Maryland

The theme of this at times painstakingly slow drama is one of information withheld -- from viewers and between sisters. Thrown into the mix is a series of brief scenes with supporting characters forced to recite often mundane dialogue seemingly for no other reason than to plant bits of back story and nudge along plot points that, frustratingly, don't add up to a whole until the final episode.

The main characters, sisters Becca and Rosaline, have been withholding information about themselves - and about each other - for decades. It affected this viewer's understanding of the animosity between them, which didn't come clear until a scene at the very end of the series, when Becca and Rosaline's individual childhood traumas burst into the ether.

Going from episode one to the last episode (three), I couldn't quite grasp the reasons for the deep animosity between these two sisters. I got that they'd made different life choices, but siblings do this all the time, and it doesn't necessarily result in them detesting each other (as it appears Becca and Rosaline do).

Then there is the mysterious back story of Becca and Rosaline's mother, a story that is slowly teased out in between sisterly scowls, alarmingly insensitive commentary by Becca's husband, a side plot involving Becca's 16-year-old daughter entering the dating world, and other supporting character obfuscation.

It's a lot of plot points to juggle, with performances that bounce between nuanced and over-the-top. Strong performances by lead actors Eve Best and Suranne Jones lifted the script beyond its natural capabilities. And the scenery was something to behold.

But I'm still trying to figure out why this series was called Maryland. Was it a nod to the mother, named Mary, and the elusive "land"(scape) of her mind? I found the title confusing. Every time I saw it, it reminded me of the state of Maryland. It in no way suggested the Mary of the story, Becca and Rosaline's mother. But maybe that's just me.

Nature or nature, we are all a product of our family and this carries through our whole life.

Maryland is the story, whilst mainly about the relationship between two sisters, about how the passage of time builds deep bonds and deep wounds among family members having pursued what life they wanted to or felt they needed to lead.

TV is full of programmes with a goodie and a baddie, or very stereotypical formats. McDonalds for your eyes.

Maryland is very different, it's written and acted with refreshing normality with a flawless sensitivity to the highly complex reality of family life and relationships.

Distant sisters Becca and Rosaline receive the news that their mother Mary has died, found in The Isle of Man, not in Wales as she'd told Becca. The pair travel to The Isle of Man to learn why their mother was there, and how she died.

A great series, this really was something a little different, how nice to have a story like this, after a run of Detective dramas and procedurals. It's well paced and truly absorbing, it's so good I binge watched the three episodes all in one go.

Suranne Jones and Eve Best are both wonderful as the sisters, their journey is so fascinating, the sibling rivalry, the past jealousies and rivalries, their respective ways of dealing with grief.

What a jaw dropping location, such a beautiful place, the cameraman made great use of it.

A great supporting cast including Hugh Quarshie, Dean Lennox Kelly and Stockard Channing, all involved were excellent.

9/10.

A quiet, contemplative, endearing little ITV drama - definitely a slow burn - effectively capturing the rawness of grief in the wake of someone's unexpected passing.

Eve Best & Suranne Jones deliver understated, powerhouse performances in the two lead roles, playing flawed sisters with an unhealthy sibling rivalry (who barely remain in contact under usual circumstances) & therefore, the fairly basic concept allows for the tension they harbour to organically manifest itself (with no cheap gimmicks or contrived plot twists; the writing focusing solely on the complexities of human interactions & conflict which may emerge from the various ways in which one may individually respond to certain stimuli), once they're thrust in to an intense situation & the dynamic of their fractious relationship is disturbed by this monumental event in their lives.

Yes, the execution is messy & not every issue raised throughout is satisfyingly resolved by the end, but that authentically mirrors the imperfection of reality & acts as a brilliant way to ground the narrative in something tangible & resonant - which we can all personally relate to.

I have to say that I enjoyed this more than most reviews suggest I should have. Whilst it did seem slightly implausible that the mother could in any practical sense spend so much time away from home as the story required she had, the premise of a parallel life away from her domestic situation (and husband) was understandably appealing to her. The evolving relationship between the daughters was the main thread throughout, and although the 'spiky testiness becomes newly found reconciliation and affection' is a path well trodden, I felt it played out well. I rather enjoyed the performances of Suranne Jones and Eve Best as their relationship evolved over the three episodes. Whilst the dad was a bit of a cliche character for me, and the karaoke story brought nothing to the party, I enjoyed Maryland and watched all episodes back to back. I recommend.