to hold her own right along with her. They truly do make the perfect pair.

Though Susie, with her own issues that have gotten way more dangerous than they should have, is in a predicament now that Midge needs the money she’s earned. She has no idea what Susie has done with it — she also has no idea what lengths Susie goes to get it to her.

The timing of all of this, after all, is pretty terrible considering that Midge has just reclaimed her old apartment. This was such an important moment for Midge in gaining back a piece of her identity and changing the story. It’s also why she goes to great lengths to change the layout of that bedroom, no matter how impractical that layout is.

That’s done for comedic effect, but in a way that feels just a bit tragic too.

Because the trajectory of Midge’s story started with Joel cheating on her and his interest in performing standup. 

That’s the other really interesting relationship on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Midge and Joel still clearly care for each other, and Joel is even looking out for Midge’s best interests without her realizing it. 

Their lives will remain intertwined, of course, not only because of their kids but because of the relationships between their parents. Oh, and then the fact that Midge was only able to get her apartment back because of Moishe in the first place. 

Nothing is quite so representative of this as the Wonder Wheel scene on the season premiere. This is where Midge reveals what happened to her tour, all during her son’s “fake birthday” which is its own absurd little detail.

It’s brilliantly shot, with disconnected arguing and focus on each person in their seat on the Wonder Wheel. It shows the chaos just as much as it shows how everyone is connected — plus it’s fun to watch.

While that scene is certainly a standout, there are too many other moments throughout these first two episodes that feel more indulgent than useful.

There’s little to complain about with The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The performances are stellar, the story is nuanced, and one could enjoy watching it based on its visual appeal alone. But it’s a show that would be served well by having slightly shorter episodes.

The series feels like it gets lost in being artistic and showing off detail when it could have the same effect while being more focused. 

What’s most significant about these first two episodes, though, is the realization Midge has about her career, one that runs somewhat parallel to her father’s journey (which they bond over at the end of the second episode). She wants to unapologetically be herself, doing comedy her way and saying what she wants to say.

That’s true even if it’s harder, which it most definitely is. She tells Susie that’s the way it has to be, even if it means she will no longer be an opening act. You have to love her confidence, and again, you have to love the way Susie is willing to try to make that happen, no matter how tough it’s going to be.

It’s all part of Midge figuring out who she is outside of the life she once had, and it looks like this is going to make for a really interesting next step.

Other thoughts:

• We all know we’ll be seeing two Gilmore Girls alums this season: Kelly Bishop and Milo Ventimiglia. But did you catch the one we’ve already seen? That’s Chris Eigeman, who played Jason Stiles, who works with Abe and gives him that first paycheck!
• Susie’s introduction to Alfie is going to be something to keep in mind, I think. That magical moment is surreal, but it works in this world in its own odd way.
• I love the way Midge charms people into increasing her various tabs to buy herself some time. It’s just another example of her refusal to let anything get her down.

What did you think of these episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel airs Fridays on Prime Video.

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