Alex Borstein is looking to score Emmy hat trick with final season of ‘The Marvelous Mrs Maisel’

“The Marvelous Mrs Maisel” is coming to an end as its fifth and final season streams on Amazon Prime Video. The successful comedy, which has bagged 20 Emmys to date including a Best Comedy Series win in 2018, follows Rachel Brosnahan‘s titular Miriam “Midge” Maisel who, after her husband leaves, pursues a career in stand-up comedy. A key character in this pursuit is Alex Borstein‘s Susie Myerson, who runs the Gaslight Café, where Midge first begins her stand-up career.

As Susie, Borstein delivers a no-holds-barred performance as she creates an unorthodox, straight-talking, hilarious character who becomes Midges’ manager later in the series. Critics think she is deserving of another Emmy nomination for this fifth and final season of “The Marvelous Mrs Maisel.” Among those singing her praises:

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Kevin Fallon (The Daily Beast) wrote: “Alex Borstein, who has won two deserved Emmy Awards for her performance as Susie, gives a tour de force this season—which, considering how dynamic she’s always been, says something.” He continued: “This last season fits like a tailored burgundy peacoat. It proves that there’s going to be something to miss when it’s gone.”

Cristina Escobar (Roger Ebert) observed: “Alex Borstein as Susie Myerson is a delightful mix of rough edges and vulnerability.” Escobar said the show was “smart” to focus the season around Midge and Susie, writing: “the will-they-won’t-they of this season is not if Midge will make it or what man she picks next. It’s whether she’ll find a way back to Susie.” Escobar continued: “Watching Midge and Susie create trust, work through conflict, and build careers in showbiz together has been the glue for this often fluffy show. It’s their relationship I will miss the most.”

Peter Travers, “Good Morning America”) noted: “At its core, ‘Maisel’ is a “womance” between Midge and her unorthodox manager Susie Myerson, played by the ever-sensational Alex Borstein. How fitting that the final season pivots on their relationship. No sex, just female friendship that trumps whatever’s going on with Midge and comic legend Lenny Bruce (a superb Luke Kirby) and her ex Joel (Michael Zegen).”

Borstein has reaped a bid for Best Comedy Supporting Actress for every season of the show, in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022, respectively. She won the award in 2018 and 2019. She lost the race to Annie Murphy (“Schitt’s Creek”) in 2020 and to Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”) last year. (In 2018, she also won the Emmy for Best Character Voice-Over Performance (for “Family Guy”), bringing her total amount of Emmys won to an impressive three.)

If Borstein were to prevail again this year, she’d become just the third three-time champ in the category. Valerie Harper won three years running for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” beginning in 1971. And Laurie Metcalf did the same for “Roseanne” starting in 1992. But Borstein would fall short of the benchmark set by two actresses who took home four Emmys apiece: Doris Roberts and Rhea Perlman. Roberts won three consecutive awards for “Everybody Loves Raymond” in 2001, 2002 and 2003 before adding a fourth award for the same show in 2005.  Perlman won three consecutive awards for “Cheers in 1984, 1985 and 1986 before winning a fourth award for the same show in 1989.

Borstein is only the 11th actress to win two awards in this category, however. The others are Ann B. Davis (for “The Bob Cummings Show” in 1958 and 1959), Betty White (for “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1975 and 1976), Sally Struthers (for “All in the Family” in 1972 and 1979), Loretta Swit (for “M*A*S*H”) in 1980 and 1982), Bebe Neuwirth (for “Cheers” in 1990 and 1991), Kristen Johnston (for “3rd Rock from the Sun” in 1997 and 1999), Megan Mullally (for “Will & Grace” in 2000 and 2006), Julie Bowen (for “Modern Family” in 2011 and 2012), Allison Janney (for “Mom” in 2014 and 2015), and Kate McKinnon (for “Saturday Night Live” in 2016 and 2017). Interestingly, all performers won both awards for the same show. Could Borstein make it three and join Harper and Metcalf?

Currently, Borstein sits in sixth place out of eight in our predictions for Best Comedy Supporting Actress. Below Borstein are Sarah Goldberg (“Barry”) and Lisa Ann Walter (“Abbott Elementary”). Ahead of her are Juno Temple (“Ted Lasso”), Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”), Janelle James (“Abbott Elementary”), Hannah Waddingham (“Ted Lasso”), and, in first place, Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Abbott Elementary”).

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