In the 1980s, 60 Minutes profiles comedy superstar Midge Maisel. Mike Wallace interviews her and recounts her impressive career, including many failed marriages, celebrity friendships, and getting arrested in 1971 at Carnegie Hall.

Wallace mentions her estranged relationship with the successful and famous Hollywood manager Susie Myerson. Dr. Esther Maisel even curtly answers questions.

Midge shows the camera a hallway full of her clothes, which she is auctioning off for the Weissman-Maisel children's charity.

In 1961, Midge asks her parents for extra babysitting help while she works her new job as a writer for Gordon Ford. They are dubious that she has the job, but she insists.

Zelda comes in and professes her joy of looking after the kids. Janusz enters and says he also enjoys it, having come from a war-torn country. Janusz looks fondly at Zelda, saying he hopes to have his own children one day.

Miriam, Rose, and Abe ask each other who Janusz is. Abe assumed he was a handyman, but he seems familiar with the kids and Zelda. Abe notes that at least he's free.

Joel wakes up in his childhood bedroom, sore, with a split eyebrow, black eyes, and cracked ribs. He hears his parents arguing, then phones Archie.

Archie tells Joel what happened the night before, from when he came in to when Archie took him to the emergency room, then brought him to his parents' place because he couldn't be alone with all his injuries. Joel forgives him, then hangs up to make another call.

Midge brings Esther and Ethan over to the Maisels. Moishe and Shirley talk over each other, asking for hugs from the kids.

The battered Joel descends the staircase.

Shirley explains that Joel was hit by a small car, but he's already doing much better. Midge is stunned and tells the kids to go to the living room with Moishe.

Joel asks his mother where his clothes are -- she tells him they're at the dry cleaners since they were dirty and bloody. Midge tells Shirley to go and give Esther and Ethan more hugs.

Midge and Joel head into another room, and he explains that he got into a scuffle at the club. He says there is no Mei and no baby -- Mei has moved to Chicago.

Midge mentions she talked to Mei at the hospital, and it seemed like she wasn't ready. Joel gets mad at Midge for not mentioning this and accuses Midge of putting the idea into Mei's head. She insists she did no such thing. He goes back upstairs to lie down.

Midge wakes up with a start.

Susie wakes up to the telephone ringing.

Midge goes through her closet. It occurred to her at 5 a.m. that the writing job is a sitting job, not a standing job, which affects her wardrobe. She's only done standing jobs and doesn't know how to dress for a sitting job.

Susie gets mad at Midge for calling her so early for a non-emergency. Zelda brings Susie a fresh cup of coffee. When Zelda goes, Midge says Zelda has a new boyfriend. Susie asks what happened to Janusz.

Midge is surprised Susie knows about Janusz, and Susie explains she sees them out on the town now and then. Susie chides Midge for not being observant.

Midge continues to fret about clothes. Susie assembles a red outfit, which Midge notes is perfect.

Midge takes the subway to work and sees Sylvio, the good-looking man from Riverside Park that she slept with. He is on the train on another track (going in the same direction). Sylvio sees her and waves at her. She yells, "No."

At the next stop, Sylvio gets off and joins her on her train. She tries to escape him as he pursues her through the train, even as she changes cars. He says he just wanted to explain.

At 59th Street Station, she gets away from him. Sylvio continues to search, shoving past some people, insulting them, and then sees Midge on the opposite platform.

He yells over the tracks, saying he's never done that before and that he's not married, and she yells back that she doesn't believe him. She points out he's on the wrong platform. He runs up the stairs and then runs back onto another train, looking for her.

A police officer asks Sylvio what the trouble is, and one of the ladies he shoved says he assaulted her. Sylvio gets off the train.

As Midge ascends, Sylvio finds her again. The officer follows. Sylvio asks Midge to tell the cop to leave them alone, which the cop does, but stands nearby. Sylvio explains it was his wife, but they are separated, and they are getting divorced -- she was just dropping off the dog.

Sylvio insists he just wants to apologize to Midge, not to get her to reconsider. Midge asks about the dog. Sylvio says his ex-wife took the dog and changed his name. He says he hopes he'll run into Midge at Riverside Park again someday.

They smile and part ways. The cop says he's rooting for him.

Midge arrives at 30 Rock.

The secretaries don't know who Midge is, saying Gordon doesn't hire people, and they think she's crazy. Midge sees Mike and yells his name until he sees her. Mike tells the secretaries to let her in.

Midge tells Mike he will grow to like her even if he hates Susie, and he complains his Christmas tree has no smell and gives her the double bird to pass on to Susie. He tells her she's late and sends her to the writers' room.

Midge enters, and the writers are arguing about Mel Brooks. She enters, asking if she's in the right place. They all look at her, confused. Midge introduces herself as the new writer.

Alvin, the head writer, complains about not being consulted about the new writer, but introduces Midge to everyone.

Midge tries to find a place to sit. The writers complain that Gordon has quit smoking. When Midge finally does sit down, Alvin orders "20 in 1," and the writers all get up and leave except Alvin, who answers the phone.

Midge asks the secretary what "20 in 1" means, but she doesn't know.

Midge calls Susie in a panic. She has figured out she needs to write 20 jokes in one hour, thus freaking out.

Dinah does the math for her. Susie tells her to "fake it 'til you make it." Midge flips Susie the double bird over the phone from Mike, then hangs up and gets to work.

