As die-hard “Gilmore Girls” fans would say, “Copper boom!” “Gilmore” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s newest series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” just got a two-season order from Amazon, The Hollywood Reporter writes. This is reportedly the first time Amazon has ever given a multi-season order to one of its pilots.
Starring “House of Cards’” Rachel Brosnahan as Miriam “Midge” Maisel, the pilot centers on a 1950s Jewish housewife who supports her husband (Michael Zegen, “Brooklyn”) as he pursues his passion for stand-up comedy. After one her husband’s sets bombs, Midge ends up at The Gaslight Cafe herself, drunkenly taking the stage and telling jokes of her own. And she kills it.
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s” pilot was written, directed, and exec produced by Sherman-Palladino. Her husband and producing partner, Daniel Palladino, is also executive producing with Dhana Gilbert.
Citing the audience response as “digital applause,” Amazon head of comedy and drama Joe Lewis commented, “Like any great young stand-up, we’re excited to see what [‘Mrs. Maisel’] has to say next and for a long time to come. That made it an easy decision to order two seasons from Amy and her incredible cast. We can’t wait to bring it to customers soon.”
The “Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” pilot is currently streaming for Amazon Prime subscribers. No word on a first season premiere date yet.
It’s heartening to see Amazon showing confidence in Sherman-Palladino and “Maisel,” especially since the streaming service tends to be rough on its women-created offerings. Dana Calvo’s women’s liberation-themed “Good Girls Revolt” was cancelled after one season despite strong ratings and its prescient subject matter. Jill Soloway, the creator of Amazon tentpole “Transparent,” was forced to go through the streaming giant’s pilot process again with “I Love Dick.” This would be perfectly reasonable if Amazon hadn’t handed out series orders to film directors Woody Allen and Nicolas Winding Refn and “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner without asking for pilots.
Sherman-Palladino’s resume is full of TV shows centered around women, often those who can spit out pages-long monologues without blinking an eye. In addition to “Gilmore Girls,” Sherman-Palladino has created, written, and directed for the short-lived “Bunheads” and “The Return of Jezebel James.” Last November, she revived her most beloved project on Netflix with “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.” It consisted of four mini-movies and brought back Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel, and Kelly Bishop to reprise the roles of Lorelai, Rory, and Emily Gilmore. Almost all of the original main cast and supporting characters returned as well. Netflix is reportedly leaving the door open for additional “Gilmore Girls” installments, so Amazon might not the only placed you’ll find future Sherman-Palladino projects.
