#Susie Myerson is in love with Midge Maisel and Midge is in love with Susie (Delusional)

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[ostruka]

God I loved this ending. So perfect.

I must be one of the only people who loved this final season. I loved the flashbacks, I found them way more elegant than a cliché epilogue. I loved that the focus was Midge's relationship to her family and to Susie, and not to romantic love interests. And this finale was perfect - funny, tender, nostalgic, and incredibly not tacky at all (the way finales so often are!).

One of my favorite shows of all time. Can't wait to rewatch it a thousand more times!

5x9 Four minutes

[vinatintasupernovita]

Susie and Joel’s argument at the end of S1 makes it very clear they stand on the same level of importance in Midge’s life. And it has the same air as the ex and the current partner arguing about the protagonist’s happiness and life. They continue and continue to be clear parallels, the only two true loves of Midge Maisel’s life. The only two people who could make her laugh like that, in the beginning and the end

[hexblooded]

midge and susie really are the love story of this show

[incipientdreamer]

Midge and Susie breaking up because of a MAN (and that man being Joel of all people) makes me so so sick

[violet-witch-6]

The tmmm finale will always be iconic for ending with too old women watching a recorded episode of jeopardy 50 years after the majority of the show takes place

[tidalwavesandquietstorms]

I just finished watching the last episode of the marvelous mrs. Maisel and my head hurts from emotions. I'll miss this show so much you don't even know. I have already started rewatching the whole tv show, already on third season, I am going crazy for it. A lot of things makes sense now with susie and midge with rewatching it with brand new eyes. I'm very sad that we didn't get to know how things went with imogene though but that's okay. If I had to choose which tv show I wanted to go on endlessly, this would be it for sure.

[charcubed]

Listen. I'm going FUCKING. INSANE. because it seems like almost no one on the internet gives a shit about Shy Baldwin/Reggie Harris from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which boggles my mind because like ???? they're in love?????? and their relationship is so compelling??

And what we see of what becomes of Shy's story is so tragic obviously but to me it also hints at potential for him and Reggie to maybe someday get out of showbiz and be together. And from what I can tell, no one in fandom TALKED ABOUT THISSSS when season 4 came out!!! What the fuck!!!!! This is maddening!!!

So. I'm making this post mostly to get this off my chest and as a yell into the void. Because maybe somewhere, someday, someone else will ALSO be searching tumblr to see even a glimpse of content about these 2 exceedingly compelling characters, and I will write this so that I save that person the despair of coming up empty-handed like I am.

I'm also gonna drag other people down with me if anyone who hasn't seen this show happens to be curious enough to read this, so in that vein, I will cover some basics to outline this. Because I want to TALK ABOUT THEM despite most of this being obvious and no one giving a shit, Goddammit!!

(Spoilers or whatever I guess but who cares)

This is Shy Baldwin. He's a singer (clearly) and canonically a Black gay man who (obviously) has to hide his sexuality because this is set in the 60s.

This is Reggie Harris, Shy's manager and longtime best friend.

This is how Reggie introduces himself:

Let me tell you what kind of manager I am, Susie Myerson and Associates. I've been looking after Shy since we were kids tossing rocks in vacant lots. We was running numbers for Stephanie St. Clair before we were ten. When he found his singing, I collected the money, kept him out of trouble, kept people from bumping him. I'll be at his side when he draws his last breath unless I get there first. I would lay down my life for him. That's what's going on here. You hear me?

–3x02, "It's the Sixties, Man!"

In episode 3, they casually sing "Is You Is or Is You Ain’t My Baby" together just for fun.

INSANE harmonies. And their flirty banter in this whole 1 minute long scene makes me want to eat my own arm.

Anyway... hold those thoughts.

So, Midge Maisel (the titular character) is the opener for Shy on tour with her comedy act in season 3. The show reveals in episode 3x06 that Shy is gay, in a scene where Midge finds him bruised and bleeding because he hooked up with a guy and it went sideways. Shy comes out to her as part of his explanation, and she helps cover up the bruises on his face with makeup so he can get on stage that night.

That leads to him doing a sitting "stool set" with slower songs because his ribs are fucked so he can't stand/dance, and the unsubtle song the show has him sing is "No One Has To Know."

The clip isn't even on Youtube, which is indicative of how much I'm suffering with how under-appreciated Shy's storyline is, but you can listen to the song here or on Spotify.

No one else can tell I think you're beautiful No one else can tell You're my favorite view Let the world all think what they will I'll wait until they're through 'Cause no one has to know I need you No one but you

^^^ Literally the whole song is like this / about being gay but that's a piece of it.

Shy looks at Reggie as he sings.

Thankfully Tumblr user microclown made several GIFs. Here are two.

KILLL MEEEE

Clearly, obviously, this is deliberately not subtle. Everything telegraphs that Shy is in love with Reggie.

Now, considering wider context of Shy hooking up with a random man etc., one could be forgiven for thinking it's meant to be seen as unrequited love... but I really don't think that's the case. I think there's a delicious undercurrent of angst that ties into how Reggie tells Susie (Midge's manager) at various times throughout the season that their job is to make the hard decisions on behalf of their clients, and Reggie references making hard decisions on Shy's behalf or for Shy, because his job is to do what's best for Shy even at the times Shy doesn't like it. So... are they in love and Reggie tries to keep them from properly being Together to protect Shy? And/or does Shy think his love is unrequited at this point? Lots of room to play there.

