In the captivating fifth season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Episode 3 brings us a Midge struggling to land a single laugh on The Gordon Ford Show, despite her month-long effort. At home, Ethan's uninvited presence in her bed every night hints at an uneasy domestic situation. The glimpse into the future reveals a strained relationship between the two, as Midge's visit to Ethan in Israel is greeted with lukewarm enthusiasm from him and his new fiancée, Chava. Her sole purpose for the trip seems to be to coerce Ethan into attending a ceremony honoring her.
In the current timeline, Midge gradually edges Ethan closer to his bed each night, leaving him to sleep on the floor until he inevitably finds his way back. Meanwhile, Abe is fixated on a typo he accidentally published in the paper, while Rose's safety concerns prompt her to seek a gun from Susie, who is distraught over the loss of her beloved tea room. However, Susie refuses, only to have Frank and Nicky step in to assist Rose.
Susie's subsequent prison visit to the formidable matchmaker, Benedetta, reveals the latter's arrest due to a gift supposedly sent by Susie. Susie realizes it was a prank orchestrated by Frank and Nicky. Yet, Benedetta is now willing to collaborate with Rose, knowing she has a protector. Susie strikes a bargain to improve Rose's matchmaking prospects before leaving.
Joel's annoyance grows as Shirley claims his bar as her new hangout, escaping the presence of Moishe. Joel seeks Moishe's help to evict Shirley, but Moishe decides to join her instead. Midge's stand-up performance is interrupted by Shirley and Moishe, and she learns that Shirley is unaware of Mei and Joel's breakup. Temporarily, Midge fabricates a story of Mei being stranded in China for Shirley's sake, then encourages Joel to confess the truth to his parents.
Before he can do so, Shirley and Moishe devise a plan to "extract" Mei. Joel ultimately reveals part of the truth, implying that Mei had a miscarriage. That evening, Shirley seeks solace in Moishe's arms.
Back at work, Midge finally lands a successful joke pitch. However, her dismay is evident whenever Gordon mispronounces her joke on-air. Fearing Gordon's wrath and possible termination, Midge apologizes to him, but their argument escalates publicly, making headlines the next day. Now, Midge is convinced she'll be fired.
However, the truth is far from it. For now, the office is enveloped in jubilation, triumphantly surpassing Jack Paar to become the number one talk show. The celebration unfolds at an ice skating rink, where Gordon unexpectedly kisses Midge, his intentions seemingly romantic rather than disciplinary. But Midge is taken aback, particularly considering Gordon's marital status. Gordon insists his marriage isn't what it seems, yet Midge skates away, unmoved.
Susie, having indulged in a session of skating, makes her way to the office in search of a bathroom. She stumbles upon Mike, who grudgingly thanks her for introducing him to Sophie Lennon and suggests they arrange a lunch. Undeterred by her recent rapport with Mike, Susie embarks on a stealthy exploration of the office. She comes across a framed picture of Gordon and his wife, and upon seeing the woman, her expression sours. It's as if an old memory has been rekindled.
Meanwhile, at home, Abe vents his frustration over a typo on Ethan. Their argument over Ethan's new sleeping routine has escalated to the point of dragging the bewildered child back and forth across the hallway. Midge defends her consistency in raising Ethan, contrasting it with Abe's upbringing of her.
When Abe decides to lay down the law with Ethan in Midge's absence, he terrifies the child with a lesson about the inevitability of death, even for the brave. Ethan, misguidedly believing he's being courageous by inching closer to his bed, is merely delaying the unavoidable.
Upon returning home, Midge finds Ethan hiding in her bed, realizing Abe has influenced him. Rather than moving him, she goes to the children's room and takes Esther out of her crib, letting her sleep in Ethan's bed. But as Midge falls asleep, Esther stealthily sneaks out and returns to her own bed.
