Network: Amazon
Season Premiere: December 5, 2018
A housewife in the late 1950s tries to balance her homelife with a career when her husband abandons her for his secretary and she discovers an untapped knack for standup comedy after a night of heavy drinking. A chance encounter with comedy pioneer Lenny Bruce prompts Miriam “Midge” Maisel to pursue her newfound dream. Amazon dropped this fresh and colorful new series from Gilmore Girls creator Amy Sherman-Palladino seemingly out of nowhere last year and, after a wait of more than a year and a half, you’re finally about to see the second part of Rachel Brosnahan’s adventures in New York as everyone’s favorite mad divorcée. We’ve seen it and can confidently declare it a televisual masterpiece. Praised for navigating the 20th-century Jewish comedy scene in New York with wit, aesthetic flair, and an equal flourish of working girl empowerment, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel has made a star out of its lead actress and features guest appearances from the likes of Jane Lynch (Glee) and Wallace Shawn (Toy Story), as well as a pitch-perfect supporting performance from Tony Shalhoub (Monk) as Midge’s father. Inspired by Sherman-Palladino’s childhood memories of her father’s career as a comedian as well as the lives of early female comics like Joan Rivers and Totie Fields, the series is criminally underrated and deserves everyone’s attention come December.