A few years ago, I began to watch a show that I had never heard of; something I would not usually find interesting. From the moment my finger hit play, I was transported to a sleepy little town in Connecticut, just thirty minutes from Hartford. Vibrant characters filled the screen as I was greeted with nostalgic refrains of “There she goes,” and I knew I was hooked. “Gilmore Girls” became my new comfort show.
Several years later, I still find myself wholly enraptured, and yet looking for something new to sink my teeth into. During this winter break, I stumbled upon another show–made by the same creator and director of Gilmore Girls, Amy Sherman-Palladino. Set in 1960s New York, this is how I fell in love with the brilliance of the wildly popular Amazon Prime series, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
It’s safe to say that these two shows hold a very special place in my heart. They’re now easily considered my two favorite TV series, and a triumph in the world of television. Both created by the ingenious Amy Sherman-Palladino, the shows showcase sharp witticisms, star-studded casts, and hilarity to make Retta laugh. Yet it was not the captivating plot lines nor the beautiful acting that kept me intrigued; rather it was the titular characters that kept me binging for countless hours. The characters in question? Lorelai Gilmore and Miriam “Midge” Maisel.
Lorelai Victoria Gilmore, portrayed by Lauren Graham, is the protagonist of the wonderful “Gilmore Girls.” While not the only Gilmore girl that is worth noting, she is easily the most favored. Her character is a single mother who began working as a maid at the age of sixteen after fleeing her controlling parents to Stars Hollow. Much like the beloved inn she later runs, independence was her cardinal trait. Strong and hard-working with an endless stream of pop-culture references, Lorelai is absolutely a scene-stealing character all on her own. The early 2000s T.V. series chronicles her foray into parenting a teenager, running and owning an inn, and navigating complicated family dynamics, all while trying to find “Mr. Right” in rocking killer heels. While not a conventional early 2000s woman, she is a truly memorable one.
Miriam “Midge” Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan, takes the unconventionality up several notches by doing what was once thought impossible. Being a female comic. Based in the late 50’s early 60’s, the show begins with Midge discovering that her picture-perfect life in the Upper West Side is quickly crumbling. Once her husband leaves her she struggles to make a life for herself and her children turning her to the world of comedy. In a drunken stupor that sets her life in a wholly different direction she begins climbing the always perilous ladder to fame in a ridiculously hilarious and fiercely determined way that eventually sets the comedy world on fire.
While decades apart and in wholly different circumstances, both women share one trait above all else. They are honest portrayals of women in the media. Whether in the way that they interact with others, or their simple pleasures in life, both characters provide true portraits that do their best not to play off of stereotypical depictions. For starters, both Lorelai and Midge come from wealthy and traditional social circles. Lorelai’s family, the Gilmores, live the high life in an upper class neighborhood located in Hartford, while Midge comes from the highly affluent Wiesmans based out of the upper east side. Despite their respectable upbringings, they both endeavor whether by choice or necessity, to achieve their goals alone. Doing it, all while having nearly no one to depend on. While most women, let alone people in general, do not come from these wealthy backgrounds, both series showcase each character as genuine individuals, devoid of most stereotypes prescribed to common portrayals of women in media.
We can see these traits most clearly in the way they tackle issues. The absence of being a damsel, and the similar absence of being Wonder Woman. While two drastically different character types, they often are the first choice when characterizing a strong female lead. Neither character is a stereotypical man put into a dress, nor are they ingenues who cannot do for themselves. They are truly strong women who have very little to fall back on yet live by their own personal brand of feminism. This is the reason that these characters achieve their wildest dreams and what makes them wholly memorable and endlessly watchable.
They portray real women with ambitions and desires, who also have vulnerabilities and bouts of despair. Lorelai and Midge are not stereotypes of independent women, but rather realistically showcase independence in modern-day society. This is not to say that the characters are perfect, as often both characters fail to help other women or address the systemic issues that haunt the gender. This is most poignantly seen in Midge Maisel, who only corrects these issues as they pertain to her own personhood. Regardless of these traits, it is refreshing to see female characters that mirror real-world women that I know and am inspired by.
These characters are displayed as having true emotions, without the stereotypical hysteria or a complete lack of emotion. They have real faults that plague both men and women. Lorelai can be abrasive and flighty, while Midge can be selfish and arrogant. Both characters cry and break down several times, but the viewer is not left thinking less of them. Rather, it is easy to praise them for being authentic and understanding the need to let emotions be. On the opposite end of the spectrum, these characters do not shy from confrontation and do not need rescuing from a male protagonist. Perhaps the most brilliant piece of feminism from these characters comes from their ability to accept help from male figures despite their lack of true need. Lorelai is bright and determined enough to fix most of the household issues that come her way, yet she leans on her construction-savvy friend Luke Danes to help in these matters. Similarly, Midge does not need her ex-husband’s help to practice comedy but accepts his proposal to use his stage anyway when she gets the chance.
Lorelai and Midge are not perfect and they wouldn’t be accurate portrayals if they were. They have many faults, and some of them are even stereotypical. Yet Lorelai and Midge showcase what I believe to be the ultimate marker of true portrayals of women in media, which is shown through their authenticity.
These women have a penchant for being wholly and truly who they are, regardless of certain gender norms. This is the crux of their characters: While being fiercely independent and often brash, they still display feminine traits. One underlying theme in both character’s personalities is their love for clothes, which I believe perfectly encapsulates this idea. While doing things that are often male-dominated, they still have a love for fashion that is typically denoted as being feminine. In season five of Mrs. Maisel, Midge actually showcases her full closet of clothes to announce an auction for charity that was only possible through her success as a comedian. Similarly, Lorelai remarks “No one ever told me that if you fish, you get to buy an outfit” while learning how to fish. Both show each character’s respective foray into male-dominated activities, while still maintaining their affinity for fashion. It is in moments like these that I believe we see these characters’ truest strengths, which is their ability to retain their own type of femininity while still being independent, fierce, and powerful women.
