Season 3 of Mrs. Maisel picks up the slack and has some great scenes and routines

Season 3 of Amy Sherman-Palladino's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime, 2019) is a definite step up from Season 2, which seemed to drift away from what gives the series its strength and its life: Rachel Brosnahan's portrayal of the eponymous rising-star standup comedian. RB in all but 1 (of the 8) episodes gives a hilarious shtick that is well-integrated into the plot line. Man will watch and enjoy this series from he performances alone - and she's funny even when not delivering lines, just watching her walk through a crowded room is funny enough. That said, the series is by no means perfect, with every episode having its highlights and dead spots. For example, the Weisman, particularly Tony Shaloub's character, are always annoying and ridiculously over-the-top whiners who are strain credibility at every turn. On the other hand, MM's manager, Susie (Alex Borstein) is more nuanced and funnier in this season than in either of the first 2, as she begins to develop her own career, notably by managing the career of comic Jane Lynch in her weird attempt to play serious drama (Miss Julie, of all things). Most of all, some of the scenes in Season 3 are beautifully conceived, filmed, and edited; in the 10th episode alone there's a great opening sequence in which we see two parallel scenes of Mrs. M and her ex early in their marriage and 4 years later - same setting, same characters completely different mood. Another great sequence simply shows MM walking through the crowded garment-district amid racks and racks of women's wear being cut out, sewn, prepared for shipping - a simple scene, maybe not even necessary, but good as any documentary on the industry in the 50s. And of course the Harlem barbershop scene in the 10th episode, this one Suzie's, a great and lively scene and probably incredibly difficult to script and plan. All in all, it's a season with its ups and downs, but the series is on the right track heading toward Mrs M's inevitable breakout as a headliner (in this season she's an opening act for a Johnny Mathis lookalike) in Season 4.