Series Recommendation: Maid
If you are looking for a new binge-worthy television show, then I highly recommend looking into the new mini-series, Maid (2021). This Netflix original series released on October 1st of this year, having been inspired by author Stephanie Land’s memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive. This television adaptation was spearheaded by Molly Smith Metzler, who also executively produced the series alongside John Wells, Erin Jontow, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerly, Brett Hedblom, and Stephanie Land herself. The series follows the story of a young single mother, Alex, living in Washington with her two-year-old daughter, Maddy. Alex works tirelessly to escape the abusive relationship in which she seems to be trapped with Maddy’s alcoholic father, Sean. The three of them live in a trailer home, Alex being a stay-at-home mother with young Maddy, and Sean working as a bartender.
Maid is a visually gripping to say the least; the dark and foggy northwestern mountain town setting offers a consistent eerie and lonely feeling which reflects both the physical and psychological burdens put upon the characters. Though straightforward, the plot is anything but stagnant. Viewers are consistently kept on the edge of their seats; just as you think everything is going well for Alex, the next obstacle gets in her way and you are left cheering her on from your side of the screen, hoping for the best for her and her daughter.
If you watch this series, I would be extremely surprised if you did not feel an intense connection to Alex and Maddy. Truly authentic performances make for characters whose emotions feel genuinely raw on screen—even the two-year-old emotes in a unique way, forcing you to feel as if you’re standing right beside them. Alex is played by Margaret Qualley and her mother is played by Andie MacDowell, Qualley’s mother in real life. The reality of their bond makes the show that much more powerful as it hits on heartbreaking issues of poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, cycles of abuse, drug use, and mental health issues.
Though nowhere near the pinnacle popularity of Netflix’s Squid Game, Maid is currently said to be on track to beat The Queen’s Gambit (2020) as Netflix’s most-watched limited scripted series. The one-season ten-episode drama received a 97% on rotten tomatoes for its raw and heart-wrenching storyline. I recommend this series to anyone who is looking for something with a strong female lead and ensemble cast as well as a show that reflects real people’s issues in the real world.