So now comes the part that no one's talking about!

More explanation: season 3 ends with Midge being very straight and very white as she does a comedy routine in which she makes way too many cheeky references that out Shy as gay on stage if you know gay-related coding/lingo. There are Reasons why she sort of panics and does this, and the audience loves her jokes, but that is very much Not The Point. She's fired from the rest of the tour as a result–rightfully so.

In season 4, it's announced that Shy is suddenly getting married to his longtime girlfriend and it's totally a publicity stunt 🙃 Midge and Susie are invited to the wedding... but not by Shy; by the team of straight white dude management who stepped in to control Shy's every move in the name of "helping him to stay on the straight and narrow" to keep his career on the rails. Midge's fuck up gave them the opportunity they needed to control him. (Shy and Midge end up reuniting in a bathroom at the reception but we won't be unpacking that conversation and how I disagree with how Midge leaves things between them).

So the suits invite Midge and Susie to the wedding so they can escort them to a side room and have a meeting with them, and they try to pay them off to sign an NDA. (Midge declines for them both, saying she will keep her silence for the sake of Shy, not for the suits.) Come to find out that that management team also forced Shy to pay off / fire his entire band–who were shown to be like family to him throughout the tour in season 3–and also forced him to pay off / fire Reggie.

LOU: Look, he's a good guy, Reggie. I like him. But he's too close with Shy to control him. There's too much history.

...

SUSIE: Reggie got Shy to where he is now. You realize that?

LOU: Reggie's taken care of. Big severance. We threw him some publishing. He's buying a house in Westchester. Everybody's happy.

SUSIE: Oh, I bet. 'Cause when you think Reggie, you think Westchester.

–4x05, "How to Chew Quietly and Influence"

Here's the obvious thing: Shy and Reggie clearly had no choice in this matter.

There's no way in hell that Reggie would have left Shy willingly. Absolutely no Goddamn way in hell. Whether he's in love with him or not, Shy is "his boy" (his words, repeatedly) and he said "I'll be at his side when he draws his last breath unless I get there first." That was his character introduction! Holy shit!

But here's my hot take: I DO think Reggie is in love with Shy, and I do think he intends to keep that promise of being by his side as much as possible. And I'll tell you why.

At the wedding, Shy sings a short excerpt from his new single to his new wife:

Come close to me, baby Cool as the river When you're here in my arms Manhattan's getting dimmer I know it sparkles, too But city lights don't shine as bright as you

Once again the clip is not on Youtube and I am suffering.

There are a few more lines from the song in that episode referencing Paris and Rome (where Shy and Reggie and the band went on tour in season 3...), but it's a piece of a longer song. We thankfully have the song in full, here or on Spotify:

And in the episode, Shy says on stage that the song was written by Reggie.

"You just heard a little of my new single. And it's a special one because the lyrics were written by my boy Reggie Harris. Which is fitting because that man's been putting words in my mouth since we were kids begging his grandmom to buy us ice cream.

–4x05, "How to Chew Quietly and Influence"

This makes me FUCKING FERAL.

Especially because of the lyrics in the full version of the song... which, as it turns out, is all about giving up fame and the spotlight to be with the one you love.

There are hidden lyrics in the full track that are meant to actually be in between the shortened ones we hear in the episode. The lyrics from the full version that Shy doesn't sing at his wedding are as follows:

I’ve had the spotlight Been bewitched by wealth and fame But I’d give up that hot light Just to hear one special someone Call my name

...

I could search the world over Go as far as a man can roam But nothing I’d see Would mean nothing to me Like the vision of you when I’m coming back home Baby, you are my home

Buildings may rise And reach for the skies They twinkle and flash But they won’t ever last Like the beauty in your eyes

Whatever they may do Those city lights won’t shine as bright as you

Reggie wrote this song for Shy. He literally wrote this song for Shy. Shy says it himself! And Reggie's not in attendance at Shy's publicity stunt wedding because the suits are keeping them apart for now, but he's in Shy's heart, and Shy chooses to sing this song and share that backstory about the lyrics because they're each others' home in secret.

I can't handle it! I can't FUCKING handle it!!!!!

Like are you SERIOUS!!!! And in the episode where the suits say Reggie took his severance pay and went and bought a fancy house? BITCH. If he even actually did that (and didn't just claim he was doing it to fly under the radar), then he bought a house so Shy could one day join him there because ???? "You are my home." Ohhhh myyyy Goddddd ;___; A song about giving up the spotlight to be with the one you love........ I have connected the dots. Just wow.

So yeah I'm literally going insane. I LOVE them. I've been thinking about this for like 2 weeks and no one gives a shit but I love them! They are important to me and every part of their subplot is so compelling and makes me so emotional!

There is fic about all this that's in my brain and outlined in my google docs and if I ever write it I will post it on AO3 for the maybe 2 people who will care someday. But yeah.

WHERE is their spinoff!!!!!!!! Jk I don't want it because I don't trust they'd be handled properly. However, I am manifesting even a crumb of information about them in season 5 because Shy Baldwin is my son and I would like any kind of hint he and Reggie manage to eventually orchestrate their happiness <3

If you actually read this post, thank you so much for indulging me. I had to get this off my chest, okay, I'm losing it.

