Ep 3. Because You Left

Set in 1958, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel follows the life of Miriam "Midge" Maisel, a young Jewish woman from New York City who discovers a talent for stand-up comedy after her husband leaves her. The show explores her journey as she navigates the male-dominated comedy scene and tries to balance her new career with her family and personal life.

Episode 3, titled "Because You Left," opens with Midge still reeling from her husband Joel's sudden departure. She's trying to keep up her appearances and hold it together, but she's clearly struggling. Her mother, Rose, is equally upset and doesn't know how to help her daughter.

Meanwhile, Midge's father, Abe, is dealing with his own problems at work. He's a professor of mathematics at Columbia University, but his position there is tenuous and he's worried about losing his job. This stress spills over into his personal life, and he's distant and preoccupied with work and his own problems.

Midge decides to channel her emotions into her stand-up routine and heads to the Gaslight Cafe for an open mic night. She jokes about her failed marriage, her husband's infidelity, and her broken heart, getting laughs from the audience and feeling a sense of release.

But her father doesn't approve of her career choice and scolds her for bringing shame to the family. This creates tension between them, and Midge starts to question whether she's doing the right thing by pursuing comedy.

Meanwhile, Joel is struggling to make it on his own. He's crashing at his friend's apartment and working at a furniture store, but he's clearly unhappy and misses his old life. He starts to realize that he made a mistake by leaving Midge and tries to reach out to her, but she's not ready to forgive him and shuts him down.

The episode ends with Midge taking a bold step in her comedy career, but it remains to be seen whether it will pay off for her or create further conflict with her family.

Overall, "Because You Left" is a powerful episode that explores the complex emotions and struggles of its characters. It delves deeper into Midge's journey as a stand-up comedian and the challenges she faces in a male-dominated field. It also highlights the tension and conflict within her family as they all try to cope with the aftermath of Joel's departure. Fans of the series will find this episode to be an engaging and emotional continuation of the story.