The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 episode 5 review: Midge owns up to a past mistake

NOTE: This post contains SPOILERS for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 4 episode 5, "How to Chew Quietly and Influence People.”

Getting fired by Shy Baldwin (LeRoy McClain) in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 3 led to Midge’s (Rachel Brosnahan) current gig at the less glamorous Wolford. Midge’s vengeance-focused missives in the aftermath don’t seem too unreasonable until you remember she almost outed a Black man in early 1960s America, which could have threatened his career (and possibly life). This is why she is bewildered to receive an invite to his wedding (teased in episode 2). She thinks it must be a mistake and doesn’t want to go, but Susie (Alex Borstein) uses the free bar as an incentive. 

When Midge and Susie hit the reception, Mrs. Maisel doubles down on the misplaced revenge plot as they drink expensive booze, trash floral arrangements and berate the wait staff. It is rather unpleasant but some moments shine through, like how excited they are by guests like Sidney Poitier, Jimmy Stewart and Henry Belafonte (Josh A. Dawson) — the latter is the only one who appears on camera.

Shy sings to his beautiful new bride but there is a ripple of sadness throughout. We know this marriage is a step the singer has taken to further his career and quell rumors regarding his sexuality. The absence of his original band also speaks volumes. 

Midge confronts the singer in the men’s room and before they get into it they have some light pleasantries about how she got the invite (PR did the guest list), his bride and Midge’s brisket. The chit-chat and Midge dives into what she has been wanting to get off her chest since the airport. “I would’ve said I f***ed up," she admits.

It is frustrating we have only been privy to angry Midge and not remorseful Midge, because the former made her look selfish and ignorant. Regret fuels her explanation here, which includes her fears on the night and desire to get a laugh. She refers to Shy as “a treasure trove of punchlines” and she picked the one that could’ve caused him actual harm. For this, she is “truly sorry.” 

It is a sincere conversation and Shy thinks there is space to salvage what they had, however Midge can’t see past his impulsive decision. This season needed this conversation but it is a shame it ends with the pair still on the outs.

Midge gets called into a secret room by some scary-looking guys. It's Shy’s new team paying off people who know his big secret as he is set for the big time (including the lead in a Billy Wilder movie). Midge turns $12,000 down for her silence because she would never tell and this is meant to make her a hero again, but it doesn’t make up for her earlier tantrums. Instead of being a friend to Shy, she leaves him smoking alone in his lavender suit (a purposeful color for this marriage); it is going to be incredibly lonely for him at the top.

In the final scene of the episode, Midge jumps out of a cab when she passes someone she knows lying on the sidewalk. Has something happened to Shy or is this another person in her life who has a (real-life) addiction issue? The flash of a familiar-looking coat suggests it is the latter.

Meanwhile, when Susie isn’t accompanying Midge to weddings she is coming to grips with her expanded business, including hiring a secretary. Susie is both incredibly effective at working with her clients and incredibly inept when it comes to basic tasks, like interviewing candidates. The latter is purposefully cranked up for comedic purposes, but it's frustrating to watch when juxtaposed with her ability to manage difficult personalities like Sophie Lennon (Jane Lynch). The person she chooses is based on gut instinct and this is when Susie is at her best. 

Watching the fictitious Gordon Ford’s (Reid Scott) late-night show while she recently stayed at Midge’s no doubt provided Susie with the next big Sophie move. Contemporary audiences are used to a talk show mea culpa or big comeback after a period away and Susie suggests Sophie as a guest for this very reason. It is an innovative idea for the time, as an appearance on Gordon Ford or the real Tonight Starring Jack Parr is typically reserved for promoting a new project. 

Sophie has no new work to discuss, but she will gladly spill her guts about her mental health, which is how Susie sells her client to Gordon’s booker. Sophie’s recent crisis is a punchline for the characters and it reflects the way the late-night stage can act as a confessional space and a joke shooting gallery. Sophie is subject to taunts that are seemingly pre-approved and she laps up the attention. Still, it is an uncomfortable scene and the writers walk a thin line.

Susie's business isn't the only one on the rise. Rose (Marin Hinkle) is making match-making waves and scores a high-profile client, but it comes with some caveats. “Decency, dignity and discretion,” are all qualities Solomon Melamid (Scott Cohen) values in his family and those he hires, which Rose assures is fundamental to her too. 

However, when Rose discovers a bowl full of Wolford matchbooks and a secret box of newspaper clippings about Midge’s current gig while snooping in her daughter’s things it could shatter that image. She is furious at Midge and spews a stream of horrifying judgments about the venue (side note, the bubble performance Rose witnesses is incredible). Rose receives a mysterious note that simply reads “STOP” and could this have something to do with Midge’s new job?

Elsewhere, Joel’s (Michael Zegen) mother is still trying to set him up with a future wife. It gets so overwhelming Mei (Stephanie Hsu) agrees to go to dinner with them. She bails at the last minute and Joel makes up a fake Jewish girlfriend instead. Joel and Mei are a great pairing, but this back and forth is getting rather repetitive. 

Everyone else is moving forward and it is time for this couple to take the next step.