I love them and they're in love. That is all.

[femslashrevolution]

Popular Pairing List Update

The following pairings have more than 10 recent posts in their pairing tag, and are therefore too popular to be posted on Rarepair Thursdays:

Aaliyah Amrohi x Cruz Manuelos (Special Ops: Lioness)

Ainhoa Arminza x Luz Romaña Lasierra (4 estrellas)

Audrey Jensen x Emma Duval (MTV Scream)

B'Elanna Torres x Seven of Nine (Star Trek: Voyager)

Bette Porter x Tina Kennard (The L Word)

Gwen x Morgana (Merlin)

Gyoza x Manaow (Love Senior)

Hannah Taylor x Shira Bolitar (Harlan Coben's Shelter)

Hermione Granger x Narcissa Malfoy (Harry Potter)

Isabel x Josie (Bottoms)

Laura Lee x Lottie Matthews (Yellowjackets)

Mantis x Nebula (Marvel Cinematic Universe)

Riri Williams x Shuri (Marvel Cinematic Universe; Marvel Comics)

Seo Ji-wan x Yoon Sol (Nevertheless)

Tendo Akane x Unryu Akari (Ranma 1/2)

The following pairings have been posted less frequently recently, and have therefore been removed from the popular pairing list:

Aerith Gainsborough x Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy)

Alice x Ludmila (Rune Factory)

Anne Boonchuy x Sasha Waybright (Amphibia)

Bernadetta von Varley x Petra Macneary (Fire Emblem)

Bess Till x Miss Audrey (Snowpiercer)

Candace Powell x Lilly Fortenberry (Astrid and Lilly Save The World)

Cora Hale x Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)

Dani Ramos x Grace (Terminator: Dark Fate)

Eleanor Roosevelt x Lorena Hickok (The First Lady)

Ellen Waverly x Pam Horton (For All Mankind)

Esther Warner x Max Chapman (Amazon A League of Their Own)

Eve x Mazikeen (Lucifer)

Franki x Taylor Bloom (Love Classified)

Ginny Weasley x Pansy Parkinson (Harry Potter)

Haniwa x Wren (See)

Jester Lavorre x Yasha Nydoorin (Critical Role)

Kira Yukimura x Malia Tate (Teen Wolf)

Laurie x Mira Harberg (Irma Vep)

Lucy Westenra x Mina Murray (Dracula)

Midge Maisel x Susie Myerson (The Marvelous Mrs Maisel)

Regina Mills x Ruby (Once Upon A Time)

Root x Sameen Shaw (Person of Interest)

[livelovecaliforniadreams]

[eddysocs]

Introducing: Dottie Friedman

Fandom: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Face Claim: Rose Williams

Full Name: Dottie Rachelle Friedman

Nickname/Alias/Pet Names: Dot

Age: 24

Myers Briggs Type: ENFJ

Hogwarts House: Hufflepuff

Love Interests: Susie Myerson, Midge Maisel

Occupation: Showgirl/Dancer

Collections: Lipsticks

Style/Clothing: Dottie likes to describe her style as 'secondhand, but first class'. She’s not a wealthy woman, but she knows how to thrift. She prefers light, happy colors, like pink and purple.

Signature Quote: "Don’t I look like a million bucks? Secret is, it hardly cost me a dime."

Plot Summary: During her number at The Wolford Dottie starts flirting with Susie in the audience, not realizing, under the cover of darkness, that Susie isn’t actually a man. While Susie doesn’t love having Midge at that club, she sees nice, sweet Dottie as one of the perks of the gig. After their misunderstanding, Dottie doesn’t stop her flirting, so why not take the girl up on it? But ultimately, Susie can’t bring herself to go through with it. Dottie still stays, as a friend, then becomes thoroughly entangled in Susie's and Midge's lives until both women don’t know what they’d do without her.

Forever Tag: @arrthurpendragon, @baubeautyandthegeek, @foxesandmagic, @carmens-garden, @chickensarentcheap, @endless-oc-creations, @unheolycs-ocs, @fawera, @themaradaniels, @that-demigirl, @iloveocs, @bossyladies

[swedesinstockholm]

25 juillet

je viens de terminer la dernière saison de the marvelous mrs maisel recroquevillée sur le canapé avec les larmes aux yeux tellement je vivais le triomphe de midge avec elle, sa révélation sur le plateau du gordon ford show, son rêve de gloire, quand elle dit qu’elle fait ça because i love it, when you’re up there and people are listening to you, et puis l’histoire d'amour entre susie et hedy, quand elle raconte à midge que c’est la seule fois qu'elle a aimé quelqu’un, il y a vingt ans, ou je sais pas combien, et que ça s’est mal terminé, et midge lui dit qu’un jour elle aimera à nouveau, et susie la regarde avec les yeux mouillés et suppliants, je me suis dit OUI, la fiction est d’une nécessité absolue dans le monde, la fiction aide à vivre, la fiction sauve des vies, et en écrivant je peux avoir ce pouvoir-là. être là pour les gens comme susie myerson et midge maisel étaient là pour moi ce soir, avec leurs rêves de gloire et leur coeur brisé. oui oui oui oui oui oui. vive les histoires vive les personnages vive la fiction et vive les artistes.

