Stethoscopes and sleep deprivation. That’s the winning combination Acorn TV is serving up with Maternal, a new medical drama that takes a refreshingly frank look at the lives of doctors returning to work after maternity leave. Forget pristine scrubs and flawlessly-delivered diagnoses – this series dives headfirst into the maelstrom of motherhood, career pressures, and the ever-present fear of forgetting which bag holds the breast pump.
The two-episode premiere introduces us to our central trio: Maryam, a pediatrician whose first day back involves a rather unexpected trip to the ER; Catherine, a surgeon determined to climb the professional ladder, even if it means scaling a mountain of paperwork and casual sexism; and Helen, an acute medic whose marital woes are proving to be a far more persistent ailment than any of the cases landing on her gurney.
The second episode dings deeper into Maryam’s anxiety, Catherine’s surgical aspirations, and Helen’s complicated relationship with her sister Debbie, a dynamic that’s as messy as a toddler’s playroom after a juice box explosion.
Parminder Nagra (Bend It Like Beckham, ER), Lara Pulver (The Split, Sherlock), and Lisa McGrillis (George Gently, Sex Education) lead the cast, bringing a welcome dose of both gravitas and wry humor to the proceedings. With a concise six-episode run, Maternal seems determined to avoid the drawn-out storylines and melodramatic pitfalls that can plague medical dramas.
Instead, it focuses on relatable struggles and the often darkly comedic absurdity of trying to have it all (or at least some semblance of it). The series is exclusive to Acorn TV and new episodes are released on Mondays.
Maternal airs Mondays at 3:01 AM EST on Acorn TV.
