Maternal (2023) User Reviews

Great medical drama

[julestbtd · 9/10 · 17 January 2023]

Following 3 doctors in NHS, and their busy lives, handling work and children husbands, sadness and happiness, got me hooked from the start. Very well acted.

Pleased all episodes on ITVX .

Happy marriages, unhappy . Comedy, sadness, very witty script, Great characters, shows arrogance of Consultants think they are god.

Shows stresses and strains put on Doctors .

Great performances , make you laugh and cry.

Insight into training Doctors and strains they go through.

Hope they have more series.

Very good acting, good Actresses.

Hope people will love it.

I was a nurse so can understand the runnings of busy wards .

Loved this!

[chickwah · 8/10 · 24 January 2023]

I started out intending to watch just the first episode and ended up watching them all because it was so compelling! All 3 of the female leads were excellent in this brilliantly written series, but it was altogether a strong cast. Having worked in a hospital for some years, I found it to be very true to life and believable, giving true insight into the pressures the NHS staff are under. Well done to all concerned and I really hope there will be another series because we need to see more drama like this.

It's always a good sign when you don't want a series to come to an end and this was one of those series!

Fantastic - hit the mark!

[elliotpittom · 9/10 · 23 January 2023]

I can understand the points about bad acting here - the parts were cast brilliantly. Yes, it's not groundbreaking and it might not be absolutely true to life but there are certainly elements that are relatable. The storylines are shocking and hard hitting. I can't see anything else they could add here - except a longer series as some parts did feel quite rushed and some stories could have potentially had more detail added to them. That's more to the shows credit, than it's demise though. All in all, this is a great show and I do hope they bring it back for another series (or many more in the future).

itv really pulled one out of the bag

[kmfrrzm · 10/10 · 30 January 2023]

It is rare to find a show with a protagonist who's actions stay consistent with their character throughout, and it's even rarer to find a show with three consistent protagonists, often one or two characters fall to the way side. Maternal delivers on this mark without flinching.

The show creates a devastatingly well crafted world that mixes enjoyable scenes of light character development with powerful storylines and heart wrenching moments. It shows without telling and but doesn't make you work too hard. It cuts to the core of systemic issues in the nhs and passes the bêchedel test without drawing attention to the fact it is. The male characters are awful but in a complicated way which I think is rare to see, and I can't shout out Hannah and Maryams performances enough.

I think episode six deserves a lot of awards.

Excellent

[cairobug-89339 · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

Ignore the low scores. They are obviously trolls. This was a binge worthy series and deserving of a second season.

Good character development and storylines. Acting was great and so nice to see female leads steal the show.

Tells the story of three female doctors who have returned to work after the pandemic. Mixing their work lives with their home lives. The shocking decline in NHS services and the unbearable pressure the staff deal with each day.

Dealing with life and death decisions. A well balanced series and worthy of a watch.

I for one look forward to a second season.

I give a solid 10.

Fabulous - now let's just have a bit more reality

[rachellowe-26123 · 9/10 · 5 February 2023]

I absolutely loved this series and couldn't stop watching. We so need more series like this - It had brilliant story lines and a superb cast whom you couldn't stop watching. As a woman who had experienced the realities and sacrifices of working in an industry run be men (albeit not a medical one) there was so much they got right. Women being expected to take on far more than their fair share of both work and child care with a smile on their faces, the camaraderie amongst women who have each others backs and the reality of the NHS being on its knees. Unfortunately there was a fair bit wrong too (which made me a little surprised it was written by a woman). The fact that all male characters (even the gay one!) are chauvinists or losers was a big one, and the fact that despite all the shortages the wards look pristine.

Also the title of the series - MATERNAL -really? Is there a better title to deter male viewers! My boyfriend loved this too but would never have watched this my himself despite seeking out the much better titled 'this is going to hurt'

More of these brilliant relatable women please - next series let's just have better male characters and less apology from the kick arse women who work with them.

Some decent aspects, but hardly wonderful drama.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 6/10 · 22 January 2023]

Three mothers return to their jobs in The NHS after maternity leave, back at work they pick up following the strains and stresses of Covid 19.

Before watching it, and seeing a very brief synopsis, I had a few ideas in my mind of what to expect, a few stereotypes in my mind, and as I watched, pretty much all of them did appear.

I think it was is a passable series , I can't say I was totally blown away by it, but it was ok, it somewhat reminded me of a mix of Blue Murder and Holby City.

Some characters were interesting, some weren't. I liked Maryam, although I'm more excited to see the wonderful Parminder Nagra back as DI Ray, Helen was just irritating.

It does fall into one trap, yes it's seen from a woman's point of view, but every single man here, is either a cheat, or incompetent, or inconsiderate, potential Tory MPs, it would have been ok for one of them to have been perhaps a halfway decent human being. Somewhat lazy, stereotypical writing.

6/10.

Wow! FINALLY A QUALITY SERIES I LOOK FORWARD TO

[mstaffordca · 10/10 · 20 January 2023]

Wow! FINALLY A QUALITY SERIES I LOOK FORWARD TO!! Spectacular series! Ticks all the boxes, drama, humor, heartfelt personal attachment, family issues, relatability, realistic parenting, juggling every day life etc. Etc. Just a wonderful series! Thank you to the creators! Really thank you! We need WAYY MORE like this!!

Wow! FINALLY A QUALITY SERIES I LOOK FORWARD TO!! Spectacular series! Ticks all the boxes, drama, humor, heartfelt personal attachment, family issues, relatability, realistic parenting, juggling every day life etc. Etc. Just a wonderful series! Thank you to the creators! Love it.

ER & CALL THE MIDWIFE HAD A BABY

[BULLCBULL · 10/10 · 2 February 2023]

I've waited years for a series to be this well done. It made me feel every emotion a human can feel and even the story lines I could never relate to or understand on a personal level had me watching with emotion. As my tagline reads ER & Call the Midwife had a baby because this series is set inside a hospital and you do get to see a baby being born, maybe more than one but it includes other medical areas so you're not sat there for a straight hour watching deliveries, it also does so well peeping into the characters personal lives. I'm hoping to see a several year series out of this one because I've waited years for a drama this good.

Badly slung together

[carolinesarre · 1/10 · 17 January 2023]

Bad acting , bad filming, not sure if it is supposed to be a comedy or drama... won't be watching episodes. BRING BACK HOLBY !!

Filming looks like it's done on a budget or was that on purpose?

Not carefully prepared or thought out.

Too many caracters in the scenes. Unlikely outfits for doctors out of white coats.... No suspens or interesting dialogues, exagerated facial expressions. Music annoying I agree that the bbc's "this is going to hurt " was far more entertaining. Sorry, but generally disappointed .

We thought that we were going to get some good new entertainment as medical dramas go... but no. Try something else maybe?

Great binge!

[graeme_glenn05 · 10/10 · 15 March 2023]

Loved this. Wasn't sure what to expect with it being a British show. Usually most of these are American but I was really surprised and ended up bringing the whole thing. Really hoping for a second season. Loved Nagra from ER and she didn't disappoint in this. It's exactly what woman are supposed to try to do, juggle family life and work life or just be expected to put life in hold with no support to continue as themselves. Has the same grey's feels about it though with who is sleeping with who! Definitely worth the watch as a new mum or even a dad to help understand the roles and how it is just expected of us to manage.