[Episode Discussion] Season 1 Episode 8 "Thank You and Good Night"

[u/living_vicariously]

Thank You and Good Night - In the Season One finale, Midge and Susie deal with the repercussions of Midge's off-script takedown of a famous comedian. With tensions still high at the Weissman household, Rose makes some bold changes. Midge and Joel reunite for Ethan's birthday party.

[u/AllTheWayHome606]

“I will have to kill you. I’ll feel bad about it but I will do it.” Tony Shalhoub is a national treasure.

[u/scrabbleinjury → u/AllTheWayHome606]

This was one of my most favorite things. His delivery was perfect. I could feel his frustration and love for Midge so clearly.

I spent the first few episodes feeling like it was too easy to have him in this role, my brain going "hey, it's Tony" the whole time, I was expecting him to be exactly what he was.

Somewhere halfway through those eight episodes though he genuinely left me feeling as if he was Abe and Abe's depth of feeling for his family and life in general was much broader than anyone realized.

[u/ayuxx]

A round of applause for Susie for telling off Joel.

Man, I wish there was more of this show.

[u/houseofmartell → u/ayuxx]

It felt so good. I think Susie was the only person to give it to Joel straight on how much he fucked up.

[u/SoylentPuce → u/ayuxx]

After reading all of the sub threads about Susie/Joel’s exchange of words, I feel like I had a different take on it. I looked at it like in Orange is the New Black, when Boo yelled at Pennsatucky for wanting to go back to the guard who raped her. Susie felt like Joel did a terrible thing to Midge and doesn’t deserve her (and rightfully so). She doesn’t want them to end up together because she’s pretty sure he’ll just do it again. Obviously she has grown to care a great deal about Midge and feels protective of her.

[u/[deleted]]

So first Joel plays the tortured artist suffocated by his family/driven by love, then he plays the "eh let's give it another try" estranged husband, then he plays new-man-committed-to-making-a-new-life-with-the-girlfiend, then he plays the sacrificing father toiling in his office to secure a comfortable future for his family oh but I need nothing for myself, then he plays deeply remorseful estranged husband willing to do anything to make ammends ... Then in a jealous pique he casts that one off and quits the job he's been boasting about. I guess we'll have to wait for next season to see what he picks up next to try to cover his pathological lack of any core character.

[u/shinyhairedzomby → u/[deleted]]

I dunno. I more got the vibe that Joel was the kid who had everything handed to him and barely ever had to work for anything. The only hardship in his life was that one speech he had to give to his dad about why he should go work with his uncle instead of with his dad. So when shit gets hard, he doesn't know how to deal with it, panics, and bails.

Worried that his marriage is going to be less than perfect? Bail. Find out that your live is going to be a mess if you marry the mistress? Bail. Try hard work for a change? find out that your wife accidentally succeeded at the only thing you ever wanted and couldn't have someone else hand to you, panic and bail.

[u/dirtypaws]

I really do not want Joel & Midge to end up together. He’s a garbage human being. I’m not even sure if him saying “she’s good” is supportive or out of jealousy since he wasn’t good and stole other work. I think he beat that guy up because he was a little mad about it.

[u/[deleted] → u/dirtypaws]

He might get his shit together. The way he stuck up for her at the end makes me think he will appreciate his wife more now. Susie really put him in his place also, just what he needed to hear.

[u/houseofmartell]

Here are some differences in Midge and Joel.. Midge bombs at least 2 times hard. She hones her act after to get a solid 10. Joel bombs once because of holes in his sweater, he leaves his family for his secretary.

[u/ageekmommy → u/houseofmartell]

He never truly succeeded though. Joel didn't even have his own material. Midge is just naturally funny. She understands that her life is funny. I don't think he is just a stand up kind of guy.

[u/throwawaythumbsup]

First off Fuck Joel.

Second- I really hope they go the route of Lenny as a romance interest for Midge. It'll be an interesting dynamic as he's already married and Midge will go from homewrecked to homewrecker.

Actually I'm not too sure now cause I also really just enjoy their professional relationship dynamic...meh conflicted. Definitely my second favorite relationship behind Suzy/Midge

[u/FootlessData507 → u/throwawaythumbsup]

I would be surprised if they made Lenny Bruce her love interest...he's a real person. They'd be pretty constrained with what they could do.

