Maid - Netflix

[CanofCant]

Just starting this. Judging from the trailers I will be crying and shouting at the telly in frustration before long.

I was glad the mum didn't go, she was so chaotic it would have been a nightmare to take her with them. Im glad she acknowledged how proud she was of Alex at the end.

The ending was beautifully done.

I get why she asked her mum along. But the way she pictured herself at uni while her mum had fun with Maddie was never going to happen. Alex would be constantly worrying about them both. How would she support 2 adults and a child? Will she even get a job as a writer? I wonder if there will be a series 2?

I just finished watching this and thought it was really terrific. The acting was ace - and the storylines very compelling. I hope there is another series.

I thought Alex's relationship with her dad was very effectively portrayed. He thought he was 'there for her' but he was really an idle, negligent predator in his own way. The scene where he refused to intervene when Shawn was abusing Alex in the trailer was awful. Then he insisted on them all joining hands and saying Grace - terrible. Plus he wouldn't step up for her when it really mattered. What an arse.

Hugs to everyone on this thread who has found this a really difficult thing to watch especially the bits where it doesn't reflect what you think might have really happened. The missing scenes where she breaks down in tears and rocks or screams or stuffs her duvet in her mouth to stop herself crying. Or the real picture of what someone looks like when they haven't slept because your child has been coughing every night for a month and you don't have the money to 'do better for her'. The reality of trying to work when you have to look after your children and meet the demands of the social workers who are supposed to help. The frustration when you have filled out another form, stood in another queue and someone else looks down their nose at you while you try to work out if you have enough left to buy what you need for the next few days. And yes... she scoops her child up and takes her to hang out but the lake.. when in reality she would loose her shit and then spend the rest of the day feeling even worse about herself. Hugs to every woman who has been through any part of the things reflected in this series.

@ChateauMargaux

Hugs to everyone on this thread who has found this a really difficult thing to watch especially the bits where it doesn't reflect what you think might have really happened. The missing scenes where she breaks down in tears and rocks or screams or stuffs her duvet in her mouth to stop herself crying. Or the real picture of what someone looks like when they haven't slept because your child has been coughing every night for a month and you don't have the money to 'do better for her'. The reality of trying to work when you have to look after your children and meet the demands of the social workers who are supposed to help. The frustration when you have filled out another form, stood in another queue and someone else looks down their nose at you while you try to work out if you have enough left to buy what you need for the next few days. And yes... she scoops her child up and takes her to hang out but the lake.. when in reality she would loose her shit and then spend the rest of the day feeling even worse about herself. Hugs to every woman who has been through any part of the things reflected in this series.

I don't understand why you say that in reality she would not have gone to the lake? I think you're projecting a lot. SL is very much a nature person. And remember this is about a young woman, she's in her 20s, when I was in my 20s I still looked pretty good even after being up all night. And I thought they did a pretty good job of showing her frustration during her numerous visits to govt offices.???

I guess I meant to say in reality sometimes... she would have crumbled. I am giving my opinion on the series which does not agree with yours.. fair enough.

Yeah I get it. The way I saw it, she crumbled in the shelter the day she lost Maddy 😢 but her lowest time was when she was back with Sean and he'd taken away her phone and car, she was so close to submission. Achingly sad.

I think it's wrong to say how anyone else would react to anything- all different types of reactions are just fine. In recent history not reacting 'properly' has caused women to be disbelieved when they say they were raped - it's a dangerous path to go down.

My normal reaction would be someone else's not normal.

I loved this and thought both main actresses were brilliant.

Finished the series today and was very compelled by it. I liked the way the opening scene made you think she was fleeing from a monster who beat her daily and the way it unravelled to make you realise abuse isn't so black & white.

I liked that Alex knew not to stand for it. Her portrayal of motherly love was so relatable. Heart-breaking when she had to get MIL's permission to kiss her sleeping daughter on the forehead!

Agree with PP that Andie MacDowell was a bit too much of a caricature.

