Adrianna Wolf
Copy Writer
The Netflix series, ‘Maid’, has been a huge success and may be coming back for another season. The show is fictional, but intertwines modern day issues like domestic violence and the complexity of government assistance.
‘Maid’ follows the story of a single mother, Alex (Margaret Qualley), as she navigates her way through all kinds of hurdles after escaping an abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend Sean (Nick Robinson). All the decisions Alex makes are in the hopes of making a better life for her daughter, Maddy.
To deem herself fit to take care of Maddy, Alex must find a job, and quickly. She turns to a cleaning service and cleans houses to make money. Through cleaning houses, Alex makes friends and learns many things about the lives of others.
Before she got pregnant, Alex had plans to attend an arts college in Montana. She is an aspiring writer and finds inspiration to write again after her experiences cleaning houses and living in a domestic abuse shelter.
While Alex deals with her trauma, she must also find ways to provide for Maddy. Each time Alex spends money, a box pops up in the corner of the screen, announcing how much money she has left. It may begin with $20.00 and quickly dwindle down to -$13.00.
Viewers realize how difficult it is for people trying to escape abusive living conditions. Like Alex, there is not always somewhere for victims to go and finding work may seem impossible.
After leaving Sean, Alex realizes that she is a victim of domestic violence and emotional abuse. The show follows her journey to acceptance and emotional recovery.
During her time living in a shelter for domestic abuse victims, she creates relationships with the other women. Through her experiences with these women, Alex finds the strength and courage to stand up to Sean.
To make matters worse, Sean is fighting Alex in court to get full custody of Maddy. Everything seems to go against Alex as she tries to prove she is what’s best for Maddy.
The show is heart wrenching and frustrating to watch. Alex does not always make the best decisions but a lot of that comes from the effects of the abuse she endured.
The show realistically portrays emotional abuse and the effects it can have. Alex did understand she was abused and intimidated daily. The people in her life that witnessed it first-hand often gaslit her.
The show has gotten mixed reviews from all kinds of audiences, but for the most part, people loved it.
However, there are some viewers who could not stand Alex and how stubborn she was throughout the series. Others also feel it was not a fully realistic depiction of abuse victims.
In my own opinion, I think all victims of abuse are different. The way one woman reacts to emotional abuse will never be the same reaction another woman has. Recovery is difficult and different for everyone.
Give it a watch and see what you think. I do not think you will regret being a part of Alex and Maddy’s journey.
Email Adrianna at:
awolf12@live.esu.edu
