The beautiful angel Philomena descends from a wire onto the stage and does a playful strip routine to "Stairway to Paradise."

As the curtain closes, Philomena notes that one of the patrons has his dick out. As Trixie, the next stripper gets ready, she whacks her head on the wire hook and falls.

Trixie swears backstage, audible to the crowd, as Midge takes the stage and quips to the audience. The men in the audience heckle her, urging her to strip.

Midge gives them a clever excuse, and someone throws a dollar at her. She introduces the next act, but she's wrong, and she quickly corrects her mistake. The band is annoyed, but she insists she didn't know. The next act is a "harem girl" coming out of a snake charmer's basket.

Midge finds Boise backstage, asking him why the acts were mixed up; he explains Trixie got hit in the head. He says the audience doesn't care, and they're not listening to her anyway.

Midge addresses the girls, introducing herself as the new MC. None of them acknowledge her. Midge gets a coffee and brings it to Clifford. She offers to make some suggestions to improve the quality of the club, including safety meetings.

Clifford falls asleep, so she takes his coffee away. She bums a cigarette from Susie and smokes with her by the back door. Boise calls Midge to get back onstage. When she does, the audience keeps asking her to take her clothes off.

Susie heads back to her apartment; Chester is there, with a woman Susie doesn't recognize. Nancy, Jackie's sister, tells Susie that Jackie died that afternoon of a stroke. She was with him and got his final words -- all little things about running the Gaslight.

Midge is having a Tupperware party. Imogene is laying it on thick; Midge pulls her aside and tells her so.

Zelda comes in and whispers to Midge. Midge looks ashen and gets up, and goes. Imogene takes the lead on the Tupperware.

Zelda and Midge make food at Susie's. Susie is drowning her sorrows. Midge says Susie should have called her ASAP -- she shouldn't be alone at a time like this. Chester says he was here.

Zelda starts chipping at the ice in the fridge. Susie doesn't want to stay in the apartment where Jackie died. Chester notes that he did his research, and actually, many people died in this apartment.

Zelda and Midge set the table at her apartment, where Shirley and Moishe have come for dinner. They complain that their house feels empty. Rose says they will visit -- Shirley tries to nail down a date. Joel returns with Ethan. Zelda takes Ethan away to have dinner.

Susie appears in her pajamas, looking morose. Midge re-introduces Susie to everyone. Susie announces that her roommate, Jackie from the Gaslight, died. Joel remarks that he knew him. Abe shows up, starting to pick a fight with Joel, and Midge says they should all get to dinner.

Abe announces that he gets to review the new Buzz Goldberg musical and that everyone gets to come to opening night with him. Shirley notes that Midge was in an early version of the show at one point but then got dropped.

Midge insists Buzz did not drop her. Shirley thought Midge was dropped because she couldn't sing or act. Rose defends Midge, saying she did her best.

Abe tells Joel he can have two tickets if he wants to bring someone. Midge teases that he should "mei"-be bring a friend. Joel insists one will be fine.

Shirley says Joel was not interested in Lena Braufman, the lady with the dead husband who just had a baby boy. Rose offers her matchmaking services. Joel gets nervous. Susie is catatonic.

Midge grabs a beer as her father looks for his bathrobe. Midge sits down with Susie watching television, gives her a beer. Midge tells Susie she should sleep. Susie says Jackie's sister called and asked if she would speak at the service, and she agreed.

At breakfast, Midge tells Ethan they are going on a fun adventure. Susie comes in, and Zelda sits her down. Rose lets it slip that Ethan is going to the doctor. Ethan runs away, screaming. Midge beckons her parents out of the kitchen, asking one of them to stay with Susie.

The phone rings -- it's JJ at the Gaslight, saying Jackie left some boxes, asking when Susie can pick them up.

At the tea room, Rose meets a client, Amelia, who has trouble talking to men. Susie is there, at another table, being obnoxious.

Corinne tells Rose there are two walk-ins -- word of Rose's success is spreading.

Corinne asks why Susie is here, and Rose explains that a man died in Susie's apartment. Susie asks how Rose hopes to find a match for the last girl, who had a hunchback. Rose believes she can help, believing there is someone for everyone.

The waitress delivers a cup of whipped cream with a spoon that Rose ordered for Susie. The next woman, Mirabel, sits down with Rose.

On the opening night of "They Came, They Danced," Moishe, Shirley, and Joel stand out front. Abe and Rose arrive in magnificent capes, and they all go in together, along with Susie and Midge. The house manager gives them their tickets.

Abe gives the two mezzanine tickets to Susie and Joel, who are not interested. They both want to sit with midge. The other five seats are in the center orchestra.

