The Marvelous Mrs Maisel Episode 5 stokes the fires of the unresolved sexual tension between Lenny Bruce and Midge Maisel
Spoilers ahead for 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' Season 3 Episode 5
All the talk about one-night stands earlier in the episode seemed like foreshadowing with the appearance of Lenny Bruce. But alas! It was not to be.
This might be because Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), after her little drunken escapade with Joel (Michael Zegen), is feeling cautious. Or maybe, she just doesn't want to change what she has with Lenny Bruce (Luke Kirby).
Lenny has been her champion since Season 1 in the comedy circuit giving her a boost usually at the moment she needs it most, using his celebrity to lift her up.
They have also had a jokey-pal vibe going between them. In the beginning, Lenny was more interested in what was going on between her ears than between her legs.
But their chemistry is so palpable that it was inevitable that their platonic relationship would get shaded by the sexual tension that has been building steadily over the seasons.
Lenny has stopped short of actual flirting but has sent a "friendly/romantic" flower bouquet in Episode 1 that led Abe (Tony Shalhoub) to go check him out.
But in Episode 5 of this season, we finally see Midge return the more romantic interest Lenny has developed for her instead of just picking his brain like she usually does. Of course, Lenny plays his cards right, enticing her with a delayed evaluation of her comedy set if she comes to dinner with him.
He knows how to show her a good time too. He first takes her to a television show shoot, 'Miami After Dark', and pulls her on to chat with the host, giving her some airtime and exposure. Then he whisks her off to dinner in a restaurant that has singer crooning in Spanish music matching the sultry vibe of Miami.
She tells him that he's "still staring" to which he replies with a slow smile, "so are you" before sweeping her off to the dance floor.
Given that they have only connected as comics before this, it is a significant moment when they tell each other that they don't feel the need to be funny around each other. It is a sign that they are comfortable enough with each other to not have to riff one-liners every minute they are together.
Maisel walks Lenny to his room because that's just the kind of girl she is. They linger at the threshold of his hotel room for a long time, before Midge finally decides she is going to take a cab back to the hotel. It is the beginning of something but Midge is not ready to trust it yet.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' is available for viewing on Amazon Prime Video from December 6 onwards.
