The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: When Judaism, Humor, and New York Meet on Screen

If you're looking for a series that perfectly blends Jewish wit, stunning period style, and characters that will make you both laugh and tear up, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is exactly what you need.

Created by Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), the show follows Miriam "Midge" Maisel – a Jewish housewife from the Upper West Side of late-1950s New York – who, after a personal crisis, finds herself on a stand-up stage and discovers an incredible talent for making people laugh.

From the very first episode, it’s clear this show is steeped in Jewish spirit – not necessarily religious, but deeply cultural. From the fight to book the rabbi for Yom Kippur break-fast to the meddling Jewish family that’s in everyone's business (especially if you're a woman who must always be beautiful and slim, or your husband will leave you) - it’s all there.

In true Sherman-Palladino style, the dialogue is fast, witty, and packed with cultural references.Rachel Brosnahan gives an impressive performance as Midge, a character who isn’t always easy to love, but she is the heart of the show, and it’s impossible not to fall for her. Susie (played by Alex Borstein), the tough, tactless, brilliant agent who discovers Midge, is both hilarious and unforgettable.

Other standout characters include Joel, the man who leaves his wife the night everything falls apart; Rose and Abe, Midge’s overbearing but loving parents, who are theatrical, over-the-top, and delightfully weird (their interactions deserve a rewatch just for the fun of it); and Moishe and Shirley Maisel, Joel’s parents, who are pure caricature in the best way.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel isn’t just about a Jewish stand-up comic in the ‘50s – it’s about the entire stand-up comedy scene in the U.S. during that time. It dives into the cultural DNA of America: immigration, ambition, sexuality and homophobia, the Black community, the Jewish community, the trajectory of rising comedians (like Lenny Bruce), and especially Midge’s fight to tell dirty jokes on stage without getting arrested.

Judaism here is mostly cultural – not religious. There are synagogues, Shabbat dinners, and Yiddish phrases, but they’re used to add color, not make a religious statement. And that’s actually a strength. For non-Jewish viewers, the show offers a charming glimpse into a community without feeling preachy or overwhelming. The Jewish humor makes the show feel relatable and enjoyable even for audiences outside the Jewish world. And yes – according to this series, Jews definitely run the world!

Bottom line:The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is a beautifully designed series, with brilliant acting, a sharp script, and a mesmerizing sense of time and place. It’s not without flaws, characters can be a bit over-the-top, and the storyline loses some momentum in Season 5, but still, it’s a show worth watching, smiling through, and falling in love with Midge Maisel.

Available to watch on Amazon Prime, filmed between 2017 and 2023