DISCLAIMER: If you haven’t watched Season 4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, turn around now, binge it, then return to this space. I’m dropping spoilers left and right.
Tits up! Prime Video’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel ended Season 4 on a high note (Midge and Lenny shippers, now’s your time to shine!), setting the stage for what’s sure to be a hilarious and heartfelt final set with Season 5. Season 4 tested Midge in new and intriguing ways, pushing her to the limit and challenging her to rethink her career approach.
Of course, couple Midge’s fresh perspective courtesy of Lenny with the myriad loose threads left dangling in the wind, and you’ve got a recipe for an exciting final season, one chock full of pink accessories and copious hats.
So, in honor of Maisel‘s last hurrah, I compiled a list of 10 theories for Season 5. Proceed at your peril.
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The divide between Midge and Susie widens
The events in the last few episodes of Season 4 drive a wedge between Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) and Susie (Alex Borstein). Susie starting her management firm should’ve been a red flag regarding her relationship with Midge. Midge begins securing gigs without Susie’s knowledge while Susie brings more clients into the fold. Then, Susie’s “final straw” moment with Midge in the season finale seals the deal — our besties/professional partners are on the rocks.
I believe we’ll continue to see Midge and Susie’s fracturing well into Season 5. Midge might approach Susie after her Gordon Ford revelation and Lenny’s (Luke Kirby) “Come to Jesus” moment, but Susie will be reluctant to receive her with open arms. Susie will throw her focus behind her new client, James (Jay Will), and she might assume Midge doesn’t need help anymore.
I don’t think this divide will linger for the entire final season, but it will widen when we return to 1960 (hopefully next year).
Rose goes to war with the matchmakers
Rose (Marin Hinkle) rips a page out of her daughter’s book in Season 4 when she pursues her dreams of being a reputable matchmaker. Despite incessant threats from the other NYC matchmakers, including ones geared toward Abe (Tony Shalhoub) and Midge, Rose stands tall against her foes in the season finale. With her refusal to stop, Rose essentially declares war.
Rose will wage that war in Season 5 with Abe’s support, and I think we’ll see a feistier, more resilient side of her. Rose was always demure, poised and entrenched in tradition for most of Maisel‘s run. However, Midge’s influence and dogged career pursuits have inspired Rose to let loose. Rose unwittingly performing Midge’s stand-up set proves she can release her inhibitions.
Regardless, the matchmaker war will be stylish and smothered in pink. Rose will rise victorious. It’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, after all.
Midge’s work at The Wolford comes back to bite her in the ass
We haven’t seen the last of The Wolford, at least concerning how it affects Midge’s career moving forward. Remember L. Roy Dunham, Midge’s journalist antagonist? The one who constantly smears Midge’s name in the press? She’ll have a field day after learning about the raid at The Wolford, especially since Midge was there.
Dunham’s coverage could also lead the police to Midge’s doorstep. While Midge is no stranger to the law, performing at an illegal strip club could hamper her career trajectory. Fingers crossed, we’ll see more of Boise (Santino Fontana)!
Abe feels a tug toward his rebellious roots
Abe has a rebellious past, which reared its head this season when the FBI interviewed him and Asher (Jason Alexander) for an arson case. He encouraged Rose to defy the matchmakers’ demands for her to halt her business. Like Midge, Abe also pursued a less-than-lucrative career in the arts.
He’ll help Rose wage war with the NYC matchmakers, and it’ll reawaken something within him. That zeal and ardor for adventure, that longing to genuinely make a difference. Abe might return to activism and revolutionary endeavors as he did in previous seasons. Maybe he’ll start a paper again after his time with The Village Voice.
Joel and Mei part ways as lovers
As much as I adore Mei (Stephanie Hsu), I don’t think she’ll stay with Joel (Michael Zegen) for much longer. Firstly, Midge’s inadvertent slip about Joel and Mei getting married ruffled Mei’s feathers in the season finale, as did Midge’s insistence that her kids don’t call Mei “mom.” While Mei loves Joel, it’s abundantly clear her career takes precedence over matrimony.
I believe Mei will find a way to juggle motherhood and being a doctor, but she and Joel will eventually settle for co-parents as their relationship status. Joel thinks marriage is the only way out of this having-a-kid-out-of-wedlock situation. Not only that, but Moishe (Kevin Pollak) wants Mei to convert to Judaism if she marries Joel. That might not sit well with Mei.
Now, that’s not to say Joel will run back into the arms of Midge, but I think Joel and Mei will part ways as lovers and choose to parent their child as Joel and Midge do.
