Maryland

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.

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.

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.

This is an excellent 3 part series. It maybe hit home for me, in the fact of estranged siblings, a parent suffering and the beauty that can happen when truth is brought front and center. Suranne Jones and Eve Best are the 2 sisters at the forefront of this fantastically acted and really well written series. Becca and Roseline, respectively.

Jones, I have loved since Scott & Bailey and Best, since Nurse Jackie. Other standouts include Dean L Kelly as Jacob and Andrew Knott as Jim, Suzanne's husband.

This is a well thought out script that doesn't waiver and is quite believable when faced with the given back story that is revealed as the series progresses.

This is clearly not going to be for everyone, you can easily figure that out by reading the reviews. I really enjoyed it. Two sisters coming up against every family fault line. It wasn't overly dramatic, but it didn't feel slow either. A bit of a mystery thrown in to spice things up. I thing dramas about women's lives seem inconsequential to some people, and they are still rare unfortunately. The sisters had very different lives, plus a lifetime of misconceptions. The situation brought it all up to the surface. There were aspects of this show that I worried might wander into soap opera, but it never did that. It was warm and true throughout.

I agree about the Stockard Channing thing. She was fine in her part, but why not use an English actress? There must be a story there.