à part ça j’ai regardé the souvenir (bof) et bergman island (mieux). dans une scène de bergman island, mia wasikowska attend l’acteur norvégien qui joue dans les films de joachim trier jusqu’au l’aube dans sa chambre, et quand elle comprend qu’il viendra pas, la voix narratrice de vicky krieps dit: her restlessness gave way to a heavy sadness, ou un truc comme ça, et je l’ai senti jusque dans mes os. ils m'ont rappelé le dimanche de la mort dans l’appartement de m., quand j’ai compris que ça servait à rien d’attendre et que mon corps est devenu lourd comme si je portais une montagne. juste avant qu’elle passe la nuit à l’attendre, elle dansait sur the winner takes it all avec ses amies dans un bar tout en se sachant regardée par lui, ça lui donne confiance en elle, elle commence à se lâcher, elle devient un peu séductrice, et puis à la seconde où elle se rend compte qu’il est plus là, sa joie s’écroule d’un coup et elle sort du bar en courant pour partir à sa recherche, complètement paniquée. et de nouveau, mes os l’ont senti.

27 juillet

ce mois de juillet est une fraude. je suis allée voir barbie au cinéma avec m. et f. j’avais mis une robe bustier rose et mes converses à paillettes alors qu'elles étaient habillées normalement mais j’ai été un peu déçue par le film. j’ai rien raconté à f. de mes histoires, je savais pas comment commencer, alors j’ai rien dit. maintenant elle est repartie et parfois je me dis que j’aimerais lui faire lire mon tumblr, pour qu’elle sache ce qui se passe dans ma vie un peu. mais je peux pas, évidemment, personne que je connais ne peut lire ce journal. elle a mentionné son adhs add adhd je sais jamais lequel c’est ni l’ordre des lettres, j’oublie tout le temps qu’elle a ça maintenant. je me suis dit que ç'avait peut être un lien avec le fait qu’elle me pose jamais aucune question et qu’elle rapporte toujours tout à elle. peut être que c’est juste son dysfonctionnement neurologique, comme moi le mien c’est de plonger dans l’abysse. elle arrive pas à s’intéresser aux autres et moi je me mure dans le silence, comment on est sensées avoir une relation fonctionnelle? j’aurais bien aimé lui raconter mes mésaventures dans le royaume de la bisexualité et mes embrouilles avec r. pour que ça sorte des confins de mon journal un peu. mais c’est tellement plus simple d’en parler à internet. elle me montrait son vernis aux couleurs du drapeau bi et ça aurait été une occasion d’évoquer le sujet, mais après c’est parti sur une discussion sur le vernis et ses avantages et ses inconvénients et je savais plus comment introduire r. là dedans.

en lisant le livre orange fluo d’émilie notéris j’ai appris que même monique wittig avait eu des relations amoureuses avec des hommes. j’ai du relire la page pour vérifier que j’avais bien compris, oui elle est bien sortie avec un homme dont elle était follement amoureuse. ils se sont rencontrés quand elle avait 32 ans et lui 29 et mon incorrigible cerveau a noté: comme moi et r. début janvier. il disait qu’il devait admirer une femme pour pouvoir tomber amoureux d’elle, mais qu’il avait d’abord été séduit par monique en tant que personne, avant de découvrir monique l’écrivaine, et c’est là que nos chemins divergent. r. m’a dit que mon texte sur monique wittig lui avait donné envie de lire donna haraway, il m’a demandé des recommendations de livres pour prendre à sa retraite dans un monastère, je lui ai conseillé vinciane despret, plus facile à lire, et il est parti à la librairie acheter habiter en oiseau dans la seconde.

29 juillet

au centre commercial ce matin une femme un peu paumée s’est approchée de moi en tendant la main pour me demander si je pensais que c’était mieux qu’elle porte sa bague au pouce ou à l’index. je lui ai dit au pouce c’est bien mais son doute persistait et elle m’a reposé quinze fois la question avant de s’en aller. est-ce que, à force de solitude, je vais me retrouver à hanter les centres commerciaux pour demander des conseils vestimentaires aux gens moi aussi, rongée par le doute?

parfois je me dis que je suis tout près, vraiment tout près d’arriver à me détacher de mes sentiments pour les gens, tout près de voir sous le voile humain qui recouvre les choses, tout près d’être détachée de l’importance donnée aux choses, de l’importance donnée à r., de l’importance donnée à c. qui a passé tout le concert de francis of delirium à embrasser sa copine à côté de moi hier soir. j’ai accompagné m. aux rotondes avec ses ami.es mannequins pour me sortir de la maison et en même temps me sortir de r. et voilà que ma crush numéro deux vient me briser le coeur juste sous mon nez. partout où je vais quelqu’un me brise le coeur, je ne suis à l’abri nulle part. je comprends pas pourquoi l’univers s’acharne sur moi comme ça. j’ai passé la soirée à regarder les filles dans la foule pour me comparer à elles et essayer de déterminer si j’étais vraiment le dernier des laiderons, si c’était vraiment ça le problème. jusqu’à maintenant j’étais toujours partie du principe que j’avais, malgré tout, un charme un peu singulier. que j’étais un peu mignonne. pas super hot, mais charmante. mais depuis r. je commence à me dire que peut être que ça aussi c’était une illusion, j’ai jamais été mignonne, je suis un laideron depuis le début. un laideron difforme, bougonne et sans tenue. molle et repoussante. et pourtant hier soir en regardant les filles autour de moi, y en avait que je trouvais plus moches que moi. je regardais les mecs aussi, pour voir si j’arrivais à attirer leur regard, mais quand ils me regardaient j’arrivais pas à déterminer s'ils me regardaient parce que je les regardais aussi, parce qu’ils étaient intrigués par mon oeil, ou parce qu’ils se disaient que j’étais mal coiffée. j’étais à deux doigts d’aller leur demander s’ils me trouvaient jolie. DO YOU THINK I’M HOT? QUELQU’UN ICI VEUT BIEN SORTIR AVEC MOI? heureusement que francis of delirium est un groupe de rock emo et que donc je pouvais me complaire dans mon chagrin bien accompagnée et de manière esthétiquement satisfaisante. c’était triste et beau.

