Maryland

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.

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.

Excellent acting from this mainly Northern British cast.

Unfortunately, it seems the reviewers who left low marks either didn't watch all episodes - as some admitted - or just didn't understand what it was about.

It's about Family, death, grieving, secrets, but mostly how the human mind can be selfish, feels unloved or unwanted - where it is quite often the opposite Mostly it's about how different people brought up in similar circumstances can want different things, different lives and different outcomes and how some go for it and some stick with what they think is "right", even when they are not sure themselves.

It's about loneliness when you're have people around you as well as when you are on your own - and how some of us are happy with being in that situation and some are not This drama is much deeper than it first appears and needs watching again if you didn't get it first time!

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.

Just a wonderful family story with some thought provoking issues along the way about life, love and family. Loved the acting in this. Not sure why some reviews are awful as it is a fab storyline. A nice normal message to boot.

Binged in one day. Parts of the story aligned with my sister and I. Plus my Irish mum has always wanted to go to the Isle of Man. Mum recommended we watch this. So will be interested to get my sisters take. There is one scene in particular that I want her to watch as she has thrown that sentence my way before about not having children. So sis. Start watching this please.