Netflix broke the mold for streaming platforms a decade ago, and one way its influence is still prevalent is in the binge-friendly release format that the company has employed with the vast majority of its original series. Amazon’s Prime Video service has indeed utilized the all-at-once drop method for quite a few of its own series, but the company has occasionally made changes in that department with a few of its higher-profile projects. Case in point, the awards-friendly comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will employ a unique release structure when Season 4 arrives, and its creator thinks it’s a darn-tootin’ marvelous idea, even if she used slightly stronger language.
When Season 4 debuts on February 18, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will give fans but a taste of its full array of installments, with the first two episodes going live. While the rest of the season won’t adhere to a fully once-a-week schedule, viewers will get similar doubled-up drops for the next three weeks of the eight-episode run. That set-up means, unless something drastic comes up, the fourth season will wrap up on March 11. Which, coincidentally or intentionally enough, is when Prime Video will premiere the highly anticipated second season of the Robbie Amell-starring series Upload.
While some creators might not be so interested in that change up from previous seasons, Amy Sherman-Palladino is all about it and then some. Here’s how she put it to TVLine:
We fucking love it. Our show is dense. There’s a lot of shit going on. And attention must be paid. We’re really happy that they are doing this.
I can completely understand where she's coming from there, since binge-friendly releases don't always get the full attention of those bingeing that show with weekly releases earn. Sure, there are some people who are able to pay just as much attention seven hours into a marathon as they did in the first hour, but not everybody works like that. And sure, not everyone is going to take advantage of watching everything at once. But Netflix has released enough data at this point to show that their subscribers in particular are quick to rush through entire series, with the potential risk of missing major details along the way.
Granted, there are some streaming series out there where I wish I'd missed all of the details, but that's neither here nor there. In any case, Amy Sherman-Palladino's hubby and fellow executive producer Daniel Palladino shared in her excitement for the change in release format. After saying they had some influence in making the change happen, he explained why they wanted it:
We would not recommend anyone watch eight episodes of this show in a row in one sitting — or two sittings. We don’t even want [television journalists] to do that. It was not made to be consumed like that, at least not on the first viewing. So we’re good with what they’re trying here.
According to the New York-set series’ Season 4 synopsis, fans can look forward to seeing Midge putting some fine touches to her craft in the comedy scene of 1960, and she manages to land a job that provides her with all the creative energy she needs. However, not everything is as wonderful as it seems, as this new job will bring about new stresses within her relationships with friends and family. Check out the full-length trailer below!
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel will make its Season 4 debut on Prime Video on Friday, February 18, with its first two episodes. In case it wasn’t already made clear, the next few weeks will each follow the same two-a-week format, so be sure to keep the conversation going to keep Midge on the grand stage for more years to come. Anyone with a subscription should also check out some of the other best shows that Amazon Studios has to offer, and then head to our 2022 TV premiere schedule to see what’s coming to the small screen elsewhere.