j’attendais que le concert soit fini pour dire bonjour à c., pour qu’on puisse discuter et qu’elle me présente à sa copine, mais elle a disparu à mi-concert. j’avais oublié qu’elle était la personne la plus occupée du monde. c. le coup de vent. j’ai passé le reste de la soirée à la chercher des yeux mais elle avait disparu, il restait que sa copine, moins hot que ce que je m’étais imaginé. zéro frisson d’action lesbienne se produisant sous mes yeux de nouveau, juste du chagrin ainsi qu'une grosse envie de crever les yeux de tout le monde puis les miens. de colère. colère que tout le monde ait décidé de me briser le coeur au même moment, fille ou garçon, c’est la même chose, je vais arrêter de me casser la tête là-dessus une bonne fois pour toutes, c’est tous et toutes les mêmes, des briseurs et des briseuses de coeur. mon coeur en particulier. c’est comme avec les moustiques, je le attire. je sais pas si c'est mon sang. j’ai raconté mes histoires à m. mais je sais pas si c’est la bonne personne à qui en parler parce qu’elle faisait que me dire ehh je sais pas je relate pas je sais pas quoi te dire, mais je m’en fous que tu relates pas m. je te RACONTE c’est tout. voilà pourquoi je raconte jamais rien à personne, parce que personne n’en a rien à foutre. je suis la seule à trouver mes histoires passionnantes.

mais pour en revenir à cette histoire de détachement, ce que je voulais dire c’est que, dans un élan de lucidité, je les ai vus tous les deux, r. et c., comme arbitraires, ou plutôt, j’ai vu l’arbitraire de mes sentiments pour eux. c’est tombé sur eux, mais ça peut tomber sur n’importe qui. r. peut bien faire la grasse matinée au lit avec une fille fine et longue aux longs cheveux bruns et bien coiffés qui n'existe que dans ma tête et c. peut bien embrasser à pleine bouche sa copine prof d’allemand critique musicale motarde et dj ultra sportive avec un collier de lesbienne en chaîne autour du cou, who cares! who cares! quelqu’un d’autre de tout aussi arbitraire va très probablement bientôt me tomber dessus de nouveau, et peut être bien qu’il ou elle me brisera le coeur à son tour, mais, peut être pas! au diable la destinée et les âmes soeurs et le coup de foudre et toutes ces absurdités. a., c., r., aucune importance. arbitraire arbitraire arbitraire.

[cyarskaren52]

They performed as if the rent was due and the home was about to face foreclosure

Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman, The Last of Us

Photo : Courtesy of HBO

Guest stars Offerman and Bartlett took center stage — and broke our hearts — as they chronicled Bill and Frank’s romantic relationship from gruff start to heartbreaking finish. Offerman’s performance as the secretly sensitive Bill was a revelation that proved the comedic actor’s got some serious dramatic chops. And Bartlett’s easy earnestness as Frank made for a loving counterpoint that perfectly complemented Bill’s defensive cynicism. Together, what a dynamic, moving and eminently watchable pair! — Kimberly Roots

Photo : Courtesy of Prime Video

In the Amazon comedy’s fifth and final season, Borstein — who has already picked up two Emmys for her role as Midge’s indefatigable manager Susie Myerson — was tasked with playing her gruff, potty-mouthed alter ego through multiple decades amid some extreme emotional highs (Susie breaks Midge!) and lows (Susie breaks up with Midge!). And there was nary a false note in her work. In fact, the Susie-centric, Friars Club roast-themed sixth episode ranks among Maisel’s finest hours, in large part due to Borstein’s remarkably restrained comedic and, ultimately, heartbreaking performance. — Michael Ausiello

Photo : Courtesy of Apple TV+

Think back to Ted Lasso’s earliest episodes and ask yourself if you ever thought you’d be cheering in Jamie Tartt’s corner. No? Us either. And yet, there we were in Season 3: gutted for Jamie when Zava usurped him as AFC Richmond’s star player; anxious as we waited for that final goal against Man City to hit the back of the net; and utterly charmed by Jamie’s three-season metamorphosis, an arc that satisfied so deeply because of Dunster’s endearing approach to it. In Ted‘s third season, Jamie was all at once an effortlessly cool football superstar, a soft-hearted mama’s boy and perhaps the most devoted friend in Richmond’s entire clubhouse — and Dunster made us believe every version of him. — Rebecca Iannucci

