Why The Marvelous Mrs Maisel's final season gamble is already paying off

However, the fifth and final run of Miriam “Midge” Maisel’s (Rachel Brosnahan) journey to comedy stardom has thrown a wrench in what we might expect from the show’s swan song.

The opening episode, titled Go Forward, lives up to its name when it jumps forward in its opening scene to the 1980s and focuses on the difficulties faced by an adult Esther Maisel - Midge and Joel’s daughter - now played by Alexandra Socha.

The whip-smart Esther is a scientist and is in therapy, clearly inheriting her mother’s intelligence and neuroticism. However, Esther is shown to be struggling in her relationship with her career-focused and show-stopping mother.

Already, the show proves it is keeping you on your toes, just like its lead character, but also now imbues a level of melancholy and thoughtfulness to scenes featuring the young Esther and her brother Ethan in the show’s central narrative in the 1960s.

The second episode, however, offers the most revelatory flash forward so far, giving the audience an insight into Midge’s career quite far into the future. We learn that comedy icon Midge will marry a further three times after Joel - although we do not know yet who these husbands are and whether we have already met any of them.

We also discover that Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) is now a titan of the entertainment industry as a talent agent to numerous stars. However, in a troubling development, we learn that the huge success for both Midge and Susie comes at the price of their friendship, with the two no longer on speaking terms.

This devastating twist concerning the show’s central friendship also adds a whole new layer to the central action and creates an ongoing mystery for the final run to examine the how and why of the demise of that close and often hilarious bond. Of course, the other question it raises is whether they will ever mend that friendship.

Finally, the third episode’s flash-forward brings us back to the issue of Midge’s parenting and the impact that her zany antics and those of her family have had on her children. We are introduced to an adult Ethan in 1981 who is living in Israel and training to be a Rabbi whilst also getting engaged. It is clear that Midge has a strained relationship with Ethan too, who did not tell her of his engagement or romance until introducing her to his fiancée Haba - who does not take well to Midge.

Once again the issue of Midge’s multiple divorces also rears its head and while Midge is being honoured for her career achievements, it is clear she feels less esteemed in her family and personal achievements - despite her children also finding their own successes.

The question of where Joel Maisel (Michael Zegen) is in all of this is also ever-present.

Ultimately, the flash-forwards have added a greater sense of mystery and weight to the scenes in the series’ central narrative and also give a needed sense of direction to the final season.

Legacy is clearly the main theme of the season and is a concern for multiple characters already. What is their life’s work? Who are they doing this work for? Where will they end up and who will care about them when they do?

Despite the danger of this making some scenes feel inconsequential to the grander arc, the unpredictable structure for the final season keeps fans on their toes, just like Midge always has.

• Read more: The Marvelous Mrs Maisel cast: Full list of characters for season 5

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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