DISCLAIMER: This recap of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel episode “Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps” has spoilers. Proceed at your peril.
Tits up! The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel chugs along with “Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps,” wherein Midge struggles to keep her head above water regarding her finances and climb the comedy ladder amid the sexism and misogyny of a male-dominated career. Rest assured, she does this with panache, biting humor and plenty of hats.
This show feels like a warm embrace and a piping hot plate of comfort food — it’s stylish, whip-smart, witty and aesthetically pleasing. The cast never misses a beat, especially with the fast-paced dialogue. They all knock it out of the park.
Ready to dive into “Billy Jones and the Orgy Lamps”? Let’s get to it.
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We open with Midge (Rachel Brosnahan) hitting up the dry cleaners, bakery, etc., to raise the ceiling on her tab with each business. Times are tough! She’s moving back into the apartment she initially shared with Joel with next to no money.
Imogene (Bailey De Young) assists Midge with the moving process and provides feedback when Midge decides to switch up the furniture layout in the bedroom she shared with Joel. Of course, that’s the same place Joel dumped her after she learned of his affair, so a new setup might not be a bad idea.
On another note, Imogene’s not fond of Midge’s “orgy lamp.”
Meanwhile, Abe (Tony Shalhoub) starts his new gig at The Voice; thus, his life as a starving artist commences. Later, Midge has Abe and Rose (Marin Hinkle) over for dinner, and her parents find themselves transported into the past. Well, except for the bedroom arrangement. Rose has thoughts about that.
Midge shows Rose and Abe the guest bedroom, which houses all their belongings. Surprise! Midge wants her parents to move in with her, leaving Moishe and Shirley’s nudist backsides in the dust. While Rose loves the idea, Abe is aghast. How can a man maintain his masculinity if his daughter supports him?
I love the back-and-forth in this scene. Brosnahan, Shalhoub and Hinkle possess electrifying on-screen chemistry.
So, her parents agree to the move on one condition: everyone must believe Rose and Abe purchased the apartment for Midge. That’s the only way the Weissmans’ reputation remains intact.
Next, Susie (Alex Borstein) visits Sophie (Jane Lynch) at a mental facility. Sophie reveals she and her management team decided a “nervous breakdown” was the best course of action after her disastrous Miss Julie debut. Sophie’s excited to work with Susie, but Susie’s got bad news — she’s kicking Sophie to the curb.
Susie presents Sophie with legal papers solidifying their professional separation. Sophie signs Susie’s documents, but as “Lucille F**king Ball.” It’s a power move; I’ll give her that.
Later, Midge wakes to find Abe typing loudly on his typewriter in the bathtub they now share. He even utilizes her red lipstick as a pen! That might be crossing a line. Meanwhile, Rose rearranges Midge’s dishware in the kitchen. According to her, Imogene placed everything below the acceptable shelf level for “normal” people.
Then, Midge angrily calls the company where she receives her milk, infuriated that the milkman failed to deliver the goods. Unfortunately, Joel always had control of their account, and Midge has no credit with the company. So, in true Midge fashion, she chews out the one in charge. Maybe their milk does taste like cow piss. We’ll never know.
Midge catches a glimpse of Shy Baldwin (LeRoy McClain) on TV, fresh off his engagement to his “longtime girlfriend.” While the Shy situation somewhat tarnished Midge’s reputation, Shy quickly moved on, concealing his sexuality with a marriage proposal.
Susie receives a phone call from her sister Tessie (Emily Bergl), who got a job at the insurance company that withheld the family’s money after the fire. Hey, Susie did ask Tessie to work her magic with Mr. B, so that’s what she did.
Midge calls Susie, feeling the weight of her financial burdens on her shoulders. It’s hard to get ahead in a man’s world. Brosnahan kills it here.
Susie chats with Harry (David Paymer) about the Sophie debacle. Harry advises Susie to let Sophie run out of steam — she’s on the way out, career-wise, anyway. Harry urges Susie to get Midge out there again, performing on the comedy circuit. Midge can’t afford to be picky about venues, jokes or whether she’s the opening act anymore.
Later, Susie forces Midge to go out with her. They hit up a club and cause trouble, mainly after Bobby (Christopher Fitzgerald), the owner, gives them sh*t. Midge imitates the dull comedians on stage, reciting their jokes verbatim. Susie locks one of the comedians in the lineup, Billy Jones, outside, so Midge seizes the opportunity to perform a bit of standup. She essentially doles out the same jokes as the boring white dudes but elicits more laughs from the audience. Midge gets pulled off stage.
Joel (Michael Zegen) arrives at his parents’ house, wherein Shirley (Caroline Aaron) greets him with the promise of a hearty dinner. However, Shirley ushers Joel inside under pretenses. She sets him up with a significantly pregnant woman on a dinner date. Joel hasn’t told his parents about Mei yet, but he goes through with the date anyway.
Meanwhile, Midge gets arrested for “solicitation” after the club owner bans her from his establishment for life. While behind bars, Midge vents to the other women about the patriarchy and how difficult it is to get ahead in a world full of men. Susie bails her out, and an exotic dancer Midge meets, too.
Midge and Susie take the dancer, Gloria (Kayli Carter), back to the club where she works. Midge watches from the wings as one dancer performs for a testosterone-fueled audience, followed by a comedian doing standup. We see Midge’s curiosity piqued — could there be a work opportunity here?
Then, Joel heads home to Mei (Stephanie Hsu) and tells her they need to come clean to his parents about their relationship. Susie waltzes in with the money she owes Joel. Joel blatantly threatens her, demanding she thinks twice before tampering with Midge’s finances again.
Later, Midge sits with Abe in the living room and drinks, chatting about Abe’s new job and Midge’s comedic pursuits. Abe gives Midge his first paycheck, which is abysmally scant. Midge jokes that Abe’s check would cover one egg. They toast to the arts and following dreams, even though said dreams aren’t as lucrative as they’d hoped.
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Abe and Midge’s relationship warms the cold cockles of my heart. Shalhoub and Brosnahan continue to drive this ship with their stellar performances.
I’m so glad this show is back (and we’re getting Season 5). May the laughs this season flow like wine.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will stream two new episodes weekly 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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