Dominique Fishback, Swarm

Photo : Courtesy of Prime Video

We’re still thinking about Fishback’s fascinating turn as Dre, a hyper-fixated fan who embarked on a cross-country murder spree in her idol’s name. The actress impressively matched the show’s chaotic plot with an equally riotous performance, portraying Dre as mild-mannered in one moment and delectably unhinged in the next. We were especially blown away by Fishback’s transformation into Dre’s alternate persona Tony in the finale, appearing unrecognizable with just shorter hair and a downward vocal inflection. Swarm may have illustrated the perils of extreme fandom, but consider us obsessed. — Keisha Hatchett

Photo : Courtesy of Apple TV+

Ford’s natural charm and charisma were on full display throughout Shrinking‘s debut season. Even the quietest of quips and Paul’s mildest of irritations were transformed by the actor into big laughs and major moments. And despite the oodles of comedy the screen vet delivered, he also flexed serious dramatic muscle. When his character’s Parkinson’s disease raised concerns with his daughter, lingering resentment came to a boil, giving the actor plenty of meaty material to chew on. The living legend’s performance sizzled, frequently catching us off-guard, and elevating everyone and everything around him. — Nick Caruso

Photo : Courtesy of Peacock

Simone’s profound yet absurd journey in the Peacock show was as impactful as it was entertaining, and that’s because of Gilpin’s divine performance as the wry nun. The actress skillfully navigated each twist and turn of the show’s ambitious story with stunning clarity; even if we didn’t fully understand what was happening, we knew exactly how Simone felt each step of the way. Gilpin has always impressed with her exceptional talent, but it was this memorable performance that converted us into lifetime devotees. — K.H.

Photo : Courtesy of FX

Idris’ raw and deeply unsettling turn in the FX drama’s final season is a huge part of why Snowfall is also one of our picks for the Best Shows of 2023. As Franklin’s desperation to retrieve his stolen money intensified, so did the actor’s performance, resulting in one of the richest and most devastating turns we’ve seen all year. — K.H.

Devery Jacobs, Reservation Dogs

Photo : Courtesy of FX

Jacobs proved herself to be one of the Hulu series’ most versatile performers. When her character Elora wasn’t grappling with grief or trauma, the actress spent the show’s swan song going toe-to-toe with uproarious guest stars and exploring what it meant to be young and directionless. She aptly juggled complex emotions when Elora met her dad for the first time and made the difficult decision to leave the reservation for college. With her exceptional comedic timing and on-screen vulnerability, Jacobs will forever be remembered as the Rez Dogs’ beating heart. — N.C.

Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face

Photo : Courtesy of Peacock

We loved Lyonne’s raspy-voiced sarcasm on Orange Is the New Black and Russian Doll, but she may have found the role of a lifetime in Peacock’s charmingly retro mystery. Lyonne channeled classic TV detectives like Columbo and Jim Rockford as amateur sleuth Charlie Cale, who has a supernatural sense of when someone is lying. But she put a modern spin on it, too, with an endless supply of smart-ass one-liners, and she also let us glimpse the wounded soul that Charlie hides underneath all the punchlines. Here’s hoping she sticks around as long as some of those classic TV detectives did. — Dave Nemetz

Photo : Courtesy of Amazon Freevee

You might say that this was hardly a performance, since Marsden essentially played himself in an elaborate prank that convinced one unsuspecting dude he was a juror on a totally fictional court case. You’d be wrong, though. Marsden’s very presence on the jury helped sell the prank — who would make that up? — and he gleefully poked fun at his movie-star persona with plenty of shameless name-dropping and diva-esque demands from the jury box. He even formed a touching bond with the unsuspecting juror Ronald, cementing this as one of the very best performances of Marsden’s career… since Sex Drive, at least. — D.N.

Zahn McClarnon, Dark Winds

Photo : Courtesy of AMC

AMC’s Dark Winds with Season 2 amassed more of the acclaim it richly deserves — much of which is born of what McClarnon brings to the role of Joe Leaphorn. As the tribal police lieutenant, McClarnon with the nuance of an artisan brings forth many facets, including dead-serious intensity, understandable fear, camaraderie (and even the occasional dollop of biting wit), and the warmth of a family man navigating all manner of drama. We care about the cases because McClarnon’s performance makes us invested in everything that Joe cares about. — Matt Webb Mitovich

Ebon Moss-Bachrach, The Bear

Photo : Courtesy of FX

Season 2 of Hulu’s culinary dramedy offered a feast of great performances, from unexpected guest stars (Jamie Lee Curtis!) to cast members hitting new heights (Ayo Edebiri!). But the most satisfying of all was Moss-Bachrach’s heart-wrenchingly vulnerable turn as Richie, the tough-talking bastard who actually got his act together and transformed himself into a world-class restaurant employee. Sure, he was salty throughout, but it was a joy watching him discover his life’s purpose — and sing Taylor Swift along the way. — D.N.

Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death

Photo : Courtesy of Max

Coming off 2021’s genre-spanning WandaVision, Olsen confirmed with Max’s true-crime miniseries that her range is indeed boundless. Though Candy Montgomery’s life took a notoriously tragic turn, Olsen played Candy in those early episodes with a magnetic charisma and surprising humor, making her eventual pivot to axe murderer all the more heartbreaking. But Olsen then transformed the housewife into an anxious, withdrawn version of herself as her trial began, and a crucial therapy scene in which Candy mined her childhood trauma proved Olsen can literallydeliver the goods with her eyes closed. — R.I.

