Wednesday, July 25, 2018

"Why do women have to pretend to be something that they're not? Why do we have to pretend to be stupid when we're not stupid?" - Midge Maisel

The thing about "The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel" is that I identify with it. A lot!

I know. How can an Indian girl in tech identify with a 1950's Jewish woman who is well on her way to becoming the most successful stand-up comedian of her time?

Allow me to elaborate.

Midge Maisel is feisty, wears bright colors, loves her makeup, tries to be a dutiful daughter, the perfect wife, the amazing mother, the good friend and balances it with being a feminist (not in the traditional sense). It is not often that we come across such characters.

The thing about Midge is that even though her husband leaves for another woman, her parents seem to not understand her and she is making all the mistakes of a rookie stand-up comic, she is cheerful. She mouths one-liners like this :

" I can be a cool chick with a doorman and a Kelvinator Foodarama refrigerator, can't I?" 

or this "It's the bras, right? It's the bras. And the girdles and the corsets, all designed to cut off the circulation to your brain, so you walk around on the verge of passing out, and you look at your husband, and he tells you things, and you just believe them. "

Of course, her Jewish mother with her passive aggressive attitude is no different from a lot of Indian mothers. Her consultations with the clairvoyant is similar to Indian parents seeking guidance from astrologers and other Godmen. 

But, I must admit I like her manager, Susie Myerson, even more. Susie is much more impressive than Midge in the sense that Susie is the ambitious one. She is the one who dreams of Midge becoming successful. And she is the one with even better lines than Midge. 

Midge: Oh, this is the cutest thing ever. Bing Crosby Sings Mother Goose. I had such a thing for Bing Crosby when I was little.
Susie: Really? He's so oily looking like if you got on top of him, you'd slide right off.
Midge: Never watching White Christmas again.

Burrowed underneath this blink and miss type of one-liners, the amazing clothes, and the exuberant outlook is a story that is more realistic than most others today. 

Midge does not whine or cry and although comes across as cold sometimes, you can see the emotions just brimming under without ever overflowing. 

Add to it, her funny father played wonderfully by Mr.Monk, her mother who is overly melodramatic, her hilarious father-in-law and you have a show that is as bright and sunny as Mad Men was dark and depressing. 

Feminists are the most misunderstood lot. Both on-screen and off. You are either a bra-burning, slogan carrying feminist or an aggressive and hateful speech giver wearing overalls. 

Midge is neither. And that is what makes her identifiable to a lot of us. 

And for those of you who think that feminism is not your cup of tea, watch it for the laughs. I guarantee a dozen for a dime. 

Eagerly awaiting next season.....