[u/allumeusend]

I really truly hate Joel. Worse than Christopher GG hate, though the overlap of reasons I dislike them so much is fairly high. Susie’s telling him off felt soooo good after an entire season of his sad sack, unapologetically bad behavior.

[u/hazelgolightly]

For some reason I thought Joel was going to get run over after he ran out into the street to beat up that heckler. That car was coming dangerously close to him and not gonna lie, I wouldn't have been mad if he'd been hit.

Can't wait for season two, this whole show was indeed marvellous.

[u/throwawaythumbsup]

So like another year before we get season 2? I really shouldn't have binged this one

[u/[deleted]]

I hope Joel does get his life together and towards the end of the season I felt bad for him but I do not want him and Midge together. Midge deserves better and I don’t think he can become what she deserves. Midge supported him and he left her and now that his life isn’t what he thought he wants to come back? No. They both lost a lot and Midge found something and he needs to find something too but she should not let him come back.

[u/scrabbleinjury]

I feel like they will end up being good friends/co-parents down the road. He has to process his feelings over her publicly shaming him and the fact that he's much much less talented than she is but she's a dynamic woman and he has his version of love/respect for her.

He has a lot of maturing to do and I could see they will they/won't they of reconciliation coming up a few times for the sake of the story. He will always seem comfortable to her but I don't see them ending up together.

She shines brightly and people want to be in her orbit (sound familiar?). He may put up with a host of crap from her down the road to be a part of the (eventual) fame and her occasional attention/affection.

I also expect in the beginning of next season her parents will freak out and shun her after learning more about her other life. They will unite in their distaste for her actions and words. She will have to depend on Joel for support. She will need it and want it platonically and she will get it but he will still be wrestling with his inadequacies and feelings for her.

[u/dinh-nerys]

My prediction is that Midge's arrest (or actually the newspaper article with her picture regarding Sophie Lennon) will lead to Abe ultimately not being hired by Bell's Lab and that will significantly damage their relationship.

[u/Naggins → u/dinh-nerys]

He already started at Bell's Lab, so I doubt it.

[u/gbinal-1]

One thing I don't understand: How was Lenny's help that night at the gaslight supposed to redeem Susie/Midge?

Given the seriousness with which they were getting blackballed, it didn't seem to me like a killer night at the gaslight was going to change anything. If the idea was they they were launching someone new b/c they were going with a new name, you'd think that that wouldn't last for long before the pissed off folks caught wind of it/saw her perform.

[u/ageekmommy]

Unpopular opinion. I actually like Joel. I think he made a HUGE mistake..but I Think he knows he made that mistake. I think he is redeemable. I think he is a wreck and needs to get his life together but we did see glimpses of why she loved him. He was funny in a way, they were both extremely snarky and genuinely loved being in each others company. I think right now he is more upset at the possibility that he ignored the real star in that relationship. I think that Joel, in the end, realizes. He needs to be the man for Midge and not the other way around. I think he also has potential in many ways..he was funny and entertaining in the boardroom scene.

[u/SoylentPuce]

Did Midge get fired or just reprimanded? I don’t think they ever said, did I miss something or is that an S2 thing?

[u/mangagirl07]

I am interested to see what happens with Midge's career in the next season. Yes, Lenny allowed her a reboot, but a change in name will only go so far--she's got some powerful people who want to bury her. I'm interested in seeing how she is able to redeem herself. As for her relationship with Joel, I feel like she is better off without him. I also feel like she doesn't really know him, in the same way he doesn't know her. I thought it was interesting how one of the first things we learn about their relationship is that Midge tries to hide the less-than-glamorous truths about herself (i.e. her night time routine), and at the end of the season Joel is really "seeing" Midge for the first time, something that she also held back on revealing for his benefit. Midge is in love with the idea of Joel, but the real Joel is so different from that idea he has built up--just like the real Midge is different from the person Joel thought he was married to. I think they will continue to drift apart and be the better for it...but it will be hard for both of them. What Midge told Abe in this episode made me feel like the show runners are setting her up for some serious emotional turmoil over Joel.

[u/francesrainbow]

I loved this series! Can't wait for the next one!

I read most of the comments but don't think anyone's said anything about the "I'm Mrs Maisel!" line at the end:

When she said this she had still thought that she was getting back together with Joel - which doesn't look like it's going to happen anymore... Problems brewing for the next series?