Top 10 Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Moments So Far

Midge’s journey from an elegant, upper class New York housewife to a fast-spitting, profane stand-up comic began with Joel announcing that he was leaving her for his secretary, Penny Pann. Although that happened in the pilot episode, it would take until the second episode of the third season for their divorce to ultimately become finalized. The Maisels’ case puzzles the judge who, accustomed to bickering couples eager to be torn off each other, cannot fathom a seemingly loving husband and wife wanting to part ways, much to an impatient Susie’s displeasure. It’s a hilarious, fast-paced scene that manages to pack quite the punch when the divorce is settled and the Maisels give each other one last look.

The third season kicks off with a significant milestone in Midge’s career - opening for Shy Baldwin. However, this comes at the detriment of her personal relationships, particularly her engagement to Benjamin. After Rose decides to officially take on matchmaking, she visits Benjamin at the hospital in hopes of setting him up with a girl. This gesture is misconstrued by the heartbroken doctor as Midge’s attempt to absolve herself of the guilt she feels over their breakup. He marches down to the Stage Deli and the two finally address the elephant in the room. This also leads to a heated scene between Midge and Rose, in which both women realize that autonomy over their own lives is all they’ve ever wanted.

Following months of rehearsals, investor scouting and theater changes, Sophie Lennon’s play finally opens on Broadway. Everything looks ready - the theater is packed, the other actors are killing it and the stage is set for the Broadway debut of the legendary stand-up comic. Things, however, take a dramatic turn when Sophie initially misses her cue to enter and, after finally making it on stage, bumps into a prop. She suddenly starts speaking in a hushed voice, then shouts her lines, before completely veering off the script and regressing to her stand-up character. An infuriated Susie runs after her and berates her for wasting the chance to show just how great a serious actress she was.

Midge’s spontaneous, no-holds-barred style of comedy may be the best thing about her stand-up routine, but its consequences reach far beyond the stage. In the second season premiere, Susie is abducted by two goons who were hired by Sophie Lennon’s manager, Harry Drake, after Midge exposes Sophie’s act on stage. While Midge sorts out her family’s issues in Paris, Susie is left to deal with the kidnappers on her own and somehow manages to disarm them by claiming to be from the same New York neighborhood as they are. Susie wins her abductors over so much that they not only let her go without harming her, they become long-term friends of hers, later helping her sort out her Broadway theater issues.

Back to Midge’s family issues, also in the second season premiere, she finds out from Abe that Rose had taken all of her things and moved to Paris. The two fly out to the City of Light and find Rose living happily in the old, sparse apartment she had when she was studying there. On one of her Parisian nights, Midge wanders into a club where she launches into a tirade about her mother and her failed marriage. What’s even more impressive is that she does this to a French-speaking audience, with the help of a woman in the club who understands English, and translates. It is during the routine we find out Joel had given her back his wedding ring and was pretty much done with the marriage.

By the season one finale, Joel and Midge have gone from happy couple to separated to ex-lovers sleeping together after their son’s birthday party. You know, the usual. Joel visits a record store afterwards to get his comedic juices flowing, and overhears Midge’s recorded set at the Gaslight. This wrecks him so much, he quits his job, drinks himself into a stupor and winds up at the Gaslight, on the same night Midge is set to perform. Midge, in an effort to rebrand herself as Mrs. Maisel, delivers an outstanding set, despite being heckled by a man in the audience while Joel looks on. Joel transfers his aggression onto the heckler, punching him in the face and acknowledging just how good Midge is.

While the Weissmans and the Maisels vacation at the Catskills, Susie poses as a Steiner’s Resort employee as she tries to book gigs for Midge. She eventually lands a midnight slot at the Concord Hotel, with a much larger audience than usual. Midge gets on stage a little tense, but quickly eases into the performance, firing on all fours. Her set - rife with explicit details about her private life - screeches to a halt when she spots a stunned Abe in the audience. Midge panics and, instead of running off stage, starts blurting out secrets about her parents’ intimate life. By the end, the Concord audience is in stitches, but Midge is too shaken to muster any form of excitement.

Midge’s stint as the opening act for Shy Baldwin marked a turning point in her burgeoning career as a stand-up comic. It took her from playing for the tiny audience at the Gaslight to performing for US troops, Vegas crowds and, in the season 3 finale, a packed Apollo Theater in Shy’s hometown of Harlem. Midge gets the jitters right before going on stage, but Reggie pumps her up and suggests she talk about Shy in her set. This wins over the tough Apollo crowd but ultimately leads to Shy canceling her contract and dropping her off the tour due to some implied jokes about his sexuality. The season ends with a downcast Midge, and Susie, looking on as Shy’s plane flies away.

Once the pilot of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel comes to a close, we’re left wondering what will become of Midge - her new passion for comedy and her marriage to Joel. As her new career starts to subsequently take off, the question of “Will she get back with Joel?” gets a pretty definitive answer by the end of the third episode. After giving his impromptu decision to up and leave Midge for Penny a rethink, Joel waltzes back to Midge and tells her he wants to come back home. Much to his surprise, Midge turns him down for a very simple and justifiable reason. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Midge & Lenny’s Potential Romance, “It’s Comedy or Cabbage” Midge & the Newly Single Lenny Bruce Spend an Intimate Evening Together in Miami Midge Shines In Her Telethon Appearance, “Vote for Kennedy, Vote for Kennedy” Despite Being Bumped to the Last Time Slot by Sophie Lennon, Midge Kills It & Meets Shy Baldwin Joel & Midge Get Remarried, “Hands!” Midge Convinces Joel to Visit Her in Vegas & They Accidentally Remarry on a Drunken Night Midge Swings At The Male Comedians Who Humiliated Her, “Mid-way to Mid-town” Midge Serves a Hilarious Dish of Revenge in the Only Way She Knows How The Yom Kippur Make-Up Dinner, "Ya Shivu v Bolshom Dome Na Kholme" Midge’s Supper With Both Families Goes Awry

This is the moment that started it all. After being dumped by her husband, Joel, a drunk Midge walks out into the pouring rain and heads down to the Gaslight in her nightgown. She ends up on the stage where Joel had just performed and bombed, and delivers a biting monologue about her cheating husband, Penny Pann and her now crumbling life. It’s brutally honest and, for her very first time on a stage, surprisingly hilarious. Her set ends after she drops her nightgown, revealing her prized jewels, and gets arrested for public nudity, but not before catching Susie’s eye. It is the first of many sets, and the moment we all realize just how marvelous Midge Maisel is.