Day: April 12, 2023

One more marvelous season

By now, TV viewers might decide that only the good die young.
This spring, some of the best shows are leaving voluntarily. HBO’s “Succession” will depart after just 39 episodes; PBS’ “Sanditon” will leave after 20. “Alice,” alas, had 192.
Now let’s add one more to the list: “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” (shown here) is starting its fifth and final season on Amazon Prime. It has three episodes April 14, then adds one each Friday, through May 26.
That will make 43 episodes in five seasons. We would have preferred 143, but great shows obsess on quality; bad ones just keep puttering along. Read more…

Best-bets for April 14: “Mrs. Maisel” is still marvelous

1) “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” season-opener, Amazon Prime. A great show starts its final season with broad strokes. First is a fascinating flashforward to Esther as a young woman; then we’re back to the 1950s and her mom Midge (shown here in a previous episode) in despair, her comedy career sputtering. Her agent must move quickly, focusing on a latenight show. There’s an odd Thanksgiving and, as usual, crackling-good dialog. Read more…