【cancer possess a deep eroticism】

Some TV shows transport you through time and cancer possess a deep eroticismspace. Some show you a fantasy, a brief but welcome escape. Shows like this offer a break from everyday life and comfort within their stories.

Maidis not that kind of show.

The Netflix limited series, created by Molly Smith Metzler and based on a memoir by Stephanie Land, stars Margaret Qualley as Alex, a young woman who leaves her husband after he threatens her safety while intoxicated. Without a job or home, Alex quickly finds herself tangled in bureaucracy of social service, encountering one obstacle after another as she just tries to keep herself and her daughter safe.

Qualley is outstanding from start to finish. She captures Alex's hope, despondence, and determination, all numbed by the aftershocks of abuse. She strikes a perfect tone in the show's lighter moments and small victories, breaking down commensurately when life throws her another hurdle. She's deeply, painfully realistic, a performance that will stay with you between episodes and after an emotionally dense finale.

Mashable Top Stories Stay connected with the hottest stories of the day and the latest entertainment news. Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Watching Maidinevitably signs the viewer up for immense stress. The conflicts hit differently from other shows because child care, employment, and rent are inescapable realities. Alex navigates a labyrinth of red tape while living check-to-check, doors repeatedly slamming in her face for housing and employment, and the tension sits in your sternum, an incessant gnawing.

Netflix's "Maid," starring Margaret Qualley, exposes vicious cycles of poverty and abuse. Credit: RICARDO HUBBS / NETFLIX

Metzler and her directors pull exceptional performances from the rest of the cast, too, especially Nick Robinson as Alex's husband Sean. An abusive husband is an easy TV villain, all rage and violence with no subtlety to spare. But Maidunderscores early on that emotional abuse is still abuse. Sean is often kind and considerate; he genuinely loves his wife and daughter and hates the person he becomes under the influence. He can be violent, he can be tender, and he can be everything in between while still feeling like a real person, showcasing Robinson's impressive range.

The same care is applied to Andie McDowell as Alex's bipolar artist mother and Billy Burke as her estranged father, a born-again Christian with his own dark past. McDowell — Qualley's real-life mother — stands out particularly. Generational divides keep Paula (McDowell) from calling herself abused, but a string of bad relationships and unchecked mental health often make her a hindrance to Alex during desperate times. Alex can't help loving her despite this, but it's speaks volumes about McDowell's performance that we too feel her warmth after a storm.

"Maid" follows Alex (Margaret Qualley, center) as she copes with a soured relationship and PTSD from emotional abuse. Credit: RICARDO HUBBS / NETFLIX

With nuanced writing and deliberate direction, Maidis a masterful finished product. It's just damn good television, palpably well-assembled. It shines a harsh spotlight on this country's failure to support victims of poverty and abuse, sucking them into a system that exhausts the spirit and drives so many women inexorably back to their abusers. It is not easy or enjoyable to witness Alex's hardship, but after 10 episodes the series leaves you feeling raw, moved, and full.

Maidis now streaming on Netflix.

Topics Netflix

• Life
• Science
• Social Good
• Digital Culture
• Shopping
• Entertainment
• Games
• Tech

• The Year in Tech: 2014 Top Stories
• Cinematic Librarians, and Other News by Sadie Stein
• In the Darkroom with W. Eugene Smith
• Gimme Shelter by Sadie Stein
• Nishioka vs. Alcaraz 2025 livestream: Watch Australian Open for free
• Let the Memory Live Again, and Other News by Sadie Stein
• The News You Have Been Waiting For by Sadie Stein
• Doris Lessing, 1919–2013 by Sadie Stein
• Best Amazon deal: Save 20% on floral and botanical Lego sets
• The Subjective Fog: For Julian Hoeber by Jonathan Lethem

• BJEV shares surge 9% after reports of potential alliance with Xiaomi · TechNode
• Baidu orders AI chips from Huawei as alternative to Nvidia: report · TechNode
• Meituan denies rumors that its couriers must be under 45 years old · TechNode
• JD reports modest revenue growth in Q3, CEO to assume leadership of retail sector · TechNode
• Tesla accelerates launch of Full Self
• China’s Zeekr to start selling electric vehicles in Hong Kong, Macau · TechNode
• Tesla China responds to Chengdu crash involving 11 vehicles · TechNode
• Google app seen as a trojan bug by some Huawei and Honor phones · TechNode
• Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 · TechNode
• Moore Threads completes new round of financing following sanction listing · TechNode

• Elon Musk told Donald Trump what to do about the Paris Climate Agreement
• Recapping Dante: Canto 9, or Dial V for Virgil by Alexander Aciman
• The Subjective Fog: For Julian Hoeber by Jonathan Lethem
• And the Pantone Color of the Year Is… by Sadie Stein
• Dating app happn launches AI
• Fourth Wall by Sadie Stein
• Kings Have Adorned Her by Diane Mehta
• My First Book(s) by David L. Ulin
• Meta says some AGI systems are too risky to release
• The High School Literature Zodiac

• Assassin's Creed Origins: How Heavy is It on Your CPU?
• It Involves Breaking Stuff by Sadie Stein
• Amazon Is Stressful, and Other News by Sadie Stein
• F?!@#g Ohio by Sadie Stein
• E3 2017 Trailer Roundup: Upcoming PC Games
• Reading Through the Leaves by Amy Grace Loyd
• An American in Paris by Sadie Stein
• Reading Through the Leaves by Amy Grace Loyd
• Wordle today: The answer and hints for January 28, 2025
• Writers Sell Out, and Other News by Sadie Stein