The Mrs. Maisel Appraisal: Episode 3

So… Midge started working at a strip club. No, no, not as a stripper but as the emcee. Honestly, working at a strip club seems like a huge step down for her especially after being on an international tour, but I trust that Susie will be able to get her a better gig soon; I don’t know how long it will be until the stripper-related jokes get old.

However, this episode somberly addressed the death of actor Brian Tarantina, who played Jackie, the sarcastic bar manager who worked at the Gaslight comedy club where Midge and Susie met. Susie, who was Jackie’s roommate, spent the entire episode in a state of grief, barely talking and just staring blankly at whatever was happening around her. Susie’s speech about Jackie at his funeral was touching, and it was embellished with a handful of profanities in the true Susie fashion.

As for the rest of the family, Abe had to write a review of a family friend’s new broadway musical for his newspaper, “The Village Voice.” There’s only one problem though: Abe hated the musical and eviscerated it in his review. This caused some backlash from their community during one very eventful Bar Mitzvah and some more serious backlash with the FBI, but that’s for the next episode.

To wrap up the episode, Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby), one of my favorite characters, showed up. Lenny is a sort of mentor to Midge, as he is a famous comedian himself. He and Midge have always had off-the-charts chemistry throughout the series, and it was still there when he made an appearance in this episode to watch Midge’s show. I am the captain of Team Lenny and here’s hoping that something happens between them in this season.

Overall, this episode was particularly entertaining—the tribute to Brian Tarantina was very tastefully done, and I always love to see multiple stand-up routines (especially ones where she makes fun of her audience). Although I missed some of the Midge-Susie banter that usually populates this show, it was still the best episode of the season so far.

Midge’s quip corner: (at the strip club)
Hecklers: “Take it off!”
Midge: “Guys, by the time I finish unzipping, unfastening and unhooking the medieval contraption of rayon and rubber that is my girdle, you’ll all be back in bed with your wives telling them how much you hated working late.”