Note: this post contains spoilers and is most relevant to those who have watched the entirety of Maid on Netflix.
(Post image Source: People Magazine)
It’s been a minute since I’ve binged a TV show in the truest sense. That is to say, all day, in my pajamas, junk food at my fingertips (candy one daydreams of presenting to a Victorian child), the kind of binge where the credits bodyslam you through temporal planes of existence, rocking your world in such a way you must make it the problem of everyone in your household. I was really sucked into Maid. The dinner conversation will reflect this.
What drew me in? At least partially because the lead actors are beautiful people (I am human, after all!). But there is also something to be said for the way Margaret Qualley expertly weaves comic character traits into her performance as Alex Russell. I loved her character so much. Alex uplifted my worldview; she felt like a raw manifestation of the indomitable human spirit. I have a hard time believing she isn’t real. I feel like she would enjoy Laufey. I just feel it.
Don’t get me wrong: Maid is not an easy watch. To say Alex is a traumatized character is a massive understatement. The show centers around Alex fighting to survive amongst hunger, homelessness, domestic abuse from her ex-boyfriend (Sean), an absent father (Hank), a mother with severe undiagnosed Bipolar disorder (Paula), and plenty of other tender topics that almost made me shy away from going too far. The car accident in Episode 1–those who have seen the show know what I mean–was nearly enough to stop me. That said, watching Alex’s ability to 1) endure an rigged court system that takes her daughter away as a result of the crash, 2) verbally confront Sean for leaving their daughter Maddy with his drug-using mother while he has custody and 3) stay composed while calling out Regina’s (her employer) fault in the entire situation, kept me hooked and gave me faith that this would be a show that is more than just voyeuristic drama.
And being patient paid off! As the series progressed, the tone became more balanced, and Alex’s refusal to give up began to reward her with episodes that grow–albeit slowly–more and more hopeful.
Content-wise, Maid is a very dark show, but it maintains hopeful messaging and a sense of humor through Alex. Alex is a broke, homeless, single mother fighting to survive emotional abuse. She is also, not unsurprisingly, a very funny person. Alex’s straight-shooter attitude against obnoxiously difficult circumstances, along with her whip-smart intellect, create what is in my view, a deeply lovable character.
Alex is a broke, homeless, single mother fighting to survive emotional abuse. She is also, not unsurprisingly, a very funny person.
I like Alex for the same reasons some Reddit incels hate her. She draws her lines and sticks to them, which is an insanely difficult thing to do with a manipulative partner. She refuses “Nice Guy” advances outright. (I won’t even get into the whole Nate situation). Alex refuses to return to Sean’s trailer, until she is faced with no other choice. She is, put simply, pure strength.
Now, just because Alex is a resilient character doesn’t mean she is without flaws. She sometimes forgets key responsibilities, like that you shouldn’t park your car in a median, or not kicking out the rowdy guests at Maddy’s 3rd birthday party sooner. I also think there could be an argument for Alex occasionally being rude to her mother Paula for being. . . . Paula (though generally I think these rages are justified, in context). But altogether, I have to say, it’s hard for me to find a flaw of Alex’s that isn’t complicated by the dynamics of abuse and neglect she has endured her entire life. I mean, look at our girl’s life!
Alex is such a champ when it comes to her everlasting bad luck, that when good luck strikes her, the effect is literally euphoric (and simply unbelievable to Alex hersellf). In Episode 9, Regina revealing herself as a corporate lawyer with ties to a family lawyer feels almost too damn good to be true–and it never would have happened had Alex not had the strength to forgive Regina for stiffing her! The badassery of Regina’s lawyer friend cannot be underestimated. When she said so confidently, Sean cannot stop you from moving to Montana and he will not stop you,” I was like, GET IT, TARA!!!
Soon after Alex obtains legal assistance via Regina, she starts earning good money cleaning the houses of hoarders, providing her with the finances she needs to apply to school and secure family housing in Montana. Finally, while Alex must bear Sean’s cruelty when he threatens her to court in Episode 10, he surrenders before the fight even begins. In what feels like an instant, Alex a free woman, prospective college student, securely housed, and on her way to Montana with a solid background of professional experience. This degree of good fortune is awe-inspiring for a protagonist who, only several weeks earlier, arrived at a DV shelter, wet and muddy, with no car, no money, and not even a pair of pajamas on her back.
Another reason it was fun to root for Alex’s good fortune is she is just like every other 20-something, in the sense that she is still in the early stages of forming her identity. The rare moments Alex has time for leisure are naturally relatable and lighthearted. When Maddy is with Sean, for example, Alex distracts herself by doing things like in writing, venting to her daughter’s pony toys, seeking sex on Tinder, and going down true crime rabbit holes. These liminal moments in Maid–where time is suspended–allow Alex’s personality to shine. The romanticization of mundanity in Maid is bittersweet in the truest sense. Despite everything that has happened to her, Alex maintains a healthy sense of fun.
When Alex finally gets in her car moves to Montana, it is by no means promised that she won’t have to deal with Sean or her parents again one day. The subtle hints of comedy among the tragedy together crystallize a deeply adult theme: that for the poor, the world can simply be a terrible place. That being said, the audience still feels at peace with this ending, knowing Alex Russell can tackle the impossible. After all, she already did it once.
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