The flashforward in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel shows Midge and Susie not working together anymore and in episode 6, they finally explain why that came to be.
Season 5 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel switches back and forth between the present and the future of Midge’s life and during a 60 minutes interview with a much older Midge, it is explained that she split up with her long-time friend and manager, Susie Myerson.
When asked about it, Midge brushes it off as nothing serious. Later on, she performs a set on stage talking about her relationship with Susie and how the break-up was worse than any of her divorces.
During a “testi-roastial’ dinner in honor of Susie, her friends, and colleagues discuss her achievements and share the various stories they have heard about her over the years.
When the question of their split, Mike Carr says he knows what happened and tells the rest of them about it.
A serious problem
In the present, Susie is in deep with Frankie and Nicky who are members of the mob. While they treat Susie and Midge very well, they do threaten Susie when Midge doesn’t perform well during an industrial musical show she was doing for them as a favor.
That is the first time Joel gets a look at them and he immediately worries about what Susie has gotten Midge into. One of the roasters tells the others that he knows how Joel found out and what he did in response.
Joel searched Susie’s office and found her books that recorded the mob’s cut from Midge’s earnings. He wanted to get her out of that trouble so he paid Frankie and Nicky a visit and offered his club and his expertise as a club owner in exchange.
The mob agrees to this deal and Joel continues to be their front for many years until one day the FBI arrests him right in the synagogue. Before he is taken away, he hands Midge a letter explaining everything.
She remains behind and Susie meets her later at the empty synagogue. Midge attacks Susie for her decisions and accuses her of letting her vices get the better of her, putting Midge at risk.
Susie claims that Midge would have been a nobody if it wasn’t for her and the argument blows up with Midge ending their partnership.
At the end of the dinner, a video message from Midge is played with her offering to make peace with her oldest and closest friend in the world.
Also Read: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel season 5 episode 6 recap & review: The Testi-Roastial