Maid is the long-awaited adaptation of Stephanie Land’s novel: "Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive". The show was brought to Netflix by a team of heavy hitters; TV veteran John Wells (ER and Southland) steered a production team that includes Margot Robbie and Molly Smith Metzler (who also created and co-wrote) to create an effective and realistic portrayal led by Margaret Qualley as Alex, the surrogate for Land’s own experience. The fast-paced binge-watch is engrossing despite the often depressing subject matter, punctuated by lightness and captivating backstories for each supporting character. There’s much to be learned from the drama that feels fresh and inventive, even though the survival story is likely tried and true to many women living the life of single motherhood just trying to make it to the next day.
1. Engrossing protagonist. Margaret Qualley’s Alex is infinitely watchable and there is already awards buzz for her performance. In what could possibly come off as melodramatic in other people’s hands, feels grounded in the hands of Qualley. Not to mention her constant presence in reacting to chaos around her. That said, it’s also a credit to the stakes created by the writers. The pilot comes at the audience at such a frenetic pace that it’s hard to think too much about any actor’s performance until after the credits roll. It’s a feat of both good writing and excellent performances working together in such a lovely concert to absolutely be a magic trick of good film and television to have achieved it.
2. Enriching backstories. The supporting characters in the show have more of a slow burn. While Alex’s boyfriend, Sean (Nick Robinson), and her mother, Paula, (played by her real-life mother Andie MacDowell), both risk veering off into stereotypes — Sean as an alcoholic abuser, and Paula as an absentee mother struggling with mental health — as the show continues, everyone’s narrative deepens and the writing ensures that no person’s story is black and white.
3. Effective flashbacks. Quick flashbacks to Alex’s life before things fell apart help keep up the frenetic pace of the pilot. When a social worker asks if she’s been abused, the audience sees both happy moments with Sean, as well as his tendency towards violence when he’s drunk. When she asks about family, the audience sees Paula who looks happy on the surface, but something is clearly off. These snippets of backstory, doled out in quick flashes through Alex's eyes while she's simultaneously constantly picking up the pieces of her life, ensure a multi-layered story with a good pace.
4. A return to episodic television (even on a streamer). Perhaps it’s the influence of John Wells, but the show feels like true episodic television. Many episodes feature great cliffhangers, making the show a piece that’s better if you don’t skip an episode. That said, it does also offer a standalone episode that’s just as effective as the greater parts of the whole.
5. Constant stakes. Everywhere Alex turns there is someone crashing into her life, breaking it to pieces every time she’s put it back together. In the pilot, there’s also a ticker that pops up every time Alex spends a portion of her $18 (the total sum of the money she has to her name). Texts also pop up on screen from Sean and from work. Her eyes burn from the cleaning chemicals at work... Alex’s small world is being chipped away at every moment and we get a full sensory experience of her stress throughout the episode. It truly is a master class on how to immerse an audience so fully in the lead character's world, stakes and goals.
Final Takeaway: Maid will crack the viewer’s heart right open as Margaret Qualley delivers what may turn out to be the most empathetic performance of the year, while the writing will immerse the viewer in an experience some may never be able to imagine without watching the show. It’s an incredible piece of work likely to be revisited during awards season in all arenas of television making.