During the show, Susie wanders the lobby, seeing many posters for shows with death or dying the title. She leaves.

When the show is over, everyone discusses how wonderful it was. Rose points out a woman to Joel and asks if he finds her attractive. Midge says she can't find Susie anywhere. Joel is glad she's gone, as she was inappropriate during the show.

Pauly from Steiner greets everyone and mentions he's a big-time investor in Buzz's show.

Edie recalls that Midge was in the show at one point but got dumped.

Abe and Rose greet Buzz warmly. Abe asks if Buzz is happy. Buzz says it's the best night of his life.

Buzz makes a speech, thanking the director, his dramaturg, and those who inspired him and the show - - especially the Steiner resort family. The Steiner family chants. Abe flourishes his cape and exits to meet his deadline.

At the Gaslight, a guitar duet plays mellow music. Susie shows up and asks for Jackie's boxes. JJ hands them over, and she goes through them, finding a bronze star and other surprising pieces, including love letters.

Abe enters the Voice office and gets to work. He writes a review of just two lines -- "Your mother might like it."

Gabe, his editor, says it's too short to publish, and he needs specifics. Abe says he doesn't want to. He confesses that it was terrible. He rants that it was a sweet little musical conceived in the Catskills turned into bland, bloated inanity. He rants about it.

Gabe tells him to write it, but if he doesn't want to be specific about a personal friend, make it an essay about everything wrong with the theatre. Abe gets to work.

Susie and Midge attend Jackie's funeral. Nancy is the only one there. She says Jackie saved Midge's newspaper clippings. Susie notices Chester across the hall at the other service and calls him over.

The Monsignor talks about how Jackie was active and helpful in the church, surprising Midge and Susie. The Monsignor calls Susie up.

Susie grabs the picture of Jackie and, leading the four others, takes it to the funeral across the hall. She complains that no one came to Jackie's funeral and remarks that he was a good man and no one cared about him.

Susie vows to find the Jackies of the world and make sure they don't end up like this Jackie.

Midge arrives at the club and asks Boise if things will run smoother tonight. He gives her the rundown of the night's acts. Lenny Bruce appears. Midge tells him to go, as he'll make her nervous.

He tells her a story about how when he was still in Bellmore, at school, he was tasked with making a case against zoos, and the teacher would throw things at him throughout the speech. Afterward, she explained that that was a way to train him to block out the distractions, and he did well.

Lenny explains he will be Midge's erasers tonight.

Midge takes the stage. Lenny throws paper balls at her. His entire table starts throwing things at her. She doesn't let it get to her, instead "recreating" the conversation of men off to the side who are ignoring her. Midge riffs on Aristotle and philosophy, getting laughs and applause from the audience.

At the synagogue, the family attends Akiva's bar mitzvah.

Rose waves at Stevie but gets the cold shoulder. Joel tells the pretty lady beside him that he's not on the market. The lady's husband tells him to leave her alone.

Rose notes that they are getting a lot of angry looks.

It's time for Moishe to go up, but the rabbi calls someone else. Akiva's mother comes over and apologizes, saying her son mumbles and doesn't really know Moishe. Even the rabbi gives Abe a dirty look.

The rabbi asks Akiva about his Torah portion. Akiva says it's about bravery. The rabbi asks Akiva if bravery is as important as loyalty and looks at Abe. Akiva talks about his brave uncle Saul. The rabbi stresses that it is essential for their community to be loyal to each other.

Stevie says shame on Abe, and the whole crowd turns against him, saying he killed Buzz's show. Abe defends his work. The rabbi goes on at Abe. Stevie says Buzz was inconsolable. Rose and Miriam read the review.

Pauly gets at Abe about Cain's knife, which Abe protests was not a thing. Pauly tells Abe that his investment is kaput. Joel agrees the show wasn't very good. Abe notes that he used the show to talk more about the rot at the heart of American theatre rather than listing all its faults. 

Abe states that a show like that takes away from many better shows that could be given the resources they deserve. He tells Rose that the horrible character she loved/hated was based on her. Abe offers to leave, as he is distracting from Akiva's big day.

Back at home, Rose drinks her sherry, and they complain. Zelda wrote down that Mr. Fibbi called.

The phone rings. It's Asher Friedman. He read the review in the Village Voice, and he is angry because Abe put in the article that they set a federal building on fire. Asher says the FBI wants to see them in New York next week. Abe realizes that "Mr. Fibbi" is FBI.

Midge and Susie drink at the Gaslight and toast Jackie while an ocarina trio plays.