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MARYLAND. ITV. Mon 22 Tue 23 Wed 24 May - 9pm. TV pace NO SPOILERS

155 replies

Blondeshavemorefun · 09/05/2023 21:53

New 3 episode drama. Yes it will all be on itvx

no I don’t want bingers on this thread 😂

tv pace only

Maryland is a new three-part drama series which brings together Suranne Jones (Vigil (https://www.bt.com/tv/drama/vigil-season-2-bbc-cast-release-date-plot-trailer), Doctor Foster) and Eve Best (House of the Dragon (https://www.bt.com/tv/drama/house-of-the-dragon-season-2-release-date-timeline-news)) as sisters reunited in tragic circumstances.
Created by Anne-Marie O’Connor (Trollied, Hullraisers), the drama has been described as a story that "beautifully reveals the complexities of a sisterly relationship" after they uncover their mother’s secrets and l
ies.

O’Connor said the series was "a love story about two sisters", which explores the story of woman who steps away from the traditional roles we assign in families.

Maryland is the story of Becca and Rosaline, two sisters who have grown apart because of complex family dynamics and their careers.

However, when the body of an older woman found on Laxey Beach in the Isle of Man is revealed to be their mum, the sisters are reunited.

On top of mother Mary's death, the sisters discover she has been living a double life, leaving their father at home in Manchester to create another world… Maryland.

Confined to the island, the sisters can't escape the ripple effect of their mother's secrets and lies.

Suranne Jones said: "Maryland delves into family dynamics and the way in which we ‘label’ each other, sometimes never letting ourselves or our siblings break free from those roles.

"We look at how we grow apart from one another and how sometimes we don’t really know anything about the people we call our own.

"I love how complex sibling relationships can be and I'm thrilled we get to do it over three wonderful hours and not as a 'side story'.

"Maryland is an uncomfortable, funny and sometimes difficult story with two sisters at its heart and we can’t wait to take our audience along for the ride."

OP posts:
franke · 25/05/2023 20:54

I suppose you could argue that the house had already achieved the 'betterment' of the women in the family by the end: Ros decided to stay, Suranne told her husband what she wanted from their marriage and the two granddaughters seemed to really like the house. But yeah, it was a bit 🤷🏻‍♀️

the80sweregreat · 25/05/2023 21:02

The Mum ( I didn't actually get any of their names apart from Becca and I had subtitles on! ) left the house in trust. Which sounds impressive , but what did that mean ?

Becca wanted it to be an air B and B, but clearly sis and taxi man would want to stay there too ; where did it leave them all legally ?
I admit I wasn't watching it that closely at the end , but was it made clear what would happen to a house that is clearly worth a fair amount?

Piggywaspushed · 25/05/2023 21:05

The mum was Mary!! DH and I established this whilst pondering the title

the80sweregreat · 25/05/2023 21:07

Oh yes piggy ! That makes sense .

I didn't even wonder about the title tbh!! I thought it was the name of the place where the house was.
Nice to see Sue Tully directing on the credits
She was Michelle in EE ( the real one !)

lazymum99 · 25/05/2023 21:42

My big important question is when you kiss a man with such a full beard as the taxi driver do you end up with a mouthful of hair? 🤣

determinedtomakethiswork · 25/05/2023 23:55

I thought it would've made a lot more sense, if Suranne had been the one with cancer as a teenager and her sister felt shut out as a result. This would have explained why Suranne was much closer to her mother. Not so close that her mother bothered to involve her in finding her birth mother or bothered to tell her that she had inherited a house though!

determinedtomakethiswork · 25/05/2023 23:56

What really didn't make sense to me though is that if you go and stay with your friend in the caravan in Wales you probably go for a few days. The mother had a whole complete life in the Isle of Man. Did nobody question why she was away all the time? And how did she even afford the airfare?

IwantToRetire · 26/05/2023 00:57

where did it leave them all legally ?
was it made clear what would happen to a house that is clearly worth a fair amount?

I thought it had been explained that they couldn't sell it (though I would have thought you could argue the money raised could definitely achieve the "betterment" of the women, including SJ going to university after all.

The only suggestion was it would be a holiday let while the older sister continued to investigate what was behind the beard in his cutsey cottage. Though I would have thought the house value would deteriorate as a holdiay let!

Quite honestly it was all too stupid to make any real sense. Like those afternoon films on C5 obviously aimed at women who "find" themselves after some misunderstandings and slight upsets.

