The hit Amazon Prime Video series ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘ has come to an end after five seasons of laughter, tears and drama. The show, created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, followed the journey of Miriam “Midge” Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a Jewish housewife who discovered her talent for stand-up comedy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Along the way, she faced many challenges, including sexism, family issues and romance.
One of the most controversial elements of the show was Midge’s relationship with her ex-husband Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen), who left her in the pilot episode for his secretary Penny Pann (Holly Curran). Joel was an aspiring comedian but he wasn’t very good at it. He blamed Midge for his failure and said that he felt emasculated by her success. Despite leaving her, he was always in love with her and tried to win her back several times throughout the series. So why did Joel break up with Midge in the first place? Here are some possible explanations and answers for the complicated relationship in ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel‘.
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‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’: Why Joel Was Unhappy With His Life
Joel felt trapped by his circumstances. He worked at a clothing factory owned by his father Moishe (Kevin Pollak), but he hated his job and dreamed of being a comedian. He married Midge not just because she was beautiful, smart and supportive, but because he also felt pressured by his family and society to settle down and have children. He loved Midge, but he grew to resent her for her perfection and having everything he wanted.
His affair with Penny, a naive and ditzy secretary who admired him and laughed at his jokes was a result of his unhappiness. Penny was an escape from his boring and frustrating life, but deep inside he knew that she was not the one for him. He broke up with Midge because he wanted to start over and find himself, but he also hurt her deeply and shattered their family.
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Joel Was Jealous Of Midge
Joel had a fragile ego and he was insecure of Miriam’s success. It was his dream to be a comedian, but he lacked the originality and charisma that being a performer required. He copied jokes from other comics, but even then, he failed to deliver them with the same flair and timing. He relied on Midge not only to write his material but also to edit his notes and boost his confidence before every show.
Midge accidentally stumbled into stand-up comedy after their breakup, and as we all know she proved to be a natural and a star on ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’. Her sharp wit, unique voice and fearless attitude were the secrets behind her success. Miriam’s success made Joel feel inferior and jealous. He also felt guilty for leaving her and ruining her chances of having a normal life. He tried to sabotage her career by confronting her on stage, threatening her manager Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein), and exposing her secrets to the press.
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