Rose walks with Corinne, who tells the story of how her first husband died. They arrive at Rose's tea room to find there has been a great fire, and it's completely burned.

Midge writes in her notebook. A gong sounds. All the writers head back to the room.

The writers go around the room, telling a joke each. When it's Midge's turn, they all start singing to cover the sound of one of them going to the bathroom. He emerges, and the singing peters out. Someone else goes to the bathroom, and they start singing loudly again.

They break for lunch. Midge is concerned that none of her jokes made the cut. Alvin heads into his bathroom, she starts singing, and he comes out telling her this is his office.

Midge eats a sandwich alone outside. She drops her pickle, but since no one saw her drop it, she eats it anyway.

Abe's boss Terrence tells him about a theatre producer Abe is to have lunch with. Her name is Penelope. She has enjoyed Abe's reviews and is chummy with the royal family.

Midge asks Mike how he is. Mike is cold with her. Enter George, the producer, and Midge asks Mike to introduce them. Mike talks about how he hates George and wants him to die.

George approaches, and Midge introduces herself. He rattles off some names of other lady comedy writers, asking if she knows them. As George goes, Mike warns her that he gets kissy at parties.

A slam from upstairs. Gordon Ford throws a pile of confetti -- what was once the writers' jokes -- down from the floor to the writers below. The writers head back into their room, and Midge follows. Alvin explains the jokes need to be shorter and not topical and orders "20 in 1" again.

At lunch at a fancy French restaurant, Penelope tells Abe that she experienced war and bombings, but when she saw Olivier did Richard III in 1944, he restored her faith in mankind. She mentions she also slept with Olivier.

The waiter brings dessert. Penelope says she is bringing Pinter's play "The Birthday Party" to New York. When the bill arrives, Abe takes it and mentions he should bring his Francophile wife here. She says her husband should meet his wife, and Abe says something in French.

Penelope notes how charming he is and puts her hand on his upper thigh. He is flustered. She kisses him on the cheek, touches his arm, and leaves.

After rehearsal, the writers get the news that Gordon has thrown the whole monologue out, and they have an hour to develop something new. They try out some jokes, and Midge mentions she was working during rehearsal. They tell her that's a no-no; it jinxes them.

Midge gives them a few jokes, including one about Eisenhower, but they don't laugh. She insists that her joke is funny, but they argue that it's not. Tensions rise between Midge and writer Mel.

Abe returns to the Voice. Abe pulls Gabe aside. Abe rests his hand on Gabe's thigh and asks if that's sexual. Abe explains Penelope did this to him at lunch, and Gabe tells him it is sexual.

Abe worries about Penelope. Gabe wonders why Penelope has never made a pass at him or Terrence. Terrence says it's because he's gay. Gabe is surprised at this information.

Abe asks what he should tell his wife. Gabe tells him to say nothing to Rose, as nothing happened. Abe thinks she'll know anyway.

It's showtime at The Gordon Ford Show. Gordon heads to the studio, and the writers stand at attention, all anxious, as they follow him. Gordon greets the studio audience; the writers hang back on the sidelines.

Gordon charmingly greets the audience, then heads back to the writers, where he tells Alvin what jokes to put in the monologue. Teddy, the cue card guy, is on the floor working hard.

Midge apologizes to Mel for earlier. He says she was right about his unfunny joke.

The announcer introduces Gordon Ford, and Ford enters to applause from the audience. He begins the monologue. Midge tries to get closer to watch, but the other writers pull her back, saying Gordon doesn't like the writers in his eye line.

Rose calls Noah, asking about Chaim. Noah shares some cute stories. Rose then asks if Noah can order a raid on an enemy, being with the CIA. Shocked, he tells her he's an analyst.

Rose explains that there is a little coterie she's dealing with, and maybe he could get the raid department to firebomb them or something. Noah gets uncomfortable. Abe comes home. Rose gives the phone to Abe, who says a weak hello and hangs up.

Rose asks how Abe is, and he manages to say he's fine. He asks about the matchmaking at the tea room, and she says it was fine, the tea room is fine. Both lie uncomfortably. Abe asks if she wants to go out for dinner.

He takes her to the French restaurant. She tells him about the tea room, and he is sympathetic. He touches up on the upper thigh, and she is overcome. They drink their wine.

Midge calls Susie from the bar (Toots Shor's), where the writers are having drinks post-work -- they go there because Gordon doesn't.

Midge says the job is weird, the day felt long, and they don't think she's funny. Susie advises her to make friends and think of the writers as her audience.

The writers laugh, drink, and smoke. Midge returns to them, and Cecil stands to give her his seat. She takes it.

Gordon appears, and they are disappointed. Gordon approaches them, saying it was tough, but they got there. He then talks about Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner's 2000-Year-Old Man, which he finds hysterical.

Alvin insists he never said Mel Brooks wasn't funny. Gordon checks in with Midge, who insists she is grateful to be here. Gordon says to come to him if the writers give her any trouble. He lights a cigarette and offers to get a round for everyone.

The writers wonder where they will be able to go instead, saying the X-factor, Midge, changed everything.

Joel returns home. Midge has left some casserole dishes of food in his fridge.

On stage at the Wolford, Midge recounts her first day of work and tells her Eisenhower joke, which gets a big laugh -- vindication.