Bellagio40 · 26/05/2023 02:44

lazymum99 · 25/05/2023 21:42

My big important question is when you kiss a man with such a full beard as the taxi driver do you end up with a mouthful of hair? 🤣

Exactly what I was thinking!

happinessischocolate · 26/05/2023 10:13

I enjoyed it

But I could relate to the characters

My sister went and lived abroad whilst I stayed close to home and looked after our parents as they got older. When both our parents died there was definitely some unspoken resentment on both sides.

I cared for both parents when they had dementia so can relate to the mum killing herself rather than being a burden on anyone, and a year after diagnosis can definitely be a turning point in how bad you know it's getting.

And various people in our family are adopted, or have long lost relatives

It's a shame it wasn't filmed in the Isle of Man though.

diddl · 26/05/2023 13:31

Wonder if there was also pots of money with the house for the upkeep/bills?

the80sweregreat · 26/05/2023 14:28

I had the impression that Becca wasn't that well off. The husband looked happy for a moment thinking that they could sell the property, but was told no.

diddl · 26/05/2023 17:32

I suppose the mum didn't want it sold (or her SIL to benefit?) but seems so selfish to me to have not wanted to share such a beautiful place with her husband & daughters.

At first I thought it was going to be for the "betterment of women" so maybe a quiet place to be creative or something?

It was mentioned that Mary had done some writing but that came to nothing!

purpleme12 · 26/05/2023 23:47

TheManxOneOnTheThread · 24/05/2023 11:47

As others have said, why write it as set there [IoM] and not just say ‘Ireland’ Very odd.

I'm dying to see what this crucial Manx 'specificity' can be. A wild wallaby plays Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and saves the day? Or does the denouement involve a Manx cat and an IoM Steampacket pork pie, Jonathan Creek-style? A loaghtan sheep flying past the window in a middling hooley? I'm intrigued.

Yes a manx cat 🤣

SapatSea · 27/05/2023 12:54

That was so dire! Accents all over the place. Too many plot lines. Reactions to yet more "secrets" just weird. As others have said, how on earth did the mother manage to jet back and forth from IofM physically and financially? No one had a care for their dad. SJ's husband was deeply unattractive - his partner since school had just lost her mum and found out a load of stuff and he's whingeing about shampoo and laundry?! Did he even have the brain capacity to process what she said she wanted for their partnership to grow together?

What a stinker!

daffodilandtulip · 27/05/2023 13:18

Watched a bit late but enjoyed it.

I just think the mum was very selfish - but everyone seemed to have her down as something of a saint. Obviously she'd just died and you do see things differently then, but still. Only the dad seemed to be annoyed with her - and everyone was annoyed at him!

purpleme12 · 27/05/2023 23:10

WGACA · 24/05/2023 22:03

It’s been actually worth it for the ending. I had a little cry at the end.

I cried right at the end 😭

purpleme12 · 27/05/2023 23:12

Jellykat · 24/05/2023 22:08

Looks like there'll be more. Radio times has it listed as season 1, so presume there'll be a season 2 at some point.

You know even when it's a standalone series it they haven't decided if they'll do a second one,
They're often put down as 'series one'
It doesn't indicate there'll be a second series

purpleme12 · 27/05/2023 23:19

daffodilandtulip · 27/05/2023 13:18

Watched a bit late but enjoyed it.

I just think the mum was very selfish - but everyone seemed to have her down as something of a saint. Obviously she'd just died and you do see things differently then, but still. Only the dad seemed to be annoyed with her - and everyone was annoyed at him!

Agree that the dad's reaction seemed very natural.

purpleme12 · 27/05/2023 23:19

It was certainly a unique plot.
I did enjoy watching it.

JustDanceAddict · 30/05/2023 20:57

I can’t believe Eve Best is only 51, I’m the same age and look much younger Ie, my age!! Maybe she was made up to look
older?!?
Wasn't keen on it tbh, thought some characters/plot lines could be more fleshed out. So did Ros jack in her job to live on the island? Wasn’t she a solicitor?

aramox1 · 31/05/2023 06:02

Lot of gaps. What about tax on the house, how were they meant to pay that? Too many outfits too, often 3 in a day ( though time wasn't very clear either).

Yerroblemom1923 · 31/05/2023 07:21

@lazymum99 you weren't alone in thinking that!

Alicay · 01/06/2023 14:52

The main excitement for me was Rosaline's wardrobe. Loved it! Any idea how I find out the make of her silk shirt, white trainers and those check grey trousers from episode 1?! Google not helping me.

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