Acorn TV’s Maternal isn’t pulling any punches, dropping two episodes at once – like a medical drama speedball straight to the viewer’s veins. Episodes 3 and 4 offer a potent cocktail of surgical mishaps, personal crises, and the ever-present struggle of balancing career and family.
Episode 3 throws Catherine (Lara Pulver) into the deep end when a seemingly straightforward surgery takes a sudden, disastrous turn. Meanwhile, Maryam (Parminder Nagra) contemplates a family expansion, a decision complicated by her demanding career. And Helen (Lisa McGrillis) finally confronts Guy (Oliver Chris) about his escalating drinking problem, a ticking time bomb threatening to implode their family.
The drama continues in Episode 4 as Catherine faces a professional dilemma during a night out with Maryam, a stark reminder that even outside the hospital, life as a doctor is never truly off-duty. Simultaneously, Helen finds herself confiding in Jack (Edward Hogg) during a grueling night shift, hinting at a possible shift in their dynamic.
Maternal continues to depict the complicated reality of working mothers in high-pressure professions. These two episodes reinforce the show’s strength in portraying the messy, imperfect lives of its protagonists.
The combination of medical emergencies and personal struggles keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace, ensuring viewers remain engaged. While the medical drama aspects occasionally veer towards the melodramatic, the show’s grounding element remains its realistic portrayal of the characters’ personal lives. They’re not superheroes in scrubs; they’re flawed individuals trying to make it work, both professionally and personally.
Maternal airs Mondays at 3:00 AM EST on Acorn TV.
