Limited series have become the new wave in television and streaming. The structure allows a full narrative story to be told adequately with the time and attention necessary to properly build a world and develop characters in a way that grabs the attention of audiences and implants an emotional connection to both the arc and the people within it. Perhaps no show has taken advantage of this format and capitalized on its benefits better than Netflix’s Maid, starring Margaret Qualley as Alex, a mother who has fled her toxic and abusive relationship with her toddler and has to find a means to provide for the both of them.
There have been countless limited series released on streaming that have managed to grip their viewers over a capped amount of time, but there are a number of things that Maid does better than any of them in its 10-episode run. While shows like Mare of Easttown, Under the Banner of Heaven, and Midnight Mass — among others — all have a legitimate claim as possibly the best limited series out there, Maid tells a compelling story that is entertaining and heartbreaking while also being relatable and understandable for any audience. Here are some of the things that Maid does better than maybe any other program in television.
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Pacing Across Its Episodes
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While limited series have the benefit of being able to tell a completely drafted story without having to worry about filler episodes or continually writing new material to extend a show’s run, some of them are still better than others at time management. Maid is perhaps the prime example of how to take maximum advantage of every single second of runtime possible.
Throughout its total 10-episode run, showrunner and writer Molly Smith Metzler along with her cast of directors was able to weave an intricate tale rooted in reality that keeps audiences pinned at the edge of their seats. The narrative is carefully woven while told in a digestible chronological order. There are plenty of different intriguing plot points implanted within the series to keep viewers guessing and engaged, but it never becomes too much for the show to handle.
Maid keeps its pace like an expert marathon runner, slowing down at appropriate times to grant some of its more imperative moments the magnitude they deserve. In other points, it keeps the progression running to ensure that all of its arcs are wrapped up neatly with the requisite attention that they command. Many limited series — even with a completely laid-out structure — can drag at various points, whether it be due to poor writing or ill-timed pacing. Maid cleverly avoids that pitfall, keeping the audience’s interests piqued at all times.
Builds a Complex But Believable Narrative
To craft a compelling show, the script must be captivating enough to grab and hold the attention of its viewers. No matter how great the cinematography or actors may be, a beautifully shot and expertly acted bore is still a bore. Maid starts with a riveting true story — based on the memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land, according to Today — that is executed with talent and concern by Metzler, the directors, and the entirety of its brilliant cast.
The show, like the book, handles a multitude of sensitive and hard-hitting topics, such as single parenthood, domestic violence, poverty, and divorce, and it spins a story around these subjects with compassion and in a manner that is extremely relatable and believable. Many pieces of media that tackle these talking points can be a little too direct, resulting in a stereotypical afternoon special about right and wrong. Maid accomplishes the difficult balancing act of showing the natural moral progression without telling, allowing its complex problems to resolve themselves within the flow of the show in a timely and realistic manner.
Maid’s Character Development
A truly intriguing story contains several dynamic characters that evolve throughout the narrative arc. Maid has plenty of those, a handful of interesting players that find themselves intertwined within Alex’s story as she navigates her way out of an abusive relationship and into a new life as a successful single mother. Like in the real world, no character in the show is static, as they all display growth one way or another — except maybe Rylea Neveah Whittet’s Maddy, Alex’s toddler-age daughter who shouldn’t be expected to grow much within the few months in which the show spans.
An important task in developing a character is to have them grow in a natural progression that makes sense and would be seen in the real world. Maid does that beautifully. At no point does any main player suddenly have a drastic heel-turn or change of heart. Instead, their steady growth is tangible and visible, and audiences can watch their incremental growth over time.
Relays That Humans Are Complicated
In Maid, like in any story, there are protagonists and antagonists, heroes and villains. That being said, the show explicitly shows that humans are complicated and that the world is gray rather than the stark black and white that most shows end up displaying. Alex, the main character, is a deeply flawed human being. She makes mistakes; she’s selfish at times and reckless in others. But she means well and wants a better life for her daughter. Even as she grows and gets closer to her goal, she slips back into old habits sometimes — something that all people go through in real life.
Sean Boyd, played by Love, Simon’s Nick Robinson, is Alex’s ex, the father of her child, and her abuser. He’s not just the typical villain who’s inherently evil and commits treacherous acts one after another. He has issues with alcoholism and anger, but he loves his daughter and Alex. He takes detrimental actions out of that love but also grows within the show.
Andie MacDowell, who played Alex’s mother Paula, stole the show as a mostly absent and mentally-ill woman still trying to find her place in life. She wants to be the best mom and grandma that she can be for her daughter and grandchild, but her bouts with her bipolarity often keep her from accomplishing that goal. All of these reasons make the show the masterpiece that it is, and it was recognized as such with three Emmy Awards according to IMDb. Every limited series can learn from Maid on how to tell a heart-wrenching relatable story in a capped period.