Bel Powley, A Small Light

Photo : Courtesy of National Geographic

The Morning Show alum was immediately lovable as Miep Gies, one of the people who risked everything to help Anne Frank and her family hide from the Nazis. Watching her take Miep from floundering young woman to steely member of the resistance was riveting, thanks to Powley’s choice of making Miep utterly unable to hide any of her emotions. Her turn in the finale, particularly when she blended devastating loss with a determined hopefulness as Miep comforted Otto Frank, was nothing short of a masterclass. — K.R.

Ramón Rodríguez, Will Trent

Photo : Courtesy of ABC

You don’t deliver a freshman season that earns a rare average grade of “A+” from TVLine readers without having something really special going on. For ABC’s Will Trent, that added oomph came from a stellar cast led by Rodríguez. Readers of the Will Trent novels by Karin Slaughter may have needed a minute to process the TV series’ casting, but Rodríguez from go brilliantly encapsulated both the investigator’s insightful strengths and his haunted, personal weaknesses. The season finale, in which Rodríguez cycled Will through an array of intense feelings, cemented his perfection in the role. — M.W.M.

Photo : Courtesy of HBO

Everyone brought their A-game to the final season of HBO’s riveting corporate drama — Jeremy Strong and Kieran Culkin could easily be on this list, as well — but Snook blew us away with her final episodes as scheming sister Shiv Roy. She was still quick with a cutting insult, but she also dove deep into Shiv’s true feelings as she faced unprecedented crises: first, the sudden death of her father Logan (with Snook submitting a career-best performance) and then the sad decline of her marriage to Tom. The worst of times for Shiv, though, brought out the very best in Snook. — D.N.

Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: Picard

Photo : Courtesy of Paramount+

This old dog still has a few tricks left up his sleeve. The 83-year-old Stewart could’ve just glided through Picard’s final season on cruise control, but instead, he submitted some of his best Trek work yet as Jean-Luc dealt with the massive shock of learning he had a child he never knew about. His emotionally charged confrontation with Beverly about their son Jack made for mesmerizing TV, and he was downright spry as he led the reassembled Next Generation crew on one glorious final mission. — D.N.

Meryl Streep, Only Murders in the Building

Photo : Courtesy of Hulu

It took no time for the three-time Oscar winner to escape into the role of a struggling stage actress, wowing us with her well-honed dramatic chops as she delivered Loretta’s audition in the premiere’s opening scene. A season-long arc would afford her the opportunity to be comedic (for instance, when Loretta flipped over a potential part in Grey’s New Orleans: Family Burn Unit) and romantic (in her scenes opposite Martin Short aboard the Staten Island Ferry). She got to sing her heart out (see: “Look for the Light”) and lay it on the line (when Loretta was confronted by estranged son Dickie). Suffice it to say, we were dazzled. Death Rattle Dazzled. — Ryan Schwartz

Photo : Courtesy of FX

We know her as Ted Lasso’s perky publicist Keeley Jones, so it took some getting used to when Temple went Minnesota Nice as meek housewife Dot. Within minutes, though, Temple sold us on Dot’s Midwestern roots — and showed us she’s not as meek as she seems, either. Temple is perfectly chipper as the happy homemaker and also holds her own packing heat in Season 5’s high-adrenaline action scenes. Plus, she hints at the many skeletons still hanging in Dot’s closet, making her a fascinating mystery we’re still working to unravel. — D.N.

Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, BEEF

Photo : Courtesy of Netflix

The feud was messy, but the performances were divine. As two characters who clashed, bickered and set out to destroy each other, Wong and Yeun wowed us with turns full of humanity and humor. Amid the series’ campy comedy, both actors dug deep into their character’s insecurities, showcasing blind rage, anxiety and sadness as they wrestled to accept the lives they had created. In a series that ran the gamut of emotions, genres and tones, the two actors combined their skillsets to elicit some truly next-level work, and as promised, this BEEF was flamin’ hot. — N.C.

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TVLINE'S YEAR IN REVIEW!

Performer of the Year: The 20 Finalists

By Team TVLine

December 13, 2023 7:00 am

Not even a months-long actors strike could stop the steady stream of phenomenal TV performances we were gifted in 2023.

All year long, Team TVLine has recognized the small screen’s most compelling work via our Performer of the Week column, honoring actors from broadcast, cable and streaming series as they brought their characters to dazzling, devastating life. But now, we’re tasked with naming a Performer of the Year â€” a decision that seems almost impossible, given the abundance of talent in the last 12 months.

To make the choice a bit easier, we’ve narrowed down the field to the 20 finalists below (named alphabetically), a list of nominees that doubles as a “ballot” of sorts. (Note: As is TVLine tradition, any contenders comprised of multiple co-stars — for example, BEEF‘s Ali Wong and Steven Yeun — compete as and will be considered one finalist.)

On Wednesday, Dec. 20, we will crown one of the nominees (and only one!) our 2023 Performer of the Year, dethroning the 2022 victor, Better Call Saul‘s Rhea Seehorn. And while our esteemed panel of judges won’t necessarily be swayed by the Comments section, we’re itching to see if our 20 finalists line up with your favorite performances of the year. 

Keep scrolling to see who’s in the running from this year’s shows, then drop a comment with your thoughts on who might be named Performer of the Year 2023.

