WARNING: The following contains spoilers for the first two episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Season 4, now streaming on Prime Video.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel includes many elements familiar to fans of Gilmore Girls. Both projects are from creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, and the two shows share common subject matter, characterizations and styling. But with the rumored addition of Milo Ventimiglia (aka Jack Pearson from This Is Us) to the cast, there’s even more for Gilmore Girls enthusiasts to love about the Prime Video series.
Fans paying close attention to the production of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel may already be aware of Ventimiglia joining the series. His character was showcased in set photos hanging out with Midge, yet the character’s identity remained a mystery. His early work on Gilmore Girls saw the actor portray the brooding yet intellectual Jess as a bad boy love interest to lead character Rory Gilmore, leading fans to think a similar storyline might happen in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, but the story in Season 4 seems to point things in a different direction. In fact, Ventimiglia’s character may have already been mentioned.
The first two episodes of Season 4 featured scenes that mentioned a new character — a reporter named L. Roy Dunham. The attention was certainly far from flattering; Midge balked at the reporter’s incessant criticism of her comedic stylings. At first Dunham’s coverage seemed to concern Midge being fired from Shy Baldwin’s tour, genuinely serving as a noteworthy news item in-universe. But she later found that Dunham even criticized her in his other articles where the criticism was totally unnecessary. That established a rivalry that’s sure to swell over the season, and Dunham would be the perfect role for Ventimiglia to play.
The most intriguing possibility is to follow the Gilmore Girls path and have Dunham’s character eventually go from adversary to romantic possibility for Midge. Following her divorce and her broken engagement to Benjamin (played by Shazam star Zachary Levi), the series currently lacks a love interest for its main character. This is not to say that she necessarily needs one; one of the strengths of Mrs. Maisel is her fierce independence and the show’s sobering reflection on the sexism inherent in the culture. But it is also a series which shows just how much dramatic potential lies in the conflicts of a love-hate relationship.
Most of their romantic partnerships in Marvelous Mrs. Maisel feature constant arguments and criticisms, and tying in Dunham’s character as a romantic interest would be an intriguing way to bring a critical voice into Midge’s world up close and personal. Her agent’s honesty with her as they navigate the entertainment industry often tempers Midge’s professional ambition. An actual critic who offers her feedback could be a potentially valuable voice, and one which Ventimiglia would portray with aplomb; he’s already proven he can handle a “should they or shouldn’t they” type relationship with Jess and Rory on Gilmore Girls.
With Midge’s professional career in peril regardless of whether she becomes romantically entangled with one of her critics, there are plenty more people she will have to win over in order to pursue her dream of superstardom. Season 4’s first two episodes set up the odds against her when she alienates herself from many of the other professionals in the industry. Bringing in one professional who comes to believe she’s the talent she believes she is could be the best development possible in her current situation, and Ventimiglia would be the best actor to bring that story to life.
About The Author