"Maid" Netflix Series First Impression

 So much to unpack with this show so far. I haven't finished it yet but these are my initial thoughts. First, it is an accurate depiction of the reality some people find when trying to extricate themselves from abusive relationships. For instance, in the first episode Alex flees her home after her boyfriend has a violent outburst which leaves her fearing for her child's safety. The first place she thinks to go is a friend's house, but this friend has close ties to her boyfriend who is immediately alerted to her presence there. She leaves that place, but has nowhere else to go and ends up sleeping in her car at a public park. 

The second realistic thing is the finance issue. Many abusive partners control the money in the relationship so they can cut it off at any time for any reason. This gives them financial control which makes it more difficult to leave. Alex at the offset has about $20 to work with and as she puts gas in her car, we see her funds going down.

The third realistic thing is how difficult it can be to find work if you don't have a place to live or any kind of daycare for your children, which would be difficult if all your close friends were tied to your abusive partner. This is why abusive partners tend to alienate their victims to keep them from having someplace else to turn.

Something else I found interesting and extremely true to life is that people who come from troubled pasts tend to fall into these kinds of relationships more easily. Alex has a flighty and irresponsible mother, and a father who isn't really a part of her life because he has a family outside of the probably toxic one he had with her mother. One reason for this is that people with this kind of past have fewer familial ties, less confidence, and more neediness than their more stable peers.

And finally, and perhaps the most realistic part of all is the way other people tend to view emotionally abusive relationships and why it can be so hard to leave. Because it's easy to say "it was just one outburst" and ignore all the other things that person is doing or has done especially if it's not all the time. Abusers often begin with emotional abuse before they escalate to physical violence. This tears down their victims mentally and makes them more susceptible to physical attacks. Abusers often call their victims names, tell them they're worthless, scream in their faces, hit near them to intimidate them or throw things. All these actions take a toll on the victim and break down their willpower.

All-in-all the show has a very good start and I am eager to see more. So far, I rate the show a 10/10