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Midge and Lenny’s relationship remains firmly rooted in “friends with benefits” territory
Fans let out a collective sigh of relief during the season finale! After four seasons of palpable sexual tension and crackling chemistry, Season 4 culminated in the glorious union of Midge and Lenny. Brosnahan and Kirby’s electrifying connection coupled with whip-smart writing keeps viewers invested in their burgeoning relationship, but will it stay afloat in Season 5?
If you’ll recall, Midge discovered drug paraphernalia in Lenny’s hotel bathroom. While she might not understand it, she knows Lenny’s barreling down a dangerous path. This discovery might act as a deterrent for her. That doesn’t mean a potential separation nullifies their connection, but it might force them to set boundaries.
Do they genuinely love each other? I think so. However, Midge and Lenny understand the terms and conditions of working in their field. Being a comedian isn’t a career for those with rich personal lives. I believe they’ll strictly stay in the “friends with benefits” territory. Hey, I’m content as long as the show continues to bless us with Brosnahan and Kirby’s chemistry.
Midge makes it to Carnegie Hall
Midge looks to Lenny Bruce as her stand-up blueprint and spends much of the series modeling her career after him. We’ve watched her hit certain milestones, such as venturing beyond the Gaslight to bursting onto the international tour scene with Shy Baldwin. Since Lenny made his Carnegie Hall debut in Season 4, I wouldn’t be surprised if Midge isn’t far behind him.
However, this might also depend on if The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel shoots for a time jump in Season 5. I believe Lenny’s back-to-reality chat with Midge will light a fire under her ass and keep her grounded. Midge harbored an overinflated ego in Season 4.
I can picture Midge performing at Carnegie Hall in the series finale. Perhaps she becomes a regular performer there.
There won’t be a time jump to Lenny’s death
I continuously see chatter on social media about Maisel covering Lenny’s death, but the show itself is still six years away from that. It’s taken us four seasons to span two years, so I doubt we’ll get that far ahead unless there’s a significant time jump. If there is one, I believe the said jump will leap past Lenny’s death. Maybe we’ll catch a glimpse of Midge doing her thing in the 1970s!
I think if we make it beyond 1966, the show will acknowledge Lenny’s passing, especially given his close bond with Midge and his influence on her career.
Maisel certainly dabbles with near-death experiences (See: Moishe Maisel) and actual deaths (Jackie from the Gaslight), but I can’t see them going there. The show might end a few years before Lenny’s tragic demise to preserve the comedian in a happier state. I’m all for this idea.
Susie runs into trouble with the mob
Remember Midge’s warning to Susie about mingling with the mob in the season finale? Frank (Erik Palladino) and Nicky (John Scurti) might seem like they’re doing a nice thing for Susie by securing office space for her business, but they also kidnapped her a few seasons ago with the intent to murder. The mafia doesn’t give you something without expecting reciprocation.
Frank and Nicky will come knocking for whatever they want, and Susie might not fulfill her end of the bargain, leading to severe consequences involving the mob. Here’s hoping I’m wrong!
Midge ends up alone
Midge started this career venture to break away from societal constraints and stereotypes. She’s not content with the white-picket-fence dream, with being a housewife while her husband has all the fun. Her desires soar beyond that. While I want Midge to find happiness, I don’t think she’ll end the series with a beau. Midge’s job is quite isolating, and I believe she’ll remain in career mode through the series finale.
That’s not to say she won’t find love after Maisel ends, or we won’t see her with Lenny somehow. But when all’s said and done, Miriam Maisel will discover happiness in solitude and independence — the antithesis of what society told women in the ’50s and ’60s.
Midge’s one true love is the stage. I envision her standing alone on a stage in the series finale, perhaps emphatically shouting her set-ending phrase: “My name is Mrs. Maisel. Thank you, and goodnight!”
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What are your theories for the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel? Sound off in the comments below!
Seasons 1-4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel are currently streaming on Prime Video.
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What I do: I'm GGA's Managing Editor, a Senior Contributor, and Press Coordinator. I manage, contribute, and coordinate. Sometimes all at once. Joking aside, I oversee day-to-day operations for GGA, write, edit, and assess interview opportunities/press events.
Who I am: Before moving to Los Angeles after studying theater in college, I was born and raised in Amish country, Ohio. No, I am not Amish, even if I sometimes sport a modest bonnet.
Bylines in: Tell-Tale TV, Culturess, Sideshow Collectibles, and inkMend on Medium.
Critic: Rotten Tomatoes, CherryPicks, and the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
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