Read More About:

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[bruhgender]

I finished marvelous mrs maisel last week and I still have thoughts about it (all involving Susie Myerson obviously) so here they are

I will start by saying I think Susie’s arc during the time the main chunk of he show is set (from her meeting midge until midge performs on the Gordon Ford show) is great. I wish we could have seen a little more of her inner world, but it makes complete sense for her character that she doesn’t have time for an inner world because she’s putting everything she has into midge’s career. I also wish we got more than one scene of her at the tailor (and developing a begrudging friendship with him because she’s there so often since everything she buys needs to be adjusted) or her making those adjustments herself. I’m glad we didn’t have to see susie face any discrimination but it would have been a nice detail to highlight the fact that she has to put in effort to present the way she does and it’s work that she wants to do.

I also really liked the reveal that Susie had dated Gordon ford’s wife. I had always viewed Susie as someone who had never had any kind of romantic experience (partly due to a line from an interview with Alex borstein where she says this is her interpretation of the character) but having suffered heartbreak like that - especially involving being dumped in maybe the worst way possible by someone you were constantly fighting with - fits Susie’s character perfectly. And the fact that Susie had been so upset over it that she dropped out of college, then moved to New York and tried to completely bury that chapter of her life, and ended up building something completely different for herself, but then finds out that the key to her and her partner’s success is in confronting the person who set her on this path in the first place. Gooood good heartbreak. 100% no notes.

….BUT. All of this good stuff that was going on in season 5 during the 60s timeline was kind of undercut for me by the flash forwards to like the 80s and 90s where we see that Susie is presenting less butch. And of course for individuals it is completely up to them how they want to present and it’s totally valid for someone to decide for themself that they want to present in a more gender conforming way, but susie isn’t a real person. She’s a character with producers who made the decision to dress and style her a certain way in the flash forwards. Susie is just such a revolutionary character, in my opinion - how often do you see butch women in media? On tv or in commercials or anywhere??? And then we finally get one and get to see her as she gets older (something gnc people struggle to do is imagine themselves age because they have no role models for it so it would be like! Nice!) but suddenly her hair is down and the menswear is gone. I have a feeling it’s because of the makeup they put on Alex to age her up, but that’s just my opinion. Anyway it was just sad to me. Susie is always so authentically herself and she didn’t feel that way in the flash forwards. What I will say is that I’m happy that her presenting more feminine wasn’t paired with her dating someone and conflated with it, like “I’m so glad I grew up and stopped dressing like a man and now I’m settled down with someone who appreciates the femininity I used to hide away” or some bullshit. Which leads me to…..

The fact that Susie confronted Hedy to get midge on the show, and had a breakdown about it, and told midge about her dating history and told her she thinks she’ll never be with anyone ever again, AND the scene where midge asks Susie to tell her fiancé she’s calling off her wedding and Susie does it because she loves her…. And then Susie is never shown with a partner or wife or date or anything. In the literary world we might call that an unresolved arc. I’m not saying Susie needs to be with someone because that’s the only way she can have a happy ending. I’m saying she was WRITTEN with emotional trauma around love and the natural conclusion to that is for her to find love or for her to like self actualization and realize that she could have a romantic partner but it’s not what she wants. She does the kickass manager thing for decades and then meets someone who makes her rethink everything and take time off work. Or she meets someone who understands that her business is the most important thing in her life and being with her is going to mean they won’t be able to take vacations together but this new person is willing to deal with that if it means getting to be with Susie. But nope. Susie is just alone for the rest of her life, seemingly because she’s decided that it’s just never going to happen and even though she would like it, she’s not open to it. She had one terrible relationship in college and decided she would never love again and then she made a best friend and ruined their friendship and was completely alone at the top but now they’re friends again. Which I guess is an interesting story except for the fact that we don’t have any insight into what Susie’s inner world is like after the Gordon Ford show performance. Is she happy as a manager? Is she fulfilled? Does she wish she had personal friends that have nothing to do with her business, or a partner?

I will say it makes it a little better that midges story is also about love but we don’t know what happened between her and Joel after she called off her wedding because she thought she was still in love with him, and that was 30 years before we see her in her giant penthouse apartment apparently unmarried. They weren’t just sloppy with Susie, they were sloppy with midge too. Unless the point of the show is that the romantic relationships of these women aren’t important, the only important relationship in their lives is each other, which is a nice idea but if so it’s sloppily executed.

Anyway, if it were me I would have not included any of the flash forward stuff - if you’re not going to do it right, don’t bother at all. Or just a little bit in the last episode that alludes to them not speaking for years and then making up. The way I would have done it is by showing their reunion at a restaurant, awkward at first but soon they’re laughing like they never separated. And then we fade to the two of them in the 60s at a diner, midge still wearing the dress she performed in on Gordon Ford, and they’re laughing and having the time of their lives because this is the moment they’ve been waiting for. And imagining that sequence made me feel like tearing up a little, something I didn’t really feel at all during he last season because everything was undercut by non-butch susie unfortunately.

(Also I don’t understand why Joel went to jail but Susie didn’t. Susie had so many clients that the mob was taking a cut from, she must have given way more money to the mob than Joel did)

[nero-neptune]

some of my fav marvelous mrs. maisel characters, but “cartoonified”!

(in order: mei lin, joel maisel, susie myerson, tessie dooley, lenny bruce, and midge maisel!)