Most frustrating part was when Alex got kicked out of that dream apartment because of Sean!

Clever how we're left uncertain how to feel about Nate. His kindness was second to none but was motivated by a long term crush.

Regina was great - though there is no way Alex would have been able to transition my babies from car to crib with that trick!

Yes I thought that too - hilarious that putting on relaxing music was enough to keep a baby asleep like that 😂

@Tealandabney

Yes I thought that too - hilarious that putting on relaxing music was enough to keep a baby asleep like that 😂

Glad it's not just me 😂. I could relate to 'if I so much as breathe near him, he wakes up!'

I absolutely loved this. One of the few things I've watched that has stayed with me afterwards.
I actually found it uplifting in the main, and inspiring too.
If Andie McDowell got on your nerves, then it's because she succeeded in her role! She was meant to be annoying, selfish, narcissistic, mentally unstable. I thought she was brilliant.
But Alex and Maddy really did steal the show. Alex was phenomenal.

I’m on episode 7. I have cried so many times watching this. It’s so brilliantly done and the acting is just spot on. Haven’t watched something that’s made me cry like this in a very long time. Recommend to all, and I am so wishing Alex achieves the best for herself and Maddy at the end.

I remember while watching this and thinking how bad Andie McDowells acting was how good Chloe Webb - Monica Gallagher in Shameless would have been. Now that was a great portrayal of someone with mental health issues.

mycatisannoying
Of course she was meant to be annoying, selfish, narcissistic, mentally unstable but I don't think she did it very well.

I actually think Alex’s love of Maddie is realistic.
I was on my own with dd, she was all I had. I poured everything into her.
Maddie is Alex’s chance to love and be loved unconditionally, to create what she didn’t have and maybe even heal herself.

Finished this last night and cried buckets. Such a hard watch, but so brilliantly done. Really hope it helps open people's eyes to the really complex issues that surround domestic abuse, addiction, attachment issues, mental health, homelessness etc

To the poster on page one who said something about how unrealistic it was for Alex to supposedly be able to clean that giant mansion (Regina's) in three hours on her own... That's the point... When you're on your knees and desperate other people can take advantage of you and/or put unrealistic demands on you

Just finished this and thought it was wonderful. I know it's not perfect, but it was beautiful, and thought-provoking.

@BrainBleachNeeded

I’m on episode 7. I have cried so many times watching this. It’s so brilliantly done and the acting is just spot on. Haven’t watched something that’s made me cry like this in a very long time. Recommend to all, and I am so wishing Alex achieves the best for herself and Maddy at the end.

When you have finished the series you may like to follow the writer in instagram. Latest updates are SOOOO great.

@BlueFlavour

I actually think Alex’s love of Maddie is realistic. I was on my own with dd, she was all I had. I poured everything into her. Maddie is Alex’s chance to love and be loved unconditionally, to create what she didn’t have and maybe even heal herself.

Lovely comment @BlueFlavour I agree.

I wonder how common emotional abuse is. I reckon it must be so much more common that physical abuse, but so much more difficult to prove and also messes with your head because there is no clear line crossed. I think many men would consider themselves not abusive as they would never hit, but there as so many other ways. I thought it was clever that when Sean turns over a new leaf and lulls her in to a false sense of decoy and goes back to him. This must be very common and why women end up going back. As the viewer I found myself wanting to believe maybe he wasn’t so bad in the episodes when he was trying to be good.

I've just finished this and really enjoyed it. I was struck at the end that had seemingly picked another wrong 'un. Glad Maddie got her happy ending cis I'm not sure I could have coped if it had been un unhappy ond after all that misery.

Sorry struck that Paula had picked another wrong 'un.

I have a relative who is bipolar and all she ever does is pick wrong uns so that didn't surprise me.

Oh yeah I can totally see that cycle repeating itself but there was definitely an undercurrent there. I wonder if there will be a 2nd series and they're sowing the seeds of a storyline.